Germany Visa for Doctors: The Fastest Way to Work Legally in Germany

If you are a physician eyeing an international career, Germany should be at the top of your list. With a strong healthcare system, competitive salaries, and robust immigration options for doctors, moving to Germany as a physician is more achievable than ever. This guide walks you through the process, the best visa options, and essential tips for a seamless transition.

How Get2Germany Helps You With Your Visa:

✅ Customized support with translations & paperwork
✅ Step-by-step guidance for visa and recognition
✅ Tips for choosing the best federal state
✅ Peer support from other international doctors
✅ Access to real job opportunities – 100% free

Even before arriving, it's worth knowing what Germany has to offer: excellent career prospects, legal stability, and a healthcare system that actively welcomes international professionals.

• Strong salaries & job security: Transparent pay scales, stable contracts, and regulated working hours provide a solid and predictable foundation — right from your first job.
  
• Fast-track to permanent residency: With the right visa, you can apply for permanent settlement after 33 months or just 21 months with B1-level German.
  
• Funded specialization: Germany offers paid specialist training (Facharztausbildung) with over 30 disciplines to choose from, all while working and earning a salary.
  
• Work–life balance & family benefits: Doctors benefit from structured schedules, 30+ vacation days, and full access to Germany’s social security system — including paid maternity leave (up to 14 weeks), and up to 14 months of paid parental leave shared between both parents.
  
• Excellent job prospects: Ongoing doctor shortages across Germany mean high chances of employment, visa sponsorship, and long-term career growth — especially outside major cities.

• Finding a job from abroad can be time-consuming and competitive.
• Processing times for recognition and visa may take several months.
• Preparing for the Approbation (licensing) process alongside work.

Germany offers several pathways to physicians from outside the EU:

EU Blue Card (§18g AufenthG)

• For university graduates with a German-recognized medical degree and a job offer.
• Minimum gross annual salary for physicians (bottleneck professions): €43,759.80 (2025).
  • For other (non-bottleneck) professions: €48,300.
• Fast track to permanent settlement: after 27 months (or 21 months with B1 German).
• Language: Usually general B2 German and C1 Medical German for licensing.

Visa for Qualified Professionals (§18b AufenthG)

• For doctors with a recognized medical qualification and job offer in Germany.
• No general minimum salary, but:
  • If over 45 and applying for the first time, your gross annual salary must be at least €53,130 (2025) or you must have adequate pension provision.
• Language: At least B2; C1 Medical German is required for licensing.

Visa for Professionally Experienced Workers (§19c Abs. 2 AufenthG)

• For physicians with at least 2 years of professional experience in the last 5 years.
• Minimum annual salary of €43,470 (2025).
• Applicant's degree does not have to be fully recognized yet, but this visa is in practice mainly relevant for non-regulated medical roles (not direct patient care). Approbation remains required for full medical practice.

Visa for Recognition of Professional Qualifications (§16d AufenthG)

• For those needing to complete recognition measures: adaptation courses, internships, exams, or language training.
• Allows up to 24 months of residency (extension possible).
• Requires proof of adequate funds: €1,091/month (2025).
• Useful as a stepping stone to Approbation.

Anerkennungspartnerschaft: New Visa Pathway for Partially Recognized Physicians (2024+)

Since 2024, the Recognition Partnership Scheme offers a new pathway for physicians with partial recognition of their qualifications to work in Germany. While it does not require full license recognition initially, candidates must demonstrate partial German language skills (usually B1–B2) and secure support from a German healthcare employer. The visa allows them to work under supervision while completing missing qualification elements. Full professional license (Approbation) remains a prerequisite for independent medical practice.

• Allows starting work under supervision with a German employer before full recognition is finalized.
• Employer must actively support the recognition process.

Extra: Language Course Visa

The language course visa is ideal for international doctors who need to improve their German skills before applying for a medical license (Approbation) or starting work. It allows you to stay in Germany for several months to up to one year, focusing entirely on language learning – from general German to specialized medical vocabulary. While you cannot work as a doctor with this visa, it provides the essential language foundation for your later entry into German hospitals. After completing your courses, you can easily switch to a work or recognition visa and continue pursuing your medical career in Germany.

Extra: Family Reunion Visa

If you are already in Germany with a work visa such as the EU Blue Card or the Skilled Worker Visa, you can bring close family members to join you. Spouses and minor children can apply for their own family reunion visa to live with you in Germany. In many cases, spouses need to provide proof of basic German language skills at A1 level. You must also demonstrate sufficient income and adequate housing. The family reunion visa usually allows family members to work, but it does not replace your own work visa. This visa type is an important way to build your career while settling in Germany together with your family.

⚠️ Not Recommended: Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
This visa is not suitable for physicians, as it does not allow regulated medical practice or access to Approbation.

Recognition means your medical qualification is formally evaluated and confirmed as equivalent to a German medical degree. This evaluation is conducted by the relevant state authority — not just the ZAB.
It is absolutely required to obtain a medical license (Approbation), which is necessary to work as a physician in Germany.

⚠️ For some visa types (like the EU Blue Card or Skilled Worker Visa), full recognition is typically required before applying for a visa. For others (such as the §16d visa for recognition purposes), you can start the process after entering Germany with a so-called “deficiency notice” (Defizitbescheid).
You may need to submit certified translations, detailed transcripts, and proof of clinical training.

• Approbation is the full medical license in Germany and is mandatory for all physicians aiming for patient care roles.
• Requirements for Approbation include: recognized medical degree, full set of certified documents, German language certificates (B2 general, C1 medical / Fachsprachprüfung), proof of health and character, and sometimes further adaptation training or exams.

