Can an American join a foreign military?
James Olson
Updated on March 27, 2026
The US Army recruits foreign nationals who are a permanent legal resident of the US. Moreover, non-US citizens from friend nations can also join the American army as an enlisted soldier. Fun Fact – The US Army is older than the country it serves.
How many citizens join the military?
U.S. Military Demographics
| Demographic Variable | Active Duty | Reserve and Guard |
|---|---|---|
| MEMBERS | ||
| Total Number | 1,417,370 | 857,261 |
| Women | 14.4% | 17.9% |
| Minorities | 30% | 24.1% |
Can a US citizen join the British army?
The British Army is famous across the globe – so it’s no surprise that foreign nationals are eager to join our ranks. And we, in turn, are immensely proud to welcome nationals of Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland to serve in the British Army.
Can an American join the SAS?
Yes. The British military has an open door policy to American citizens that meet the criteria. Once you’ve served 3 years in a regiment or corps you can apply for SAS/SBS selection.
Can an American join the Russian military?
The Russian Armed Forces accepts foreigners of any country to their ranks. According to the amended law, a citizen of any foreign country aged 18–30 with a good command of Russian and a clean record can sign an initial five-year contract to join the Army.
Can I join the military if I’m illegal?
This includes any individuals who are aliens of the polity whose armed forces they are being recruited to join by professional recruiters. The foreigners need not be legal residents of that nation, but may gain legal residence status by joining the armed forces.
Is SAS better than Navy SEALs?
The SAS are vastly superior to the US Navy Seals, they are more experienced and there training is so much more difficult to pass than their US equivalent and has a much lower pass rate due to the toughness of the training. The SAS also don’t mess up like the US Special Forces do on such a regular basis.
Is Navy SEAL training harder than SAS?
Is Navy SEAL training harder than SAS? SAS training is far harder. SEALs are absolutely some of the best Special Operations troops in the world. That said, the real comparison is SAS / SBS and Delta / DEVGRU — SEAL Team 6.
Can a non-citizen join the US Army?
The Legion is legendary as a place to go to escape your past through military service specifically because it recruits non-citizens, all of whom may join under assumed identities. Of course, joining isn’t exactly a vacation, even in the 21st century.
How long do you have to serve in the military before you can apply for US citizenship?
At most, eligible foreign-born service members only need one year of honorable service before they can file their Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. No state-of-residence requirement.
Can a military spouse apply for US citizenship?
Dependents of service members and veterans may also be able to apply for U.S. citizenship. Certain eligible spouses of service members may naturalize abroad without traveling to the United States, as explained in section 319 (e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Do you have to be an officer to join the military?
You don’t have to join as an officer to become one though. You can join as an enlisted member and attend officer training later on. Requirements for Joining the Military The U.S. military has six branches of service: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
