Pharmacist's 15-Month License Battle Exposes Flaws in Germany's Recognition System
Fatma Balla, a pharmacist who migrated to Germany in 2021, experienced a 15-month delay in obtaining her professional license after authorities suspected fraud. The issue arose from an undated interim certificate she submitted during the recognition process. Criminal proceedings against her were eventually dropped in January 2025, but the ordeal left her advocating for better treatment of foreign professionals in the future.
Balla arrived in Germany in 2021 and spent three years awaiting her full pharmacist license. In November 2023, she passed her professional language exam and continued working under supervision. As part of her application, she submitted an interim certificate from her employer—one that lacked an issue date.
The Hessian State Office for Health and Care (HLfGP) flagged the missing date as suspicious and filed a criminal complaint for alleged fraud. Instead of receiving her license in early 2025, Balla was summoned by police and warned of a potential professional ban. A letter from Darmstadt court even suggested she could be barred from practicing.
Her lawyer requested case files in May 2024, but the documents only arrived four months later. Balla criticized the HLfGP for its lack of transparency, arguing that clearer communication could have prevented the lengthy delay. She also urged the office to show more respect and sensitivity when dealing with foreign professionals in similar situations.
In January 2025, the case was finally dropped, and the HLfGP confirmed her certificate would be issued without further delay.
The HLfGP has not disclosed whether other pharmacists faced similar issues with undated certificates since 2023. Balla's case highlights the challenges foreign professionals can encounter during the licensing process. Her certification is now expected to arrive shortly, ending a prolonged period of uncertainty.
