Applying for a licence to practise as a veterinarian from a third country
In order to work as a vet in Germany without any restrictions, you need a licence to practise.
The licence to practise is the state authorisation for the profession. The licence to practise is necessary because the profession is regulated in Germany. This means that you are not allowed to work independently as a vet without a licence to practise.
You will be granted a licence to practise by the competent authority if your veterinary training is equivalent to the German training. Equivalence is checked in the recognition procedure. You must also fulfil other requirements for a licence to practise.
You can also obtain a licence to practise in Germany with a professional qualification from a third country. Third countries are all countries that do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
If your professional qualification comes from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.
You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.
Responsible authority
the Stuttgart Regional Council
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
- You have a professional qualification as a veterinarian from a third country.
- You are medically fit to work as a veterinarian.
- You are reliable and worthy of working as a vet and have no criminal record.
- You have the necessary knowledge of German for the job. These are general language skills at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Procedure
Application
You submit an application for a licence to practise as a veterinarian to the competent authority. The competent authority will check whether your training is equivalent to German training and whether all other requirements have been met. The licence to practise can only be granted if your training from a third country is equivalent to the German training.
Examination of equivalence
The competent authority will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification as a veterinarian. 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.
Possible results of the examination
If your professional qualification is equivalent, your foreign professional qualification will be recognised. The authority can confirm the result in writing. You must still fulfil the other requirements and provide proof of your language skills. You will then be granted a licence to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
If the competent authority identifies significant differences, you can compensate for the differences with your professional experience and other knowledge and skills as a veterinarian. You must provide evidence of your professional experience. Knowledge and skills must be certified by the competent authority in your country of origin. This confirmation is generally sufficient.
However, this knowledge may not be sufficient. You will then not be able to compensate for the significant differences. Your foreign professional qualification will then not be recognised.
The competent authority will inform you in writing of the main differences and why you cannot compensate for the main differences with your professional experience. The decision of the competent authority will also state the level of your training and the level required in Germany. You will then not be allowed to work as a vet. However, the competent authority will offer you the opportunity to take a knowledge test.
Knowledge test
If your professional qualification is not equivalent and you cannot compensate for the differences, you can take a knowledge test. The knowledge test is based on the final examination as a veterinary surgeon in Germany. If you pass the knowledge test, you will be granted a licence to practise as a veterinarian. You must also fulfil the other requirements and prove your language skills.
Legal remedy
You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first speak to the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.
Deadlines
none
Sometimes documents are still missing from the procedure. The responsible office will then inform you by when you must submit the documents. This may prolong the procedure.
Required documents
The responsible office will tell you which documents you need to submit. Important documents are often
- Proof of identity (officially certified copy of identity card or passport)
- a copy of your training certificate
- Proof of the content of your training:
- List of subjects and training hours that you have completed
- Certificate that you are authorised to work as a veterinarian in your country of training
- Proof of your relevant professional experience as a veterinarian
- Criminal record extract or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin as proof of your worthiness and reliability (this proof must not be more than 3 months old at the time of application)
- Medical certificate of your health suitability (This certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application. The certificate can be from an authority in your country of training)
- Declaration that you have not yet submitted an application for a licence to practise in Germany
- Certificate of registration or declaration that you wish to work in the country where you are submitting the application
The competent authority will tell you which documents you need to submit in the original or as a copy.
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 authorised.
Costs
The procedure costs money. The responsible office will inform you of the costs. The costs often depend on the time and effort required for processing.
Additional costs may also be incurred (e.g. for translations or notarisations). These costs vary from person to person.
Processing time
The competent body will confirm that your application and documents have been received after a maximum of one month. The competent office will inform you if any documents are missing.
If the documents are complete, the procedure will take a maximum of 4 months.
Legal basis
Bundes-Tierärzteordnung (BTÄO)
- § 2 ff.
Verordnung zur Approbation von Tierärztinnen und Tierärzten (TAppV)
- § 63 f. Antrag auf Approbation
Bundesvertriebenengesetz (BVFG)
- § 10 Prüfungen und Befähigungsnachweise
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: 02.06.2023 Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, vertreten durch das Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung