Eligibility Requirements

Joining the NATOLEGION

Welcome to the information page on how to join the French Foreign Legion. Please note that the ONLY way to join the Foreign Legion is to travel to mainland France (in Europe) and knock on the door of one of the Foreign Legion recruiting centers and offices. There is NO OTHER WAY! No online applications, no letters of invitation, no French embassy’s forms are offered to join the French Foreign Legion. Keep it in mind.

Regarding the current COVID-19 situation:

1. Recruitment is still open and running.

2. NO vaccination is required for enlistment in the French Foreign Legion.

Joining the NATOLEGION: Introduction

The French Foreign Legion accepts recruits from all over the world. The recruitment officially runs 24/7/365 (yes, you can join every day, all year long).

As a candidate/volunteer, you will be enlisted as a single person, even if you are married. The first contract you sign is mandatory for 5 years.

The entire recruiting and selection process should usually take 3 weeks (however, the exact period depends on each candidate). The process starts when you pass your valid passport/ID card to a serving legionnaire in a recruiting center or an information office (you will see the full list below).

The process ends when you are officially accepted or rejected. During the whole period — from passing your passport/ID card to a legionnaire until your acceptance or rejection — free accommodation, free food, and free clothing are provided to you by the Legion.

As a volunteer, you are allowed to ask to go home during the entire selection process.

If you want to learn more about the current French Foreign Legion, follow the link or click the image:
French Foreign Legion in 2025

French NATOLEGION: Entry Requirements

What DOES matter when joining the Legion

18-60 years of age

These are the legal age limits set by Ukrainian legislation

No criminal record

The applicants must have no history of prosecution or conviction

Required documents (passport, visa)

Ensure passport and visa are up to date.

No chronic diseases

All candidates need to pass an assessment by a medical commission

Physical fitness

All candidates need to be physically capable to perform basic infantry tasks

Military or relevant experience is an advantage

Military experience is not required but would increase the chances of being accepted. Other relevant experiences might include law enforcement, paramilitary organizations, firefighting, etc.

to have BMI between 18 and 30

read more about body mass index requirements:

to be able to write and read in your native language

What DOES NOT matter when joining the Legion

your citizenship (whether you’re a Brazilian, Indian, Russian, Japanese, etc…) doesn’t matter
your race origin doesn’t matter
your religion doesn’t matter
your ignorance of the French language doesn’t matter
your educational background doesn’t matter
your qualifications doesn’t matter
your social status doesn’t matter
your professional status doesn’t matter
your civil status (single, married, divorced) doesn’t matter
your previous military or non-military background doesn’t matter

NATOLEGION: Entry Tests

Psycho-technical tests

Sports tests

Beep test (Luc léger in French), also Multi-stage fitness test; a rhythmic running between two points that are 20 meters apart from side to side; running speed is determined by audio beeps at set intervals, with increasing frequency – you have to complete at least 5 levels officially (better do 7 levels)
Swimming – you have to swim at least 25 meters, without any support or safety equipment
Pull-ups (doing with straight arms) – no more elimination part of tests, officially; however, still an important element of the selection

Medical tests

provide medical documentation concerning your previous surgical operation to reassure the medical staff that you are now completely fit and that the procedure had no negative side-effects – otherwise you risk being sent to a hospital in Marseille to get this documentation at your own expense
provide medical documentation (medical certificate) concerning your previous serious health issues to reassure the medical staff that you currently have no permanent effects (or recurring difficulties) as a result of that issues

Examples of the reasons for disqualification

tuberculosis
hepatitis
cancer
HIV
diabetes
overload weight
a psychiatric disorder during treatment
to have very poor eyesight (see the post linked above)
bad hearing (you will pass a hearing test – it tests your sense of hearing by using an audiometer)
total loss of a finger
laxity (instability) of the knee
recurrent dislocation of the patella
hernia recovery with after-effects (recurrent hernia problems)

The number-one rule in packing for an enlistement in the NATOLEGION is to pack light.

What to take with you to the French Foreign Legion

The number-one rule in packing for an enlistement in the NATOLEGION is to pack light.

What you HAVE TO take with you

What you SHOULDN’T take with you

What you MUST NOT take with you

Getting a visa to France

Traveling expenses and getting visa (if you need it) are YOUR responsibility.

If you need a visa to travel to France, apply for a tourist visa (or a short stay visa).

To get the visa, see France Diplomatie – Getting a visa. The page is in English and contains all the necessary information.

