Nationality and
Residency Rules
Who can join the police in England and Wales if they are not British, what settled, pre-settled and indefinite leave mean for an application, why a work or study visa is not enough, and how the separate three-year residency rule for vetting works. Taken from the regulations and College of Policing guidance, not from other guides.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Possibly. In England and Wales regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 accepts British and other EEA nationals, including Irish citizens; anyone else needs indefinite leave to remain, so a skilled worker, student or spouse visa does not meet it. Separately, you normally need three years' continuous UK residency before applying so vetting can check your history. Forces confirm individual cases.
This page covers police constable recruitment in England and Wales. Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have their own rules. Two different tests are involved and people often mix them up: a legal nationality and immigration status rule in regulation 10, and a vetting residency rule in College of Policing guidance. You need to meet both. We explain what the rules say; we cannot tell you what your own immigration status is or advise on it. For that, use GOV.UK or a registered immigration adviser or solicitor.
Nationality and residency are only two of the requirements. Our free police eligibility check gives a rough read on the areas most likely to need attention, and the police force finder takes you to each force's recruitment page so you can read its own nationality wording. Neither is an official decision.
The legal rule: regulation 10(1)(a) and section 82
Regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 lists the qualifications for appointment to a police force in England and Wales. Paragraph (1)(a), in its current form (substituted from 31 December 2020), says a candidate for appointment:
"must, if not a national of the United Kingdom or an EEA State, have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period"
Regulation 10(3)(ab) defines a "national of the United Kingdom" narrowly. It means only:
- a British citizen;
- a British subject under Part 4 of the British Nationality Act 1981 who has the right of abode in the UK; or
- a British overseas territories citizen through a connection with Gibraltar.
"EEA state" is not defined in the regulations, so the general definition in Schedule 1 to the Interpretation Act 1978 applies. It means a state that is a member State of the EU, or any other state that is a party to the EEA agreement. GOV.UK lists the EEA as the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and says Switzerland is not an EU or EEA member.
Section 82 of the Police Reform Act 2002 sits above the regulation. It says that, irrespective of place of birth, a person of any nationality may be a member of a police force in England and Wales, and be attested as a constable, subject to the rules on qualification for appointment. Section 82(4) adds that those rules must deal with candidates' competence in written and spoken English and their immigration status. So the law does not require you to be British: it requires a particular nationality or a particular immigration status.
The College of Policing pre-employment guidance (April 2024) repeats the rule and adds one line: "EEA nationals may hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme." It also reminds forces that under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, people subject to immigration control must not be employed unless they have valid leave that does not restrict them from taking up the job, and that documents must be checked before employment starts.
Status by status: what regulation 10 says about you
This table applies the wording of regulation 10(1)(a) to the most common situations. It is a reading of the regulation and College guidance, not a decision about you, and every row is still subject to right-to-work checks, vetting and the residency rule further down.
| Your status | Meets regulation 10(1)(a)? | Why, and what to check |
|---|---|---|
| British citizen | Yes | Within the definition of a national of the United Kingdom. Dual nationality does not change this. |
| Irish citizen | Yes | Ireland is an EU member state, so an EEA state. GOV.UK says Irish citizens do not need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. |
| EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway national with settled status | Yes | An EEA national, so no indefinite leave needed under the regulation; settled status is in any case indefinite leave. |
| EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway national with pre-settled status | Yes, on the regulation | The College says EEA nationals may hold settled or pre-settled status. Pre-settled status must stay valid; GOV.UK says it is extended before it expires. |
| Swiss national with settled status | Yes | Switzerland is not an EEA state, but GOV.UK describes settled status as indefinite leave under the EU Settlement Scheme. |
| Swiss national without indefinite leave | Unclear | Not named in the regulation. Some force and national material lists Swiss nationals with EEA nationals. We could not confirm the legal basis; ask the force. |
| Commonwealth or other non-EEA national with indefinite leave to remain (ILR) | Yes | Indefinite leave to enter or remain is exactly what the regulation asks for. |
| Non-EEA national on a skilled worker, student, graduate, spouse or partner, or other time-limited visa | No | Time-limited leave is not leave "for an indefinite period". The position changes once indefinite leave is granted. |
| Non-EEA family member with pre-settled status | No, on the wording | The College line about pre-settled status refers to EEA nationals. A non-EEA national needs indefinite leave. Ask the force. |
| British National (Overseas), British overseas citizen, or British overseas territories citizen through a territory other than Gibraltar, with no other qualifying status | Not on the definition alone | These forms of British nationality are not in regulation 10(3)(ab), so on its wording indefinite leave would be needed. Confirm with the force. |
If your situation is not in the table, such as refugee status, humanitarian protection, a pending application or appeal, or the right of abode as a Commonwealth citizen, the starting question is the same: are you a UK or EEA national within the regulation, and if not, is your leave indefinite? Your eVisa or other status document will tell you what permission you hold. Whether you have, or can get, indefinite leave is an immigration question, not a police one.
