The procedure through which foreigners can immigrate to Czech Republic will depend on the country of origin of such persons. Here, two categories will appear: persons who are citizens of the member-states of the European (EU) and persons who arrive from non-EU countries. Both categories will be able to apply for the Czech citizenship.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Entry visa requirement (from EU) |
No |
|
Entry visa requirement (outside EU) |
Yes, but there are visa exemptions for some non-EU states for short-term stays |
|
Types of visas available |
– studies, – work, – business, – family reunification, – sports, – culture and others |
| Time frame for obtaining work visa (approx.) |
60 -120 days |
| Validity of the temporary residence permit |
1 year (certificates of temporary residence for EU citizens are available for 10 years) |
| Time frame for obtaining permanent residence (approx.) |
30 days |
| Investor Visa Availability |
Yes |
| Sponsorship requirement |
Yes, for specific types of visas (employment, family reunification) |
| Time frame for obtaining citizenship | 10 years |
| Citizenship/Residency by investment scheme availability | Yes |
| Tax benefits for expats |
– non-residents are taxed only for the income obtained in Czech Republic – foreign residents are taxed just like Czech nationals |
| Visa issuance fees | EUR 45 (for children between 6 to 11 years old), EUR 90 for the majority of foreign adult applicants, EUR 35 for certain foreign nationals (from countries such as North Macedonia, Montenegro, Japan) |
|
Fee charged for the issuance of a residence permit |
CZK 2,500 |
|
Institution in charge with the immigration formalities |
Immigration services in Czech Republic are provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
| Right to appeal a visa refusal (yes/no) | Yes |
| When can a person make an appeal? |
In a period of maximum 15 days since the visa refusal was issued. |
| Fee exemption for the issuance of a residence permit (yes/no) |
No |
| When can a foreigner be exempted from fee payment? |
For visa applications, foreigners can be exempted in the following cases: – based on their age (minors below 6 years old); – based on nationality (for example Moldavians, Armenians, Ukrainians, etc. do not have to pay a processing fee for the issuance of a long-term visa); – based on the purpose of the visa and nationality (Turkish nationals who have obtained a scholarship do not pay a visa processing fee); – based on family ties (family members of EU nationals are exempt from paying the Schengen visa fees); – other situations (diplomats, young foreigners with an age below 25 years old who arrive here for seminars, cultural events, etc.). |
| How long does it take to obtain a business visa? |
Around 15 business days |
| Registration obligations |
Foreigners must report their residency within 3 days after their arrival (applicable to those who arrive here under a Schengen visa or under a visa free regime, who do not stay in a commercial accomodation). |
| What happens in case of overstaying a visa? | Foreigners can be fined with CZK 5,000 (the rules of the Alient Act will apply). |
| Ways to acquire citizenship |
– by naturalization; – by descent; – by declaration; – for special merit |
| Requirements for citizenship by naturalization |
Citizenship by naturalization is available for foreign nationals who have been living in Czech Republic for 10 years, and who are permanent residents. They must know the Czech language at a B1 level and prove they are integrated in the Czech society. |
| Fees for citizenship application |
CZK 2,000 for adults and CZK 500 for minors |
| Residency rights for refugees |
Refugees will receive temporary or long-term residency and they will have the same rights as those granted to other categories of residents (to work, to rent/own a home, enroll children in the public school system, benefit from medical services, etc.). |
| Law on immigration in Czech Republic | Law on the Residence of Foreigners, Asylum Act, the Czech Citizenship Act, etc . |
The documents one has to prepare for in order to migrate to Czech Republic will depend based on the purpose of arrival; our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can inform on such papers.
Even though the procedure can be handled by the applicant, it is better to obtain legal advice from a specialist in the field, who has extensive knowledge of the applicable law and who can provide up-to-date and reliable information.
How can we assist in Czech Republic immigration procedures?
You can rely on our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic if you need to move to Prague, for example, for work purposes or for any other reason that is regulated under the Czech law. Our attorney can offer legal advice and representation to all foreign individuals.
