The information on this page applies if you have received a licence to practise as a doctor of medicine in Sweden and completed a general medical practitioner training in an EU Member State other than Sweden or in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.
Basic conditions
In Sweden, general medical practitioner is a protected professional title. This means that only those who have been awarded an evidence of formal qualifications as general medical practitioner may use the title. The recognition of professional qualifications in an EEA Member State* is based on EC Directive (2005/36/EC) which states that the Member States mutually recognise formal qualifications. This applies both to employees and independent practitioners in the healthcare sector.
General medical practitioner is one of the professions where the evidence of formal qualifications can be issued according to the Directive’s system for automatic recognition. A condition for this is that you have received your diploma in a Member State and that the diploma is listed in Annex V, point 5.1.4 of the Directive. The annex states the requirements on the diploma regarding name, reference date and professional title.
You apply by following points 1 to 4a below. If you do not have the required diploma you must supplement your application as described under 4b below.
The issuing of an evidence of formal qualification as general medical practitioner requires evidence that you are of good character or repute and that your permission to pursue your profession has not been revoked as a result of serious professional misconduct or a criminal offence. You can prove this yourself with a “Certificate of Current Professional Status” or a “Certificate of Good Standing”. Such a certificate must be issued by the competent authority, be sent in its original form, and must not be older than three months. It should also show your name and date of birth.
*EEA Member State refers to a European Union Member State and to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Anything stated about EEA countries also applies to Switzerland.
Send the following documents to Socialstyrelsen (The National Board of Health and Welfare):
1. Completed application form
2. Extract from the Swedish population register
- The extract must not be older than three months.
- If you are not registered in Sweden for population purposes, enclose a certified copy of a valid passport instead. The passport does not need to be translated.
- If you have changed your name, enclose a certified copy of a certificate showing the name change.
- The same certification rules apply as for diplomas, please see below.
3. Certified copy of your diploma
- The copy of the original must be certified by an organisation, institution or public authority. A copy certified by an individual is not accepted. Nota Bene: There must be an official stamp showing what institution certified the copy.
- The document has to be translated into Swedish or English by an authorized translator. Documents issued in Denmark or Norway do not need to be translated.
4a. Certificate stating that your training conforms to the current EC Directive (does not apply to applicants from other Nordic countries)
- The certificate must confirm that your diploma is listed in Annex V, point 5.1.4, to the Directive. This means that it must state that your training fulfils the conditions of Article 28 of Directive 2005/36/EC. This certificate can have different names, for example “Certificate of Conformity”.
- The certificate should contain your name, date of birth and the date of your diploma and/or of your licence to practise.
- The certificate must be issued by the competent authority and be sent in its original form.
- You also have to enclose a translation of the certificate. The same translation rules apply as for diplomas.
If you CANNOT present the certificate mentioned under 4a, you need the certificate mentioned below, under 4b:
4b. Certificate of acquired rights
- The certificate must confirm that your acquired rights fulfil the conditions according to Article 23, point 6, or Article 30 of Directive 2005/36/EC. This certificate can have different names, for example “Certificate of Acquired Rights”. Read more about what certificate of acquired rights you need.
- The certificate should contain your name, date of birth and the date of your diploma.
- The certificate must be issued by the competent authority and be sent in its original form.
- You also have to enclose a translation of the certificate. The same translation rules apply as for diplomas.
Additional information
Applying for a formal qualification as a general medical practitioner is free of charge.
The evidence can only be issued after Socialstyrelsen (The National Board of Health and Welfare) has received the complete application.
If you have been granted a licence to practise without being registered in Sweden for population purposes, you should send in an extract from the Swedish population register as soon as you receive a complete personal identity number.
The information on this page is not legally binding.