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If my dc get eu /German passports does that mean they may get eu conscription?

37 replies

StarieNight · 02/10/2024 20:30

My dd are currently on UK passport but if we get them German ones could they be called up? War with Russia etc....

OP posts:
SwedishEdith · 02/10/2024 20:36

What's "EU conscription"?

Jigsawpuzzled · 02/10/2024 20:38

Potentially depending on what the other country does in the future. My kids don't have the European dual passports they are entitled to because whilst it has a benefit of travel it also comes with national service.however if the UK were to introduce conscription again in the future they would be caught by that.

Greenbike · 02/10/2024 20:38

Yes, in theory. But if Germany ends up going to war with Russia then it’s quite likely the U.K. would also be involved, so having only a U.K. passport might not help!

Marblesbackagain · 02/10/2024 20:39

Each EU country has the right to decide their military arrangements. You will need to investigate specific German citizen responsibilities. I do know of a few young Germans who did volunteer work for a year but not sure if it was mandatory.

RisingSunn · 02/10/2024 20:42

I think there may be a risk of that, with just the U.K passport.

Whyherewego · 02/10/2024 20:44

It's country specific. But if you hold a passport for a country, you should expect to abide by the requirements of that country. Some countries do have compulsory military type service others don't.
Also be aware that if you travel on a foreign passport don't expect to be repatriated to UK if your passport gets stolen. I always found it amazing watching people argue with embassy staff overseas asking for passports to get back to UK when many local embassies have no way of doing this. They can only issue temp docs for travel back to the country issuing thr passport!

Nannyoggapple · 02/10/2024 20:44

SwedishEdith · 02/10/2024 20:36

What's "EU conscription"?

Some EU countries have mandatory conscription into their army.

Usually for 18 year olds

tinydynamine · 02/10/2024 20:45

No military service in Germany at the moment. May change though. I acquired German citizenship after Brexit. But as a disabled 55 year old I'd be useless even as cannon fodder

Nannyoggapple · 02/10/2024 20:47

tinydynamine · 02/10/2024 20:45

No military service in Germany at the moment. May change though. I acquired German citizenship after Brexit. But as a disabled 55 year old I'd be useless even as cannon fodder

Lol!

Nannyoggapple · 02/10/2024 20:47

tinydynamine · 02/10/2024 20:45

No military service in Germany at the moment. May change though. I acquired German citizenship after Brexit. But as a disabled 55 year old I'd be useless even as cannon fodder

As they say about conscription, it's always old men making decisions that they themselves will never have to do.

It's always old men making decisions for young men

AutumnTimeForCosy24 · 02/10/2024 20:48

Surely it's about your citizenship, not whether you have a passport or not???

JohnofWessex · 02/10/2024 20:48

In the past I have come across young European Men inn the UK to avoid conscription & a Turkish Colleague could not go back as he was potentially liable to be conscripted although I think he was born in the UK.

In the 80's I also heard of some Polish Heritage young men born in the UK who got their call up papers and decided to leave the UK to do National Service in Poland as it was the only job on offer.

I suggest that if your children get German Passports AND Called up then just dont go to Germany.

Its also possible that if the authorities of a particular country decide that you are liable to be conscripted then if you fall into their jurisdiction irrespective of if you hold a passport or not then thats it.

CruCru · 02/10/2024 20:50

The thing is, people think of having dual citizenship as always being a massive advantage but it also means you have to follow the rules of both countries. Greeks can have dual citizenship but also have to do national service (men only I think). It may be the same for Cypriots.

Stewandsocks · 02/10/2024 20:50

If your kids don't live in Germany they won't be able to conscript them - would only be an issue if they were resident there, or were to travel to Germany while conscription age, if the conscription was applied to non-residents.

EU citizenship very handy to have.

SwedishEdith · 02/10/2024 21:01

Nannyoggapple · 02/10/2024 20:44

Some EU countries have mandatory conscription into their army.

Usually for 18 year olds

Yes, but there's no "EU conscription".

Nannyoggapple · 02/10/2024 21:07

SwedishEdith · 02/10/2024 21:01

Yes, but there's no "EU conscription".

Yeah I know.

I knew what she meant. She didn't mean that there is conscription across the whole if the EU,

She was just using it as a shortened phrase for

"Will he be subjected to conscription if there is conscription in that EU country

HelloHellebore · 02/10/2024 21:13

When were your DC born?

If my dc get eu /German passports does that mean they may get eu conscription?
Bluefields96 · 02/10/2024 21:13

It is unlikely that German citizens living abroad would be called up to do military service were conscription to be introduced. There would be all kinds of problems with enforcement.
When Germany last had conscription (until the early 2000s) citizens who were not registered as resident in Germany were exempt.

Cem82 · 02/10/2024 21:13

Germany doesn’t have conscription and the EU doesn’t have an army and is unlikely to have one in the near future as big changes to the EU would require a majority vote! I think having German citizenship would be hugely beneficial, it would allow them to stay more than 90days in Europe for a starter - my partner really wishes he had EU citizenship.

My daughter and I technically have dual citizenship but we don’t bother with UK passports as Irish ones have more open doors these days (common travel area means Irish citizens get the same rights as British people in the UK and get to retain the benefits of EU membership). If it ever came to it and we needed it we would get them though!

suburberphobe · 02/10/2024 21:16

if Germany ends up going to war with Russia

Never going to happen.

Chill out.

Nannyoggapple · 02/10/2024 21:18

suburberphobe · 02/10/2024 21:16

if Germany ends up going to war with Russia

Never going to happen.

Chill out.

There has been murmurs of it

MayaPinion · 02/10/2024 21:24

There's no such thing as EU conscription.

And there are murmurs of everything.

Brefugee · 02/10/2024 21:28

Nannyoggapple · 02/10/2024 20:47

As they say about conscription, it's always old men making decisions that they themselves will never have to do.

It's always old men making decisions for young men

to be fair, a lot of those old German men were conscripts. Many of my friends were. Or they were contientious objectors and did civilian service (worked in old people's homes etc)

I used to be in the army. I'm way too old but (as a German passport holder) i would volunteer to go back to my old job. The war was cold when i served, but no T64s rolled over the North German Plain i my day.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 02/10/2024 21:28

The now daily "OMFG ITS WWIII" hysteria thread.

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 02/10/2024 21:30

There is no conscription in Germany. It stopped being enforced in 2010, I believe.

War between Germany and Russia is one less thing to worry about OP. Never gonna happen. Or not in the near or distant future, at least. Go get your kids their German passports.

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