Guardian / Insurance Advisor / Insurance Intermediary / Financial Investment Broker / Fee-based Financial Investment Advisor / Real Estate Loan Broker; Recognition of foreign professional qualifications

• You submit an "Application for Recognition of Foreign Qualifications and Training Certificates" to the competent authority.
• For professional qualifications from EU/EEA/Switzerland:
  You can submit the application and documents directly to the competent authority or to a Point of Single Contact. You can also submit the application electronically via the Point of Single Contact.
• The competent authority will then compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and check the equivalence. If your professional qualification is equivalent, it will be recognised. You will then receive the notification of equivalence (recognition notice) by post or electronically.
• If your professional qualification is not equivalent, it will not be recognised. You will then receive a notification of the differences in your professional qualifications. They then have the right to a compensatory measure: this can be the "specific competence test" or the "supplementary information". The competent authority will inform you about the options. If you successfully complete the compensatory measure, you will receive the certificate of equivalence.
• With the notice of equivalence, you can apply for a permit for the corresponding trade. You will need to submit another application for this.
• You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. The decision will then be reviewed. We recommend that you first talk to the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.

The competent authority will tell you which documents you need to submit. Important documents are in general:

• Proof of identity (ID card or passport in officially certified copy)
• List in tabular form with your education and professional experience (curriculum vitae)
• Proof of education
• Proof of relevant professional experience
• Other qualifications
• If the profession is regulated in your country of training: a certificate stating that you are allowed to practice the profession in your country of training

The competent authority will inform you which documents you need to submit in the original or as a certified copy.
You must submit your documents in German. Translations must be carried out by publicly appointed or authorised translators.