You have completed your training as a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or veterinary abroad in a so-called third country (outside the European Union (EU)) and intend to carry out this profession in Berlin in the future?
Then you need a state permit for this activity (licence to practise/professional permit) for this activity. A licence authorizes you to carry out your profession independently in the Federal Republic of Germany for an unlimited period of time. A professional permit only entitles you to work in the state of Berlin and then only for two years.
You can download the application for a licence to practice/professional permit under the link Application for the granting of a licence to practice in respect of foreign qualifications. You will find the list of documents to be submitted in the Checklist for persons with third-country training. Documents that you do not have at the time of application can be submitted later but if possible they should all be submitted together.
Please send the documents as officially certified copies by post. In Berlin, copies will be certified by the citizens’ offices or notaries.
Your personal appearance at the authority is not required for the processing of your application.
If your current place of residence is still outside of Germany, we recommend that you take advantage of the comprehensive advisory services offered by the Central Service Office for Professional Recognition (ZSBA). The ZSBA advises and supports you throughout the recognition process and can assist you in compiling the documents. The service is free of charge. You can reach the ZSBA at the e-mail address: recognition@arbeitsagentur.de
If you already live in Berlin and would like to have your foreign professional qualifications recognized, the Berlin advice hotline for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications is also available to you.
The licence/professional permit can only be granted if you have the necessary knowledge of the German language. This must be proven in a specialist language test (C 1) before the competent professional chamber (veterinaries do not require a specialist language test, B 2 is sufficient).