The Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Regulation and Inspection of Social Care) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2026

11.   After section 88 (rules about applications for registration or renewal) insert—

Applications for registration: specified state applicants – supplementary provisions

88A.— (1) In relation to applications for the registration of a specified state applicant, the registrar must—

(a) within one month beginning with the date of receipt of the application—

(i) acknowledge receipt of the application, and

(ii) inform the applicant of any missing document for the purposes of the application;

(b) give the applicant adequate time to complete the requirements and procedures of the application process;

(c) deal promptly with the application.

(2) The registrar may require the applicant to provide evidence of their professional qualifications and their ability to satisfy the other registration requirements.

(3) But any evidence required under subsection (2) must be no more than is necessary to demonstrate —

(a) the professional qualifications the applicant holds are evidence of the applicant having reached a standard of proficiency comparable to the requirements mentioned in section 84 (“appropriately qualified”) in relation to the part of the register to which the application relates, and

(b) the applicant is able to satisfy the other registration requirements.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (2), the registrar must accept certified copies in place of original documents (unless original documents are reasonably required to protect the integrity of the registration process).

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4), a certified copy of a document is one which has been certified to be a true copy of the original by a solicitor practising in any part of the United Kingdom.”