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An HM Armed Forces Veteran Card is a way to prove that you served in the UK armed forces. The card can make it quicker and easier to apply for support as a veteran.Ìý

You’ll get your Veteran Card in your service leavers’ pack within 6 weeks of leaving the armed forces.

If you left the armed forces before December 2018, you need to apply for a Veteran Card.

If you’ve already got your card, you can get a digital version of your Veteran Card on your phone.

Who can get a Veteran Card

You can get a card if you were in the regulars or reserves for the:

• Royal Navy

• British Army

• Royal Air Force (RAF)

• Royal Marines

You may also be able to get a card if you served in:

• the Royal Fleet AuxiliaryÌý

• the Merchant Navy - and you sailed in support of the UK armed forces

• another group in the UK armed forces

You can check if you’re eligible when you apply for a Veteran Card online or call to request a postal form.

You cannot get a card if you served:

• in the armed forces of another country

• alongside the UK armed forces, for example in the Royal Canadian Navy or Royal Australian Air Force

What you can do with a Veteran Card

You can use a Veteran Card to:

• prove your identity when you vote

• get discounts at restaurants, shops, attractions and gyms

• get travel discounts

• claim National Insurance relief

• prove your identity on domestic British Airways flights

• get employment support

• get housing support

• register as a veteran with your GP

• get support for your physical and mental health

Find out more about what your Veteran Card offers.

You only need to apply if you left the armed forces before December 2018. Otherwise, you’ll get your Veteran Card in your service leavers’ pack within 6 weeks of leaving the armed forces.

You can currently only apply for a Veteran Card if you have a UK address. Veterans who do not have a UK address will be able to apply later this year.

What you’ll need

When you apply, you’ll be asked for:

• your service number for your last period of service

• your National Insurance number

• the approximate year you started and ended your service - it does not have to be exact

• a recent digital passport style photo, showing your head and shoulders

Apply onlineÌý

To apply online, you’ll need to prove your identity using ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ One Login. You’ll be able to create a ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ One Login if you do not already have one.Ìý

To do this, you’ll need:

• an email address
• photo ID - for example, a UK passport or driving licence

You can only apply online if you’re applying for yourself. If you’re getting a card for someone else, apply by post.

It’s free to apply.

Other ways to apply

Contact the Veterans UK Helpline if you cannot apply online.Ìý

They’ll send you a form that you can return by post. The form is available in English or Welsh.

It’s free to apply.

After you’ve applied

You’ll usually get your Veteran Card within 10 weeks.

You can also apply for a veterans badge or a medal if you’re eligible.

If you live in Northern Ireland

You can choose to either:

• have your card sent in the post
• collect your card from a Veterans Welfare Service (Northern Ireland) office

Email the Veterans Welfare Service to find your nearest office.

Get help

Contact the Veterans UK Helpline if you need help applying.

If you already have a Veteran Card, you can save a digital version on your phone with the ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ One Login app.

What you’ll need

To download the ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ One Login app, you need either:

• an iPhone running iOS 15 or higher
• an Android phone (for example, a Samsung or Google Pixel) running Android 10 or higher

Get a digital Veteran Card

You might need:

• to create a ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ One Login if you do not have one already
• to submit a photo that meets the rules for passport photos if the photo on your existing card is not clear enough

Contact the Veterans UK Helpline to replace a lost or damaged HM Armed Forces Veteran Card.