EEA nationals, Irish citizens and Swiss nationals
EEA nationals. Brexit did not remove EEA nationals from regulation 10(1)(a): the current wording, in force since 31 December 2020, still names them alongside UK nationals. What changed is immigration status. An EEA national living in the UK will usually hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and the College guidance confirms either may be held. GOV.UK says pre-settled status is extended by five years just before it is due to expire and may be converted to settled status, and that you usually become eligible for settled status after five years in a row in the UK. It also says pre-settled status is lost automatically after more than five years in a row outside the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
An EEA national who arrived after the scheme closed and holds a points-based visa rather than EU Settlement Scheme status is a less common case. The regulation does not require indefinite leave from an EEA national, but right-to-work law still requires permission that allows the job. We could not find national guidance on how forces treat this, so ask the force recruitment team.
Irish citizens. Ireland is an EU member state, so Irish citizens are EEA nationals for the regulation. GOV.UK says Irish citizens do not need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, and that British and Irish citizens prove their right to work with a passport or passport card (current or expired) or, without one, a birth or adoption certificate together with an official document showing their National Insurance number.
Swiss nationals. Switzerland is not an EEA state under the Interpretation Act definition, and GOV.UK says the same. GOV.UK also says Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as EEA nationals, and the EU Settlement Scheme covers them. A Swiss national with settled status holds indefinite leave, which meets regulation 10(1)(a) regardless of nationality. For a Swiss national with pre-settled status the regulation's words do not give a clear answer. The national recruitment site's eligibility quiz offers "An EU/EEA or Swiss national" as an answer, and Surrey Police's 2024 recruitment guide says EEA or Swiss nationals can apply, but we found no regulation or College text that names Switzerland. Ask the force before you invest time in an application.
Work, study and family visas, indefinite leave and right-to-work checks
For a candidate who is not a UK or EEA national, the regulation turns on one word: indefinite. A visa that lets you work in the UK is not enough on its own if it has an end date. That is why a skilled worker visa, a student or graduate visa, or a spouse or partner visa does not meet regulation 10(1)(a), even where the visa has no restriction on the type of work. This is what the regulation says; the force makes the decision in your case, and some will tell you this at the eligibility stage.
Once indefinite leave to enter or remain is granted, including settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, the nationality requirement is met. If you are part-way through a route to settlement, the practical question is timing: the national recruitment site says recruitment often takes around four to six months but varies by force. Ask the force whether it will accept an application before indefinite leave is granted, or only after. We did not find a national rule on this.
Right-to-work checks happen as well, under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. GOV.UK says an employer must check that a job applicant is allowed to work before employing them, either online with a share code or by checking original documents. British and Irish citizens cannot get a share code and show documents instead. People who are not British or Irish can use a share code or eligible immigration documents. Passing a right-to-work check does not by itself mean you meet regulation 10, which is a separate and stricter test for non-EEA nationals.
PolicePay does not give immigration advice, and force recruitment teams cannot advise on your visa either. Use GOV.UK for your status, or an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (GOV.UK says all immigration advisers must be registered with it or be a member of an approved professional body), or an immigration solicitor. Never apply on the basis of a status you are not sure you hold.
The three-year residency rule: separate from nationality
Even a British citizen can fall foul of this one. Residency is not in regulation 10; it comes from vetting guidance, because vetting has to be able to check your history. The College of Policing pre-employment guidance says the rule applies to all applicants, including UK nationals who have been living abroad, and says:
- candidates should have three years' minimum continual residency in the period immediately before applying;
- exceptions include residency and service with the government or HM Armed Forces, and around 12 months overseas without returning to the UK as an extended holiday, such as a gap year or spending time visiting family;
- it is for forces to decide case by case whether there is enough information to make an assessment;
- if a candidate has lived abroad for more than three months within the last three years, it is unlikely that a force will be able to obtain enough information to grant police vetting clearance.