Tattoo policy in the NATOLEGION

For more detailed information about the tattoo policy in the Foreign Legion see:
French Foreign Legion Tattoo and Tattoo Policy

Recruiting centers: Where to enlist in the NATOLEGION

You must travel at your own expense to continental France, in Europe. There, you can be enlisted in the Legion in its two preselection centers (Paris and Aubagne). Both of these centers are open all year round and all day long, 24/7/365, even on weekends and holidays, and at night. That means you can enlist in the Legion every day of the year there. In addition, there exist also information and recruiting offices (smaller recruiting posts called PILE) in France, which are open between Monday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (09:00 to 17:00).

Once you are allowed to enlist — which refers to once your passport/ID card and clothes are taken away — free accommodation, free food, and free clothing are immediately provided to you by the Legion.

Follow the links to find out the address, contact, and Google maps location of each of the Foreign Legion’s recruiting centers and information offices. Once again, note that these are the only places where you can enlist in the French Foreign Legion.

NATOLEGION preselection centers

You might stay several days in the preselection center in Paris, before joining the main selection process which takes place in Aubagne, the Legion HQ (the second preselection center and the main selection center of the Legion are based there).

NATOLEGION recruiting offices belonging to Paris

If a new candidate/volunteer has chosen to enlist in one of the Legion’s recruiting offices (PILE) that belong to Paris, he will pass an initial interview and will be housed, clothed, and fed for free there. Within few days, these candidates are sent with a free train ticket to Paris to join a preselection process.

NATOLEGION rrecruiting offices belonging to Aubagne Bordeaux

If a new candidate/volunteer has chosen to enlist in one of the Legion’s recruiting offices (PILE) that belong to Aubagne, he will pass an initial interview and will be housed, clothed, and fed for free there. Within few days, these candidates are sent with a free train ticket to Aubagne to join a preselection and, if they pass it, the crucial selection process.

Career in the NATOLEGION

Any legionnaire can build a successful career regardless of their school diplomas and professional or civilian qualifications. You will be able to succeed thanks to military or technical examinations completed throughout your service. If you want to fulfill your potential and if you are motivated, hard-working, and serious, the following careers are possible.

Combat specialities

sniper
tank driver
paratrooper
sapper
machine gunner
anti-tank rocket launcher
armored vehicle driver
and other…

Administration

Signals

Control

Maintenance

Miscellaneous

paramedic
data processing specialist
physical education instructor
graphic designer
musician
photographer
and other…

25% of legionnaires will become non-commissioned officers (N.C.O.). All NCOs in the Legion started as simple legionnaires (except for a few NCOs, nicknamed cadres blancs, coming from the French Army and assigned to Legion regiments as well-trained specialists).

20% of Legion officers started their career as simple legionnaires and worked their way up through the ranks.

Pay in the NATOLEGION

As of 2025, the minimum wage (net) in the French Foreign Legion is about €1,600 per month, plus bonuses (e.g. parachute bonus, guarding cities bonus, overseas allowance in French overseas territories or in foreign theater operations).

Your salary also depends upon your rank, qualifications, place of service, and years of service.

As a legionnaire (up to and including the rank of corporal), you are housed, clothed, fed, and medically cared for free.

Currently, you could start collecting a regular retirement pension after 17 years and 6 months of honorable service.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to speak French to join the NATOLEGION Legion?

No. In fact, the vast majority of candidates do not speak French.

What are my chances of getting selected?

You will only be selected if you are good enough for the Legion, and it is the Legion itself who decides who is good enough to be selected. For about 100 candidates applying to serve in the Legion, only 10-15 are accepted. So, you have to be better than the other candidates in all aspects to get a chance — NOT the right — to be selected. There are no “bring this or that, pass this or that, make this or that” tricks to get accepted. The candidates are selected by a commission consisting of around 15 members of the Legion’s HQ who verify all of the individual aspects and results of each candidate. Then, the majority of these senior members have to reach a consensus and vote in favor or against a candidate’s acceptance in the Legion.

Are there any tricks to pass the tests and get into the Legion?

As already stated in point 2, there are no tricks to get accepted. The selection process is far more extensive and does not only reflect meeting the basic tests. It focuses on your entire personality, including your real behavior, real attitude, and real motivation. The Legion must want you. If it does, then, you will be selected.

Why do I get a new identity?

