The Czech Republic immigration law provides the opportunity to arrive here visa free, in certain circumstances. These are determined by the nationality and the duration of stay and, when referring to persons who want to immigrate to Czech Republic from New Zealand, it must be noted that visa exemptions are in force.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Visas for short-term stays (up to 90 days) from New Zealand (NZ) to Czech Republic | Not applicable |
| Visas for immigration from NZ to Czech Republic | New Zealanders can immigrate to Czech Republic from New Zealand by applying for visas suitable for the purpose of the arrival. |
| Visa exemptions | Granted for short-term stays. |
| Electronic visas available | Not applicable |
| Main reasons to immigrate from NZ to the Czech Republic | For: work, business, study, research, education, family reunification, etc. |
| Institution in charge with the issuance of the visa | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Fee system available for the processing of the visa (yes/no) | Yes |
| Fee charged for the issuance of long-term visas | CZK 2,500 |
| Special rules for citizens of NZ (yes/no) | No (however, the Czech immigration law provides for a visa designed for New Zealanders, the Working Holiday visa, addressed only to New Zealand passport holders). |
| The procedure for permanent residency in Czech Republic | A NZ national must first become a long-term resident and live in this country for a period of 5 years, at the end of which he or she has the right to apply for a permanent residency card. |
| Documents required for permanent residency application | – the application form; – the identity document/travel document; – the proof of residential address in Czech Republic; – proof of funds; – a recent photo; – Czech language proficiency (appropriate certificates must be added to the file); – proof of payment for the administrative fee (CZK 2,500); – clean criminal record (upon the request of the Czech authorities). |
| Reasons for which permanent residency can be granted in the Czech Republic | Family reunification, employment, long-term business activity/investments, etc. |
| Right to permanent residency for refugees/asylum seekers (yes/no) | Yes |
| Immigration pathway for highly skilled persons | Highly skilled individuals can immigrate to Czech Republic from New Zealand by applying for the Blue Card. |
| Legal pathways to citizenship | By birth, by declaration, by naturalization, exceptional citizenship (for those who have made a significant contribution to the Czech society). |
This is possible as long as the foreigner arriving from New Zealand holds a New Zealand passport and if the duration of the stay is maximum 90 days. In other conditions, visa formalities apply and our immigration lawyers in Czech Republic can assist on the main visas one can apply for.
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Foreigners arriving from New Zealand can apply for a variety of visas, which are created for other nationalities as well. However, it must be noted that there are certain visas aiming directly at New Zealanders and one of these is the working holiday program.
Through this visa program, one can move to Czech Republic from New Zealand for work, study/training and tourism for a limited period of time. The visa is designed for young New Zealanders, therefore it will provide temporary residency in Czech Republic. Some of the highlights of the program are presented in the list below:
Because this visa type is created for the purpose of traveling and discovering the country, while employment being a secondary matter, applicants do not have to apply for a work permit, as it can be the case of other visas.
Our immigration lawyers in Czech Republic can offer further information on other characteristics of this visa program. We also invite you to watch a short video presenting how to immigrate from New Zealand to Czech Republic:
It is also possible to immigrate to Czech Republic from New Zealand for a longer period of time under the digital nomad program. Digital nomad visas have become increasingly popular across Europe and, in 2023, the Czech authorities have finalized the legal framework of this visa type, under the Government Decree No. 475 of June 28, 2023.
The digital nomad program is limited to only a few nationalities and it aims to attract freelancers and employees of foreign companies, as long as they develop a work activity related to the IT industry. At the moment, only 11 countries are part of this program, one of which is New Zealand.
Thus, IT specialists can move to Czech Republic from New Zealand if they qualify for other basic conditions of the program. It must be noted that this visa allows qualifying applicants to immigrate to Czech Republic with their close family members (spouses, partners, children with an age of up to 26 years old).
The visa is issued for a period of 12 months, but there is the possibility to apply for an extension and, moreover, to participate in courses for the integration in the Czech society, therefore, this program can be used as a way to meet some of the future demands for Czech citizenship, provided that one wants to fully integrate in the Czech society.
Given that New Zealand is one of the few countries that are included in the program, we will present some highlights of the program, for those who are interested and are eligible to participate in it:
New Zealanders can participate in the digital nomad program only if they work under one of the following employment contracts:
Qualifying individuals can also be hired in overseas public sector institutions, as long as their work activity is related to IT or marketing and they can carry out their work obligations by using telecommunications means. The same rule applies to those who come from the private sector.
While the definition of the IT activities is rather clear and specific, marketing can mean a variety of work operations, and it can include SEO, digital marketing, social media management, market research and many others; this is why we recommend New Zealanders to address our immigration lawyers in Czech Republic for assistance on this eligibility criterion.
Please mind that the right to immigrate to Czech Republic from New Zealand under this visa type is granted on a case-to-case basis, provided that the local authorities consider that applicants have met the required conditions.
Individuals can relocate to Czech Republic from New Zealand under any type of visa prescribed by the immigration law, as long as they meet the qualifying conditions. Besides the visas we have presented above, New Zealanders can acquire visas for:
If you want to immigrate to another region, such as Dubai, we can put you in touch with our local partners.
If you plan to relocate to Czech Republic from New Zealand under other programs (or you don’t qualify for the ones presented above) you can always contact our team of lawyers for professional legal assistance on other options that can be suitable for your case.
