Turkish military service paid exemption 2026: rules and fee

You can discharge Turkish military service by paying in foreign currency (dövizle askerlik) if you have worked abroad for at least three years, not counting time spent in Türkiye, completed the Ministry of National Defence's online training, and pay the full amount on the day you apply (Article 39 of the Conscription Law No. 7179, Askeralma Kanunu). Dual nationals living abroad do not need to have worked; three years of actual residence abroad is enough. For 1 July to 31 December 2026, Turkish missions state the fee as 472,653.60 TL, payable in euros or another convertible currency at the rate on the day of payment.

The fee went up noticeably in 2026 because of a change in the law. I explain that change first, then the conditions and the procedure.

Why the paid exemption from Turkish military service cost more in 2026

The law does not fix a separate amount for this route. Article 39(1) refers to the index figure (gösterge rakamı) in Article 9, which governs paid military service inside Türkiye (bedelli askerlik). That figure is multiplied by the civil servant salary coefficient, and you pay the resulting lira amount in euros or another convertible currency at the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye's buying rate on the day of payment.

Article 12 of Law No. 7577 of 2 April 2026 raised the index figure in Article 9(1) from 240,000 to 300,000. The law was published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) on 17 April 2026, and this provision took effect on the date of publication (Article 14 of Law No. 7577). Law No. 7577 did not change the wording of Article 39. But since Article 39 refers to the same index figure, the change also affects the foreign-currency route. According to the notice of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, the Ministry of Treasury and Finance set the amount for 1 July to 31 December 2026 at 472,653.60 TL.

The civil servant coefficient changes twice a year, so the Consulate General in Cologne notes that the amount changes at the start of January and July. The euro figure also moves with the exchange rate. Your consulate calculates the exact sum on the day you apply.

Who can use it

Article 39 covers two groups.

First group (Article 39(1)): people living in a foreign country recognised by Türkiye with a residence permit that includes the right to work, or with a work permit, as an employee, employer or self-employed professional. The permit must not have been obtained through an asylum application. Seafarers working on foreign-flagged ships under an employment contract are included. They must have actually worked for at least three years, excluding time spent in Türkiye.

Second group (Article 39(2)): multiple nationals resident abroad, and people born and living abroad who hold permanent residence. No work requirement applies; at least three years of actual presence abroad is enough. This group was added by Law No. 7226 in 2020.

If you hold Turkish and British, Dutch, German or another citizenship and live abroad, you fall into the second group. The Consulate General in Cologne requires dual nationals to have registered their other citizenship in the Turkish civil registry (nüfus kaydı) before applying.

Article 39 sets no age limit. An age limit applies only to deferment for those living abroad (see below).

Who is excluded

Under Article 39(3), even an accepted application is cancelled for people who:

do not pay the amount due,
receive their wages or salary by transfer from Türkiye,
are abroad on official duty,
have already started military service in another form,
turn out to have received their residence or work permit on asylum grounds,
used forged documents or false statements,
are later found not to meet one of the conditions.

If your application is cancelled for forgery or false statements, you can never use this route again, even if you later meet the conditions (Article 39(6)).

How to apply

You apply through the Turkish consulate responsible for your area, which forwards the application to your military recruitment office (askerlik şubesi) (Article 39(1)). According to consular notices, the steps are:

Register on the Ministry of National Defence training portal (dovizle.msb.gov.tr) with your Turkish ID number and complete the online training. The training is a legal requirement (Article 39(1)(b)) and must be finished before you apply.
Book a military service appointment through konsolosluk.gov.tr.
Attend in person with your documents and pay the full amount at once. The Cologne consulate states expressly that instalments are not possible.

Document lists differ by mission. For people in Germany, the Cologne consulate asks among other things for a Turkish ID card, residence permit, passport, two photos, for dual nationals the foreign ID card and proof of citizenship, and for employees a pension insurance record showing at least 1,095 days. Check your own consulate's list before the appointment.

On top of the fee you pay transfer charges and other costs set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Article 39(8)).

After payment: no withdrawal, no refund

Read this part before you decide.

Once you have paid and the procedure is complete, a request to leave the scheme is not accepted (Article 39(5)).
No refund is made to those who ask to leave, become unfit for service, die, obtain permission to renounce Turkish citizenship or lose Turkish citizenship (Article 39(4)).
A refund is made on request if the application is cancelled, if the procedure was not completed despite payment, or if you overpaid. It is paid in lira at the rate on the day of the refund into a bank account in Türkiye (Article 39(4)).

If you are thinking of renouncing Turkish citizenship later (and applying for the Blue Card, Mavi Kart), the order matters: if you pay first and then obtain permission to renounce, the fee is not refunded.

Paid exemption versus deferment

Paying in foreign currency means your military service is deemed completed (Article 3(1)(ğ), Article 39(1)). Deferment (yurt dışı erteleme) only postpones the obligation. Under Article 38, people working abroad with a work permit, seafarers on foreign-flagged ships, and multiple nationals in their country of residence can apply through the consulate to defer until the end of the year in which they turn 35. If you spend more than half of any calendar year in Türkiye during deferment, it is cancelled (Article 38(2)).

Article 39 does not apply during mobilisation or war (Article 39(11)).

For how Turkish courts treat dual nationals in private law matters, see Article 4 MÖHUK. Other Türkiye–Germany topics are on the Türkiye–Germany page.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Turkish military service payment in 2026?

For 1 July to 31 December 2026, Turkish missions give the figure as 472,653.60 TL. You pay its euro (or other convertible currency) equivalent at the Central Bank buying rate on the day of payment, plus a transfer fee. According to the Cologne consulate the amount changes at the start of January and July; ask your consulate for the figure for the first half of 2027.

Is there an age limit?

Article 39 of Law No. 7179 has no age limit. Deferment, by contrast, ends at the end of the year in which you turn 35 (Article 38(1)).

Does a dual national born abroad need to have worked?

No. Multiple nationals living abroad only need at least three years of actual presence abroad (Article 39(2)).

Can I pay in instalments?

No. The law requires full payment on the date of application (Article 39(1)).

Do I get the money back if I later give up Turkish citizenship?

No. There is no refund for those given permission to renounce Turkish citizenship (Article 39(4)).

Sources

Questions about your case

If you would like to check whether you meet the conditions, how your periods of work or residence abroad are counted, or whether deferment or the paid exemption suits you, you can choose a time on the appointment page for an online video call, a phone call or a meeting in Düsseldorf. You can also send a written question through the contact form. Consultations are held in Turkish and cover Turkish conscription law only. It helps to have your residence permit, proof of any foreign citizenship, your pension or social insurance record and a list of your entries to and exits from Türkiye ready.