Equired Documents for Nursing Diploma Recognition in Germany

To work as a registered nurse in Germany, your foreign nursing diploma must be officially recognized. One of the most important steps in this process is preparing the correct set of documents. Below you will find the full list of papers required for diploma recognition, along with the key legal background and additional requirements.

If you are a qualified nurse and wish to work in Germany, your foreign nursing diploma must first be officially recognized. Since 2012, this process has been regulated by the German Recognition Act (Anerkennungsgesetz), which simplified and standardized the evaluation of foreign qualifications.

This law was introduced to address two major goals:

Closing the skills gap: Germany faces a shortage of healthcare professionals. By recognizing foreign qualifications, the country enables skilled nurses from abroad to enter the labor market more easily.

Supporting integration: Official recognition helps international professionals become part of the German workforce and society more quickly.

Legal Framework

The recognition of nursing qualifications in Germany is based on several key legal acts:

Recognition Act (Anerkennungsgesetz)

Law on Nursing Professions (Gesetz über die Berufe in der Krankenpflege)

Training and Examination Regulations for Nursing Professions (KrPflAPrV)

Required Documents for Recognition

To begin the recognition procedure, applicants must prepare and submit a complete set of documents. All papers must be either in the original language or notarized copies with an official German translation done by a sworn translator in Germany (öffentlich bestellter und vereidigter Übersetzer).

Document checklist:

• Completed application form
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Copy of passport
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate / name change document (if applicable)
• High school certificate
• Nursing diploma or certificate of qualification
• Academic transcripts or supplementary documents showing the structure and duration of education (study plan, diploma supplement, record book, or archive confirmation)
• Autobiography (signed, in tabular format)
• Employment record or work history (if available)
• Declaration confirming that the applicant has not previously submitted a recognition application in another federal state of Germany
• Declaration of intent to practice within the federal state where the application is filed
• German language certificate at B2 level

Note: It is possible to submit an application without proof of language proficiency. However, a German language certificate is required before receiving final authorization to work.

Requirements for Nursing Education.

For successful recognition, your diploma must demonstrate sufficient theoretical and practical training:

Theory: at least 2,100 hours

Practice: at least 2,500 hours

The exact requirements are specified in Appendix 1 to the Training and Examination Regulations for Nursing Professions (KrPflAPrV).

How We Can Help

Ost-West Medpersonal supports nurses throughout the recognition and employment process. Our services include:

Certified translations of documents into German

Preparation and submission of the full recognition application package to the competent German authority

Assistance in obtaining an employment contract with a German healthcare provider

With our help, you can navigate the bureaucracy more easily and focus on starting your career as a nurse in Germany.