FAQ – Vocational Qualification (DAB)
General information
If you do not have a vocational qualification but a university degree, a Statement of Comparability is the right document for you. Statements on a Foreign Vocational Qualification are only issued for non-academic qualifications.
If you are not sure if your qualification is a vocational qualification or an academic qualification, please ask the institution you received your qualification from directly.
Regulated and non-regulated professions
To work in a non-regulated profession, you need a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification to apply for a residence title.
You do not need a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification to apply to job offers. However, a statement can help you: It can help employers to better understand your qualification and diploma.
To work in a regulated profession, a professional recognition from the federal state you will work in is legally required.
While you can apply for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification, you will still need a professional recognition.
Find out more about regulated and non-regulated professions
Find out more about professional recognition on the German government's recognition portal Anerkennung in Deutschland
Find out more about the Skilled Immigration Act on the German government's official website for qualified professionals Make it in Germany
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is positive if all three of the following requirements are met:
- The duration of the vocational training was at least 2 full-time school years
- The vocational training was successfully completed
- The vocational training is recognized in the country of training
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is negative if not all three requirements are met. You cannot use a negative statement to apply for a residence title. You do not get your fee back if your statement is negative. Make sure that the requirements for a positive statement are met before you apply.
If you are not sure whether your vocational qualification is recognized, please ask the institution you received your qualification from directly.
Why is this important?
We can only issue a positive Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification if your vocational qualification is recognized in the country of the vocational training.
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is valid throughout Germany.
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification does not expire.
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is only issued in German. It is not possible to issue it in a different language.
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is not required to work in a specific profession in Germany.
- Skilled workers with a non-academic vocational qualification need a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification to apply for a residence title.
- If your profession is not regulated, you can apply directly to job offers in Germany.
- If your profession is regulated, you have to fulfill certain requirements. These are regulated by law. You always need a professional recognition of your vocational qualification – even if you have a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification. You do not need a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification to apply for professional recognition. A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is used to apply for a residence title.
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is legally required to prove that you meet the requirements of a residence title (according to §16d, Paragraph 3 AufenthG; §19c, Paragraph 2 AufenthG, §6 BeschV; §20a, Paragraph 3 AufenthG). A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification has to confirm all of the following: the vocational training was a 2-year full-time training program, the qualification is recognized in the country of training, and the training program was successfully completed. A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification can only be used to apply for a work visa if all three points are confirmed.
Visit the website of the German diplomatic mission in your country of residence for information on how to apply for a work visa:
Find German diplomatic mission
Do you live outside of Germany?
You have to apply for a visa at the German diplomatic mission in your country of residence.
Find German diplomatic mission
Do you live in Germany?
You have to contact the immigration authority at your place of residence.
No legal claims can be derived from a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification, especially with regard to German public authorities and recognition authorities.
Mistakes can happen despite our best efforts. Please contact us and we will take care of it:
If you found a mistake in your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification, send us a message in My Account. We will review the matter. If your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification contains a mistake, we will issue a new statement. You can download it in My Account. The statement containing the mistake will no longer be valid.
Yes, if you have more than one non-academic vocational qualification. You have to submit a separate application for each qualification.
Digital Document
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is issued as a PDF file. It contains an electronic signature and a Digital Seal. The authenticity of the document can be checked at any time.
You will receive your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification digitally as a PDF file. However, you can print out your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification yourself. It can be verified at any time using the Digital Seal.
You can also apply to only receive a hard copy of your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification. You will not be issued a PDF file of your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification. Please contact us by post or email to let us know your postal address and how many foreign university degrees you would like us to evaluate. We will send you the information about this application process by post.
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification can be verified at any time online thanks to its Digital Seal. You can find the Digital Seal on your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification. The Digital Seal can be used to check if a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is valid and to view a statement's most important information.
Please note: Anyone who has access to the Digital Seal can view its stored data. To protect your data, never allow unauthorized third parties to access to the Digital Seal or your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification. Keep your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification and the Digital Seal in a safe place.
Verifying a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification
Go to the website zab.kmk.org/en/app/validation. You can also scan the QR code next to the Digital Seal. It will direct you to the same website. Once you are on the website, you can upload the Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification or the Digital Seal or you can scan them with your camera.
Uploading
How to upload the Digital Seal:
- You can upload the entire Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification or just the Digital Seal.
- Click on "Upload" or drag & drop the file to the upload field.
Webcam
How to scan the Digital Seal with your webcam:
- Click on "Webcam."
- You may have to allow access to your device's camera. If your device has several cameras, select the one you would like to use.
- Place the Digital Seal into the camera's outlined field.
If the Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification was issued by the ZAB, its stored data will be displayed. You can compare this data with the information of the Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification that was provided to you.
