Erlaubnis zur vorübergehenden Ausübung des tierärztlichen Berufs Erteilung

If you have completed professional veterinary training but do not have a German license to practice medicine, you can apply for a temporary permit to practice your profession. You can find out more here.

A separate professional license is required to use the professional title "veterinarian" in the Federal Republic of Germany and to practice the veterinary profession.

If you have completed training as a veterinarian in a non-EU member state and do not meet the requirements for obtaining a license to practice medicine, you can alternatively obtain a conditional license to practice medicine by obtaining a permit to temporarily practice the veterinary profession.

The permit may be limited to certain activities and employment positions. It may only be granted or extended on a revocable basis and only up to a maximum total duration of four years of veterinary activity. A further grant or extension of the permit is only possible in a few special cases.

You will need the following documents to process the application:

• Application for permission to temporarily exercise the veterinary profession
• valid proof of citizenship (copy of identity card, passport)
• a medical certificate, issued no earlier than one month prior to submission, stating that there are no indications that you are unfit in terms of health to practise the profession properly
• a copy of the certificate of competence or training certificate entitling you to take up the veterinary profession, if this is not written in German, additionally an officially certified translation into German
• a certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority of document type O (this must be requested from the residents' registration office responsible for your place of residence)
• If you have been living in Germany for less than two years but in an EU member state, you must apply for a European Certificate of Good Conduct
• Proof of time spent studying (semester overview as proof of at least 5 years of study (transcript of records))
• if you have been registered with the police in the Federal Republic of Germany for less than 2 years, a corresponding extract from the criminal record from your country of origin (if this is not in German, an officially certified translation into German)
• written confirmation from the responsible licensed veterinarian that he/she may be named accordingly in the professional license
• a brief curriculum vitae (focus - professional education)
• additionally: proof of sufficient German language skills, e.g. by submitting a certificate at level B2 of the European Framework of Reference (ALTE member institution (Association of Language Testers in Europe) or a corresponding school-leaving certificate

Permission to practise the veterinary profession on a temporary basis may be granted if you

• have not been guilty of any conduct that makes you unworthy or unreliable to practise the veterinary profession
• are not unfit to practise the profession in terms of health
• have provided proof of having completed training for the veterinary profession
• can provide evidence of the possibility of practicing the veterinary profession in a non-self-employed capacity (e.g. through an employment contract or promise of employment). Note: The application will not be processed in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Saxony without details of the employer
• have the necessary knowledge of the German language to carry out the professional activity

The competent authority decides on the granting of the permit. The permit may be limited to certain activities and employment positions. It is only issued for a maximum total duration of 4 years and is revocable. In the case of certain exceptions, the period may be extended.

You can submit the application to the responsible office in writing or electronically, enclosing the required documents.

The competent authority will then examine and process your application (if necessary, request further documents/clarify specific issues).

Finally, the competent authority will inform you of the decision on your application in the form of a decision to grant/refuse permission to temporarily exercise the veterinary profession.

The application must be submitted before the veterinary activity begins. A veterinary activity may only be commenced after a temporary license to practice the veterinary profession has been issued.

The temporary permit is valid for a maximum of 4 years. An extension is possible. Renewal is possible for a maximum of 3 years.

A permit may be granted or extended by way of exception if

• it is in the interest of veterinary care or
• you have been recognized as a person entitled to asylum.
• you have a settlement permit or
• are in possession of a certificate of naturalization.

Information page LANUV

https://www.lanuv.nrw.de/service/zustaendige-behoerde-fuer-bestimmte-berufe/fachberufe-fb80/tierarzt-tieraerztin

Acting as a veterinarian before obtaining a professional license can lead to criminal prosecution. The regulations of the Medicinal Products Act must also be observed.

Administrative court action

• Permit for the temporary practice of the veterinary profession Granting
• The applicant has completed professional veterinary training in a non-EU country and does not meet the requirements for obtaining a license to practice medicine
• Possibility to apply for permission to practice the profession temporarily
• The permit can be limited to certain activities and employment positions
• The permit may only be granted or extended on a revocable basis and only up to a maximum total duration of four years of veterinary activity
• Responsible: Depends on the respective state law

Forms available: Yes

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance necessary: No