UK GMC Registration for Internationally-Qualified Doctors
As of July 2026, any doctor who wants to practise medicine in the UK must hold registration with a licence to practise from the General Medical Council (GMC). This free guide explains the routes β the PLAB examination, recognised postgraduate qualifications, and specialist registration β plus English-language evidence and the visa overview, organised by where you qualified.
Choose your pathway by where you qualified
The GMC route depends on your qualification and where you trained. Pick the guide that matches your situation.
UK GMC Registration for EEA & EU-Qualified Doctors
Since the UK left the EU on 1 January 2021, medical qualifications from the European Economic Area are no longer automatically recognised for UK practice. This guide explains, country by country, how the General Medical Council now assesses EEA-qualified doctors β the routes, the English-language evidence, and the post-Brexit visa position.
Read the EEA pathway guide βUK GMC Registration for Gulf-Based Doctors
Doctors working across the Gulf Cooperation Council states are often international medical graduates licensed by a Gulf health authority after qualifying elsewhere. This guide explains how the General Medical Council assesses Gulf-based doctors β why your primary qualification, not your Gulf licence, sets your route, which Certificates of Good Standing you need, and how the UK visa fits in.
Read the Gulf pathway guide βThe GMC registration steps, in order
Every route shares the same broad sequence. Confirm the current detail for your circumstances on the official GMC website.
Confirm your GMC route
Contact the General Medical Council (gmc-uk.org) to confirm which registration route your primary medical qualification and any postgraduate qualifications support β the PLAB examination, a recognised postgraduate qualification, or specialist registration.
Meet the knowledge and skills requirement
Complete the route the GMC confirms β for example, passing both parts of the PLAB examination, or holding a postgraduate qualification the GMC accepts.
Evidence your English
Provide the English-language evidence the GMC accepts for your circumstances β usually IELTS Academic or OET, or evidence that your qualification was taught and examined in English. Confirm current thresholds on gmc-uk.org.
Gather Certificates of Good Standing
Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Current Professional Status) from every medical regulator you have been registered with in the last five years.
Apply to the GMC and arrange the right to work
Submit your GMC application with your evidence. If you are not a UK or Irish citizen, secure the right to work β typically a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer (gov.uk).
What this guide is β and is not
This is
- Free, general educational information about the UK registration pathway.
- Organised for doctors who are independently exploring their options.
- A pointer to the official sources β the GMC (gmc-uk.org) and gov.uk β for the current, authoritative detail.
This is not
- A recruitment service. GeraClinic does not place doctors into NHS jobs and is not a recruitment agency.
- A guarantee of registration, a job, or a visa β those decisions rest with the GMC, employers, and UK Visas and Immigration.
- Legal or immigration advice. Always confirm your position with the official regulators.
Individuals may always apply directly, of their own accord, to the GMC and to any advertised vacancy. The UK Code of Practice for International Recruitment restricts active recruitment from certain countries β this guide covers permitted source corridors only.
Frequently asked questions
What is GMC registration and who needs it?
The General Medical Council (GMC) is the UK regulator for doctors. Anyone who wants to practise medicine in the UK must hold GMC registration with a licence to practise, regardless of where they qualified. Internationally-qualified doctors apply through one of several GMC routes.
What are the main routes to GMC registration for international doctors?
The main routes are the PLAB examination (a two-part test of knowledge and clinical skills), a recognised postgraduate qualification (such as certain UK Royal College memberships), and β for suitably qualified specialists β specialist registration. The GMC confirms which route applies to your qualification.
Do I need an English-language test?
Most applicants evidence English through IELTS Academic or the OET. Doctors whose primary qualification was taught and examined in English, or who have recent English-language clinical practice, may be able to evidence proficiency another way. The GMC sets the acceptable evidence and current thresholds β confirm them on gmc-uk.org.
Is GeraClinic a recruitment agency for the NHS?
No. GeraClinic is a telemedicine platform operated by Gera Services Ltd. These pages are free educational information for doctors who independently want to understand the UK registration pathway. GeraClinic does not place doctors into NHS jobs and is not a recruitment agency. Individuals apply to the GMC, and to any employer, directly and of their own accord.
Does the UK Code of Practice affect which doctors can move to the UK?
The UK Code of Practice for International Recruitment restricts active recruitment (targeted marketing of UK jobs, agency sourcing, and matching) from certain countries on the WHO Safeguards / UK red and amber lists. It does not stop any individual from applying directly of their own accord to a specific advertised vacancy. This guide covers permitted source corridors and is information, not active recruitment.
Keep practising while you plan your move
GeraClinic is a remote telemedicine platform for licensed doctors. Wherever you are registered today, you can see patients online, set your own hours and fees, and get paid within 3β5 business days β a way to keep earning while you work through your UK registration. It is free to apply.