Waiting time for the Approbation

Question

Hello everyone, I read an article online about how bad it is for foreign doctors in Germany because the waiting times are so long. Can anyone tell me if 2 years is realistically enough time to get the Approbation in Germany?

Sophie P · Accepted Answer

Hello Mustafa, your concern is very understandable. A waiting time of two years for the Approbation is actually realistic, [especially for doctors from non-EU countries](https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/deutschland/gesellschaft/arzt-ausland-anerkennung-von-abschluessen-100.html). In some federal states it is faster, for example in Thuringia with about ten months or in Saxony-Anhalt with about one year. In other federal states like Saxony or Hamburg, however, the process can take up to 24 months. The reasons often lie in missing or to be submitted documents, long waiting times for an appointment for the Kenntnisprüfung as well as in the overload of the authorities. Although there is a legal processing period of four months after receipt of complete documents, this is rarely adhered to in practice. During the waiting period, in many cases you can work with a temporary Berufserlaubnis for up to two years, provided you have passed the Fachsprachprüfung (FSP) and are still waiting for the Kenntnisprüfung. Therefore, a two-year waiting period is not unusual and unfortunately reflects the reality of many international doctors. Best regards, Sophie

Ngum B · Answer

I needed two years for my Berufserlaubnis, you can get it faster if you have all the documents complete and learn the language faster