Croatia’s lawmakers voted late October 2025 to reintroduce mandatory military service in response to rising global tensions, including Russia’s war in Ukraine. The country previously abolished conscription in 2008. Croatian officials have argued the current global situation required the nation to boost its defence forces. This new law has caused a rather large amount of confusion among those living in the diaspora and their obligations to act, if any, in compliance to the new law. In short, regardless of what some media in the “West” may have reported Croatian citizens living abroad will not be required to come to Croatia just to serve the mandatory military service. Whether that will change in the future is anyone’s guess, but my personal bets are on the likelihood that a military-age citizen living abroad will only be called up for mandatory service once they move to Croatia, if they move to Croatia.

Key details of the new law

• Who is required to serve: All male Croatian nationals (including dual citizens) living in Croatia. 
• When it starts: January 1, 2026. 
• Duration: Two months of basic military training. 
• Age for conscription: Men can be called up between the ages of 18 and 30. 
• Women: Military service is voluntary for women. 
• Conscientious objectors: Those with moral or religious objections can apply to perform three or four months of alternative civil service. 

Exemptions and deferrals

• Dual citizens: 

Men living in Croatia who also hold foreign citizenship and have already completed military or civil service in that other country are exempt from training in Croatia. 

Residency abroad: 

A conscript who resides abroad and is not entered into the military records in the Republic of Croatia is reportedly obliged to report to the competent diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Croatia no later than the age of 29. However, the current official information is that citizens of Croatia living abroad will not be required to come to Croatia to serve in the mandatory military service or to register at consulates or embassies.   (Regardless of what one might read in misleading and sensationalistic media outlets in the diaspora no official public notice [in relevant foreign languages as well as the Croatian as not every citizen abroad speaks the Croatian language to full use] has been released as yet regarding that obligation from the Croatian Foreign Affairs or consular and Diplomatic Missions).

Other exemptions/deferrals: 

Deferrals can be granted for students (until age 29), athletes, and certain other circumstances like marriage, childbirth, or family bereavement. 

All men born in 2007 – that is, those who will turn 18 by the end of 2025 (and living in Croatia) – will be the first generation to be called up for compulsory military service, which will consist of two- or three-months training. But this is only the first round of conscription. Around 4,000 young men will undergo training each year, and they will reportedly be recruited in five cycles of 800 each.

Women are not required to serve in the military and will not be called up, but they can still volunteer to serve.

A person who holds Croatian citizenship (whether dual or not), regardless of the country in which he or she is located, is a conscript, the Ministry of Defence said after doubts arose about whether the mandatory military service applies to those who do not live in Croatia but have its citizenship. However, there appears to be reassurance from the Department that no conscript living abroad will currently be called up to come to Croatia and serve those two months.

According to the new Defence Act, military service is the duty of all capable citizens of the Republic. Hence, the conscription obligation begins in the calendar year in which a citizen of the Republic of Croatia turns 18 years of age and lasts until he or she enters basic military training or civilian service, or until the expiration of 30 years of age or until the termination of military service in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

A conscript is subject to conscription and the obligation of basic military training or civilian service and the obligation to serve in the reserve force, while a female conscript is not subject to conscription, but can voluntarily attend basic military training and serve in the reserve force of the Croatian Armed Forces.

(Zakon o službi u Oružanim snagama Republike Hrvatske ) Law on Service in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia states that recruits must pass the medical exam. Medical examinations will help determine who meets the requirements to attend mandatory military service. Only those who pass all the necessary tests will be called to the military.

The first calls for medical examinations are expected by early December 2025.

The medical exam in Croatia includes:

Examination by a family medicine doctor

Examination by a dental medicine doctor

Anthropometric measurements

Inspection of submitted medical and other documentation important for determining a candidate’s health condition

Medical examinations and psychological tests will be carried out as close as possible to the recruits’ place of residence in Croatia to make it easier for participants to access.

Those who enter university or other higher-education after finishing high school will have the right to request a deferral of mandatory military service until they complete their higher education. Students can defer military training until age 29. Enrolling in higher education institutions is not the way to completely skip mandatory military service. This way, it can only be avoided for a couple of years.

The law will allow certain groups (athletes who participate in world and European championships, Croatian citizens living abroad, sole earners in a household, and employed trainees) to also postpone military service. Delays can also be granted for major life events like marriage, childbirth, a close family member’s death, or starting a business, if requests are made on time. Depending on the circumstances, a deferral can range from 3 months to a year, last until the next enlistment period, or until June of the year in which a conscript turns 29.

Individuals who, for religious or moral reasons, are not willing to perform military duties are allowed to file a prigovor savjesti (conscientious objection). They will instead have to complete three months of basic military training in civil protection or four months in local units.

Conscripts in Croatia are required to report to the assigned location at the time specified in their official summons. Failure to do so or not providing a valid justification for their absence may result in the authorities initiating a misdemeanour procedure and imposing a financial penalty. Skipping service without a valid reason may result in fines of 250 to 1,320 euros or police enforcement.

Mandatory military service will last two months, and for that the recruit will also receive a monthly allowance of 1,100 euros net and two months of service will be credited. In addition, they will be paid transport and leave costs, and upon completion of mandatory military service they will also have priority in permanent employment in state-owned companies.

Civilian service, on the other hand, does not have all these ‘privileges’. It can last three or four months. Recruits will be on civilian service for up to three months in institutions dealing with civil protection – meaning things like crisis assistance, protecting people and property. They will also be able to serve their civilian service in their locality, i.e. in a municipality, city or county where they will work in fire protection, nature conservation, communal services or road maintenance. In that case, the civilian service lasts four months. The compensation for those who will serve in civil protection will be 250 euros net per month, and for those who will work in their locality it will be even less.

Failure to respond to the call for military service without a valid reason, if one does not show up for civilian service without a valid reason, or if one leaves military or civilian service without a valid reason, one may receive a fine. The fine for those who do not respond to the training will be from 500 to 5,000 euros, depending on the case and in accordance with legislative regulations.

Exemptions from serving the mandatory army service will usually apply for those with serious criminal or psychiatric conditions, or deemed unfit for service, cadets in training under a contract with the Ministry of Defence, naturalised Croatian citizens living in Croatia who have completed military service in their previous country, dual citizens living in Croatia who have completed their military service in another country (the law or its regulations are not yet clear as to what happens in cases where that previous country has no mandatory military service, or if for instance where previous country had youth military cadet service at High School which a person may have attended, how much then of that, if any, is recognised into Croatian mandatory military training…), police academy students who request it, as well as to ordained priests, deacons, monks, and members of religious orders who have taken vows, provided they submit the proper request.

Mandatory military training will encompass both theoretical and practical aspects, ranging from military doctrines to handling and shooting firearms. It will also cover emergency response and communication skills. The training model will be a two-month service focused primarily on basic training, including marksmanship skills. Ina Vukic