Foreigners can also request information on the legal steps one should follow when immigrating to Czech Republic for business purposes. Some of the basic immigration services foreigners can receive are presented below:
• obtaining residence permits for short-term basis or obtaining permanent residence permits;
• assisting foreigners in employment matters in Czech Republic (applying for Blue Cards, assisting in intra-company transfers or general work permits);
• assisting foreign investors in obtaining a Czech long-term residence permit for business purposes;
• providing legal advice on family reunification programs addressed to EU or non-EU persons;
• obtaining a visa for Czech Republic and applying for the Czech citizenship.
Who needs a residence permit in Czech Republic?
In the case of foreigners who arrive from any EU member state, there is no need to comply with any immigration rules, as the EU citizens benefit from the right of free movement in the EU area.
When we refer to the issuance of a temporary residence permit, it must be observed that foreigners who arrive from EU member states do not have to obtain this document, but if they want to have it, they can easily apply with the Czech authorities.
The document is necessary in the case of those who will migrate in Czech Republic for a period longer than 90 days and it is mandatory for citizens outside the EU.
In the case of persons who want to immigrate to Czech Republic on a long-term basis, they can apply for a long-term residence permit that can be requested for numerous cases, related to employment, developing a business activity.
One can obtain it for family reunification or visiting friends, for study purposes, participating in scientific research, investment activities, to name a few.
Foreigners from outside the EU seeking for employment in this country can apply for a employee card, which will allow them to stay in this country for a period of up to two years. The document can be renewed upon its expiration for the same purpose for which it was issued the first time.
Please mind that the application procedure can last approximately 90 days and our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can present in-depth information on the steps the applicant should expect when applying for this type of document. They can also help you if you need to move to Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic.
What is the process of obtaining an EU Blue Card?
Many people who relocate to Czech Republic arrive here for work purposes; the same is true in general when it comes to immigration, as people move from one country to another mostly for employment opportunities.
At an EU level, foreigners have the opportunity to obtain the EU Blue Card, which is a permit that grants the right to work in any EU country, including the Czech Republic.
The EU Blue Card can be obtained only by persons who have a high level of experience in their field and they are considered skilled employees, based on their work activity and studies.
The document is issued only for those who will stay in the country for a period of minimum 90 days and who are citizens of countries outside the EU, as EU citizens do not need any particular documents to work here.
According to the Czech immigration law, there are 2 options for applying for this document. The 1st one is to address to the embassy or consulate in the country where the applicant lives prior to the arrival in this country.
The 2nd one is to address to the Ministry of Interior, which is also entitled to issue this document. This is applicable for foreigners who have already arrived here.
However, the person is required to apply from Czech Republic for the EU Blue Card in a period of maximum 1 month since the date of arrival.
Then, another condition to move to Czech Republic as the holder of the EU Blue Card refers to the employment contract. The applicant must have a valid employment contract signed with a local company.
The minimum duration of the contract has to be of 1 year; there is also a condition to meet regarding the salary that the foreigner will be paid with.
Thus, the EU Blue Card will be available only for those who will have a salary 1.5 times bigger than the average annual gross salary (the value can vary from one year to another).
The salary should be calculated at a monthly or yearly value. According to the Ministry of Interior, from 1st of May 2021 to 30th of April 2022, the yearly salary of a person is of CZK 427,332 (or approximately EUR 17,000).
Thus, the gross salary of an EU Blue Card holder should be of at least CZK 53,416 per month (calculated at a gross value and accounting for EUR 2,174).
Below, you can watch a short video on our immigration services in Czech Republic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMRSvG0b6EU
What is the Labor Market Test in Czech Republic?
Foreigners who want to move to Czech Republic by obtaining this document or another type of work permit should be aware that the European law applies a mechanism that prioritizes persons based on their nationality.
The non-EU nationals will first have to wait for the prioritizing system to be completed in the country of interest.
