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New military service law: Germans aged 17-45 must apply for permission

2026-04-06 09:44:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The new military service law requires all men between the ages of 17 and 45 to seek approval from the Bundeswehr to leave the country for more than three months. It obliges the Military Career Center to grant permission.

The new law on military service has come into force in Germany at the beginning of 2026. Voluntary military service was introduced after the war in Ukraine and Russia's continued threats against Ukraine and other countries.

The legislation was controversial and many people even took to the streets to protest against the possible reinstatement of compulsory military service - after military conscription was suspended in 2011.

But one provision in the law has so far gone largely unnoticed. It relates to a requirement for men between the ages of 17 and 45 to "obtain approval from the relevant Bundeswehr Career Center if they wish to leave the Federal Republic of Germany for more than three months."

Who is affected by the law?

The Frankfurter Rundschau, which reported on the provision on Friday, said the rule would apply regardless of whether a German man was "planning a semester of study abroad, work in a foreign country or a tourist trip around the world."

What is the position of the German army?

A Bundeswehr spokesman confirmed the report, telling the DPA news agency that in the event of a war breaking out, the military needed to know how many men were living abroad for a long time.

The law requires men to request permission, the spokesman explained. But according to the spokesman, the law forces the Military Career Center to issue it if "no specific military service is expected during the period in question."

"Since military service under current law is based exclusively on voluntary participation, such permits should be granted generally," the official added.

The Ministry of Defense has announced that it is now working on new rules for exemptions from the permit requirement.

What are the consequences?

It is not clear what consequences will be faced by men who leave the country for more than three months without proper permission.

When asked, the Ministry spokesman stressed that "the regulation was in force even during the Cold War and had no practical significance; in particular, there are no penalties for violating it."

What do you need to know about the new law?

The new law, which took effect on January 1, the so-called Military Service Modernization Act, aims to increase the number of active-duty soldiers from the roughly 180,000 men and women currently in the military to 260,000 by 2035.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling coalition had different opinions. After heated debates, they finally agreed on a compromise, deciding that military service would remain voluntary for the time being.

Starting this year, all men turning 18 must fill out a form that answers questions about their education, health status, and willingness to serve in the armed forces.

For women, answering the questions is voluntary, as they cannot be forced to perform military service according to the Constitution.

From mid-2027, all men turning 18 must take a fitness test to determine who can be called up for military service in the event of conflict - a highly controversial measure that has been criticized as a first step towards full conscription./ DW