The Vetting authorised professional practice (APP, May 2025) adds detail that matters in practice. It sets three years for recruitment vetting and five for management vetting. It says the period means the time immediately before the application, not any other three years or an accumulation of time. It says forces must apply checkable history equally to all vetting applicants, regardless of nationality. And it says that someone who moved overseas and severed major ties to the UK, such as closing bank accounts and selling property, is treated as having surrendered UK residency.
| Time abroad | How the guidance treats it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Posted abroad with HM Government or the armed forces | Treated as resident in the UK; the vetting form extends this to spouses and dependants, and the APP says checks may be made through the MoD for family members | Pre-employment guidance; Vetting APP 5.3.2.2 and Appendix I |
| Around 12 months away as an extended holiday (gap year, travelling, visiting family), intending to return | Residency maintained | Pre-employment guidance; Vetting APP 5.3.2.1.d |
| A year abroad as part of a UK undergraduate degree | Listed as an exception on the national vetting form | Vetting APP Appendix I, question 1.22.2 |
| Less than six months abroad | Listed as an exception on the national vetting form | Vetting APP Appendix I, question 1.22.2 |
| Lived abroad for more than three months within the last three years | Clearance unlikely, unless an exception applies; decided case by case | Pre-employment guidance |
| Lived in a country where comparable checks are possible | May count as checkable history; the minimum residency period can be removed if sufficient comparable enquiries (credit, address, employment, family and associates) can be made | Vetting APP 5.3.2.1.f and 5.3.3.c |
| Moved overseas and severed major ties | UK residency treated as surrendered | Vetting APP 5.3.2.1.e |
Two of these lines sit uneasily together: the pre-employment guidance mentions more than three months, while the vetting form lists less than six months abroad as an exception. We have not found anything that reconciles them, which is one reason to raise any time abroad with the force before you apply. The APP also says that in exceptional circumstances a force can apply discretion to the residency requirement, with a recorded risk assessment, but that an officer appointed this way may find later transfers between forces limited.
The national recruitment site puts the same rule in plainer terms: you normally need to have lived in the UK for the last three years unless you are ex-armed forces or have worked for HM Government on overseas secondment, and the Force Vetting Manager can be asked to waive it for an extended holiday such as a gap year. Its vetting page says vetting is likely to be declined if you do not meet the minimum UK residency period immediately before applying. The detailed vetting side, including ACRO overseas conviction checks, is in our guide to overseas travel and residency vetting.
How three forces word their nationality rule
Forces publish their own eligibility wording, and it does not always mirror the regulation. These are examples of individual forces' published wording on the dates shown, not national rules, and they may have changed since. We include them because the differences are exactly where applicants get confused.
| Force and document | Nationality wording (summarised) | Residency wording (summarised) |
|---|---|---|
| Kent Police, police constable "Who we are looking for" page (read 1 October 2026) | If you are not from the UK, you must be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain | Three years' continuous UK residence for everyone; does not apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces |
| Surrey Police, recruitment guide version 20 (February 2024) | EEA or Swiss nationals can apply; Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals need indefinite leave and unrestricted permission to work | Resident in the UK for the past three years |
| Avon and Somerset Police, "Is a career in policing right for me?" (read 1 October 2026) | British citizen, an EU, EEA or Commonwealth citizen, or a foreign national with indefinite leave to remain | Lived in the UK continuously for the past three years |
Notice the differences. Kent's wording reads as if every non-UK applicant needs indefinite leave, which is stricter on its face than the regulation for EEA nationals with pre-settled status. Avon and Somerset lists Commonwealth citizens alongside EU and EEA citizens, whereas regulation 10 does not treat Commonwealth citizenship as enough without indefinite leave. Surrey names Swiss nationals, which the regulation does not. Short eligibility summaries simplify, so do not rely on any one of them: if your status sits in a grey area, put the exact question to the force and keep its answer in writing. The force finder links to every force's recruitment page.
