Many Ibero-American professionals with university degrees are working in Spain but cannot yet practice in their field. While their application progresses, many are employed below their qualification level. "We are talking about doctors, nurses, or engineers whom the system needs and who are waiting for paperwork. Recognition is possible if done correctly, but it is not an easy process and requires a thorough understanding of how the Ministry operates," explains Laura Cabrera from España Te Homologa
Recognition, Equivalence, and Validation: They Are Not the Same
The first common mistake is initiating the wrong procedure. Current regulations, Royal Decree 889/2022, distinguish between figures with different effects:
- Recognition (Homologación): Necessary to practice a regulated profession in Spain, such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, certain engineering fields, or teaching. It grants the foreign degree the effects of the official Spanish degree that qualifies for that profession.
- Equivalence: Recognizes the academic level of the degree (e.g., Bachelor's), useful for non-regulated professions like consulting or advisory roles, but does not qualify one to practice a regulated profession.
- Validation (Convalidación): Recognizes studies or subjects for continuation in Spain. This is the path for some professionals, such as lawyers, who need to complete their training before they can register with their professional body.
What is Required?
The procedure requires, among other documents, the degree and the academic transcript with the courses taken, duly legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, translated by a sworn translator. In some cases, the Ministry may make recognition conditional on the professional passing an exam or completing supplementary training.
Six Months: When to Act If the File Stalls
The administration has a maximum period of six months to resolve. In practice, many files exceed this. For such cases, España Te Homologa has designed its Administrative Boost service: once the deadline passes without a response, the firm uses the available legal mechanisms to demand that the file be resolved.
"We do not promise deadlines, as they depend on the Ministry. What we can do is ensure the file is not forgotten in a drawer and that the professional knows at all times where it stands," adds Laura.
A Different Process Depending on the Profession
The firm works on a profession-by-profession basis: doctors, dentists, nurses, health psychologists, engineers, educators, and lawyers have different requirements and pathways. Therefore, the first step of their service is a review of the documentation to confirm if the degree can be recognized and which path is appropriate.
About España Te Homologa
España Te Homologa is a firm specializing in the recognition, equivalence, and validation of foreign university degrees for professionals from Ibero-America who wish to practice their careers in Spain. It offers a degree recognition service in Spain with España Te Homologa that includes document review, file preparation, and Administrative Boost when the Ministry does not resolve within the deadline.
