Passports and visas

Passport Certification

Students must ensure that the following certificate (obtainable from British Embassies/Consulates abroad) is inserted into passports:

'Alien's exemption from registration whilst attending long military courses in the UK'

(Statutory Instrument No 1554/1958 HM Secretary of State.)

Letter from Defence Attaché/Adviser

This should outline the location and duration of the training.

Students may be required to produce this letter for identification on entry into their Training Establishment. Defence Attachés/Advisers can obtain an example letter from our website.

Visas

It is essential that the correct length and type of visas (e.g. multi entry) are obtained before entering the UK.

Initial entry visas may only be obtained from British Consular posts abroad.

Students from countries subject to visa regulations who wish to leave and re-enter the UK during their training, e.g. for leave, will either need a multiple entry visa or have to ensure that, after initial entry, they obtain a re-entry visa from the UK Border Agency. www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/

More information regarding Visa requirements for the UK may be obtained from the UK Home Office website at http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/

Visa Extensions

Should an extension of stay be required (e.g. because of re-coursing etc), it will be the responsibility of the individual (who will have been made aware of the requirement by the Immigration Officer on arrival in the UK) to apply for Visa extension. The application is to be forwarded via the appropriate Embassy or High Commission (who will have confirmed the need for the extension with IDT(RAF)) to:

The Immigration and Nationality Department

Home Office

Lunar House

40, Wellesley Road

Croydon

Surry CR9 2BY

United Kingdom

See http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/ for more information.

Immigration Procedures

During your flight to the UK you may be given an Immigration Form to complete. Keep this form ready to hand in at Immigration Control on your arrival in the UK.

Travel within the United Kingdom

High Commission and Embassies in London are responsible for meeting and accommodating students on arrival in the UK and for arranging their transport to the Training Establishment on the correct date, in time for the commencement of the course. Similarly, they are responsible for looking after the students during Course recesses, on completion of courses and before their return home. As a general rule, students will not be available for return Flights to their country before the scheduled end of course dates. All students are to be in possession of a valid passport on arrival at their Training Establishment and retain it whilst under training.

Travel to Central London from Airports

If you are flying to the UK it is likely that you will arrive at either London Heathrow Airport (LHR) or Gatwick (LGW). It is your responsibility and that of your Embassy/High Commission, to arrive at your Training Unit in time for the start of the training and you will almost certainly need to travel into London for your onward journey. If your London Embassy/High Commission has not arranged transport there are four ways of travelling into London:

Taxi

You should use only an authorised taxi, usually painted black and always having a clearly visible meter. Make sure the driver switches this on before leaving and pay only what is shown on the meter plus any additional charge if you have a lot of luggage. This is expensive, in relation to other methods of travel and costs even more late at night.

Bus and Coach

London has an excellent bus service. http://www.londontransport.co.uk/.

The airports have good coach links into coach/bus stations in Central London. Travelling by coach is good value. The National Express website has the details you will need. http://www.nationalexpress.com/

Tube/Underground Railway

London Heathrow is on the end of the Piccadilly Line. There is a frequent and inexpensive service into London but the Underground Railway is a complicated system. If you decide to use it you are strongly advised to study a map of the system, displayed on the wall of the station, ensure you know exactly where you are going or else ask the station staff.

The Transport for London web site has a journey planner on the home page. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Rail

Travel by train to Central London from London Heathrow (LHR) or London Gatwick (LGW) can be achieved using the Heathrow or Gatwick Express services.

The Heathrow Express is a 15-minute direct train ride (20 minutes from Terminal 5) from LHR to Paddington Station in the centre of London. This service runs every 15 minutes from 0510 - 2340 hrs. http://www.heathrowexpress.com/

The Gatwick Express is a 30 minute direct train from Gatwick to Victoria Station. This service runs every 15 minutes from 0520 - 0435 hrs. Tel: 0845 850 1530 http://www.gatwickexpress.com/

The Stansted Express is a 45 minute train from Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street Station, London via Tottenham Hale. The service runs every 30 minutes between 0500 - 0800 hrs and 1630 - 2300 hrs and every 15 minutes from 0815 - 1630 hrs. Tel: 0845 6007245 http://www.stanstedexpress.co.uk/

Travel around UK

Air Travel

This is quite an expensive method of travel and there are services only between the major cities. For journeys up to 200 miles the train is often quicker.

Rail

There is a good network of services between the main towns and cities particularly for journeys from and into London. Inter-city trains are fast, comfortable and frequent, with a restaurant/buffet service available on most long journeys. For journeys to rural areas, however, trains are less frequent. The rail companies operate a wide range of tickets at varying prices. Always ask at the booking office to find out which is the one best suited to your journey. There are First and Standard classes of travel on most journeys.