Thus, the said country must first make sure that the citizens and the permanent residents of that country have access to the respective job opportunity. In the case in which they are not qualified for the position, then the next category will follow.
The same applies if they are not interested in the respective job vacancy. EU citizens are then prioritized and if this fails to provide any positive results, non-EU citizens will have the right to apply for the job.
This system is known as Labor Market Test, and the Czech immigration law applies this system; our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can provide further details. They can also help you if you need to move to Prague and obtain residency there.
The EU Blue Card is available for a period of 2 years at an EU level, but each country can have its own rules.
For instance, the Czech immigration law stipulates that the document can be issued for the duration of the employment contract plus 3 extra months, but that the overall validity of the document can’t be of more than 2 years.
In order to migrate to Czech Republic by using this document, foreigners are required to pay a fee of EUR 92; the renewal of the document costs EUR 92, while the replacement of the Blue Card costs EUR 142.
What are the basic conditions for obtaining a Czech Republic working holiday visa?
If you are interested in applying for a Czech Republic working holiday visa, you should find out the basic conditions related to the issuance of this immigration document. Besides the nationality requirement (the ones mentioned above), foreigners should also comply with other matters. For example, one should know that this visa is mainly intended for those interested in visiting the country, while employment being the secondary reason for moving to Czech Republic for a determined period of time, and the same applies to the right of staying here. The visa can’t be used for the issuance of a Czech long term residence permit.
There is also an age requirement – only persons with an age between 18 to 35 years old can apply for the Czech Republic working holiday visa. The age requirement can range based on the nationality of the applicant. For instance, in the case of the Czech Republic working holiday visa that can be obtained by Japanese citizens, the age limit is of 30 years old.
The applicants must be, of course, the holders of passports issued by the authorities in the country where they have their permanent residence. Persons who have children can’t bring their children in this country under this type of visa. If a person considers relocation to Czech Republic with children and other family members, other types of visas have to be requested; you can find out more details on the visas available in this case from our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic.
Types of Czech residency permits
The Czech Republic immigration law prescribes three main types of residence permits. One of the permits foreigners can obtain is the temporary residence permit that can be obtained by all foreigners, including EU and non-EU nationals.
The document can be obtained in the case of foreigners who will live here for a period of minimum 90 days. The other residency document is the long-term residence permit, issued for those who want to stay here for a period of approximately 1-2 years.
As a general rule, the eligible candidates are those who have arrived here for the purpose of enrolling in a local education institution, those who qualify for the family reunification programs or those who are seeking employment in Czech Republic.
Also, those who arrive for business purposes or scientific research can obtain this type of permit.
The third type of residence permit that is available in Czech Republic is the permanent residence permit. This offers the right of living in Czech Republic on a permanent basis. The document is available for EU and non-EU persons.
This document can be obtained after a period of staying here for minimum 5 years. It also represents a simpler way to stay here if you are considering relocating to Czech Republic on a permanent basis, but in this case, one should also provide evidence on fluency in the Czech language.
Does Czech Republic immigration law prescribe business visas?
Foreigners who want to move to Czech Republic for the purpose of developing a business activity have the opportunity of applying for a business visa. The document is issued as a long-term visa and this will grant the right to live in this country for a period of minimum 90 days.
Those who want to obtain this type of visa will have to address to a Czech consulate or embassy working in their near vicinity, as these are the sole institutions entitled to process the applications.
Please mind that if you want to apply for a business visa, the visa will be issued by the same consulate/embassy that you addressed, meaning that if you applied for it in your home country, you will need to have your visa with you at the moment of arrival in this country.
The visa processing can take approximately 90 days; you should know this when moving to Czech Republic in order to avoid any types of issues upon your arrival. The visa processing can be extended to maximum 120.
What documents are necessary for the Czech business visa?
