Hello to everyone,
I got my German citizenship a long time ago due to blood inheritance. My grandfather was German and came to America due to the World War.
I'd like to move and study in a German college. This year I finish my bachelor in computer science, according to my current college is valid in Germany. However since I'll be 21 this year do I have some kind of problem with the Bundeswehr?
Thank you in advance, I'd appreciate any help.
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Military service when studying in Germany
Naturalized German citizens moving from the U.S.
If your grandfather was persecuted by the Nazis, there is no conscription for ya.
Oh, dear. I don't know if you can escape the army thing... being a citizen, you know. But I am sure you can opt for civil service instead, which is a great invention, right?
I think you can do that parallel to the studies... working on it part-time, over a period of I-don't-know-how-many-months.
Go and apply for a TUM master in computer science. But, quickly, because deadlines were in May, not in July, as far as I know!
The fee for one semester used to be something like a bit less than 600 Euros, last year, but otherwise, I think it is worth the money. In other "Bundesländer" it is less, as far as I remember. Some of them even got rid of this burden, this year... was it Hessen or Rheinland... can't recall... read it in the news a few months ago, this spring.
You will meet many strict German IT prof brains over there, but it might prove to be a great learning experience even if your grades will be a bit "German-scaled".
With or without citizenship... err.. whatever, you know. It doesn't really make a difference as long as you're a student. All foreign students are treated in a nice way and with lots of respect and support in Germany... at least, that was my experience. And, even after you graduate... I don't know if it really matters...
Well, if you already have the citizenship that is good because you won't have to apply for work permits and the employer doesn't have to justify why he picked YOU instead of some "citizen".
But I am sure you can opt for civil service instead, which is a great invention, right? I think you can do that parallel to the studies... working on it part-time, over a period of I-don't-know-how-many-months.
Go and apply for a TUM master in computer science. But, quickly, because deadlines were in May, not in July, as far as I know!
The fee for one semester used to be something like a bit less than 600 Euros, last year, but otherwise, I think it is worth the money. In other "Bundesländer" it is less, as far as I remember. Some of them even got rid of this burden, this year... was it Hessen or Rheinland... can't recall... read it in the news a few months ago, this spring.
You will meet many strict German IT prof brains over there, but it might prove to be a great learning experience even if your grades will be a bit "German-scaled".
With or without citizenship... err.. whatever, you know. It doesn't really make a difference as long as you're a student. All foreign students are treated in a nice way and with lots of respect and support in Germany... at least, that was my experience. And, even after you graduate... I don't know if it really matters...
Well, if you already have the citizenship that is good because you won't have to apply for work permits and the employer doesn't have to justify why he picked YOU instead of some "citizen".
QUOTE (EmptySuitcase @ Jul 5 2008, 7:13 pm) 
Oh, dear. I don't know if you can escape the army thing... being a citizen, you know. But I am sure you can opt for civil service instead, which is a great invention, right?
Yes you can, see above. You send your "Kreiswehrersatzamt" a letter, put in the proof that your grandparents were persecuted - done. No conscription nor civil service.
Edit: If they weren't persecuted they WILL draft you or you WILL have to do a year of civil service. No way out of that.
2Edit: They won't draft you directly out of your studies, but you are "wehrpflichtig" till the day you turn 28.
QUOTE (HelterSkelter @ Jul 5 2008, 7:19 pm)
... you are "wehrpflichtig" till the day you turn 28 ...
QUOTE
... Die Wehrpflicht endet mit Ablauf des Jahres, in dem der Wehrpflichtige das 45. Lebensjahr (bei Offizieren und Unteroffizieren das 60. Lebensjahr) vollendet. Im Spannungs- und Verteidigungsfall endet die Wehrpflicht mit Ablauf des Jahres, in dem der Wehrpflichtige das 60. Lebensjahr vollendet ...
From your wikipedia link:
These days they only draft people till 25 (so until they turn 26) - when I was supposed to do it it was till you turn 28, which correlated with the old child allowance regulations, not only out of some sort of coincidence... child allowance these days actually is paid till 25 (if you still are in education)...
Your quote only is valid during times of martial law, but in that case for everyone, also those who did civil service.
QUOTE
Davon zu unterscheiden ist allerdings die in § 5 WPflG geregelte Einberufbarkeit Ungedienter, die in Friedenszeiten (unvollständiger Auszug):
* in der Regel bis zum 23. Geburtstag andauert;
* bis zum 25. Geburtstag andauert unter anderem bei
o genehmigungspflichtigen, aber ungenehmigten Auslandsaufenthalten und bei
o Zurückstellungen, die eine Einberufung bis zum 23. Geburtstag verhindern;
* bis zum 30. Lebensjahr andauert, wenn wegen einer Verpflichtung im Katastrophenschutz eine Einberufung vor Vollendung des 23. Lebensjahres nicht möglich war;
* bis zum 32. Geburtstag andauert bei Personen, die aufgrund ihrer Berufsausbildung während des Grundwehrdienstes vorwiegend militärfachlich verwendet werden (z. B. Ärzte).
* in der Regel bis zum 23. Geburtstag andauert;
* bis zum 25. Geburtstag andauert unter anderem bei
o genehmigungspflichtigen, aber ungenehmigten Auslandsaufenthalten und bei
o Zurückstellungen, die eine Einberufung bis zum 23. Geburtstag verhindern;
* bis zum 30. Lebensjahr andauert, wenn wegen einer Verpflichtung im Katastrophenschutz eine Einberufung vor Vollendung des 23. Lebensjahres nicht möglich war;
* bis zum 32. Geburtstag andauert bei Personen, die aufgrund ihrer Berufsausbildung während des Grundwehrdienstes vorwiegend militärfachlich verwendet werden (z. B. Ärzte).
These days they only draft people till 25 (so until they turn 26) - when I was supposed to do it it was till you turn 28, which correlated with the old child allowance regulations, not only out of some sort of coincidence... child allowance these days actually is paid till 25 (if you still are in education)...
Your quote only is valid during times of martial law, but in that case for everyone, also those who did civil service.
QUOTE (EmptySuitcase @ Jul 5 2008, 7:13 pm)
I think you can do that parallel to the studies... working on it part-time, over a period of I-don't-know-how-many-months.
... no. You can't.
Used to be even that universities would want to see your discharge papers when signing up as a male citizen, don't think they're doing that any more though.
QUOTE (EmptySuitcase @ Jul 5 2008, 7:13 pm)
which correlated with the old child allowance regulations, not only out of some sort of coincidence... child allowance these days actually is paid till 25 (if you still are in education)...
It currently correlates with the age by which you're supposed to have children, or otherwise pay a higher care insurance percentage. Note: You can also dodge conscription (temporarily) if you have children under the age of 3 or so.
To OP: First - do nothing. They don't really need you. If they do actually draft you (unlikely), go the route HelterSkelter laid out there.
QUOTE (kato @ Jul 8 2008, 9:39 am)
... no. You can't.
Yes, you can. An alternative - at least when i was a young german and they wanted to draft me - was to join the Bundesanstalt Technisches Hilfswerk (or THW), or the Freiwillige Feuerwehr. It's possible to do that "part-time", but it takes significantly longer.
If you cannot or do not want to go the path Helterskelter layed out, that would be the only option - aside from having or faking health problems.
Yeah, just fake a really, really nasty cold (or perhaps lung disorder is better), let alone mental illness.
I´m sure they don´t want you if you beg:)
I´m sure they don´t want you if you beg:)
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