Tel: 08457 114141. National Rail Enquiries. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

To purchase advance rail tickets, visit Trainline http://www.thetrainline.com/

Bus/Coach

Most cities and large towns have good bus services and Tourist Information Offices will be able to provide timetable information. Buses in rural areas can be infrequent. There is also a comprehensive inter-city express coach service which is inexpensive (compared with air and rail). http://www.nationalexpress.com/

During Training

Dress

All students (except those attending Initial Officer Training at Royal Air Force College Cranwell) are to be in possession of and wear uniforms appropriate to their own armed forces and appropriate to the training. This should be outlined in the Joining Instructions for the Training Course. Students must have sufficient clothing to cope with the diverse weather in the UK together with their appropriate rank and cap badges. Where students' scales of uniform are inadequate they will be allowed to obtain UK uniform clothing on local repayment or Embassies/High Commission can be invoiced by DBA Liverpool.

Discipline

International students in the UK are subject to British Civil and Criminal Law. Accordingly, the appropriate civil authorities will deal with offences committed against the Laws in force.

All students will be expected to respect the rules and regulations enforced locally, together with the customs of the Royal Air Force. Serious breaches of conduct will be reported to the national authority via the originating authority.

Security

Students staying in UK Ministry of Defence establishments are to obey the Security Regulations set out in the Standing Orders and other notices of the Training Establishment. A student possessing a camera is to report the fact to the Unit Security Officer on arrival. Depending on local security regulations he may be permitted to do one of the following:

a. retain the camera in the unit

b. be required to surrender the camera for the duration of the stay or until a permit for its retention is granted.

c. be required to keep it in place outside of the unit

However, be aware that it is forbidden to photograph, without authority, any military equipment, building or installation or reproduce them in the form of sketches, paintings or models of any kind.

Leave/Vacation

Course lengths quoted in offer letters may include leave periods. During this time the Training Establishment may close and Messing and Accommodation facilities may not be available. During such periods it is the responsibility of the national authorities to make alternative arrangements for the student. Where international students are attending long courses, the dates of main leave periods may be obtained from the appropriate IDT(RAF) desk officer upon request, before the course commences.

Requests for compassionate leave are to be referred to the training unit and then IDT(RAF) who will liaise with the Embassy/High Commission of the student.

Public Holidays

Unfortunately it is impractical to observe International public holidays as there are so many students from different countries training with the Royal Air Force. It is therefore customary for International students to observe Royal Air Force rules and regulations concerning the UK public holidays, weekend and seasonal leave.

Religious Festivals

During religious festivals it is recognised that there is normally a requirement for certain students to meet the obligations of their faith. When these obligations interfere with training, it is expected that students will obtain religious dispensation from the appropriate authorities. In particular, this is because students who are fasting may be unable to give full attention to instruction or be able to participate in physical activity required by the course and as such they should be authorised to eat and drink normally.

Time off for prayer is not normally given but national authorities (particularly Embassy/High Commission staff in the UK) are aware of this.

Exceptionally, Muslim students may, at the discretion of Commanding Officers, be granted half-a-days leave on the occasion of the Muslim New Year, providing their performance under training is judged to be satisfactory.

Dietary Requirements

If the student has specific dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or does not eat pork), the training establishment should be informed as soon as possible, before the course commences. The student should also inform the Senior Non Commissioned Officers in charge of the course and the Mess staff upon arrival at the course to avoid any problems in this area.

Accommodation

Students should, whenever possible, live in the Service accommodation provided. When Service accommodation is not available, the Training establishment may make arrangements for private accommodation to be used or the national representative in UK will be advised to make alternative arrangements for accommodation, keeping IDT(RAF) informed. Unaccompanied students may choose to live in private accommodation at their own expense, but only with the permission of their Embassy/High Commission and of the Training Establishment's Commanding Officer.

Accommodation of Families

With the exception of those attending certain long courses (over 6 months), overseas students are not entitled to MOD married accommodation (married quarters). There are, however, some other occasions when married quarters may be made available. In such cases the Service Attache/Adviser handling the application should forward to the appropriate unit, in accordance with Joining Instructions, details of all personnel who require a married quarter. Such application for quarters must be received at least 2 months before the start of the course.

International students will not be allocated married quarters for courses less than 6 months in duration or if they are single or married and unaccompanied.

If a student is not allocated a married quarter and still requires his family to be with him, he should travel to the United Kingdom alone. The student will then be required to make his own arrangements to secure private accommodation, and then send for his family. Unfortunately, the MOD has neither the facilities nor the staff to assist in finding private rented accommodation.

Pay

Responsibility for issuing pay and travelling allowances for students rests with the student's Embassy/High Commission. Exceptionally, the Training Unit Admin Officer will arrange to pay the student, provided he has the Embassy/High Commission's prior authority and a cheque for the required amount made payable to the MOD Public Account. If the student wishes to open a bank account in the UK the Training Admin Officer will be happy to advise.

