FAQs - Applying for permanent provision of services
Where should I apply to get my qualifications recognised in another EU country?
To find out which authority is responsible for your profession, you can contact the relevant national contact points for recognition of professional qualifications.
I am Austrian and I finished vocational training to be a professional "masseur" in Belgium. Can I practice the profession of physiotherapist in Portugal?
First, you need to check whether the profession of "masseur" is the same profession that you want to practise in Portugal (physiotherapist). We recommend you to contact the Portuguese contact point for recognition of professional qualifications to find out this. The Belgian contact point for recognition of professional qualifications can also clarify whether your training qualifications meet the Portuguese requirements.
Since professional qualifications are recognised in the EU, surely I do not have to apply for recognition if I want to establish my activity in another EU country?
YES — You will have to re-apply in the other country. Mutual recognition of qualifications is a general principle and there are nuances in how it applies in practice i.e. more or less automatically depending on the profession concerned. In any case, it is necessary to apply for recognition.
I am a Romanian midwife and I am applying for recognition of my qualifications in France. What documents should I submit?
The French authorities will require proof of your nationality, and possibly also other documents which are required of holders of French midwifery qualifications. In case of justified doubts, they can also require a certificate of compliance issued by the Romanian authorities, certifying that your qualification is the one covered in the relevant directive. If the name of your qualification does not correspond, they will also require a certificate of change of name. You might also be asked to provide a certificate proving at least one year of professional experience 2 years in certain circumstances.
Three months have passed since I submitted my application file for recognition of my qualifications in Spain and I have not heard back from them. Is that normal?
NO — The competent Spanish authority should acknowledge receipt of your application within 1 month and inform you at the same time of any missing documents. It should then take a reasoned decision on your application after no more than 4 months. If this deadline is not respected, you can call on the EU assistance services.