Recognition of your qualification

anabin, ZAB Statement of Comparability, regulated professions, vocational qualifications – who decides and what it costs.

University degrees

• Check your university and degree in anabin. If both are rated as comparable, the printout is often enough for a Blue Card or § 18b.
• Otherwise apply to the ZAB for a Statement of Comparability (Zeugnisbewertung): €200, each further statement €100.

Regulated professions

Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, teachers, lawyers and some others may work in their profession only with state recognition. In Berlin the responsible office depends on the profession. The Recognition Finder names it. If recognition is partial, you can close the gaps with an adaptation course or exam; § 16d AufenthG gives a residence permit for this to people coming from abroad.

Vocational qualifications

For trades and commercial jobs, the chambers decide, mostly through IHK FOSA (fees €100 to €600). Partial recognition still helps, for example for the Opportunity Card.

Documents

Diploma, transcript (додаток до диплома) and certified translations, see Documents. If documents were lost because of the war, recognition bodies can use other proofs. Which substitute proofs each Berlin office accepts was not checked.

Free advice on recognition exists in Berlin, see After arrival.