Travel Warrants

Railway warrants will normally be issued for travel if it is a necessary and integral part of the training.

Railway warrants can occasionally be issued under other circumstances but the cost of the warrant will be recouped from the originating authority via DBA in Liverpool.

Personal or Domestic Problems

Students should inform the British Training Establishment of any matters of ill health, confirmation of flight, arrangements at the end of the training etc. The Establishments will then deal directly with the appropriate Embassy or High Commission in London.

Establishments will also contact the student's London based Embassies / High Commissions directly on more serious matters arising outside normal office hours when a delay might prove embarrassing or injurious. IDT(RAF) will then be informed at the beginning of the next working day.

All communications on delicate, disciplinary or potentially controversial subjects or on matters to do with the new or additional training, should always be addressed to IDT(RAF).

Students progress under training

Monitoring Of Progress

Throughout training, a student's progress is monitored by means of assessments. These may be either in the form of end of phase examinations, assessments of exercises, or narrative reports throughout training phases by course instructors. The purpose of such monitoring is to assess the students' progress under training, their comprehension of the subject being taught and ultimately their ability to reach the course standards.

Interim/Progress Reports

Training units will, where appropriate to the course, issue reports recording the students' progress under training. In instances of poor student progress, reports will usually be submitted to IDT(RAF), for onward transmission to the National Authority.

Unsatisfactory Progress

The continuous monitoring of students throughout training enables instructors and training staffs to identify those students who are having problems meeting course standards. In such cases the training authority will counsel students and if necessary or appropriate, additional tuition may be given. At the time such problems are encountered, the training authority will warn IDT(RAF) who will advise the Originating Authority accordingly.

Should a student fail to continue to make satisfactory progress, IDT(RAF) will discuss with the training authority the most appropriate course of action and advise the Originating Authority accordingly. For some courses it may be possible for students to repeat those phases of training with which they have experienced difficulties. Ultimately, however, students who fail to meet the necessary standards after the actions described above, may be withdrawn from training and returned to the Embassy/High Commission.

After Training

Final Mess Bill

Students must ensure that their final personal Mess bills (e.g. for cigarettes, confectionery, drinks, telephone calls and extra food consumed in canteens, clubs and mandatory charges such as mess subscriptions) are settled in cash before leaving the training establishment.

End of Course Reports

At the end of training an end of course report will be produced on all students. These reports will detail the student's performance on the course and will, generally, include a narrative by the Instructor or Course Director detailing particular points of interest, e.g. strengths and weaknesses. International students are generally expected to reach the same standards as their UK counterparts and are assessed accordingly. Training authorities will qualify assessments where International students could not be expected to meet the UK standards e.g. due to unfamiliarity with equipment. End of course reports may also include recommendations on a student's suitability for further training with the Royal Air Force.

External Examinations

International students sometimes express a wish to improve their academic qualifications by studying for and taking UK examinations which are not a part of their course. Usually, there is no objection to this provided the Officer in charge of the course agrees that the extra study will not adversely affect the student's performance. The student's National Authority must then provide written agreement to this and also accept responsibility for the repayment of the examination fees to the MOD. Alternatively, the student may pay his own examination fees to the establishment in which he is being trained.

Certificates

All students who complete a course will be given a framed certificate. This is intended as a memento of achievement and is not a proof of qualification. Where qualifications are gained, students may receive certificates or papers to evidence this.

General Information on Life on a UK Military Establishment

Arriving for training

You should arrive at the training establishment on the date and time specified in your Joining Instructions. When not specified, it is recommended that you arrive at the establishment no later than 1700 hrs on the day before your course is due to start. When you arrive at the training establishment you should report to the Guardroom located at the entrance to the Unit, where you should have ready some form of identification, your passport and the letter instructing you to report for training. The staff will note the number of your car (if applicable) and direct you to the appropriate Mess. If necessary you will be issued with a visitors' car pass which must be displayed in the car at all times whilst inside the unit.

Uniform

You should bring and wear the uniform appropriate to your own Armed Forces. You should also bring sufficient clothing to cope with the variable climatic conditions in the UK together with your rank and cap badges. Officers should ensure that they bring formal evening uniform to wear at official and formal mess dinners.

Civilian Clothing

You should bring sufficient civilian clothing to cope with the constant changes in weather and to meet all your social needs. Officers, Warrant Officers and Senior Non Commissioned Officers should bring a sports jacket, or blazer, and trousers plus a tie to wear in the Mess. Officers should also bring a lounge suit. Officers and Warrant Officers should note that denim jeans are not considered acceptable dress in British Military Messes. All students should bring in particular; raincoat and/or overcoat, particularly in the winter; bath towels and hand towels (which are not provided in Messes); Specialist sports clothing and equipment including trainers. The Service Attaché/Adviser at the British Embassy/High Commission can provide you with additional advice on the items of clothing, both uniform and civilian, that you should bring to the UK.

