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Having a foreign vocational qualification recognised

BAMF hotline · the decision is made elsewhere

Advice from the BAMFDecision elsewhere

Let us begin with the point at which most procedures lose time: the Federal Office does not decide on recognition. It runs the hotline “Working and living in Germany” and provides advice – the decision on equivalence is made by a different body.

And there is no central recognition body for all professions. Which body is competent depends on the profession, the qualification and the future place of residence or work – depending on the case, this may be a Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer, IHK), a Handwerkskammer (chamber of skilled crafts), an authority of the federal state, or another institution. Anyone who sends the application to the wrong body loses weeks before anything is even examined.

This is why the first step is not submitting an application but clarifying jurisdiction. The portal anerkennung-in-deutschland.de and the BAMF hotline on +49 30 1815-1111 will tell you who is competent for your case. Both are free of charge, and experience shows that this one step saves more time than any other.

Last updated27 August 2026
Legal basis§ 6 BQFG · BQFG · § 18a AufenthG
VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de and bamf.de
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information site: We are not the BAMF, not an authority and not a paid advisory service — we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in simple terms; the competent body is always authoritative. The decision on equivalence is made solely by the body responsible for your profession; fees and duration vary depending on the body and the federal state. All information without guarantee. We are neither solicitors nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
DecisionNot at the BAMFDifferent body depending on profession
Deadline3 monthsOnce documents are complete
ExtensionPossible onceWith a statement of reasons
FeesDepends on the bodyNo nationwide fee schedule
Required documents

What you need

Certificates and examination transcripts

The certificate obtained abroad with all annexes, generally as a certified copy and with a translation. The exact form required is determined by the competent body – clarify this before having anything translated, because certifications and translations cost money and are not accepted if they are in the wrong form.

Overview of subjects and hours

The content, scope and duration of the training. This is the actual basis for the equivalence assessment: what is compared is not the title, but what was actually learned. A detailed overview noticeably improves the outcome.

Proof of professional experience

References, certificates, work record books. Professional experience can offset differences in training – especially where the assessment would otherwise find only partial equivalence.

Proof of identity and proof of name

Passport or identity card. If your name has changed – for example through marriage – also the relevant proof, so that the certificates can be clearly attributed to you. Differing spellings of names are a frequent cause of follow-up queries.

Statement on the place of work and on previous applications

Where you intend to work is decisive for jurisdiction. You must also state whether you have already submitted a recognition application elsewhere.

Information for possible funding

Funding may be available for the costs of translations, certifications and fees. Ask specifically about this during the advice session – the programmes and requirements vary, and no one will point this out to you automatically.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    First establish the competent body

    The most important step, and the one most often skipped. There is no central recognition body; jurisdiction depends on the profession, the qualification and the future place of work. Use the portal anerkennung-in-deutschland.de or the BAMF hotline +49 30 1815-1111. An application to the wrong body costs weeks.

  2. 2

    Clarify whether the profession is regulated

    For regulated professions – for example in nursing, in medical professions or in teaching – recognition is a requirement for practising the profession. For non-regulated professions, you may work even without recognition; however, it considerably improves pay and chances of being hired. This distinction determines how urgent the procedure is for you.

  3. 3

    Assemble the documents completely

    The point that determines how long the procedure takes. The time limit under § 6 BQFG of the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz) only begins once the complete documents have been received. Ask the competent body in advance for its list – and for the form of certification and translation it requires – before you spend money on this.

  4. 4

    Clarify fees and funding

    Fees vary depending on the competent body and the federal state; there is no uniform nationwide fee schedule. Ask your body to tell you its fee rather than relying on a general range, and ask during the advice session about funding for translations, certifications and fees.

  5. 5

    Submit the application and keep track of the time limit

    Under § 6 BQFG, the competent body must decide on equivalence within three months. It may extend this time limit once, by a reasonable period, if the particular circumstances of the case justify this – however, the extension must be justified and communicated in good time. Note down when your documents were received in full.

  6. 6

    Continue working towards partial equivalence

    If the assessment finds only partial equivalence, this is not the end of the road: the notice (Bescheid) sets out the material differences identified, and these can be offset through adjustment training, practical experience or an examination. A suitably tailored vocational language course is often part of this path.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Jurisdiction, time limit and costsThree things that are often misrepresented
Advice via the BAMF hotlineFree of charge
DecisionCompetent body, not the BAMF
Central recognition bodyDoes not exist
Deadline3 months
Start of the time limitComplete documents
FeesDepends on the body and the federal state

Three points are regularly misrepresented on this subject. First, jurisdiction: the Federal Office provides advice via the hotline “Working and living in Germany”, but it does not decide. There is no central recognition body for all professions in Germany – depending on the profession, qualification and future place of work, a chamber, an authority of the federal state or another institution is competent. Second, the time limit: § 6 BQFG requires a decision “within three months”, but the decisive subordinate clause reads: “The time limit begins once the complete documents have been received.” As long as something is missing, it does not start running – this explains why real procedures regularly take longer than the three to four months often quoted, and why completeness matters more than speed. The body may also extend the time limit once, by a reasonable period, if the particular circumstances of the case justify this; however, it must give reasons for doing so and communicate this in good time. Third, the fees: these depend on the competent body and the federal state. There is no uniform nationwide fee schedule, which is why we deliberately do not quote a range here – ask your body to tell you its fee. In addition, there are costs for translations and certifications, for which funding may be available.

