Automatic registration of Ukrainians for military service when applying for documents in Germany: what do you need to know?

The new mechanism for automatically registering Ukrainians for military service abroad also affects those who apply for documents at branches of the State Enterprise ‘Document’ in Germany. This decision changes the approach to registering conscripts. Find out more about who this applies to, how the system works, and what Ukrainians in Germany need to know

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As reported by the Embassy of Ukraine in Germany, according to Resolution No. 1632, the state is introducing a mechanism for the automatic military registration of male citizens of Ukraine who are abroad and use the services of branches of the State Enterprise ‘Document’ in Germany. This is a new procedure that allows citizens to be entered into the Unified State Register of Conscripts, Military Service Obligators and Reservists without additional procedures.

Who exactly is affected, how the system works and what Ukrainians in Germany should take into account — we will look into this further in the article.

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Who is subject to automatic military registration?

The mechanism applies to male citizens of Ukraine aged 18 to 60 who:

– are not and have not previously been registered for military service;

– are not listed in the register as conscripts, military personnel or reservists;

– do not belong to categories that are not subject to military registration in accordance with the law.

Automatic registration may occur even if a Ukrainian citizen has been living outside the country for a long time and has had no contact with the territorial recruitment centres in Ukraine.

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How does automatic registration work?

The essence of the innovation lies in the electronic interaction of state databases. When receiving services at branches of the State Enterprise ‘Document’ in Germany (issuing passports, ID cards, exchanging documents, etc.), information about the citizen is transferred from the registers of the Migration Service and other state systems to the Unified State Register of Conscripts and Persons Subject to Military Service.

It is at this point that automatic registration can be carried out without the person being physically present in Ukraine and without undergoing a medical examination.

It should be noted that the Ukrainian Embassy in Germany and other foreign diplomatic missions are not participants in this project and do not carry out military registration.

The entire process is implemented through the state registers of Ukraine and is related specifically to obtaining services from the State Enterprise ‘Document’. Diplomatic missions only inform citizens about the specifics of the new rules.

The pilot project is designed to last two years from the date of entry into force of the relevant government resolution. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the State Migration Service and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are involved in its implementation. These bodies are responsible for the technical and legal aspects of the process.

What does this mean for Ukrainians in Germany?

For most citizens, this means that contacting the service centres of the State Enterprise ‘Document’ in Germany is no longer a neutral procedure.

In certain cases, it automatically registers a person in the Ukrainian military registration system. Therefore, it is important to:

– understand the legal consequences;

– know that registration does not equal mobilisation, but creates the legal status of a conscript;

– follow the official explanations of state authorities.

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Reminder! The German government has approved the Bürgergeld reform, which tightens controls, introduces sanctions and changes the rules for receiving social assistance. Read more about the reform of social benefits in Germany in 2026 here.

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