Accommodation

Unless alternative arrangements have been made with your Embassy/High Commission, you will be accommodated in the Service Mess appropriate to your rank. There are three Messes on a UK military training establishment; Officers', Sergeants' and Junior Ranks' Messes. All Commissioned Officers belong to the Officers’ Mess, while Warrant Officers and Senior Non Commissioned Officers belong to the Sergeant's Mess. Corporals and below use the Junior Ranks' Mess.

Officers'/Sergeants' Mess Facilities

The Officers' or Sergeants' Mess is a club, with a lounge (known as the ante-room), dining room, usually a games room, TV room etc as well as individual bedrooms for each Mess member and, if available, a sitting room for each senior officer. Every Mess has a bar, which tends to be the main meeting place in the evenings. Soft drinks are always available in addition to alcohol. Students living in Officers' and Sergeants' Messes should read the Mess Rules on arrival, and ensure they adhere to these rules during their stay.

Junior Ranks Mess

For junior ranks the Barrack Blocks (sleeping accommodation), Junior Ranks' Mess (dining room) and Junior Ranks' Club (bar and leisure facilities) can be set well apart. The Junior Ranks' Club, instead of being run by Service personnel, is run by a civilian organisation called the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute (NAAFI). Not all junior ranks have a single room.

Meals

Like most hotels, Mess meals are served between set hours, outside which you will not be able to obtain food unless ordered in advance. Some Mess Bars provide light snacks in the evening as do the Junior Ranks Clubs. Students, who have restrictions placed upon their diet, are reminded that pork dishes are frequently served so they should check before ordering their meals. With prior notification, every effort will be made to accommodate the dietary requirements of individuals. You should also tell the unit training staff if a Religious Festival, such as Ramadan, requires you to eat at special times. It may not be possible to meet all of these requirements, and you should consult with your Embassy over any areas of uncertainty.

Mess Bills

If you are staying in an Officers' or Sergeants' Mess, you will be given a Mess Bill each month to cover subscriptions and other Mess charges, and any purchases you have made. The bill should be paid by the tenth of the following month or before you depart, if this is earlier. Unpaid bills reflect very poorly on a student and his country, and cause great disruption for administrative staff. Final bills should only be paid by British bank cheque where necessary funds are in the bank account to cover the total; otherwise they should be paid with cash.

Social Customs

You may be invited to a social function either in a Service Mess or at a private house. You should carefully note the starting time as it is considered bad manners in the UK to be late for social functions. You should try to find out in advance what dress is expected (lounge suit, informal etc) so as to be able to conform with the rest of the guests. Officers who have invitations to the Sergeants' Mess, and Senior Non Commissioned Officers who have invitations to the Officers' Mess, should check first with the Service staff to see if they should accept. Junior ranks should never be invited to the Officers' or Sergeants' Mess.

Special Leave

You should check with your Embassy/High Commission whether or not any special arrangements have been made for you to observe your country's National Days or Religious Festivals. It is usually the case that students conform to UK Service rules and regulations in order to avoid disruption to the training.

Security

Whilst staying in UK MOD Establishments you are to comply with the Security Regulations set out in Standing Orders and other notices, orders or instructions promulgated on the subject. Particular attention is drawn to the use of cameras, drawing materials and any other kind of equipment for producing pictures, sketches, paintings or models of any kind. If you possess a camera you are to report the fact to the Unit Security officer on arrival. Depending on local security regulations, you may be permitted to retain the camera on the Unit, or be required to surrender the camera for the duration of your stay or until a permit for its retention is granted or you may be asked to keep it at a place outside the precincts of the Unit. However, all personnel on MOD Establishments are to be aware that it is forbidden to photograph, without authority, any military equipment, building, or installation or to reproduce them in the form of sketches, paintings or models of any kind.

Station Standing Orders

All UK MOD Establishments issue a set of Standing Orders which deal with disciplinary matters, security, station organisation etc. Such Orders are normally held by an officer in the training establishment and you should read and sign these orders as having understood them as soon as possible. The Security orders will refer to the use of cameras, drawing materials etc.

Publications

You may retain your course notebooks and lecture notes provided they do not contain protectively marked material. If they are marked Restricted or above, then you must hand them in to the Training authorities for onward transmission to you through your own authorities. You will not be able to retain any official publications issued to you, but you may be able to buy some; you should discuss this with your training officer.

Conclusion

It is hoped that your training with the RAF will be of benefit to you, and will result in a significant enhancement in your value to your country and Service. It is also hoped that you will enjoy both the training, and your time spent in the United Kingdom. The instructors at your training establishment will do all that is possible to assist you throughout your stay, and if you have any questions or difficulties, you should raise them with your instructor at the earliest opportunity.