Requiring men up to 45 years of age to obtain a permit from the army before residing abroad

Germany’s new military service law required all men between the ages of 17 and 45 to obtain a permit from the German army before staying abroad for more than three months.
The German Ministry of Defense confirmed that approval is considered granted as long as military service remains voluntary.
What is known as the Military Service Modernization Law entered into force on January 1st.
The essence of the law is to impose a mandatory screening of young people born in 2008 and later, with the aim of attracting volunteers to increase the number of members of the armed forces from more than 180,000 currently to 260,000 soldiers.
A spokesman for the ministry explained that the new rules also establish a framework for registering and monitoring military service, and said: “According to the text of the law, males after completing 17 years must obtain approval in advance from the conscription center of the German army when planning to reside abroad for more than three months,” noting that this obligation ends at the age of 45 years.
The spokesman added that in emergency situations, the army needs to know who is residing abroad for long periods, explaining that the goal is to provide a legal basis to support the application of the mandatory elements stipulated in the new military service when needed, such as the mandatory screening that has been in effect since the beginning of January 2026. This rule also includes periods in which there is no state of tension or defense.