When the military service questionnaire does not arrive, the worry is quick to follow: missing a deadline and risking a fine. This guide explains why the letter can be missing, where you can request it again, and what the Bundeswehr states about deadlines, reminders and fines. It picks up where the guides on deadlines and fines stop, namely with the letter that never reached you.
Short answer: If the letter is missing, you can request the questionnaire again at deinwehrdienst.de or by email to [email protected]. According to the Bundeswehr, the deadlines keep running regardless: one month, then a reminder by registered mail with a two-week extension (page as of 19 December 2025). A fine of up to 250 euros is planned. Last updated: November 2026.
Key points
- The questionnaire is mandatory for German men and voluntary for women. The men of the 2008 birth cohort are written to first.
- A lost or missing letter can be requested again at deinwehrdienst.de or by email. The deadlines keep running in the meantime.
- The Bundeswehr takes address data from the population registers. An outdated registered address is an obvious reason for missing mail.
- After the reminder by registered mail you have two weeks. Anyone who does not reply then is moved into administrative offence proceedings.
- Late submission is possible. The duty remains, however.
Why might the letter be missing?
Not everyone without a letter has lost one. The Bundeswehr describes who is written to: the questionnaire goes to Germans who turn 18, and it is mandatory for men and voluntary for women. The men of the 2008 birth cohort are first. The letter arrives after the 18th birthday. Anyone in another cohort, without German citizenship, or not yet 18 therefore does not receive a letter at first.
If you belong to the group written to, several reasons are possible. The letter may have been delayed in the post or delivered to the wrong place. It may have gone to an address where you no longer live. The Federal Ministry of Defence reported on 8 May 2026 that data retrieval from the registration offices works smoothly and that more than 206,000 letters had been sent by 29 April 2026. The data therefore come from the population registers. If the address held there is wrong, the letter goes nowhere.
How do I request the questionnaire again?
The Bundeswehr names two routes: the letter with the QR code can be requested again at deinwehrdienst.de, or by email to [email protected]. For general questions on the new military service there is a hotline, 0800-9903300. The questionnaire itself is completed online. How to do this is described in Completing the military service questionnaire online.
The Bundeswehr points out that the deadlines continue to run even after you request a new letter. So do not wait for the replacement before you act. Note the date and time of your request and keep the confirmation.
Which deadlines apply if the letter is missing?
The Bundeswehr page gives one month for completing and returning the questionnaire and does not describe the start of the period in more detail. If no reply comes, a reminder follows by registered mail with a two-week extension. Anyone who still does not reply is, according to the page, moved into administrative offence proceedings. The page does not expressly describe the case in which a letter was never delivered. It is therefore a case for quick clarification and good records.
| Step | What happens | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Letter with QR code | Deadline: one month | If the letter is missing, request it again at once |
| Reminder by registered mail | Extension: two weeks | Collect the registered letter and reply immediately |
| No reply within the extension | Administrative offence proceedings, fine of up to 250 euros planned | Make contact early and submit evidence |
| Late submission | Declaration of readiness possible at any time | Make up for it; the duty remains |
The ministry’s figures show that the normal case is uncomplicated: about 86 percent of the men written to returned the questionnaire on time within four weeks. Of the men who were sent a reminder, about 73 percent replied within the extension (as of the report of 8 May 2026).
Is there a fine if I never received the letter?
According to the Bundeswehr page, failing to submit or giving false information is an administrative offence. A fine of up to 250 euros is planned, and the statutory ceiling under Section 17(1) of the Administrative Offences Act (OWiG) is 1,000 euros. According to the federal government’s answer (Bundestag document 21/6256), the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr is responsible. According to the page, the procedure follows from a missing reply during the extension. It therefore makes sense to record your request for a new letter and all replies in writing, so you can show the authority when you got in touch. The authority decides in each individual case.
Details on the amount and the consequences are in Questionnaire fine for non-submission, and on deadlines and reminders in Questionnaire deadline, reminder and what follows.
How do I keep my address up to date?
Because the Bundeswehr takes addresses from the population registers, your registered address is the key. If you move, register your residence at the residents’ registration office and, if you have a second residence, check which address is recorded as your main residence. If you change city for studies or training, expect that post may go to the old address for a while. A mail-forwarding order with the postal service can catch letters but does not replace re-registration.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to complete the questionnaire even without a letter?
The duty is linked to the letter. If you belong to the group written to and have received nothing, request the letter so that you are able to act. According to the Bundeswehr, the deadline keeps running even then.
Does this apply to women?
No. The questionnaire is voluntary for women.
What do I do about a notification slip from the post office?
The reminder comes by registered mail. If you find a notification slip in your letterbox, collect the letter promptly. The extension is only two weeks, and an uncollected registered letter does not change the duty. Then reply at once through the online questionnaire.
What if I study abroad?
The sources describe no special route for stays abroad. Contact the responsible office via the Bundeswehr hotline or email address. More on the topic is in Military service and studying abroad (in German).
Can the Bundeswehr send the letter by email?
The Bundeswehr names the letter with the QR code. A new letter is requested at deinwehrdienst.de or by email to the address given.
What to do now
- Check whether you belong to the group written to: male, German, born 2008 or later and at least 18 years old.
- Check your registered address at the registration office.
- Request the letter again at deinwehrdienst.de or by email and keep the confirmation.
- Note the deadlines from your first contact and check your letterbox and post collection for a registered letter.
- Complete the questionnaire online as soon as you have access, and keep the digital confirmation.
Related guides
- Military service and studies 2026: the overview
- Military service 2026: the questionnaire is mandatory
- Questionnaire deadline, reminder and what follows
- Questionnaire fine for non-submission
- Completing the military service questionnaire online
Sources: Neuer Wehrdienst: Fragebogen, bundeswehr.de, page as of 19 December 2025 (in German); Neuer Wehrdienst, bundeswehr.de, hotline and procedure (in German); Return rates of the questionnaire, Federal Ministry of Defence, 8 May 2026 (in German); Answer of the federal government, Bundestag document 21/6256 (in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
