French Foreign Legion

The French Foreign Legion is a military service branch of the French Army established in 1831.

Legionnaires are highly trained infantry soldiers and the Legion is unique in that it was, and continues to be, open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French Armed Forces.

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Selection Process

So, how to join the French Foreign Legion? The ONLY solution to join the French Foreign Legion is to go to mainland France (in EUROPE) and knock on the door of one of the Foreign Legion recruiting centers (once you are in, free accommodation, food and clothing are immediately provided by the Legion). There is NO OTHER WAY! No online applications, no letters of invitation, no French embassy’s documents are providing to join the French Foreign Legion. Keep in mind. You will be enlisted as a single man, even if you are married. The first contract you sign up is for 5 years. The entire recruiting & selection process takes 2 – 5 weeks (in most cases, the exact period depends on every candidate individually). The process starts when you pass your passport to a serving legionnaire in a recruiting center (either an information office or a preselection center – you will see the list below). The process ends when you are officially accepted or rejected. During the whole period (from passing the passport to a legionnaire until your acceptance or rejection), free accommodation, food and clothing are provided by the Legion. The candidates having passed all the tests are officially accepted or rejected every working Thursday afternoon. As a volunteer, you are allowed to ask to go home every morning during the entire selection process.