Residence permit – recognition of qualifications

Description

Are you from a third country (i.e. not an EU Member State, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland), do you hold a foreign professional qualification, and would you like to undertake a qualification programme to achieve full recognition? If so, you will need the appropriate residence permit. Qualification measures include, for example, in-company training programmes, specialist training courses, preparatory courses for an examination or vocational German language courses.

You also have the option of entering into a recognition partnership. Recognition is then granted whilst you are working in a qualified role under supervision.

Before entering the country You will generally need a visa to enter Germany. You can find all the information on the visa application process on our website.

After arrival

You must first register your place of residence at the Citizens’ Office. ​

Application for a residence permit

You can submit your application and the required documents online:

• Please upload your documents as PDF files where possible.
• Once you have submitted your application, a confirmation will be displayed. You can save this as a PDF file for your records.
• This confirmation states that your current residence permit remains valid in Germany beyond its previous expiry date and that you may continue to work to the same extent as before (legal fiction).
• You can present this confirmation as proof to the authorities or at your place of work.
• Once your application has been assessed, you will be given an appointment.

Period of validity The duration of the residence permit depends on the purpose of your stay. A residence permit granted in connection with the recognition of a regulated or other profession is issued for one year, but may be extended for up to two years. If you enter into a recognition partnership, the residence permit is initially granted for one year. This can then be extended for up to two years. In all cases, your residence permit is granted for the duration of your recognition plus an additional six months.

Requirements

• You have applied for recognition of your professional qualification and the competent recognition body in Germany has determined that you still lack the theoretical and/or practical skills required to obtain full recognition of your qualification.
• You have successfully registered for a suitable qualification programme or have received a further training plan from the company.
• You have German language skills at least at level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) or the German language skills required for the qualification programme.
• You can prove that your livelihood is secured for the duration of your stay.
• For a recognition partnership, you need a concrete job offer. A recognition agreement/recognition partnership is agreed in the employment contract. In this agreement, you and your employer undertake to submit an application for recognition after your arrival and to actively pursue the procedure for professional recognition.
• You can conclude this recognition partnership if you have a state-recognised qualification (at least two years of training) or a foreign university degree in your home country. Your employer must be suitable for training or post-qualification.

Required documents

• A fully completed application form
• Valid passport or passport substitute
• A recent biometric passport photograph, submitted digitally by a certified photography studio or chemist’s. Alternatively, you may use one of the photo terminals at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service Centre for a fee.
• Valid visa for entry into the country for the purpose of recognition of vocational training (where required)
• Proof of health insurance (insurance card, a certificate of membership of a statutory health insurance scheme, or a private health insurance policy). Those with private health insurance must ensure that the type and scope of their cover are adequate. Travel health insurance is not sufficient.
• Proof of sufficient means of support. This can be provided through your remuneration during the qualification programme, by opening a blocked account with at least 1,091 euros per month (for the year 2025), or by means of a declaration of financial support.
• Certificate of German language proficiency at level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) or proof of the German language skills required for the training programme
• School report or certificate confirming completion of your foreign education, with a German translation where necessary
• Notification of recognition, indicating any shortcomings identified during the recognition process
• Evidence of the appropriate training programme or the company’s further training plan
• In the case of a recognition partnership: confirmation from the ZAB that your qualification obtained abroad is officially recognised in the country in which it was obtained
• When applying for an extension of the title after the first year: evidence that the recognition process is actively being pursued

In the case of a predominantly workplace-based qualification programme (where applicable, combined with employment as a skilled worker in a non-regulated profession) or employment undertaken in addition to a qualification programme:

• Employment contract (where required)
• Declaration regarding the employment relationship (where required)
• Completed Supplementary Sheet A to the declaration of employment (where required)
• Evidence in the further training plan and/or in the employment contract of the employer’s commitment to ensuring the completion of the further qualification

Note

• The requirements may vary depending on intergovernmental agreements and special arrangements.
• The documents submitted (such as proof of identity and language certificates) will be checked for authenticity. We consistently report forgeries to the police.
• Should we require any further documents, we will write to you.

Legal basis

§ Section 16d Residence Act