Anerkennung als Tierärztin oder Tierarzt mit Berufsqualifikation aus Drittstaaten beantragen

Would you like to work permanently as a veterinarian in Germany? Then you need a license to practice. Even with a foreign professional qualification from a third country, you can obtain a license to practice and have your professional qualification recognized.

The profession of veterinarian is regulated in Germany.

In order to work as a veterinarian in Germany without restriction, you need a license to practice. The license to practice is the state approval for the profession. This means that you are not allowed to work independently as a veterinarian without a license to practice. You can also obtain a license to practice in Germany with a professional qualification from a so-called third country. Third countries are all countries that do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

In order to obtain a license to practice medicine, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized. In the recognition procedure, the competent authority compares your professional qualification with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for obtaining a license to practice.

• Proof of identity (e.g. passport or identity card)
• If applicable, birth or marriage certificate (if the name in the documents differs from the current name)
• Handwritten and signed curriculum vitae with a focus on previous professional training and activities
• Proof of your professional qualification (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Proof of the content and duration of your education (e.g. diploma supplement, transcript of records)
• Declaration as to whether criminal proceedings or a public prosecutor's investigation are pending against you
• Declaration of the location (federal state) where the future professional activity is to be practiced
• Declaration that an application for a license to practice medicine has only been submitted in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein
• If applicable, proof of the German language skills required for practicing the veterinary profession
• Proof of your personal suitability: criminal record extract or official certificate of good conduct. The certificate must not be older than 1 month at the time of application.
• Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate. The certificate must not be older than 1 month at the time of application.
• You must submit the documents in the original or as officially certified copies.
• If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. The translations must be made by translators who are publicly appointed or authorized.

• You have a professional qualification as a veterinarian from a third country.
• You want to work as a veterinarian in Germany.
• You are reliable for working as a veterinarian and have no criminal convictions relevant to your profession.
• You are medically fit to work as a veterinarian.
• You have German language skills at the required level. This is usually language proficiency at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

• You apply to the competent authority for a license to practice as a veterinarian.
• The competent authority will then check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements have been met.
• The competent authority will compare your professional qualification with the German professional qualification.
• The competent authority will check whether your professional qualification is equivalent. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification. As a rule, qualifications from third countries are not equivalent.
• The license to practice medicine can only be granted if your training is equivalent to the German training.
• If your professional qualification is equivalent, your foreign professional qualification will be recognized.
• The authorities will confirm the result in writing.
• You must still fulfill the other requirements and provide proof of your language skills. You will then be granted a license to practice as a veterinarian.
• In the case of training completed in a third country, it must be ensured that the level of training there is equivalent to that in the Federal Republic of Germany. As a rule, proof of equivalence is required by passing knowledge examinations.

If your professional qualification is not equivalent, you can take a compensatory measure. You can take a knowledge test to compensate for the main differences. The knowledge test is based on the final examination as a veterinarian in Germany.

If you pass the knowledge test and meet all other requirements, you will be licensed as a veterinarian.

The application for a license must be submitted before practicing the veterinary profession.

Acting as a veterinarian before obtaining a license to practice may result in criminal prosecution.

Action before the administrative court

• Licensing as a veterinarian for professional qualifications from third countries Issue
• To work as a veterinarian in Germany, you need a state license (Approbation).
• With a license to practice medicine, you can work permanently as a veterinarian.
• You can also obtain a license to practice in Germany with a veterinary degree from a so-called third country. Third countries are all countries that do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
• Responsible: Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Areas, Europe and Consumer Protection

Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Areas, Europe and Consumer Protection of the State of Schleswig-Holstein