- France offers free citizenship to foreigners who served in a French or allied combatant unit, served 3 years in the Foreign Legion with good conduct
- The US says non-citizens with 1 year of honourable service can apply for faster citizenship under INA 328 and 329
- Canada says permanent residents who meet the same criteria as citizens can now join the CAF, approved by the Commander, Military Personnel Command
France, the United States of America and Canada opened paths to citizenship through military service.
France grants it via Defence Minister proposal, the US grants it via USCIS under Sections 328 and 329, and Canada grants it via CAF enrolment and IRCC fast-track.
In this article, Legit.ng highlights three countries where joining the army can lead to citizenship for foreigners.
Source: UGC
1. France
France opened a pathway that allowed certain foreign nationals linked to its armed forces to acquire French nationality without paying the usual citizenship charge.
The information was shared by the French Government as an expansion of eligibility that centred on military service rather than the standard civilian route.
The update clarified that a foreigner who had completed service in the French military and whose stay in the country was regular could be considered for a resident card, and beyond that, for nationality.
Under the arrangement, acquisition of nationality was not processed through a direct individual application to the interior ministry in the usual manner.
It was initiated through a formal proposal submitted by the Minister of Defence, which placed serving personnel and veterans within a separate administrative channel.
Eligibility depended on meeting at least one of several service-related conditions that had been defined by the authorities.
One condition covered those who had served in a combatant formation of the French army or of an allied force. Another applied to individuals who had completed a minimum period of contracted service with the French Foreign Legion and had subsequently secured a certificate confirming good conduct.
A further category included those who had fought within the ranks of the French Interior Forces, known as the FFI.
An additional route existed for members of the armed forces who had sustained injury during an operational deployment.
That category was also handled through the Defence Minister's proposal mechanism, which underscored the military nature of the concession.
The procedural steps differed when the applicant remained in active service. In such cases, the naturalisation file had to be lodged with the relevant military authority rather than with the civilian office.
That military authority was then required to transmit the dossier, together with its own assessment, to the administrative body responsible for receiving applications within eight days.
Once transferred, responsibility for processing the complete file rested with the civilian administration.
The system was presented as a structured method that ensured applications from serving members passed through official military review before being considered by administrative bodies, thereby adding an extra institutional layer to the naturalisation process.
2. United States of America
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed that foreign nationals who were serving or had served in the American armed forces could access citizenship through an accelerated route provided under special sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Source: UGC
The guidance outlined that the military pathway was governed by two distinct provisions, Section 328 and Section 329 of the Act, each carrying its own conditions.
Eligible individuals were able to submit the standard Application for Naturalisation, Form N-400, without paying a fee under either provision.
Under Section 328, qualification was tied to honourable service totalling at least one year, completed at any time.
The applicant was required to be at least eighteen years old and to hold lawful permanent resident status at the point of the naturalisation interview.
A demonstration of good moral character for a minimum of five years before filing was also required, alongside an ability to read, write and speak English, unless an exemption applied, and a basic understanding of the history and system of government of the United States.
Documentation requirements depended on service status. Those who remained in service had to provide a completed Form N-426, which needed certification through their chain of command.
Those who had already left the military were expected to supply a copy of DD Form 214 or another official record confirming discharge.
A notable feature of the route was the easing of certain standard naturalisation conditions.
Requirements relating to physical presence or residence in the United States could be reduced or set aside entirely, depending on the particular circumstances of the applicant's service.
For guidance, many military installations had a designated liaison officer assigned to support the process.
Such officers were typically located within community service centres, family liaison offices or the office of the Judge Advocate General.
Completed files and supporting papers were to be sent to a central address in Chicago, specifically to USCIS, P.O. Box 4446, Chicago, IL 60680-4446. An alternative online filing option existed through the creation of an account on the USCIS platform, where Form N-400 could be lodged electronically.
3. Canada
Canada opened enrolment into the Canadian Armed Forces to permanent residents, with the development announced on behalf of the federal government by the Minister of National Defence, Anita Anand.
The update was announced as a widening of access that had previously been limited to a narrower group.
Before the change, the pathway had only covered trained personnel from foreign militaries who already held permanent resident status, such as pilots, logistics officers and infantry officers.
Under the revised position, eligibility was extended to any permanent resident who satisfied the same enrolment conditions that applied to Canadian citizens.
That meant permanent residents could present themselves as recruits or officer cadets, rather than being confined to specialist streams reserved for experienced overseas service members.
The authority to handle applications from this category had been delegated by the Chief of the Defence Staff.
Responsibility was assigned to the Commander of Military Personnel Command and the Commander of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group, who were empowered to process enrolment files submitted by permanent residents.
The emphasis remained on parity, as applicants from the permanent resident population were expected to meet identical standards to those demanded of citizens.
The government had described permanent residents as a skilled and diverse workforce whose inclusion was intended to reinforce the recruitment base of the armed forces.
The move was linked to broader efforts within the Department of National Defence to build a safer and more inclusive institution, an objective that was said to support both the attraction of new personnel and the retention of existing members.
A key consequence for those who chose to enlist was an accelerated route to citizenship.
Military service in the Canadian Armed Forces was formally recognised as a pathway, and applications for citizenship submitted by serving members were to be handled on a priority basis by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The arrangement therefore created two linked benefits. It allowed permanent residents to enter military service without first becoming citizens, and it provided those who enlisted with an expedited process toward naturalisation through the established immigration authority.
Canada updates work permit rules
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Canada added six new regions to its low-wage work permit processing restrictions under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
The freeze runs until January 7, 2027, and targets regions where unemployment has reached at least 6%.
Source: Legit.ng