A new provision in Germany's Military Service Modernisation Act, which entered into force on January 1, 2026, requires all men aged 17 to 45 to obtain approval from a Bundeswehr careers centre before leaving the country for more than three months. The measure, first highlighted by the Frankfurter Rundschau, applies to activities including study abroad, work, or extended travel and was confirmed by the Defence Ministry in statements to multiple outlets. While military service remains voluntary and approvals are to be granted as a matter of principle, officials acknowledge the change has a 'profound' impact on personal autonomy. The law extends rules previously limited to states of tension or defence into normal peacetime, enabling authorities to track the location of potential service-eligible personnel 'in an emergency'. This forms part of broader efforts to register young men systematically and grow the Bundeswehr from approximately 180,000 to 260,000-270,000 troops by 2035. The timing aligns with heightened European security concerns following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, reviving debates over conscription across the continent. Though presented as administrative modernisation, the policy builds legal and bureaucratic scaffolding that could enable faster activation of compulsory service if needed. It reflects a wider shift toward 'total defence' postures in Europe, where civilian life is increasingly viewed through the lens of national resilience and military readiness. Similar reinstatements or expansions of registration and readiness measures have appeared in other NATO states, underscoring a collective move away from the post-Cold War emphasis on voluntary forces. The Defence Ministry has indicated that more detailed exemption rules are being prepared to mitigate everyday disruptions, yet the underlying framework signals preparedness for scenarios where individual travel freedoms may yield to collective defence requirements.