German men aged 17 to 45 now require official approval for stays abroad lasting longer than three months under the newly enacted Military Service Modernisation Act. The law, which took effect January 1, aims to bolster national defenses following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A defense ministry spokesman confirmed the requirement in a statement to the BBC. The policy, which originated from an amendment to the 1956 Conscription Act, ensures the government maintains a reliable registry of its military-eligible population.
“In the event of an emergency, we must know who may be staying abroad for an extended period,” the spokesman said. He added that the regulation seeks to ensure a “meaningful military registration system.”
While the requirement applies to all men in the specified age range, the defense ministry acknowledged the potential for “far-reaching” consequences for young people. Officials are currently developing exemption regulations to “avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.”
Expanding the Bundeswehr
The law is part of a broader government effort to increase the number of active-duty personnel from 180,000 to 260,000 by 2035. As part of this push, the German parliament voted in December to introduce voluntary military service.
Starting this year, all 18-year-olds will receive a questionnaire regarding their interest in joining the armed forces. By July 2027, these individuals must undergo a fitness assessment to determine their eligibility for service in the event of war. Women may volunteer for the military but remain exempt from compulsory service under the German constitution.
News of the travel restriction, first reported by the Frankfurter Rundschau, follows months of public opposition to the modernization plans. During parliamentary debates, one protest organizer wrote on social media: “We don’t want to spend half a year of our lives locked up in barracks, being trained in drill and obedience and learning to kill.”
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has prioritized rebuilding the Bundeswehr into what his cabinet describes as Europe’s strongest conventional army. The current approach relies on voluntary service, though the government has signaled that compulsory conscription could return if the security environment deteriorates or recruitment targets remain unmet.
