Before you submit the application, you must already have a license to practice veterinary medicine or a professional license in Germany.

You apply for recognition of your continuing education title as a specialist veterinarian at the competent State Chamber of Veterinarians:

• First, submit your application and the required documents to the veterinary association of the federal state in which you would like to work.
• If necessary, you will be asked to submit missing documents.
• 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.
• If your qualification as a specialist veterinarian is recognised, you can use the specialist title in Germany. You will receive a notification.

If significant differences are found, the equivalence of your specialist veterinary qualification will not be certified:

• You will receive a justification.
• You can take an adaptation period or an aptitude test to prove the lack of knowledge.
• If you successfully complete the adaptation period or the aptitude test, you will receive recognition. You may then use the title "specialist veterinarian" for your specialisation.

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority within a certain period of time (for example, file an objection). The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on the right of appeal at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first talk to the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.