Germany’s November 2026 licensing change for doctors trained abroad

If your medical qualification follows Germany’s third-country route and you’re preparing to apply for Approbation, check which procedure applies before you assemble your documents.

Read the official rule in § 9d of the Federal Medical Practitioners’ Act

The default route and the four-week choice

The knowledge exam, or Kenntnisprüfung, is the default way to demonstrate the required medical knowledge and skills under this route. You can choose a document-based equivalence assessment within four weeks after filing your application. That choice is binding for the duration of the application. An equivalence review can still lead to a knowledge exam, for example if the authority finds substantial differences.

Check your filing date

Section 15 of the Federal Medical Practitioners’ Act preserves the previous rules for third-country recognition applications filed by October 31, 2026. If you have already filed, ask your licensing office to confirm which rules apply to your application.

What to ask your licensing office

1. Does my qualification fall under the third-country route?
2. If I want to choose document-based assessment, how should I submit that choice?
3. Which documents and language evidence should I prepare before moving?

Find your licensing authority by choosing Doctor of medicine and the city where you intend to work.

Stand: 2026-11-09. This is a guide, not legal advice. Every German state has its own rules, and rules change. Check with your state's medical chamber (Landesärztekammer) before you act.