Foreign Legion
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 78
Foreign Legion
Hello all
A friend of mine, has an opportunity to get a green card.
one thing he is worried about is that some years ago he served in French Foreign Legion.
would this negatively impact his application?
Any advice highly appreciated.
thanks
A friend of mine, has an opportunity to get a green card.
one thing he is worried about is that some years ago he served in French Foreign Legion.
would this negatively impact his application?
Any advice highly appreciated.
thanks
#2
Re: Foreign Legion
He will need his military service papers, his discharge papers I believe.
If he was discharged other than honorably, it could cause a problem.
If he was discharged other than honorably, it could cause a problem.
#3
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 9,986
Re: Foreign Legion
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 78
Re: Foreign Legion
Thanks for replying.
The thing is, he signed a 5 year contract, and served only just over 1 year.
He left on his 3 weeks holiday and never came back.
That was over 20 years ago.
He wanted to get copies of his documents from FL, he phoned them, and was asked to send an email to the address they provided, and he would get his copy.
He's done it several times, but received no reply.
He suspects they could have tried him for deserting, and there could be a record of the sentence on his FL file.
When he spoke to them over the phone, he was told nobody is looking for him at all, as every year there are so many people deserting FL for various reasons.
When he spoke over the phone with a french lawyer he was told that most likely his case went through military court and there was some sentence imposed, but after 6 years it expired.
The lawyer said he could go through a court and ask to be pardoned.
He applied for a criminal history check from France as he lived there for over 6 months, and it came clear.
What do you think about it?
Thanks
The thing is, he signed a 5 year contract, and served only just over 1 year.
He left on his 3 weeks holiday and never came back.
That was over 20 years ago.
He wanted to get copies of his documents from FL, he phoned them, and was asked to send an email to the address they provided, and he would get his copy.
He's done it several times, but received no reply.
He suspects they could have tried him for deserting, and there could be a record of the sentence on his FL file.
When he spoke to them over the phone, he was told nobody is looking for him at all, as every year there are so many people deserting FL for various reasons.
When he spoke over the phone with a french lawyer he was told that most likely his case went through military court and there was some sentence imposed, but after 6 years it expired.
The lawyer said he could go through a court and ask to be pardoned.
He applied for a criminal history check from France as he lived there for over 6 months, and it came clear.
What do you think about it?
Thanks
#5
Re: Foreign Legion
It might be relevant for us to know how he has the opportunity to get the green card.
#6
Re: Foreign Legion
It used to be that you could join the legion with a fake name. Did he join with his real identity?
Wiki quote..
"Legionnaires were, in the past, forced to enlist under a pseudonym ("declared identity"). This policy existed in order to allow recruits who wanted to restart their lives to enlist. The Legion held the belief that it was fairer to make all new recruits use declared identities." There has to be some way to get ahold of his service records. Lying on his green card paperwork is not the way to go.
Wiki quote..
"Legionnaires were, in the past, forced to enlist under a pseudonym ("declared identity"). This policy existed in order to allow recruits who wanted to restart their lives to enlist. The Legion held the belief that it was fairer to make all new recruits use declared identities." There has to be some way to get ahold of his service records. Lying on his green card paperwork is not the way to go.
#7
Re: Foreign Legion
Time for an attorney, this just became a non-DIY immigration case.
No one here can adequately advise on this situation.
No one here can adequately advise on this situation.
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 210
Re: Foreign Legion
If I were an immigration officer looking at his case, I would have no problem and would love to hear his stories. I recall reading "Legion of the Lost," a book written by an American who joined in the '90s and deserted after a year due to the viciousness, brutality, and chaos he was subjected to. It made me imagine that I too would have deserted in a similar situation.
#10
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 78
Re: Foreign Legion
Thanks for replying again.
There is a company that wants to sponsor him as an employee.
would anyone know of a good attorney, who would be able to advise on this case?
He served under his real name.
thanks
There is a company that wants to sponsor him as an employee.
would anyone know of a good attorney, who would be able to advise on this case?
He served under his real name.
thanks
#12
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Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,780
Re: Foreign Legion
However the biggest problem your friend will face is the fact hat he deserted. The brotherhood of the Legion views desertion as just about the worst crime there is, certainly post enlistment, and to many Legionnaire once a person has deserted they are dead. So the problem will be getting an officer with that attitude to trace and sign any records. The records will be there, its access to them that will be the issue.
I wish your friend luck - let us know the outcome. .