• For visa and employment: Minimum B2 German.
• For Approbation/licensing: C1 Medical German required, proven through the Fachsprachprüfung (medical language exam), typically administered by the state medical chamber.
• Exam format, requirements, and recognition may differ by federal state.
• Some additional medical-adapted German tests (e.g., telc MED) may be required.

1. Get Your Qualifications Recognized: Begin with the recognition process (see above).
2. Secure a Job Offer: Apply to clinics or hospitals.
3. Obtain Language Certification: B2 German as the minimum, C1 medical German strongly recommended.
4. Choose the Correct Visa Category based on your degree recognition status, experience, and salary level.
5. Prepare Application Documents: see checklist below.
6. Apply at the German Embassy/Consulate.

• Completed application form
• Valid passport
• Recent biometric photos
• Recognized medical degree (with certified translation/legalization)
• Proof of recognition or application for recognition of your degree
• Job offer or employment contract
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of German language proficiency (B2 and/or C1 MED)
• If applying for recognition or training visa: evidence of funds (€1,091/month in 2025)
• Other supporting documents as required (e.g., criminal record, professional references, adaptability plan if using Anerkennungspartnerschaft)

If you’re applying for a visa that allows you to stay in Germany for more than 90 days – for example, for medical licensing (Approbation), recognition of qualifications, or skilled worker migration – you’ll need to use the Foreign Office Portal provided by the German Federal Foreign Office. This includes the VIDEX application for long-term stays, which lets you fill out your visa form online, upload documents, and have your application pre-checked before attending your embassy or consulate appointment.

1. Registration & Upload
Create an account in the Foreign Office Portal. Enter your personal details, upload all required documents (e.g. recognition notice, employment contract, language certificates), and save your application. You can continue editing it later – just note that data may be lost if you’re inactive for too long.

2. Pre-check by the Embassy or Consulate
Once submitted, your application will be reviewed by the relevant German embassy or consulate. If anything is missing or incorrect, you’ll be notified via the portal and can make corrections (Federal Foreign Office).

3. Booking an Appointment & Submission
When your application is complete, you can schedule your in-person appointment via the portal. On the day of your visit, bring your biometric data, original documents, and pay the visa fee in person. Your application will be fully prepared by then.

• Have all documents ready in advance – including your recognition letter, job offer, language certificates, and proof of health/liability insurance.
  
• Enter your details quickly and accurately – the VIDEX form times out after around 10 minutes of inactivity.
  
• Use Latin characters only (A–Z) – letters like Ä, Ö, Ü, and ß are allowed, but not non-Latin scripts .
  
• Save your form early – as soon as you’ve entered your name and date of birth, you can save your draft to avoid losing data.
  
• Choose the correct language version – submit your application in the language required by your local embassy or consulate (usually German or English).
  
• Respond quickly to follow-ups – use the portal to communicate and submit any missing documents directly in your application file.
  
• Book your appointment as early as possible – wait times can stretch over several months, especially if local immigration authorities need to approve your application.
  

Why VIDEX Makes Your Application Smarter

VIDEX gives your application a pre-check before your in-person appointment, so you can fix mistakes, complete missing info, and track your application status in real time. The result? Shorter wait times and a smoother, more efficient embassy visit.

• After five years of legal residence and employment (with timely tax/insurance payments), you may apply for permanent residency.
• You and your family may be eligible for citizenship after six years.

• You must secure a job offer for all major physician visas (Blue Card, skilled worker, experienced worker visa).
• The Chancenkarte is not a practical pathway for doctors—it does not provide access to Approbation or regulated medical practice.
• Blocked account proof is required only for recognition/training visas, not for work visas with an employment contract.
• Work experience does not substitute for formal degree recognition in regulated professions like medicine.

Germany’s visa pathway for physicians is robust and flexible. While the process demands effort (qualification recognition, securing a job, and navigating bureaucracy) the potential rewards are substantial: professional growth, financial stability, and a vibrant life in one of Europe’s most dynamic medical landscapes.

• Which work visa options exist for foreign physicians in Germany? EU Blue Card (§18g): Recognized medical degree, job offer, salary ≥ €43,759.80 (2025, doctors). Qualified Professional Visa (§18b): Recognized degree, job offer, no general minimum salary except for applicants ≥45 years (€53,130 in 2025). Experienced Worker Visa (§19c Abs. 2): At least 2 years relevant experience, job offer, salary ≥ €43,470 (2025).
• What does “recognized medical degree” mean?
  Your medical qualification must be formally recognized as equivalent to a German medical degree by the competent state authority. This is required for Approbation/licensure.
• What are the German language requirements?
  You generally need at least B2-level general German for the visa/employment, and C1 medical German (Fachsprachprüfung) for Approbation and most medical roles.
• Do I need a job offer before applying for a physician’s visa?
  Yes, for all standard physician work visas, a job offer is required. The Chancenkarte is not an effective route for doctors.
• Is blocked account proof needed for work visas?
  No, if you have a work contract. YES if you’re applying for a recognition/training visa.
• What is the visa for recognition of professional qualifications (§16d)?
  For doctors needing to complete required adaptation or exam measures before full recognition. Requires proof of funds (€1,091/month), partial recognition, and (usually) A2 German.
• Can I work before having full Approbation?
  You may work only in non-regulated medical roles (e.g., Clinical Research Assistant). Direct patient care always requires Approbation.
• Is work experience from home recognized?
  It is considered for §19c and the recognition process (if properly documented), but experience cannot substitute degree equivalency for Approbation.
• Can I use the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) as a doctor?
  No, not for regulated medical practice. Use standard pathways above.

The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we strive to keep all content accurate and up-to-date as of July 2025, immigration laws, visa requirements, and recognition procedures may change or vary by federal state. Always consult the official websites of German authorities or a qualified immigration lawyer before making any decisions or submissions.

All information provided without guarantee.