Police officers from overseas, Scotland or Northern Ireland
Several parts of regulation 10 do not apply to a candidate "applying to transfer to the force from another police force": the four national recruitment stages in paragraph (1)(eb), the automatic disqualification test in (ha) and the drug test in (i). It matters what "police force" means here. The Police Regulations 2003 are made under the Police Act 1996, and section 11 of the Interpretation Act 1978 says words in regulations take their meaning from the parent Act unless the contrary intention appears. Section 101 of the Police Act 1996 defines a police force as "a force maintained by a local policing body", which describes the territorial forces of England and Wales.
On that reading, an officer from an overseas force, Police Scotland or the Police Service of Northern Ireland is not transferring from "another police force" within regulation 10, and would apply as an ordinary candidate. We have not found national guidance that says otherwise, nor any national fast-track for officers from abroad. Some forces may run their own arrangements for experienced officers from other UK services, so ask the force. Our guide to transferring between forces covers moves within England and Wales.
For an overseas officer, the nationality and residency rules on this page apply in full. Your policing experience abroad may still be relevant elsewhere: the Home Office list of qualifications (Annex BA) lets a chief officer accept training or work experience it considers equivalent to level 3, or an overseas qualification that UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC) considers equivalent, and the degree holder route accepts an overseas degree considered equivalent. Our qualifications guide explains how that works. Forces verify at least five years of employment history, according to the College guidance, so references from an overseas force will be needed.
Step by step: checking where you stand before you apply
- Identify your nationality category. British citizen (or one of the other two categories in regulation 10(3)(ab)), Irish or other EEA national, or neither. Use your passport, not where you were born or where you grew up.
- If you are neither UK nor EEA, check whether your leave is indefinite. Your eVisa or status document shows what permission you hold. If it has an end date, it is not indefinite leave. Immigration questions go to GOV.UK or a registered adviser.
- If you are an EEA national, check your EU Settlement Scheme status and, if it is pre-settled, when it is due to be extended or converted.
- Write out the last three years, month by month. Every country you lived in, with dates, and the reason (holiday, study, work, armed forces or government posting). The national vetting form asks whether you have continually resided in the UK for the last three years and, if not, for the countries and dates. It also asks whether, since age 10, you have spent more than 12 months continuously living outside the UK.
- Compare against the exceptions. Armed forces or government service, an extended holiday of around 12 months, a year abroad on a UK degree, or less than six months abroad.
- Read the force's own eligibility page. Some forces word nationality and residency differently (see the table above).
- Contact the force before applying if anything is borderline. The vetting form's own guidance says that if you do not meet the minimum residency period and no exception applies, you should contact the recruitment team or vetting sponsor as soon as possible, and that a vetting application from someone who does not meet the minimum criteria will not be progressed unless this has been discussed with them.
- Answer every residency and history question accurately. Approximate dates should be marked as approximate. Never leave out time abroad because you think it will count against you.
If you are waiting for indefinite leave or for your three years to run, our free recruitment timeline planner helps you map the recruitment stages to dates, so you can see when an application would realistically land. It does not check immigration status.
What to ask, and who to contact
Questions for the force recruitment team or vetting unit:
- My status is [settled, pre-settled, a named visa, indefinite leave]. Does it meet your nationality requirement?
- Will you accept an application before my indefinite leave is granted, or only after?
- I lived in [country] between [dates] for [reason]. Does that break the three-year residency period, and can you obtain enough checkable history?
- I am a Swiss national (or hold British National (Overseas) status, or another status not named in regulation 10). What do you need from me?
- I am a serving officer in [overseas force, Police Scotland or PSNI]. Do I apply as a new candidate, and will my service count for anything?
- If discretion is applied to my residency, could it limit a later transfer to another force?
Who can help with what:
- Force recruitment team or vetting unit: eligibility, residency and how the force applies its policy. The national recruitment site suggests contacting the vetting unit before you apply if you are worried about your history.
- GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): your own immigration status, eVisa and share codes.
- A registered immigration adviser or immigration solicitor: advice on your route to indefinite leave. GOV.UK's adviser finder lists advisers registered with the Immigration Advice Authority.
- UK ENIC: how an overseas qualification compares with UK levels, if your route relies on one.
