What do you know about military service in Turkey

Do you have questions about military service in Türkiye? Click on the link and learn extensive details about it

When it comes to military service in Turkey, it is an essential part of the military system and law that regulates the lives of Turkish citizens and in this article, we will learn about the details of military service in Turkey and its requirements, as well as the categories exempted from it and we will also explore how this system has evolved over time and its impact on Turkish youth and society in general and we will highlight the specific ages for starting military service and length of service, and discuss the available exceptions and the conditions associated with them and all you have to do is continue reading to find out more information and details and we wish you an enjoyable reading.

What is meant by military service in Turkey

Military service in Turkey means the obligation of every Turkish citizen to perform compulsory military service in the Turkish army and the Turkish army is one of the largest armies in the world, and military service is an essential part of the Turkish military system and legislation and the main objective of the military service is to secure the national defense and security of Turkey and to protect its sovereignty.

Information about military service in Turkey

All over the world there are laws that specify the age at which young people must join the military service, and this law is not only applicable in Turkey, but this issue differs from one country to another, as each country determines the appropriate age for it and in the case of Turkey, the age of twenty-one was set as a minimum age for enrollment in military service.

Thus, anyone who obtains Turkish citizenship from foreigners and over the age of twenty-one is considered exempt from military service on the territory of Turkey, and for people who obtain Turkish citizenship through marriage to a wife of Turkish origin, they are also exempt from military service.

In general, if a person enters Turkish territory before reaching the age of twenty-one and settles there, he is obliged to perform military service in Turkey.

Military service laws in Turkey

Individuals are not exempted from performing military service in Turkey unless they submit health reports proving the reasons for their exemption and in the past, the duration of military service was a full year, i.e. 12 months, but recently it has been reduced to 6 months and the age at which young Turks must perform their military service is 21 years old and the value of the military service allowance in Turkey is 31,000 Turkish liras, and this amount may change annually.

People exempted from military service in Turkey

There is a specific category of people exempted from military service in Turkey, for example expatriates who live on Turkish soil or who hold a residence permit that allows them to reside in the country and have submitted a document proving that they have performed military service in their country of origin are exempted and provided that the ruling system in their country is self-contained, they are thus considered completely exempt from military service.

Is it possible to postpone military service in Turkey?

In Turkey, there are specific categories that have the right to postpone military service and people who suffer from non-chronic diseases have the right to postponement according to a medical report proving this.

Prisoners whose military service is postponed until they finish their sentence and those wishing to complete their education can postpone military service, as high school students can postpone it until their graduation date if they are under the age of 22.

As for vocational school students, they can postpone it if they are under 25 years old, as for university and college students, they can postpone military service if they are under 28 years old and in addition, researchers, professions, and athletic or artistic talents have the right to postpone military service until the age of 35.

Military service in Turkey for those who have Turkish citizenship

In Turkey, compulsory military service applies to all Turkish citizens and holders of Turkish citizenship, regardless of how they obtained citizenship and the period of military service begins at the age of 21 and continues until the age of 41.

On the other hand, people who have Turkish citizenship and who entered the country after the age of 22 are exempted from performing military service, as for people who could not perform military service in their countries and entered Turkey before reaching the age of 22, they must perform military service in Turkey.

How long is the military service in Turkey?

After the last amendment, the period of military service in Turkey was reduced to 6 months, instead of the previous period, which took a full year.

When does military service start in Turkey?

Turkish law specifies that people who reach the age of 21 must join the military service in Turkey and at the beginning of February of each year, the first batch of persons who have completed this age are summoned to start their military service.

Is military service in Turkey compulsory?

Yes, Turkish law requires all persons who have completed the age of 21 to perform military service in Turkey, unless they are exempted from service or allowance payers.

Can people with higher education postpone military service?

Yes, students with higher education have the right to postpone military service so that they can complete their studies, but they must perform military service after their graduation.

Common questions

What is the age limit for a person to join the military service in Turkey?

A person must join the military service in Turkey upon reaching the age of 21.

Are there exceptions or postponements for military service?

Yes, there are certain categories of people who can obtain a deferral or excuse from military service, such as students, those with athletic or artistic talents, patients who are unable to serve, and those who are exempt from service based on specific legal reasons.