This can happen because the applicant did not complete all the required documents or due to various institutional delays. This is why is very important to have your documents reviewed by our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic prior to submitting them. When preparing the application file, you should submit the following:
- the standard application form that is provided by the Czech institutions;
- the proof on the payment of the visa fee and two recent photographs;
- the applicant’s passport in the original version (which must be valid throughout the entire stay in Czech Republic);
- any type of proof which states that the applicant has sufficient financial resources to live in Czech Republic – a bank statement can be used in this sense;
- given that this purpose of the immigration document is business related, the applicant must submit documents issued by the relevant institutions;
- such documents can refer to a certificate from the Trade Licensing Office or from the Commercial Register, or other documents that show the purpose of stay, which can also be related to management matters, liquidation, bankruptcy or other situations which require the presence of the applicant);
- when submitting the papers, the applicant has to present information on the accommodation in Czech Republic.
Depending on the nationality of the applicant, other compulsory documents may be required. For instance, the citizens of several countries, such as Kenya, Nigeria, Moldavia or Uzbekistan have to submit medical documents attesting that they are TBC and syphilis free.
This legal requirement is solely for few nationality and you can request more details on the full list of countries that must respect this requirement from our Czech Republic immigration lawyer.
With regards to this, the applicant should be aware that the Czech authorities will only accept official translations of these documents; when applying for the business visa, this document must already be translated into the Czech language, as the Czech consulates do not provide translation services for applicants.
How can one obtain an airport visa in Czech Republic?
The Czech Republic visa requirements will impose foreigners from specific countries with the need of applying for an airport visa. The airport visa is a type of document that is used for transiting the Czech airport where the foreigner has a connecting flight to another destination. This document does not grant the right of visiting the country and the holder is not entitled to leave the Czech airport.
The airport visa is necessary for the citizens of countries such as: Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Liberia, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Sri Lanka and others; the full list of the nationalities that must apply for an airport visa can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
The foreigner applying for a visa for Czech Republic issued as a transit document should provide his or her personal identity document (the passport), complete a visa application form, submit the airplane ticket showing the travel itinerary, as well as the visa documents issued by the country which represents the final traveling destination.
How can a foreigner apply for a Schengen visa in Czech Republic?
Another type of visa available for foreigners is the Schengen visa, a document that is issued on the Czech territory starting with 2007, when the country became a member state of this structure. The Schengen visa is a short-term stay visa, that is provided to foreigners when they want to stay here for a period of maximum 90 days.
Thus, the document can’t be used as a valid document for moving to Czech Republic. It can only be used for traveling purposes, business purposes or visiting family or friends living in this country. The applicant must present a valid passport, the application form, submit a recent photograph with the standard form recognized in the Schengen zone and have a medical insurance with a value of at least EUR 30,000.
The Czech Republic visa requirements in this case will impose foreigners to make the proof of having sufficient financial means to live here for the given period of time. They must also present documents stating their accommodation for the duration of the stay; other documents are necessary and our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can present more details. He can also inform you about the documents necessary if you want to move to Prague.
What is the process of becoming a Czech citizen?
There are different legal pathways that can open the opportunity of becoming a Czech citizen; such pathways are prescribed by the national law.
Some of the most common way to become a citizen is through naturalization, which is the process by which foreigners first gain permanent residency, which will then open the way to citizenship.
This process is called naturalization, and it defines the procedure through a foreigner who is not related in any way to a Czech national has the right of obtaining the citizenship of this country.
There are specific requirements that have to be met – for instance, when the applicant starts the procedure, he or she should be able to prove an in-depth knowledge of the Czech history, society and language, and he or she should also be familiarized with the judicial system of the country.
Citizenship rules and framework is prescribed by the Act No. 186/2013 Coll. (the Czech Citizenship Act).
Our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can present the legal steps that you have to take in order to become a Czech national, and below, we invite you to read a short presentation regarding the persons who are entitled to receive the citizenship.
Persons who have been living on a continuous basis in Czech Republic as holders of permanent residency cards for minimum 5 years and persons who have been living here under a permanent residence permit for 3 years, as long as the holder of the permit is a citizen of any EU member state or EEA, will be allowed to start the citizenship process.
