This clarification follows Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s announcement regarding a controversial provision in the new military service law, which mandates that men aged 17 to 45 obtain permission from the Bundeswehr for overseas stays exceeding three months. The Ministry later specified that this regulation is intended solely for potential emergency situations and would only be enforced if conscription becomes mandatory. This information was disseminated on April 10, 2026, via Deutschlandfunk.