Persons legally recognising their gender 

Legal recognition of gender before service start

A person who has legally recognised their gender as female before military service commencement, can start the voluntary military service for women without having to apply separately if they have received the service commencement order as a male. In case the person notifies the Regional Office before the prescribed date of service commencement that they will not start the voluntary military service for women, the service commencement order shall be cancelled.  

A person who has legally recognised their gender as male before military service commencement is either a person liable for call-ups (under 30 years old) or in the auxiliary reserve (at least 30 years old). 

Legal recognition of gender while in service 

A person who legally recognises their gender as female while in conscript service under the Act on Legal Recognition of Gender continues their service uninterrupted as per the Act on Women’s Voluntary Military Service unless they notify their discontinuation of service. In case the person continues the service uninterrupted, they are not subject to the statutory time limit of 30 days for discontinuation of service under the Act on Women’s Voluntary Military Service.

A written notification of discontinuation of service must be submitted to the Commander of the brigade-level unit at the service location. Upon receipt of the notification, the Commander of the brigade-level unit shall revoke the order for military service commencement, and the person will be mustered out immediately. 

A person who during military service legally recognises their gender as male under the Act on Legal Recognition of Gender continues their service uninterrupted in conscript service. 

In the reserve and auxiliary reserve

A person liable for military service is in the reserve after the completion of the conscript service. A person who has after the completion of conscript service legally recognised their gender as female under the Act on Legal Recognition of Gender is in the reserve unless they have notified of their will to be removed from the reserve.  

A person who has after the completion of the conscript service legally recognised their gender as male will be in the reserve unless they have notified of their will to be removed from the reserve.