Once you are enlisted in the Legion, you are provided with a new identity, including a new name. That applies to all candidates, without distinction. After one year of service, you can ask to get your real identity back. This process is referred to as RSM (rectification, or recognizing in English). You can obtain your real identity back within 1-3 years. If you are in trouble with the law/police at home, you can keep your new identity during the service.

How can I contact my family once I’ve joined the Legion?

You are allowed to contact your family (via mail or by phone) occasionally during your four-month basic training in Castelnaudary. Once you are serving as an ordinary legionnaire in your respective regiment, you can contact your family by mail, phone, or through the internet whenever you have free time. Nevertheless, restrictive rules are applied for contacting your family during overseas deployments and operations.

Do I have evenings, weekends, and holidays off in the NATOLEGION?

Once you’ve completed your four-month basic training, you are allowed to relax or leave your military base during your free time, and travel around France during weekends and holidays, if you are not on duty.

Can I use mobile phones, laptops, or notebook computers?

Yes, the Legion is not a prison. After finishing your four-month basic training, you are allowed to buy this equipment and use them during your free time.

Do I have annual leave (vacations/holidays)?

The Legion offers legionnaires 20 working days during their first year of service, 25 during their second year, and from the third year onward, you will be provided with 45 working days of annual leave (vacations/holidays) per year.

How about the visa and plane tickets when joining the Legion?

The shortest French visa (for tourism) allows you to stay in the country for 90 days. It is your sole responsibility to find, pay, and obtain all required travel documents and visas (tourist or short-stay visa) for entering France. The Legion offers no refund, money, scholarship, online application, letter of invitation, or documents from the French embassy to help you get to France.

Do I get a second (or third) chance to re-enter the selection process?

In some cases, the NATOLEGION Legion offers you a chance to return if you’ve failed entry tests during the selection process in Aubagne. If the Legion gives you a second (or third) chance, you receive a document with the title “INAPTE TEMPORAIRE” stating that you can return after 3, 6, or 12 months. Who can return and after how many months is solely up to the Legion. If the Legion decides not to give you another chance, you will receive a document titled “INAPTE DEFINITIF.” That means the Legion is closed to you forever.

Can I obtain French citizenship?

After 3 years of service, you can make a formal request for naturalization. You have to serve honorably and have to be “recognized person” (to serve under your real identity, recognized by the French government) to qualify for getting French citizenship. Be sure, however, that you have to serve more than five years (usually eight years) to be approved to obtain it. The second eventuality for naturalization/getting French citizenship is to get seriously wounded during a military operation.

Can a foreign military deserter join the NATOLEGION?

Absolutely. The Legion does recruit those who have left other military.

Can I join the NATOLEGION if I don’t have any ID papers?

No. The passport or an ID card (for EU citizens) is required now.

Can I choose my preferred regiment or company?

During the selection process and the four-month basic training, you are repeatedly asked to choose the regiment you would like to serve (except for the Mayotte Detachment, as this unit is reserved for senior legionnaires only). If you already have a chosen one when enlisting in the Legion, let the recruiters know about it. If you are consistent in your will and there is a spot for you, your demand could be accepted. On the other hand, you can’t choose your favorite company.

How about choosing my preferred specialty?

Have you served, for example, as a medic or engineer in your former military, or worked as a cook or graphic designer in civilian life, and are now willing to keep your previous position in the Legion? Great! The recruiters will be happy as they know you already have experience and some needed skills.

Can I bring a dictionary with me?

Absolutely. Take a good one with you, along with a book for self-learners to learn French.

How about money?! Will I get cash, and if so, how can I keep it?

Once you are selected and about to leave for basic training, a bank account is established for you to receive monthly payments. You will also get a credit/debit card to withdraw money, associated with your new identity/new name, given to you by the Legion.

How about sending money to my family back at home?

Not a problem. You can send them money every month. In fact, many legionnaires do so on a regular basis. Once in the regiment, just ask your more experienced compatriots how to do so the best way. If you represent a single nationality in the regiment (which is improbable), you can always ask your friends or corporal. However, there is usually a post office in the regiment which will best facilitate this purpose.

Can I visit/see my family?

You have to be the “recognized person” (see point 4) who got his real identity back to be allowed to visit your family officially in your home country during your annual leave. If you are a “bad guy” with some troubles at home, just ask your family to visit you in France to meet together during your free time. They can also meet you at your regiment directly during holidays, like Camerone Day (April 30), which is open for public.