Common myths about nationality and residency
- "You have to be British to join the police." Section 82 of the Police Reform Act 2002 says any nationality may serve, subject to the qualifications. EEA nationals, and others with indefinite leave, can be appointed.
- "EU citizens can no longer join after Brexit." The regulation, as substituted from 31 December 2020, still names EEA nationals.
- "Any visa that lets you work is enough." For a candidate who is not a UK or EEA national, the regulation requires indefinite leave; a time-limited visa does not meet it.
- "Commonwealth citizens are treated like British citizens." Not in regulation 10. Only the three categories in regulation 10(3)(ab) count as UK nationals; others need indefinite leave.
- "The residency rule only applies to foreign nationals." The College guidance says it applies to all applicants, including UK nationals who have lived abroad, and the APP says checkable history applies regardless of nationality.
- "It means any three years in the UK." The APP says it is the period immediately before the application, not any other period or an accumulation of time.
- "A gap year rules you out." Around 12 months away as an extended holiday, intending to return, maintains UK residency under the guidance.
- "Experienced overseas officers can transfer straight in." We found no national transfer route for overseas officers; on our reading of the legislation the transferee exceptions cover forces in England and Wales.
What we could not verify
- How forces treat Swiss nationals who do not hold indefinite leave. Switzerland is not an EEA state and the regulation does not name it, but some national and force material does. We found no primary source settling the point.
- How forces treat EEA nationals who hold a points-based visa rather than EU Settlement Scheme status. The regulation does not require indefinite leave from them, but we found no national guidance.
- How forces treat Commonwealth citizens with the right of abode who are not British citizens. GOV.UK says some Commonwealth citizens have the right of abode, but regulation 10(3)(ab) does not list them as UK nationals and they would not hold "leave". Ask the force.
- Whether any force accepts applications before indefinite leave is granted, timed so that it is held by appointment. We found no national rule either way.
- How the pre-employment guidance's three-month line and the vetting form's six-month exception are reconciled in practice.
- Whether any force runs a scheme for officers joining from Police Scotland, the PSNI or overseas forces. We did not check all 43 forces.
- Whether the College will update the pre-employment guidance (April 2024) or the Vetting APP (May 2025) for the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 as amended from 13 July 2026. Where guidance and regulations differ, the regulations prevail.
If anything here is out of date, the regulation on legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK for immigration status and the force's own recruitment page take priority. For the rest of the entry requirements, see our full guide to police entry requirements and the application form guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join the police if I'm not British?
Possibly. Regulation 10(1)(a) of the Police Regulations 2003 says a candidate who is not a national of the United Kingdom or of an EEA state must have leave to enter or remain in the UK for an indefinite period. Section 82 of the Police Reform Act 2002 says a person of any nationality may be a member of a force in England and Wales, subject to those qualifications. You also normally need three years' continuous UK residency for vetting.
Do you have to be born in the UK to be a police officer?
No. Section 82 of the Police Reform Act 2002 says that, irrespective of place of birth, a person of any nationality may be a member of a police force in England and Wales. What matters is your nationality or immigration status under regulation 10, and whether vetting can check your history.
Can EU citizens join the UK police after Brexit?
Yes, in England and Wales the regulation still names EEA nationals alongside UK nationals, and the EEA includes every EU country plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The College of Policing says EEA nationals may hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. You still need the right to work and the three-year residency for vetting.
Can I join the police with pre-settled status?
If you are an EEA national, the College of Policing pre-employment guidance says EEA nationals may hold settled or pre-settled status, so pre-settled status is not a bar for them. If you are not an EEA national (for example a non-EEA family member with pre-settled status), the regulation's wording requires indefinite leave, which pre-settled status is not. Ask the force to confirm.
Can I join the police on a skilled worker visa?
Not if you are a non-EEA national relying on that visa alone. Regulation 10(1)(a) requires anyone who is not a UK or EEA national to have leave to enter or remain for an indefinite period, and a skilled worker visa is time-limited. Once you hold indefinite leave to remain the regulation is met. Forces confirm individual cases.
Can I join the police on a student visa or spouse visa?
The same rule applies. A student visa, a spouse or partner visa and other time-limited permission are not indefinite leave, so for a candidate who is not a UK or EEA national they do not meet regulation 10(1)(a). For questions about your own immigration status, use GOV.UK or a registered immigration adviser or solicitor.
