Proof of intention to apply for the Approbation in Germany

• Introduction about the proof of intention

The proof of intention is evidence that a foreign doctor MUST provides to be allowed to apply for Approbation in a certain German state. If you are applying from outside Germany, this is one of the documents needed to apply for Approbation in 14 out of 16 German states. We explain which states accept what later in this article. Firstly, we will explain the possible proofs of intentions.

What is the Approbation? Die Approbation is a German permanent medical license. For more details abut it, read this Article. To apply for a German Approbation, we explained that in 10 detailed steps.

• The proof of intention – possibilities:

The proof could be one of many things:

(1) Job promise (die Einstellungszusage)

This is often very hard to get. Few hospitals accept to give doctors such a document.

(2) Residence registration (die Anmeldung)

You should do that in a city/village that is a part of the state. This means that the doctor needs firstly to come to Germany, find an accommodation (which is not easy) and then register themselves in the city council (… more about the residence registration in this article in Facharzt JETZT)

The above two options are really a source of loss of time, energy, and nerves!

(3) Clinical training / attachment (eine Hospitation)

• Article: “🇩🇪 What is a Hospitation? (🇺🇸 medical training/obervership/clinical attachment)”

• Article: “🇩🇪 How to apply for a medical training/observership/clinical attachment (🇩🇪 eine Hospitation) in Germany”

(4) Getting rejections for applications for Hospitation

ِA Syrian doctor with a large Telegram group for the Approbation in Berlin wrote a detailed Arabic article about applying for Approbation in Berlin (article in Arabic in our website). He explained that getting five rejections for a Hospitation application in Berlin is enough as proof of intention. One needs to send a copy of the rejections emails.

(5) Strong personal reasons

The authority in Baden-Württemberg accepts in “individual/certain cases” that they are going to accept the application for the Approbation if personal reasons were proven. As an example they write: “having close family connections”. In one email, they wrote to a doctor that this should be a family member like a wife for example. Source: Link

(6) The location note (der Standortvermerk)

For a few years, the location note (detailed article) has been an accepted method as a “proof of intention.” It requires many steps to obtain one, but it is easy. Unfortunately, it is not accepted in all German states. The table below shows which states accept it.

(7) No proof of intention is required (only when applying from outside Germany)

For applications for approbation from outside Germany, there are German states that do NOT require this bureaucratic hurdle (proof of intention). See the table below.

• Proof of intention: Which state accepts what?

We list in the following table which proof of intentions accepts each German state:

* For applications for approbation from outside Germany, the only German states do not require this bureaucratic hurdle (proof of intention) are: (1) Bavaria (🇩🇪 Bayern) and (2) Thuringia (🇩🇪 Thüringen). If you arrive in Germany, then you need one of the other proofs of intentions and cannot simply send your applications to these states. Therefore, you MUST send your application to these states before arriving in Germany.

§ In Berlin, it is enough to provide email copies of answers from hospitals that refused your application for a Hospitation (medical training) (Articles: What is a Hospitation & How to apply).

• If you are applying for the Approbation from outside Germany, which states can accept your application without a proof of intention?

If you missed the answer, please see the table above. In it, we mentioned the German states that do NOT need proof of intention.

• Proof of intention: Do you have new information?

The Approbation laws change with time in Germany, and there are always exceptions. Do you know about other methods for the proof of intention?

Want to learn more? Questions?
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