All German Men Aged 17-45 Must Now Obtain Army Approval For Trips Abroad Lasting Over 3 Months All German men aged between 17 and 45 now need approval from the Bundeswehr – i.e., the German army – 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 organization. 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. 🇩🇪BREAKING | Starting January 1, 2026, all men aged 17 to 45 must obtain permission from a Bundeswehr career center if they plan to leave Germany for more than three months — whether for studying abroad, work, or extended travel — Berliner Zeitung. This requirement is now in… pic.twitter.com/g8U4GhjzpN — Visioner (@visionergeo) April 3, 2026 However, the necessary administrative regulations have not…​Read More