EU qualifications

Please download the following documents in PDF format:

Under the provisions of the Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36 (“the Directive”) your architectural qualification will generally be accepted in the United Kingdom provided that you meet certain requirements:

You must be a national of an EEA country,or a ‘Directive Rights National’ (DRN) someone with an enforceable Community right (such as a spouse of an EEA national)

By means of example only, an EEA national who is exercising his/her Treaty rights to move is entitled to bring their spouse to the country they are moving to as well, and the spouse acquires rights to practise their profession in the new country also. The spouse would have to demonstrate the Community right on which they were relying. So, they might provide copies of both parties’ passports or national identity cards, together with a copy of the marriage certificate and a letter from the EEA national, confirming that he or she is moving from another EEA state to the UK and that their spouse is joining him or her. If you have any queries about whether or not you have an enforceable Community right, you should seek your own independent legal advice.
You hold a qualification (together with any relevant secondary certificates) which is specifically listed in the Directive and,
You are eligible to practise, or are lawfully established, as an architect in your home state.

Provided that you meet these conditions, you will generally be eligible to be included in “Part 1” of the Register of Architects (the main Register.) “Part 2” of the Register is reserved for visiting EEA architects who may provide temporary and occasional services only in the UK whilst registered in Part 2.

To apply to become registered in reliance on the rights given by Directive 2005/36 you will need to provide the following documents and evidence to ARB:

Form K

This must be completed at all relevant sections using block letters in blue or black ink. Please ensure that your writing is clearly legible and that your personal details are in the correct sections. You will normally hear about your registration in the first instance by email, so please provide an email address where requested - if available - and carefully list all letters and characters of the address so we can contact you about your application as promptly as possible.
Registration fee

Please enclose a cheque or bankers draft for the fee, in pounds sterling and drawn on a UK bank, payable to the Architects Registration Board. If your cheque or draft is from a company account, please endorse the rear of the cheque with your full name. Alternatively, you may complete the remittance advice section of the application form with relevant credit or debit card details.
Evidence of nationality.

Please enclose a copy of your EEA passport/national identity card, or evidence of the enforceable Community right on which you rely.
Evidence of qualification.

Please supply copies of your academic degree or diploma certificates. Where your country has listed secondary certificates as requirements under the Directive (for instance, membership or authorisation certificates) you must also supply copies of those documents.
Confirmation of status of qualification

Please supply a certificate issued by the competent authority (a list of all competent authorities is included as part of these application documents) to confirm that your qualifications are covered by the Directive. If you are unsure about the document that you need to obtain, please contact the office as we may have a sample statements that we can supply on request.
Home state establishment or eligibility to practise*.

The Board requires that applicants for registration are either-
- Lawfully established as architects in the state in which their evidence of qualifications was awarded or,
- Eligible to practise in that state.
Please supply a statement from your competent authority to confirm establishment or eligibility.

*Special provisions apply for Swiss nationals under earlier arrangements – please contact the office directly for further details
Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII): statement of compliance

Complete the relevant sections of the statement included with these application documents, including date and signature and return it together with the application documents

Further requirements

If the name under which you apply for registration is different from the name on your degree/diploma certificate, please provide evidence of the change of name, for example, your marriage certificate, deed poll or other official evidence of the change.

Translations are required of all documents submitted in a language other than English: these will need to be made by a licensed or otherwise authorised translator or bureau in the UK or another EEA state.

Please note that the fee payable covers the application and admission process. On 1st January immediately following your registration and annually thereafter, you will be required to pay an Annual Retention Fee in order to maintain your registration as an architect in the United Kingdom.

NOTE: In the United Kingdom the title ‘architect’ is protected by statute. Under the terms of the Architects Act 1997, a person shall not practise or carry on business under any name, style or title containing the word ‘architect’ unless they are duly registered with this Board. You must not make use of that description in the United Kingdom until such a time as you are registered.

We hope that our information and documentation are of assistance, although if you have any queries or would like further information, please do let us know.

Yours sincerely

Registration Department

Useful links:

The General Rules
http://www.arb.org.uk/publications/rules_and_policies/general_rules.php

The Code of Conduct
http://www.arb.org.uk/professional_standards/regulating_architects/architects_code.php

The Investigation Rules
http://www.arb.org.uk/professional_standards/regulating_architects/pcc_and_investigations_committee_rules.php

The Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2005L0036:20071226:EN:PDF

The Architects Act 1997
http://arb.c8.com/publications/legislation/the_architects_act/default.php

PII Guidance
http://www.arb.org.uk/professional_standards/professional_indemnity_insurance/pii_guidance.php

2008 Amendments to Architects Act
http://www.arb.org.uk/registration/applying_for_registration/architects_regulations.pdf