30.06.2026 11:10
With a new bill to be presented to the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Turkish citizens living abroad who perform military service in their country of residence will be exempted from compulsory military service in Turkey. The new regulation concerns approximately 400,000 people.
The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT) continues its work this week with a busy agenda concerning millions of citizens. The "Law Proposal on the Specialist Non-Commissioned Officer Law and Amendments to Certain Laws," which the General Assembly will begin debating, includes revolutionary decisions for Turkish citizens living abroad, as well as regulations regarding the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).
THOSE DRAFTED IN THE COUNTRY THEY LIVE IN WILL BE EXEMPT
The most striking article of the law proposal, prepared by AK Party officials and to be submitted to the Parliament, concerns the military service status of expatriates. According to a report from Hürriyet newspaper; Turkish citizens who have completed their military service in the country where they live may be exempt from compulsory military service in Türkiye.
The authority to determine which countries this exemption will cover for Turkish citizens and the conditions for it will be left directly to the Ministry of National Defense (MSB).
HARDSHIPS BECOME A THING OF THE PAST
Under the current system, Turkish citizens living abroad could fulfill their military service obligations through "military service with foreign currency" via consulates. However, individuals who did not benefit from this option or who had already served in the military in their country of residence faced significant legal issues. The main goal of the prepared law is summarized as follows:
"With this regulation, it is aimed to completely resolve the legal hardships of expatriates who have completed their compulsory military service in the country where they live but are officially considered 'draft dodgers' because they have not fulfilled their obligations in Türkiye."
400 THOUSIND PEOPLE WILL BENEFIT
According to the information obtained, it is anticipated that approximately 400 thousand Turkish citizens currently living abroad will benefit from this historic military exemption regulation expected to pass through Parliament.
END TO DEDUCTIONS FROM RETIREMENT PENSIONS
The regulation that will make expatriates happy in the prepared omnibus bill is not limited to military service. Another important article being worked on by economic officials concerns citizens who have retired through "foreign service credit purchase."
Under the current practice, when expatriates who retired through foreign service credit purchase start working in an insured job in Türkiye, their retirement pensions were cut off. With the new law, it is planned to remove this restriction and end the pension deductions.