Good to know

Important notes

The BAMF provides advice but does not decide. You can reach the hotline “Working and living in Germany” on +49 30 1815-1111. The decision on equivalence is made by a different body.

There is no central recognition body. Jurisdiction depends on the profession, qualification and future place of work. Clarify it via anerkennung-in-deutschland.de before you submit anything.

The three-month time limit only begins once the documents are complete. This is the reason why procedures take longer than expected – not inertia, but a time limit that has not yet started running.

The time limit can be extended once. Under § 6 BQFG, by a reasonable period and only where there are particular circumstances of the case – with reasons given and communicated in good time. There is no such thing as a silent extension.

Regulated or not — this changes everything. For regulated professions, recognition is a requirement for practising the profession; for non-regulated ones it is “only” a strong advantage.

Partial equivalence is not a no. The notice names the material differences, and these can be offset through adjustment training, practical experience or an examination.

Clarify the required form of translation and certification beforehand. Both cost money, and they will not be accepted if they are in the wrong form. Ask the competent body before you commission them.

Actively ask about funding. Funding may be available for translations, certifications and fees – but it is rarely offered automatically.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Sending the application to the BAMF. It does not decide on recognition. Establish the competent body first – this one step saves the most time in the entire procedure.

Submitting an incomplete application “just to get started”. The opposite happens: the three-month time limit under § 6 BQFG only begins once the documents are complete, so an incomplete application does not start it running.

Having documents translated and certified before the required form has been clarified. If the body requires a different form, you pay twice.

Assuming a general fee range. Fees depend on the body and the federal state; there is no nationwide fee schedule.

Giving up after only partial equivalence. The notice is a route description: it names exactly the differences that still need to be offset.

Not providing evidence of professional experience. Practical experience can offset differences in training and is often the difference between full and only partial equivalence.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Does the BAMF decide on the recognition of my qualification?

No. The Federal Office runs the hotline “Working and living in Germany” (+49 30 1815-1111) and provides advice on recognition, job searching, entry, residence and language learning. The decision on equivalence is made by a different body. This distinction is the most common reason for lost weeks: an application to the Federal Office does not lead to recognition.

Which body is competent for me?

This cannot be answered in general terms, because there is no central recognition body in Germany. Jurisdiction depends on the profession, the qualification and the future place of residence or work – possible bodies include Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK), chambers of skilled crafts (Handwerkskammer) and authorities of the federal states, among others. The correct body can be established via the portal anerkennung-in-deutschland.de or by telephone via the BAMF hotline. Do this first, before you put together your documents.

How long does the procedure take?

Under § 6 BQFG, the competent body must decide within three months – but the decisive subordinate clause reads: “The time limit begins once the complete documents have been received.” If something is missing, the time limit does not run. This is exactly what explains why real procedures regularly take longer than the three to four months often quoted. In addition, the body may extend the time limit once, by a reasonable period, if the particular circumstances of the case justify this; however, it must give reasons for the extension and communicate it in good time.

What does recognition cost?

This depends on the competent body and the federal state – there is no uniform nationwide fee schedule, which is why we deliberately do not quote a range here. Ask your body to tell you its fee before you submit the application. In addition, there are costs for translations and certifications, which can be considerable depending on the scope of the documents. Funding may be available for both – ask explicitly about this during the advice session, as it is rarely pointed out automatically.

What is the difference between regulated and non-regulated professions?

For regulated professions – for example in nursing and medical professions or in teaching – recognition is a requirement for being allowed to practise the profession at all. For non-regulated professions, which include most apprenticeship trades, you may work even without recognition; however, it considerably improves your chances of being hired and of appropriate pay, because employers can then place your qualification in context. Clarify this point early – it determines how urgent the procedure is for you.

What does “partial equivalence” mean?

That your qualification is recognised in substance, but that material differences exist compared with the German training. This is not a no, but a route description: the notice names the differences specifically, and they can be offset through adjustment training, professional experience or an examination. A suitable vocational language course is often part of this path, particularly in nursing and medical professions.

Do I have to start the recognition process before entering Germany?

For entry as a skilled worker, recognition is often relevant, because provisions of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG) such as § 18a AufenthG are linked to a recognised qualification. Whether and in what form this applies to your case depends on the profession and the intended purpose of residence – get advice on this before entering Germany. In many cases, a procedure can already be initiated from abroad, which considerably speeds up the start.

Can I work while the procedure is ongoing?

For non-regulated professions, generally yes – recognition is not a requirement for employment there, but improves your position. For regulated professions, on the other hand, you are generally not permitted to practise the activity without recognition; in some cases, limited activities under supervision are possible. Regardless of this, the question of whether and to what extent you may work also always depends on your residence status. Clarify both together, not separately.

Related official procedures

Vocational language course
Specialist courses for recognition procedures
Often free of charge
Integration course
The language basis
€2.29/hour
Naturalisation test (Einbürgerungstest)
Later for naturalisation
€25

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