A person holding a license or registered to practice geology issued by proper authority of a state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any foreign country, on the basis of comparable licensing or registration requirements and who, in the opinion of the department otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter, based on verified evidence, may, upon approval of an application for licensure, be licensed without further examination; provided, that the state, agency or country issuing the license or certificate of registration has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the department, is part of a general reciprocity agreement among all applicable states or has established some other form of mutual recognition of licensure or comity with the department.