Do I need indefinite leave to remain to join the police?
Only if you are not a national of the UK or an EEA state. British citizens, Irish citizens and other EEA nationals do not need indefinite leave under regulation 10. For everyone else, indefinite leave to enter or remain (including settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, which GOV.UK describes as indefinite leave) is required.
Can Irish citizens join the police in England?
Yes, on nationality. Ireland is an EU member state, so Irish citizens are EEA nationals for regulation 10. GOV.UK says Irish citizens do not need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme and can prove their right to work with an Irish passport or passport card. The three-year residency rule for vetting still applies.
Can Commonwealth citizens join the UK police?
Not on Commonwealth citizenship alone, on the wording of regulation 10. Commonwealth citizens are not within its definition of a national of the United Kingdom, so they need indefinite leave to enter or remain. Some force pages word this differently, so ask the force what status it needs from you.
What is the three-year residency rule for the police?
College of Policing guidance says candidates should have three years' minimum continual UK residency immediately before applying, so that vetting can check their history. The Vetting APP sets three years for recruitment vetting. It applies to everyone, including British citizens returning from abroad.
I lived abroad. Can I still join the police?
Possibly, but it depends on when and why. Service abroad with HM Government or the armed forces counts as UK residence, and around 12 months away as an extended holiday or gap year does not break residency. The College says that if you lived abroad for more than three months in the last three years, a force is unlikely to be able to grant vetting clearance. Ask the force first.
Can a police officer from another country join the UK police?
Yes, as an ordinary candidate if they meet the nationality, residency and other requirements. We found no national fast-track for officers from overseas forces. The transferee exceptions in regulation 10 refer to transfer from another police force, which in this legislation means a force maintained by a local policing body in England and Wales.
Can Swiss citizens join the police in England and Wales?
Switzerland is not in the EEA, so regulation 10 does not name Swiss nationals. A Swiss national with settled status holds indefinite leave and meets the rule. The national recruitment site's eligibility quiz lists 'EU/EEA or Swiss national' as an option, but we could not confirm how forces treat a Swiss national without indefinite leave. Ask the force.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), regulation 10, latest revised text (legislation.gov.uk) — regulation 10(1)(a) nationality and indefinite leave rule; 10(3)(ab) definition of national of the United Kingdom; transferee exceptions in 10(1)(eb), (ha) and (i) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Reform Act 2002, section 82 (legislation.gov.uk) — any nationality, irrespective of place of birth, subject to qualifications; regulations must cover immigration status and English (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Interpretation Act 1978, Schedule 1 (legislation.gov.uk) — definition of 'EEA state' (an EU member State or another party to the EEA agreement) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Act 1996, section 101, and Interpretation Act 1978, section 11 (legislation.gov.uk) — 'police force' means a force maintained by a local policing body; regulations use the enabling Act's meanings (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Police constable pre-employment guidance (April 2024) — guidance on nationality, right to work and vetting candidates who have lived abroad, including the three-month line (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Vetting authorised professional practice (May 2025), sections 5.3.2 and 5.3.3 and Appendix I — residency periods by vetting level, exceptions, severing ties, discretion, checkable history regardless of nationality, form questions (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police (national recruitment site): Am I eligible to apply? — nationality and residency questions as presented to applicants (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police: Common questions — EU/EEA and non-EU applicants; living abroad and gap years (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police: What's involved in the vetting process? — not meeting the minimum UK residency period is likely to lead to vetting being declined (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Countries in the EU and EEA — the 27 EU countries; EEA adds Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; Switzerland is not in the EU or EEA (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status) — settled status is indefinite leave; pre-settled status is extended before it expires; Irish citizens do not need to apply (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Checking a job applicant's right to work, and Prove your right to work to an employer — document and share code checks; British and Irish citizens use passports; some Commonwealth citizens have the right of abode (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Find an immigration adviser — advisers must be registered with the Immigration Advice Authority or a member of an approved professional body (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Kent Police: Police constable, who we are looking for — example of one force's nationality and residency wording, read 1 October 2026 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Surrey Police: Guide to becoming a police officer (version 20, February 2024, PDF) — example of one force's nationality wording; dated document (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Avon and Somerset Police: Is a career in policing right for me? — example of one force's nationality and residency wording, read 1 October 2026 (accessed 1 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.