As a foreigner moving to Czech Republic, you are entitled to obtain Czech citizenship in given circumstances, and our immigration lawyers can help you acquire it. Some of the ways in which an individual can obtain Czech citizenship are: by birth, by descent or by naturalization.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Ways to acquire citizenship in Czech Republic |
– by descent, – by naturalization, – by declaration, – by birth |
|
Citizenship rules for EU citizens |
The same rules applied to other foreigners are available also for EU citizens, but for the citizenship by naturalization, the residency requirements are reduced, compared to the standard. Thus, EU citizens can start the procedure after 3 years of becoming permanent residents. |
|
Citizenship rules for non-EU citizens |
They have to be permanent residents of Czech Republic for at least 5 years. |
| Minimum requirements for citizenship by naturalization |
– meet the residency requirements (3/5 years of permanent stay), – make proof of knowing the Czech language, – have a clean criminal record, – know the Czech constitutional system, the history, culture and society, – meet the financial thresholds, – show their ties with Czech Republic and the integration in the Czech society, – proof that they do not represent a threat to the local society. |
| Requirements for citizenship by descent |
– make the proof of having parents or grandparents who are Czech nationals (both maternal and paternal ties apply), – the application form. |
| Requirements for citizenship by marriage |
The spouse of a Czech national can obtain permanent residency after 2 years of continous living in this country, and this can slightly reduce the amount of time necessary to apply for citizenship. |
| The law regulating citizenship procedures |
Act No. 186/2013 Coll., on Acquiring and Losing Citizenship in Czech Republic |
| Dual citizenship available (yes/no) | Yes, the citizenship law amended in 2014 grants the right to dual citizenship. |
| Institution in charge with the issuance of citizenship |
Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic |
| Documents necessary for the citizenship application |
They vary based on the citizenship pathway: – provide evidence on residency in Czech Republic, – visas and residence permits obtained here, – personal documents and others required for each type of citizenship, – completed application form, – information on the financial situation of the applicant, – a Czech language certificate, etc. |
| Rights obtained through citizenship |
All the rights granted to Czech nationals born in Czech Republic. |
| Citizenship by adoption available (yes/no) |
Yes, Czech citizenship by adoption is regulated by the law. |
| The average time of stay in Czech Republic for acquiring citizenship |
3-5 years of permanent residency (for most cases). Permanent residency can generally be acquired after 5 years of stay in the country. |
| The duration of the Czech citizenship processing |
A Czech citizenship application can be processed in approximately 180 days. |
| Legal services offered by our lawyers for citizenship applicants |
– presenting/explaining the law on citizenship and the conditions to acquire various types of citizenships, – helping clients in preparing the application file, – providing legal assistance in cases related to citizenship (legal assistance for adoption papers, contacting the Czech authorities for the issuance of various documents attesting Czech ancestry, etc.), – legal representation in court cases. |
Table of Contents
What are the basic conditions for acquiring Czech citizenship through naturalization in 2024?
The manner in which foreigners can acquire citizenship through naturalization in this country is regulated by the Act No. 186/2013 Coll., on Czech citizenship and on amendments to certain acts (the Czech Citizenship Act).
New regulations were enforced starting with 1st of January 2014 and foreigners must be aware that the Ministry of the Interior is the sole institution which can decide on granting Czech citizenship through naturalization to a foreigner. The institution also prescribes the steps for obtaining the Czech long-term residence permit as well. Regarding citizenship matters, one should know that the following apply:
- the basic legal requirements are prescribed by the Section 11 of the Act, which outlines the conditions for permanent residents and for applicants with an age above 15 years old;
- an applicant can request Czech citizenship through naturalization if he or she has lived in Czech Republic for more than 5 years based on permanent residence permit;
- the same is available if a foreigner has had a permanent residence permit for at least 3 years and if he or she is a citizen of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA);
- the right to citizenship is also available for a foreigner who has lived in Czech Republic for an overall period of 10 years;
- special conditions apply to those requesting Czech citizenship and who have an age above 15 years old and less than 18 years old and to those who have an age above 65 years old.
For any person with an age above 15 years old, a clean criminal record is a prerequisite for the application, both in Czech Republic as well as in the country where the person is a national.
Provided that the person has lived in multiple countries, the applicant must obtain from the respective police authorities clean criminal records as long as the duration of the stay in the said countries was of more than six months/per each state.
Our team can help foreigners immigrate to Czech Republic and can guide them through the entire citizenship process and can advise on the Czech dual citizenship rights. Our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can help you apply for the Czech long-term residence permit as well, which is required after the relocation in this country.
A long-term residence permit can be transformed into permanent residence in Czech Republic after 5 years of living here. This immigration process is mandatory for those who apply for citizenship by naturalization.
What are the documents for acquiring Czech citizenship by naturalization for adult applicants?
When starting the procedure for acquiring citizenship, you will need to prepare a set of documents, in accordance with the requirements of the law. One of the main documents to complete is a questionnaire, that will be provided by the local authorities. The questionnaire will include questions concerning matters such as:
- identity details and other personal matters;
- the income of the applicant/household;
- information about the family unit, etc.
Then, the applicant must also complete a request for citizenship and various documents attesting the identity and/or the social status. One must add to the file the birth certificate – for applicants born in places outside Czech Republic, it is necessary to prepare a translated version of the birth certificate.
If the applicant has children, their birth certificates are also necessary for the file, and the same procedure must be respected in the case in which they were born somewhere else. For those who are married, the marriage certificate is required as well. The same applies in the case of other social situations, such as divorced or widowed persons.
The file must also contain documents concerning the criminal records of the person (a clean criminal record is required). A CV must also be included in the file. The CV should be more about the connection of the person with Czech Republic, and not about studies and work activity.
