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Your recognition procedure as Translator (sworn and/or authorised) (m/f)
in Schreinerbauer, Bavaria

The name of the profession in Bavaria is: Publicly appointed and officially sworn-in translator (m/f).
The profession of Publicly appointed and officially sworn-in translator (m/f) is regulated in Bavaria.
Recognition of your professional qualification is necessary for you to be able to work in the profession in Germany. You are also able to apply for recognition after you enter the country. See “My other options” for further information.
Recognition has many advantages.

The competent authority

Landgericht Traunstein

Herzog-Otto-Str. 1
83278 Traunstein

Quick-Info

Name of the procedure

There are 2 necessary procedures. The first procedure is called:

Assessment of equivalence (In German: “Feststellung der Gleichwertigkeit.”)

The equivalence assessment is carried out by the competent authority for recognition. The competent authority is dependent on which professional qualification you have.

Your professional qualification can be:

Once equivalence has been successfully determined, you must apply for the second procedure. This procedure is called:

Public appointment and official swearing-in.

Requirements for recognition

Personal aptitude
Professional suitability
Financial stability
Minimum age: 18

Knowledge of German

You require knowledge of German at level C2 of the Common European Reference Framework for languages. You may also need to provide evidence of your German language skills.

If your professional qualification has already been recognised, this means you have the necessary German language skills.

Duration

One month at the latest following receipt of your application by the competent authority: The competent authority will notify you of receipt of the documents. They will inform you if documents are missing. The procedure begins when the documents are complete.
After 3 months at the latest you will receive notice containing the result. In specific cases the competent authority may extend the procedure.

Costs

You are required to pay for the procedure. The competent authority will inform you of the exact costs.
There may be additional costs, e. g. for certifications or compensation measures.
Information about financial support

Documents for my application

Required documents

Application form from the competent authority
If there is no application form, then apply without a standard application form
Proof of identity (e.g. passport or personal identification)
Curriculum vitae

Evidence of your professional suitability: notice of equivalence.
Evidence of your personal suitability:
Certificate of good conduct. The document must be a maximum of six months old when applying.
Declaration that you are financially stable.
Declaration regarding whether you have had previous convictions in the five years prior to making the application.
Declaration that you have not been entered in any list of debtors.
Declaration no insolvency procedure has been initiated.

Translations and certifications

The competent authority will inform you as to which documents you must produce as originals or submit as copies. Some copies must be officially certified. We recommend that you do not send originals by post.

You must submit your documents in German. Sworn or authorised translators must prepare the translations.

My steps to recognition

I apply to the competent authority. How does this work?

You may also apply if you are not yet living in Germany.

You may be able to send the application by post to the competent authority. Do not send originals.
You can also send the application via email. Ask your competent authority before you do. Later on in the recognition procedure, you may be required to submit original copies or certified copies of the documents.

The competent authority is processing my application. What does that mean?

The competent authority receives the application. After one month at the latest, it will confirm that the application has arrived. Once the competent authority has received all the documents from you, it processes your application.

The competent authority then checks other requirements for the public appointment and official swearing-in.

The procedure takes a maximum of 3 months. In specific cases the competent authority may extend the procedure. At the end, the competent authority sends you a notice containing the result.

The competent authority informs me of the result in a notice. What are the possible outcomes?

Outcome: Public appointment and official swearing-in.

If the evidence of your specialist knowledge fulfils the requirements, then you will be publicly appointed and officially sworn in.

You receive a certificate and you are entered onto a list of publicly appointed and generally sworn-in translators. You are permitted to use the title “Publicly appointed and sworn-in translator for [langu-age]”. Professionally you have the same rights as a person with the German professional qualification.

Ergebnis: No public appointment and official swearing-in.

If proof of your professional suitability cannot be determined, then you do not meet all the requirements and you will not be officially sworn in.

I receive no recognition. What can I do?

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Compensation measures

If your professional suitability is not equivalent you may be able to complete a compensation measure. A compensation measure allows you to compensate for substantial differences. Substantial differences are listed in your notice.

There are a range of compensation measures:

Adaptation period
Aptitude test

Normally you can choose between an adaptation period or an aptitude test. The competent authority may decide which compensation measure you are required to take.

If you successfully complete the compensation measure and meet all requirements (e.g. personal aptitude, knowledge of German, etc.), you will be publicly apppointed and officially sworn-in. Professionally, you then have the same rights as a person with the German professional qualification.

Counselling

If you do not meet all requirements, you can find out from the competent authority about the options available to you. Were you not able e.g. to provide evidence of your personal aptitude? The competent authority can help you with this.

My other options

Recognition partnership

Do you need recognition in order to work in Germany? You can also apply for recognition after entering the country. For this you need a recognition partnership with your future employer in Germany.

The following requirements apply to a recognition partnership:

You have completed training of at least two years or a degree.
Your qualification is recognised by the state in the country of training. The Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) will confirm this for you.
You need German language skills at least at level A2 of the Common European Reference Framework for languages.
You have found an employer.

Further information about the recognition partnership can be found here.

Further ways to work in Germany

You may also be able to work in a non-regulated profession in Germany without recognition:

This is possible, for example, with completed training and professional experience. What's also important is how much you earn, whether you have a contract of employment, whether you speak German and how old you are. We recommend that you complete the Quick-Check here, this will provide all the information: Make-it-in-Germany.com.
This is possible, for example, with a higher education qualification: Find out whether it is comparable to a German higher education qualification. There are two ways of checking this.
anabin database: You will find universities in the database. Your university must be recognised in the database (H+). AND your higher education qualification must be assessed as equivalent. This then means that your qualification is equivalent to a German higher education qualification. Save as a PDF. This is evidence. Further information and a guide is available at Make-it-in-Germany.com.
Statement of Comparability: What if your university or qualification are not in anabin? In this case you can apply to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) for an individual statement of comparability. The statement of comparability is a document that confirms the equivalence of your higher education qualification with a German higher education qualification.

Counselling

Do you have any questions? Do you need help with the application? Seek advice! You will find your counselling centre one step in advance. In the navigation, click "Counselling offers".
Do you have questions regarding entry or residence? For more information see Working and Living in Germany.

Freedom to provide services

Do you only wish to offer services in Bavaria occasionally and for short periods? In this case you do not generally require recognition. You must meet these requirements:

You must be resident of another country of the EU, the EEA or in Switzerland.
You are required to apply to the competent authority for inclusion in the directory of publicly appointed and officially sworn-in translators.
If the profession or the training are not regulated in the country where you have permanent residency, then you must have worked for at least one of the last 10 years as a translator.