Germany Orders Military Sign-Off for Men 17–45 Travel

(MENAFN) Germany has enacted a sweeping change to its military service framework, barring most men between the ages of 17 and 45 from leaving the country for extended periods without prior authorization from the Bundeswehr, media reported Saturday.

The measure forms part of a wider legislative overhaul under the Military Service Modernization Act, which entered into force earlier this year. Under a revised regulatory clause, any man seeking to leave Germany for longer than three months must obtain formal clearance from the relevant Bundeswehr unit. The requirement equally applies to those seeking to extend previously sanctioned stays abroad, or to prolong unapproved absences beyond the three-month threshold.

The travel restriction is already active, even as the broader mandatory registration framework — which will include compulsory medical examinations for men born in 2008 or later — is set to be phased in at a future date.

The law also reintroduces military registration requirements as part of an ambitious drive to expand the German armed forces from their current strength of approximately 184,000 personnel to between 255,000 and 270,000 troops by 2035. Officials have framed the measures as essential tools for monitoring military-eligible men and bolstering Germany's defense readiness in the shadow of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The new restrictions have nonetheless drawn sharp criticism from civil liberties advocates, who warn the travel approval mandate imposes an historically unprecedented curtailment of freedom of movement on a substantial portion of the population — a concern that is gaining traction as the full scope of the law becomes publicly understood.

Berlin has not issued a formal response to the civil liberties concerns raised since the measure came into effect.

MENAFN05042026000045017169ID1110943529