Yes, a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is valid without a written signature. Each Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification contains a digital signature. A digital signature is an electronic signature that is legally valid. You can find a statement's digital signature in its upper margins stating "Zertifiziert durch" (certified by). You can display the digital signature with your PDF reader.
Processing time
The processing time for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is 2 months. Processing will begin once the ZAB has received all required documents and the fee in full.
You can check the status of your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification in My Account at any time.
We do not know the exact date a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification will be issued. However, you can check the status of your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification in My Account at any time.
Log in to your account on the ZAB website: My Account.
Click on My Applications to find your application. You can view the application status in the Status column.
No, unfortunately an application cannot be expedited.
We appreciate you understanding that we cannot expedite or prioritize individual applications. We process each application for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification as quickly as possible.
You can help us by refraining from requesting status updates by email or phone. You can check the status of your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification at any time in My Account.
Documents
To apply for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification you have to scan the following documents and upload them on our website:
- Certificate of completion of the vocational qualification (for example: diploma, secondary school graduation certificate stating the profession, trade license etc.)
- Transcript of records for the entire vocational training
- Identity document (passport or identity card)
Yes, you have to submit all the documents listed on our website.
Processing will not begin until the ZAB has received all required documents and the fee in full.
Log in to My Account on the ZAB website to send a message and submit missing documents to the ZAB. You have the following options:
My Messages
If an application is missing documents, we will send you a message. Reply to our message or send us a new message. If you send us a new message, select the registration number of the Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification that is missing documents. You can upload documents to a message the same way you can upload documents in the online application.
My Applications
Go to My Applications to find your application. In the Edit column on the right-hand side select "Send message or document to the ZAB" to open a new message. You can upload documents to the message the same way you can upload documents in the online application.
No, we need neither an apostille nor certified photocopies. Simply scan your documents and upload them to our website.
You will see if you need to submit a translation of a document while completing the online application.
Please note: A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification will only be issued based on documents in the original language or in a country's official language. A translation might be required in addition to a document in the original language. However, a translation cannot be submitted instead of a document in the original language.
Click the button "Upload" or drag & drop the file into the corresponding field.
Please note:
- Each document has to be submitted as a separate PDF file. Save a multi-page document as a single PDF file.
- You can only upload PDF files.
- The maximum size of each PDF file is 5MB.
- You can upload up to 5 files.
- You cannot upload files with the same file name.
If you attempt to upload a document that does not meet these requirements, you will receive an error message.
Use a scanner, a photocopier with a scanning feature, or a scanning app on a mobile device. You can also go to a printing and copying shop to scan documents.
Please note:
- Scan each document individually and save it as a separate PDF file.
- Scan every page of a document, front and back. You do not need to scan blank pages.
- Scan the entire page to make sure that all the information is included.
- Make sure the scans are legible.
Each PDF file can be up to 5MB. If it exceeds 5MB, reduce the file size by saving it at a lower resolution.
No, you have to upload your documents yourself in My Account.
Training institutions can email documents to zabservice@kmk.org.
You can still apply for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification.
If you cannot submit one or more documents because you had to flee your home country, please state this in the respective fields in the online application.
Please submit your application online on our website. Submit all documents exactly as indicated in the online application. Only submit documents by post if we explicitly ask you to do so. The ZAB does not assume liability for unsolicited original documents.
Fees and payment
A Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification costs €150.
The €150 fee will always be charged – whether a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is positive or negative.
Make sure that the requirements for a positive statement are met before you apply. You have to pay the full €150 for a negative statement as well. You cannot use a negative statement to apply for a residence title.
No, the fee for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification is always €150. You pay the fee for the review by the ZAB and for the statement you receive. The fee does not depend on the content of a statement.
You can choose one of the following payment options:
- PayPal
- Credit card (VISA or Mastercard)
- SEPA bank transfer
An online payment with PayPal or by credit card is made via ePayBL. It will take you directly to PayPal or your credit card network.
You can only pay by bank transfer from a bank account within the SEPA region. The information you need to make a SEPA bank transfer is provided in your notification of fees.
Your notification of fees will be sent to you as a message in My Account immediately after you have submitted your application.
You can pay the fee directly after applying online.
You have 24 days to pay the fee.
If you cannot pay the fee by this deadline, send us a message in My Account. We will review if the payment deadline can be extended.
Please note: Processing of a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification will not begin until the ZAB has received the fee in full.
In some cases, a one-time extension may be possible. Please send us a message in My Account to request an extension.
Please note: Processing will not begin until the ZAB has received all required documents and the fee in full. An extension of the payment deadline will also extend the processing time.
No, an exemption from paying the fee is not possible.
No, the fee cannot be paid in installments.
Yes, the fee can be paid by someone else.