In other words, this document should present when the person arrived in Czech Republic, what he or she did throughout the years, the immigration procedures leading up to Czech citizenship (becoming a permanent resident), the reason for applying for citizenship, etc.
The applicant must also show evidence regarding the fact that he or she has spent the necessary time in this country in order to qualify for Czech citizenship. Other documents can, of course, be necessary for this procedure, and our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can provide additional information. Besides these, the applicant must prove the following as well:
- at the moment of the application, the person has become a permanent resident and has been living in Czech Republic for 10 years;
- he or she has a suitable income, which covers the needs of the applicant and/or of his or her family;
- the person does not live in Czech Republic based on social benefits provided by the Czech state;
- at the moment of the application, the person does not have any due taxes, or fines charged by the local authorities and he or she is not in debt;
- the person has a fixed residential address, in a real estate that is personal property or a rented one.
A 6th basic rule is to be able to prove Czech language proficiency – B1 level is mandatory and here, many types of documents/certificates are accepted. Our immigration lawyers in Czech Republic can present more on the language certificates recognized for this purpose.
The 7th rule is to prove knowledge of the Czech society, culture and history, including the legal system and other matters which are generally known by a regular citizen. The 8th rule is to provide evidence of being integrated into the local society.
What are the Czech language requirements?
At the moment when the application is made, the person requesting Czech citizenship must comply with certain requirements that are applicable under the Czech law. An extensive presentation can be made by our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic, but you should know that proficiency in the Czech language is necessary for any applicant.
Upon the formalities for obtaining Czech citizenship, the applicant will need to pass a Czech language test. However, this will not be required if the applicant already holds specific diplomas that were issued by the local education institutions, such as high-school, university programs, or other certified Czech language institutions.
According to the Czech Republic immigration law, the applicant does not have to provide any documents showing the knowledge of the Czech language, nor does he or she has to pass a test, if the age of the applicant is below 15 years old or above 65 years old. The same applies if the person has certain disabilities, physical or mental.
Are there other legal pathways for acquiring Czech citizenship in 2024?
Yes, the new Czech Republic immigration law on citizenship provides several legal options in this sense, which are represented by the following:
- citizenship by birth;
- by determination of paternity;
- by adoption;
- by being found on the Czech territory;
- by declaration.
Persons interested in relocating here, who are married or who are partners of a Czech national should know that if they will have a child, he or she will be entitled to Czech citizenship.
Newborn children also benefit from this right if they were born on the Czech territory from parents without a citizenship, as long as one of the parents has received the right to reside in this country for more than 90 days at the moment when the birth took place. Citizenship in Czech Republic is generally requested by nationals of other European countries.
We invite you to watch a short video about citizenship in Czech Republic:
Are there any fees for acquiring Czech citizenship?
The Czech Republic immigration law imposes certain fees for the processing of the citizenship application. There are 3 main categories of fees, based on the nature of the applicant. For instance, the 1st category refers to adult applicants, who are generally charged with a fee of CZK 2,000 (the fee can be reduced in certain circumstances to only CZK 500).
The 2nd category refers to minor applicants – for them, the standard fee is of CZK 500, but it can be reduced to only CZK 100. The 3rd category is of asylum-seeking applicants, who benefit from the same fees as the 2nd category.
Persons who want to obtain a citizenship certificate through a consular mission operating abroad will need to pay a processing fee of CZK 300, starting with 1 February 2024. The declaration of Czech citizenship costs CZK 500.
It is important to know that the citizenship certificate issued in the last 12 months can be used as a way to prove that you are a Czech citizen, but having the document with you on a constant basis is not required. However, when you want to apply for a Czech passport, you will need to present the citizenship certificate.
Following the issuance of this document, its holder must take the necessary additional steps for the issuance of other documents, as citizenship certificates older than 12 months can’t be used as a way to show evidence on citizenship.
How can an individual apply for a Czech passport?
A Czech passport can be issued to any person who holds Czech citizenship. The issuance of this travel document can be made at any age. Holders of a Czech passport benefit from the right of free movement within the borders of the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association.
Outside of these 2 areas, passport holders must apply for visas suitable for the purpose of arrival in those countries, but depending on the duration, purpose and country, visa exemptions can be granted. According to the Czech law, the Czech passport can be used as a proof of being a Czech national.
Individuals have the right of being the holders of more passports, provided that they are citizens of more than one country, a right recognized in Czech Republic as well. This right is enshrined in the Czech nationality law starting with 2014, when the officials granted the right to dual citizenship in Czech Republic.
The legislation has been modified in the last decade, updating the framework on citizenship as well as on Czech passport requirements. Thus, starting with 2006, the authorities began issuing biometric passports with a validity of 10 years (for minors under 15, the validity is of 5 years).
The latest Czech passport requirements no longer allow parents to include their minor children in their own passports, as, under the new law, children must have their own travel documents. Our lawyers can offer more details on minors’ passports, and we also remain at your service for information on the Czech dual citizenship law.
Locations from where individuals can collect their Czech passport
There are several locations from where those who have applied for a passport can collect it. All these places are working under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior, the sole institution that has the right to issue this document. Thus, individuals can collect their passports from:
- municipal authority (it can be issued in 5 or 30 working days);
- the Ministry of Interior (issued in 1 business day);
- the embassy where the application was initially submitted to (it can take up to 120 days).
We invite you to address our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic if you need further information on how to acquire the local citizenship. Our lawyers are ready to assist you if you need to appeal a decision regarding the issuance of citizenship in 2024.
Please mind that you have the right to appeal a decision in a period of 15 days since you received the information concerning the denial of Czech citizenship. Our team remains at your service with further advice on any matter concerning citizenship in Czech Republic. You can also contact us if you want to know more on the law regulating dual citizenship in Czech Republic.
