With immediate effect - tattoos which are not visible in a front view head/shoulders passport photo, when wearing a polo neck shirt (top button undone) are now acceptable as long as they are not obscene (definitions in the small print below).
If you have previously been knocked back from joining the Naval Service for having unacceptable tattoos or are considering tattoo removal, contact your local AFCO now if you still wish to join.
The small print:
Unacceptable tattoos are now defined as being any tattoo which meets one or more of the criteria listed below.
Visible on a front view passport photograph taken whilst the subject is wearing an open necked polo style shirt with one button undone; that is on the face or throat area, on the front of the ear or forward of a line from the bottom of the ear to the collar bone.
Regardless of size or position on the body, a tattoo will be obscene if it refers to or depicts an image of:
Regardless of its size or position on the body, a tattoo will be offensive if, by its nature it has the purpose or effect of violating another person’s dignity or creating an adverse environment for others (for instance because it refers to or depicts an image relating to a protected characteristic of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability or age). A tattoo should only be considered to have such an effect if, having regard to all the circumstances, it can be viewed as offensive by an objective standard.
Any tattoo which does not meet one or more of the criteria above but which, in the opinion of the individual’s Commanding Officer or a recruiting officer, is nevertheless, by virtue of its size, position or nature, unacceptable and detrimental to the Service, for example, a message or inappropriate image on the hand which would be seen when saluting.
If you have previously been knocked back from joining the Naval Service for having unacceptable tattoos or are considering tattoo removal, contact your local AFCO now if you still wish to join.
The small print:
Unacceptable tattoos are now defined as being any tattoo which meets one or more of the criteria listed below.
Visible on a front view passport photograph taken whilst the subject is wearing an open necked polo style shirt with one button undone; that is on the face or throat area, on the front of the ear or forward of a line from the bottom of the ear to the collar bone.
Regardless of size or position on the body, a tattoo will be obscene if it refers to or depicts an image of:
a sexual act
extreme pornographic behaviour
violence of any kind
drugs
racism
political views
sexism
extreme pornographic behaviour
violence of any kind
drugs
racism
political views
sexism
Regardless of its size or position on the body, a tattoo will be offensive if, by its nature it has the purpose or effect of violating another person’s dignity or creating an adverse environment for others (for instance because it refers to or depicts an image relating to a protected characteristic of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability or age). A tattoo should only be considered to have such an effect if, having regard to all the circumstances, it can be viewed as offensive by an objective standard.
Any tattoo which does not meet one or more of the criteria above but which, in the opinion of the individual’s Commanding Officer or a recruiting officer, is nevertheless, by virtue of its size, position or nature, unacceptable and detrimental to the Service, for example, a message or inappropriate image on the hand which would be seen when saluting.
