Veterinary surgeon; application for permission to temporarily practice veterinary medicine

If you want to practice the veterinary profession in the Federal Republic of Germany without a license as a veterinarian, you need a permit.

Description

If you want to practice veterinary medicine in the Federal Republic of Germany, you need permission to do so. If you want to practice the veterinary profession, you normally need a license to practice as a veterinarian. If you are not a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, or if you completed your training in a country outside the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, a temporary practice of the veterinary profession or a practice limited to certain activities is also permitted on the basis of this permit, which can be revoked at any time. The permit may be limited to certain activities and employment positions. It may only be granted revocably and only up to a total duration of the veterinary activity of a maximum of four years. In exceptional cases, the permit may be extended beyond this period. In Bavaria, the Government of Upper Bavaria is responsible for issuing the permit for work in the administrative districts of Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Swabia and Upper Palatinate, and the Government of Lower Franconia is responsible for work in the administrative districts of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia.

If you are a national of an EU/EEA state or Switzerland and have completed your training in one of these states, you will not normally be granted a permit. Instead, you must immediately apply for a license to practice medicine. An exception applies if there is a special interest in the granting of the permit with regard to the intended veterinary activity.

In certain cases, you can practice the veterinary profession in the Federal Republic of Germany without an Approbation as a veterinarian or without a permit to temporarily practice the veterinary profession, provided that you temporarily and occasionally act as a provider of services within the meaning of Article 57 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This possibility exists for persons who are nationals of an EU/EEA state or Switzerland. However, you are subject to a registration requirement. The competent government will inform you whether you need a permit (see above).

Prerequisites

Basically, the most important requirement is that you can prove that you have fully completed veterinary training in accordance with the law of the state in which you acquired the training.

Further requirements are:

  • that you have not been guilty of any conduct from which it may be inferred that you are unworthy or unreliable to practice as a veterinarian (reliability),
  • you are not unfit to practice as a veterinarian from a health point of view (health suitability), and
  • you have the knowledge of the German language required for the exercise of the profession (language skills must be demonstrated at level B2 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages by means of a certificate from a recognized language institute).

Required documents

  • Birth certificate/parentage certificate or extract from the parents' family register

    (certified copy)

  • if the name used differs from that on the birth certificate: proof of a change of name (e.g. marriage certificate)

    (certified copy)

  • valid proof of identity (e.g. passport)

    (certified copy)

  • complete and personally signed curriculum vitae

    (tabular and chronological list of the training courses completed and the relevant gainful activities pursued, stating the periods (month/year) and enclosing the relevant supporting documents)

  • Proof of exemption from punishment

    • Submission of criminal record extracts from all countries outside Germany in which the applicant has resided for more than six months.
    • The criminal record excerpts must not be older than three months at the time of their submission.
    • A certified copy of each of these extracts must be submitted.

  • Proof of your completed education (certified copy)

    • Proof of education such as diploma
    • If necessary, further country-specific certificates

  • Proof of authorisation to practise medicine in the country of training and/or the country of origin

    (certified copy)

  • if applicable, certificate of good standing (certified copy)

    (Required from all countries where the health professional activity has already been exercised in the last five years. This certificate must not be older than three months at the time of its presentation).

  • Proof of required German language skills (certified copy)

    (A certificate from an ALTE-certified language institute at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) must be presented).

  • On separate request:

    • Certificate of good conduct of document type "O", if the applicant has already stayed in Germany for more than six months in the past or has had or still has a residence in Germany.
      • In Germany, this must be applied for at the registration office of the place of residence, stating the purpose "Permit as veterinarian". The certificate of good conduct is sent directly to the competent authority by the Federal Office of Justice.
      • It must not be older than one month at the time of its presentation.
    • Medical certificate (original)
      This must be issued and signed by a general practitioner or internist practicing in Germany or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or in Switzerland and bear a practice or clinic stamp. If the practice or clinic stamp is not available in German, a German translation of the stamp is required.

Forms

Please select a location in "Localization" so that the address of the responsible authority can be filled in.

Online procedures

Fees

  • The costs depend on the period of validity. There is a fee of €100 per half year or part thereof.

Legal bases

Remedy

Administrative court proceedings; information

administrative claim

Links to more information

Related issues

Status:19.09.2023

Responsible for editing:Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit und Pflege

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  • Online transactions, Bavaria-wide
  • Online transactions, locally limited
  • Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Form, locally limited
  • Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, locally limited
  • Fees, Bavaria-wide
  • Fees, locally limited
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