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An offer from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

Your recognition procedure as Interpreter (m/f)
in Schreinerbauer, Bavaria

  • The profession of Interpreter (m/f) is in Bavaria.
  • You can apply for recognition of your professional qualification.
  • Recognition has many advantages.
  • There are also ways of working in Germany without recognition. You will find this under “My other options”.

Quick-Info

This procedure is called: (in German “Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung”).

  • of your

Knowledge of German is part of your professional qualification. You require a high level of German. Additionally, you have to prove knowledge of those language(s) you want to translate into.

  • One month at the latest following receipt of your application by the : 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 containing the result. In specific cases the competent authority may extend the procedure.
  • 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 or

It may be possible for costs to be paid via financial support. You can apply for financial support if you live in Germany and before you submit your application.


Documents for my application

  • Application form from the

  • If there is no application form, then apply without a standard application form

  • Proof of identity (e.g. passport or personal identification)

  • Marriage certificate (if your name has changed through marriage)

  • Curriculum vitae

  • Evidence of your professional qualification (e.g. certificates, certificate of entitlement)

  • Evidence of your professional experience in this profession (e.g. employment references)

  • Evidence of your other qualifications (e.g. continuing vocational training, seminars)

  • : You may have to prove that you want to work in Germany.

  • Information about an already submitted. In this case state to which you applied.

Do you no longer have all of the necessary documents for the application? If so, you can provide evidence of your professional qualification for example by means of an oral examination or a work sample. This procedure is called .

You need to submit copies of your documents.

Additionally, you must submit your documents in German. translators must prepare the translations. The translators must be sworn or authorised in Germany or in an EU member state.


My steps to recognition

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

  • You can send the application by post to the competent authority. Do not send originals.
  • You may be able to 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 of the documents.
  • You are sometimes able to apply online. Later on in the recognition procedure, you may be required to submit original copies or certified copies of the documents. Use the federal state internet portal for the online application. You will then leave our information page: To the internet portal Bavaria (in German)

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 carries out an : It compares your professional qualification with the German professional qualification. As part of this, the competent authority takes into account your professional experience, other and other qualifications.

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 containing the result.

Outcome: Recognition

Your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are . Professionally you have the same rights as a person with the German professional qualification.

Outcome: Partial recognition

Part of your professional qualification is equivalent. There are substantial differences in another part. You are not able to compensate for these differences with your professional experience and other knowledge of the profession. You receive a which describes your professional qualification and the substantial differences in detail. In most cases you are able to complete and then submit a .

Outcome: No recognition

Your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are not equivalent in any area. The differences are too large. You do not receive recognition.

You are able to take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. Details on this procedure can be found in the legal redress advice (German: “Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung”) at the end of your . We recommend that you speak to a counselling centre first before challenging the decision or taking legal action.

Working without recognition or with partial recognition

Do you already live in Germany and are you permitted to work in Germany? If so, you are able to work in the profession even without recognition.

You are not yet living in Germany? There are opportunitites for you to work in Germany without recognition. You can find more information about this under „My other options“.

With partial recognition you are also able to complete . You are given a certificate as evidence of successful participation. You are then able to submit a for recognition. You submit this with the certificate and your other documents to the competent authority. If the professional qualification is then equivalent, you receive recognition.

You are permitted to enter Germany for a . Please seek advice if you have questions, or find out more about entry e.g. via the hotline Working and Living in Germany

Partial recognition also has benefits: The explanatory comments in your enable employers to better understand your professional qualification. Partial recognition also helps you if, for example, you wish to complete further training.

State-approved examination

You may directly take part in a state-approved examination as interpreter or translator. The competent authority will inform you.


My other options

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
  • You have found an employer.

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.

Do you wish to work as an interpreter in a court or for an authority? There is a specific procedure for this. Information is available here:

As an , you can select between two procedures for vocational recognition:

  • You apply for the procedure described here.
  • You apply for the procedure under Section 10 of the Federal Expellees Act (German: “§10 Bundesvertriebenengesetz, BVFG”).

You can decide this. Your competent authority will advise you.

  • Do you have any questions? Do you need help with the application? Seek advice! You will find your councelling centre one step back under Counselling offers.
  • Do you have questions regarding entry or residence? For more information see Make-it-in-Germany.com.

Further information



last update on: 06.02.2024

The competent authority

Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Unterricht und Kultus

Salvatorstraße 2
80333 München

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Your contact

Ms Dr. Angelika Voigt

Postanschrift
Staatliche Prüfungsstelle für Übersetzer und Dolmetscher
80327 München

Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Unterricht und Kultus

Your contact

Ms Dr. Angelika Voigt

Postanschrift
Staatliche Prüfungsstelle für Übersetzer und Dolmetscher
80327 München

last update on: 06.02.2024

Any questions or feedback?

Do you have a question about the recognition procedure? Or have you noticed any information that could be improved? We're happy to help.