Apply for recognition of foreign professional qualifications as a tax clerk

You have a foreign professional qualification as a tax clerk or assistant tax clerk. Would you like to work permanently in this profession in Germany? Then you can have your foreign professional qualification officially recognised. Please note: Your qualification must be state-recognised in the country in which you trained. Informal or non-formal qualifications cannot be officially recognised in Germany.

The procedure for recognition is called: Equivalence assessment.

To apply for an equivalence assessment, you must identify a German training qualification or further education qualification. This is the so-called reference occupation. It must match your foreign professional qualification. You should therefore seek advice before submitting your application.

During the equivalence assessment, the competent authority compares your qualification with a specific German qualification. Important criteria for the comparison are the content and duration of the training. You will receive a decision on the outcome of the procedure. The decision will state any existing and any missing professional qualifications. The decision enables employers to better assess your professional qualifications.

You can also apply for equivalence assessment from abroad.

Procedure
1. application
You submit an application for equivalence assessment to the relevant office and pay the fee. You can hand in the application with the documents to the relevant office, send it by post or upload it electronically. Do not send any originals by post.

2. verification of equivalence
The competent body will then check: Is your professional qualification equivalent to the German professional qualification? The competent body will compare the qualifications using certain criteria. Important criteria are the content and duration of the training. The competent body will also take into account your professional experience, your other certificates of competence and qualifications when carrying out the equivalence check.

3. Possible results of the examination
  • a.) You will receive a notification with the result of the procedure. You will be recognised if your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are equivalent.
  • b.) Sometimes there are significant differences between the professional qualifications. The differences are listed in your notification. You can use this decision to obtain further qualifications and later submit a new application for equivalence assessment.
  • c.) If your professional qualification is not equivalent at all, you will not be recognised.

Sie können diese Dienstleistung auch online in Anspruch nehmen

Online processing

Prerequisites

  • You want to work in Berlin.
  • You have a state-recognised professional qualification from abroad in the field of tax consultancy or auditing.
  • Your professional qualification from abroad is equivalent to a German training qualification as a tax clerk.
  • For online applications: registration/login via BundID
    Select at least the ‘User name/password’ variant for registration/login.
  • For online applications: consent to the electronic payment procedure
    Credit card, Giropay, direct debit and payment by bank transfer are available as payment options.
  • The documents must be submitted in German.
    Translations must be carried out by translators who are publicly appointed or authorised.

Documents required

  • Application for equivalence assessment
    Online möglich oder schriftlich per Post
  • Proof of previous applications for equivalence assessment, if applicable
    If you have already submitted an application for equivalence assessment, documents relating to previous applications for equivalence assessment submitted to other competent bodies as simple copies.
  • Proof of identity
    Suitable proof of identity is, for example, a passport (passport substitute), all European identity cards or a convention passport as a simple copy.
    • Your proof was not issued in German? Then please also enclose a German translation.
    • The following information must be legible in Latin characters on the proof, e.g. in the translation of the proof of identity: Surname, first name, place of birth, date of birth. The proof of identity should include a photo of you and your signature.
  • In the event of a name change: proof of the completed name change
    If your first name or surname no longer matches the name on your professional qualification certificate (e.g. due to marriage, naturalisation, change of gender or similar reasons), please enclose a simple copy of the official proof of the completed name change here. This can be a birth certificate, marriage certificate, naturalisation certificate or other suitable proof of the name change.
    • Was your proof not issued in German? Then please also enclose a German translation.
  • Lebenslauf
    The CV must be written in German. The curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé should provide a tabular overview of your:
    • Training programmes (vocational training, academic training, school education)
    • further training
    • previous jobs
  • Proof of training
    Reichen Sie Ihre Nachweise der Berufsqualifikation in Originalsprache als einfache Kopie mit ein.
    • Dies können z. B. sein: Prüfungs- und Abschlusszeugnisse, Berufsurkunde, Diplomurkunde, Bachelor- und/oder Masterzeugnis oder vergleichbare Dokumente. Fügen Sie falls vorhanden auch Nachweise über Inhalt und Dauer Ihrer Ausbildung mit bei. Dies können z. B. sein: Diploma Supplement, das Transcript of Records, der Relevé de Notes, das Studienbuch, die Prüfungsordnung sowie Fächer- und Notenübersichten oder vergleichbare Dokumente.
    • Ihr Nachweis wurde nicht in deutscher Sprache ausgestellt? Dann fügen Sie zusätzlich eine deutsche oder englische Übersetzung des Abschlusszeugnisses als beglaubigte Kopie bei.
    • Ergänzende Nachweise zu den Abschlüssen/Urkunden (wie z.B. Studienbuch, Prüfungsordnung, Fächerübersichten) in deutscher oder englischer Übersetzung als einfache Kopie.
  • Nachweise über Ihre relevante Berufserfahrung
    Certification of the type and duration of your relevant professional experience in the original language. This includes, for example, references, work books, professional training or comparable documents.
    • Your certificate was not issued in German? Then please also enclose a simple copy of a German or English translation.
  • Nur bei Personen, die nicht Staatsangehörige der EU/EWR/Schweiz sind oder außerhalb der EU/EWR/Schweiz leben: Nachweise, die glaubhaft belegen, dass Sie in Berlin tatsächlich eine Erwerbstätigkeit aufnehmen wollen
    In addition to the declaration of intention to take up gainful employment, proof is required that credibly demonstrates that you actually intend to take up gainful employment in Berlin (suitable proof is, for example, the application for an entry visa for gainful employment, proof of contact with potential employers) in a single copy.
  • Further evidence if necessary
    You may need to submit further documents during the recognition procedure. The responsible office will inform you.

Fees

EUR 100.00 to EUR 600.00 per expense

Average time to process request

approx. 1- 3 months if all documents are complete

Hinweise zur Zuständigkeit

  • You apply for recognition from the competent authority in the federal state in which you wish to work. The chambers of tax consultants are normally responsible for training professions in the field of auditing and tax consultancy.
  • Chamber of Tax Consultants of Lower Saxony
If you would like to work as a tax assistant in the federal state of Berlin, apply for recognition at the responsible Chamber of Tax Consultants of Lower Saxony - Adenauerallee 20 in 30175 Hanover. This office is responsible for several federal states, including for recognition procedures for the federal state of Berlin.

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