Then, it is necessary to know that the age of the applicant is of relevance.
Here, those moving to Czech Republic must be aware that the law stipulates two main categories of persons – those who have an age of minimum 18 years old at the moment when the application is made and those who are minors with an age of at least 15 years old.
Applicants who have an age of minimum 15 years old are required to have a clean criminal record. For applicants who have been living in Czech Republic for a period longer than 10 years, they will need to obtain such documents from the Czech police authorities.
For those who lived here for a period shorter than 10 years, it is necessary to obtain police clearance from the authorities in Czech Republic and the ones of the country where they lived.
How can one obtain a visa for family reunification purposes in Czech Republic?
Foreigners can arrive here for family reunification programs as well, and for this, they will need to apply for a family visa. In order to be able to receive the document, the applicant is required to provide evidence on the family ties of persons who are currently living in Czech Republic.
When moving to Czech Republic for this purpose, the foreigners will need to present a set of documents, which will be included in their visa application. If you need to obtain this visa type, we invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic, who can provide more details on the following documents:
- the application must contain the travel document in its original form;
- a document showing the purpose of stay – and here, various documents can be used, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.;
- the proof of accommodation in Czech Republic and the proof of having sufficient financial funds to live here for the duration of the stay;
- a photograph and the consent of parents, in the case of minor children;
- you may also be required to provide a extract from the Penal Register of the country where you are citizen/resident;
- a medical document showing that you meet the health requirements that are applicable in Czech Republic (these two latter requirements can apply only if the Czech institutions will require).
Please mind that a part of these documents have to be submitted in their original version; for some, the certified version can be accepted, which means that you will need the legal assistance of a notary.
You must also have a travel insurance certificate, but the document will be necessary only after you have received the approval on your visa.
If you need further advice on moving to Czech Republic, our immigration lawyer can assist you. You can also request additional information on any other types of visas that can be issued here.
Our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic is also qualified to represent persons who arrive here for humanitarian reasons or those who are seeking asylum in this country.
For the latter, specific procedures have to be followed and foreigners in need can always contact our team of immigration lawyers in Czech Republic for more details. Our law firm can provide legal representation to businessmen who want to invest here and who want to permanently relocate to this country.
How many immigrants live in Czech Republic?
The number of foreigners immigrating to Czech Republic increased at a steady rate in the last decade. The latest data provided by the Directorate of the Alien Police Service measures the number of foreigners based on the residence permits issued by the local authorities.
It refers to long-term residence permits and foreigners with permanent residence in Czech Republic. The data regarding this matter is presented below:
• in 2004, permanent residence was awarded to 99,000 foreigners, while 115,000 persons had Czech long-term residence permit documents;
• 10 years later, in 2014, 250,000 foreigners had permanent residence in this country, while 200,000 immigrants obtained long-term residence cards;
• in 2016, 272,000 foreigners obtained permanent residency and 221,000 immigrants had long-term residence permits;
• in 2018, the number of foreigners with permanent residency increased at 289,000 and the number of long-term residence permits increased at 275,000;
• at the level of 2017, the net migration rate in Czech Republic was of 2.3 migrants per 1,000 persons living here.
More information on the services foreigners can receive when immigrating to Czech Republic can be obtained from our lawyer.
We invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic for in-depth advice on any of the procedures related to immigration in this country. You can also receive full assistance on the issuance of the Czech citizenship.
If you want to apply for Czech citizenship by marriage with a local citizen, you must know that are certain advantages compared to citizenship by naturalization.
The main advantage is that the legislation allows to apply for permanent residency only after 2 years of stay in the country, compared to 5 years, which is the standard time imposed to other foreign nationals.
First, the foreign national will obtain temporary residency in Czech Republic, through the issuance of a temporary residence permit. The right to permanent residency can be influenced by numerous factors, one of them being the personal situation of the applicant.
For foreigners married to Czech nationals, the citizenship procedure can be initiated after 3 years of permanent residency.