If the fee is paid by SEPA bank transfer, the applicant's full name (first name and last name) and the application number have to be included in the reference field of the bank transfer. Otherwise, we cannot match the payment with the right application.
If you pay by credit card or with PayPal, their usual payment process applies.
When we receive your payment, we will send you a message in My Account.
If we do not receive the fee in full, we will send you a message requesting payment of the missing amount.
It is possible that your bank charges fees for the bank transfer and deducts them from the amount you paid. If this is the case, the ZAB will not receive the fee in full. Please contact your bank to find out if they charge transaction or bank fees for your bank transfer to the ZAB.
If you paid more than the amount indicated in the notification of fees, we will refund you the difference. We will use the same payment method used to pay the fee to the ZAB.
If the overpaid amount is very small, the difference will be refunded only if the person applying for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification requests a refund from the ZAB (negligibility in accordance with Annex Number 2.6 to §59 LHO Berlin).
If the fee has been paid twice, we will automatically refund one of the payments to the personal bank account.
ePayBL
ePayBL is a digital platform for public administration fee payments. ePayBL provides a secure connection to your credit card network or PayPal.
ePayBL is short for ePayment Bund (federal government) Länder (federal states). The Federal Information Technology Centre (ITZBund) ensures the security of the payment system.
Directly after submitting your application, you can pay the fees for your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification online. Select your preferred payment method on the application website. You will be taken to ePayBL. With ePayBL you can quickly and easily make a secure online payment with your usual provider.
PayPal
You will be taken to the PayPal website. Log in to your PayPal account. Confirm the payment and follow the instructions.
Credit card
To pay by credit card you need the usual information.
- Type of credit card (VISA or Mastercard)
- Credit card number
- Expiry date
- 3-digit card security code on the back of the card
Follow the instructions. You might be taken to your credit card network's website to confirm the payment.
When the payment has been deposited into the ZAB bank account, we will send you a message confirming the payment in your My Account mailbox.
Cancellation
No, according to the Fees Regulation, we have to withhold a part of the fee. This is regulated in the state of Berlin's Regulation Regarding Fees for Professional Qualification Examinations and for Assessments of Foreign Higher Education Qualifications. How much of the fee you are refunded depends on the processing stage of your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification.
We will pay back the amount to be refunded within 6 weeks. We will use the same payment method used to pay the fee to the ZAB.
In case of a cancellation, we will send you a message in My Account.
You will receive the refund within 6 weeks.
In case of a cancellation, we will send you a message in My Account.
My Messages
You can find your entire communication with the ZAB regarding your application in My Messages. You can read and send messages. We will issue your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification to you in My Messages.
My Applications
My Applications provides an overview of all your applications. You can:
- Check the status of your applications
- Send a message regarding an application to the ZAB
- Cancel your application
My Profile
You can manage your personal information in My Profile.
Please note: If your personal information changes after you have submitted an application for a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification, please let us know by sending us a message in My Account. Changing your personal information in My Profile will not change the personal information of an existing application.
BundID
A BundID account is also called BundID. BundID is provided by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI).
BundID is a way to prove your identity online – the way you do with an identity document when visiting a public authority. Your personal information is stored in your BundID account. It allows you to use digital public services, prove your identity online with German public authorities, and submit applications online.
You can use your BundID account to submit applications to German public authorities. To submit an application to the ZAB, you have to sign in with your BundID. Your personal account on the ZAB website is linked to your BundID. You can only log in to My Account with your BundID.
You can create an account on the BundID website.
To apply for a Statement of Comparability it is sufficient to create an account with the "Username & Password" option.
How to create an account:
- Choose the option "Username & Password". Follow the instructions on the BundID website to create an account.
- Select a username and a password. That is all it takes to create a BundID account. You will automatically be logged in to the BundID website.
- You will receive an email containing a link. Click on the link to verify your email address. Your BundID account has been created.
Visit the BundID website for detailed instructions on how to create an account.
Yes, you can create a BundID account and sign in to the ZAB website regardless of your nationality. The "Username & Password" option will allow you do to so. All you need is a valid email address.
BundID is provided by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI). Handling your data responsibly is given highest priority. Find out more in the Privacy Policy for BundID.
Do you already have a BundID account? You can register on the ZAB website and create your personal account with your BundID.
- Go to My Account and select "Log in."
- Select "Continue with BundID." You will be taken to the BundID website. You can then log in with your BundID login information.
- You will automatically be redirected to the ZAB website where you can complete registering your ZAB account.
You have to sign with your BundID every time you use My Account on the ZAB website.
If you forgot your login information, you can request a new password on the BundID login page.
If you delete the BundID account you used to submit your application to the ZAB, you can no longer log in to My Account on the ZAB website.
You will no longer be able to access your mailbox with all your messages and documents – including your Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification.
Make sure to save all the documents you might require at a later point in time before deleting your BundID account.