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German men aged 17-45 may need military approval for long stays abroad
2 days agoJessica RawnsleyEPACompulsory military service in Germany was ended in 2011German males aged between 17 and 45 may need to seek approval for lengthy stays abroad, under changes introduced as part of a new law which introduced voluntary military service.The Military Service Modernisation Act, which came into force on 1 January, aims to boost defences following threats from Russia in the aftermath of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.In a statement sent to the BBC, a defence ministry spokesman confirmed that males aged 17 and older were required to obtain prior approval for stays abroad lasting longer than three months.Under the current law, travel approvals must generally be granted and it remains unclear how the rule would be enforced if breached.The requirement to obtain permission had gone largely unnoticed until it was reported by the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper on Friday. The defence ministry spokesman said that the regulation was intended to "ensure a reliable and meaningful military registration system", adding: "In the event of an emergency, we must know who may be staying abroad for an extended period."The statement acknowledged that consequences for young people could be "far-reaching" and said that regulations on exemptions were being developed "in part to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy".The legal basis for the requirement lies in Germany's 1956 Conscription Act, which has been amended several times, most recently last December.Prior to the latest amendment, the obligation to report extended stays abroad applied only if Germany was in a state of national defence or mobilisation. The defence ministry official said that a similar provision was "in effect during the Cold War and had no practical relevance". The Military Service Modernisation Act sets out plans to expand the number of active personnel from around 180,000 to 260,000 by 2035.In December, the German parliament voted to introduce voluntary military service, meaning that from January all 18-year-olds would be sent a questionnaire asking if they were interested in joining the armed forces.From July 2027, they must also undergo a fitness assessment to determine whether they would be eligible for service should war break out.Women may volunteer for military service but cannot be compelled to serve under Germany's constitution.While the plan is for voluntary service, if the security situation worsens or if too few volunteers came forward, a form of compulsory military service co...
Conscription law: men now need approval for trips abroad
By Diana Resnik Published on 04/04/2026 - 16:57 GMT+2•Updated 17:30 Men aged between 17 and 45 now need approval from the Bundeswehr for longer stays abroad. Under the new Military Service Act, this applies to trips abroad lasting more than three months, the Defence Ministry has announced. The daily Frankfurter Rundschau was the first to report on the change. The rule is part of what is known as the Military Service Modernisation Act, which came into force on 1 January 2026. The law is intended to ensure that the Bundeswehr is fit for the future in terms of personnel and organisation. Plans include, among other things, a more attractive form of voluntary military service, broader registration of young men and new legal instruments to enable faster action if needed. What the new law says Specifically, this concerns paragraph 3 of the Conscription Act, which governs the scope and duration of compulsory military service in Germany. Paragraph 1 states: "Compulsory military service is fulfilled by military service or [...] by civilian service." The provision applies to all men of conscription age between 18 and 45. The newly worded paragraph 2 now says: "Male persons who have reached the age of 17 must obtain approval from the competent Bundeswehr careers centre if they intend to leave the Federal Republic of Germany for longer than three months [...]." As long as military service remains voluntary, this approval is deemed to have been granted, a ministry spokesman said. The aim, he added, was to find a straightforward arrangement for people travelling abroad. For as long as military service is voluntary, approval is in principle regarded as granted. However, the necessary administrative regulations have not yet entered into force. In theory, therefore, it still formally applies that 'approval from the competent Bundeswehr careers centre must be obtained' before travelling abroad for more than three months. The spokesman stressed, however: 'Since, under current law, military service is based exclusively on voluntary service, such approvals are in principle to be granted.' The reasoning and the back story Since Russia's attack on Ukraine around four years ago, the defence of Europe has once again moved more sharply into focus. Against this backdrop, the previously suspended system of conscription is also being hotly debated once more. At the beginning of this year, the Military Service Modernisation Act came into force. In future, young men are once again to ...
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Compulsory military service was reinstated during World War II and again in 1964 amid the regional conflicts in Southeast Asia, with the last instance of national service being abolished by the Whitlam government in 1972.
German Military Service Law Explained: Men 17-45 Need Permission to ...
What is Germany's New Military Service Law? Germany has implemented a controversial new military service law that requires men aged 17 to 45 to obtain Bundeswehr permission before leaving the country for more than three months. The Military Service Modernization Act, which took effect on January 1, 2026, represents a significant shift in personal freedoms for approximately 20 million German ...
