Although the United States of America (USA) is a third country, as seen from the Czech immigration law perspective, American citizens must know that they benefit from special exemptions if they relocate to Czech Republic. The rules of law which prescribe the specific situations addressed to American citizens who relocate to Czech Republic from the USA are given by the Regulations No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the European Council and the Act No. 326/1999 Coll.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Immigration requirements for short stays | Americans who relocate from the US to the Czech Republic do not need to meet any immigration formalities (however, they must arrive here with a valid American passport). |
|
Immigration requirements for long stays |
For long-term stays, Americans need to apply for Czech visas. |
|
Visa exemptions for Americans |
Visa exemptions are granted for stays with a duration of maximum 90 days. |
| Reasons of arrival for which visa exemptions are granted | Tourism and business |
| Can Americans travel to other European states visa-free? |
Yes, those who relocate from the US to the Czech Republic for short or long-term stays can visit other European states which are part of the Schengen Agreement. |
| Obligation to apply for a residence permit |
A foreigner, Americans included, must apply for a residence permit when arriving here for long-term stays. |
| Reasons for which Americans can relocate to Czech Republic for long stays |
Family reunification, study, training, culture, sports, volunteering, employment, business, seasonal work, diplomatic visits, internship, etc. |
| Visas designed for Americans |
Although Americans can relocate from the US to the Czech Republic under a variety of visas, there isn’t any particular program designed solely for American nationals. |
| Visa processing fees |
CZK 2,500, CZK 5,000 (it varies based on the visa type). |
| Residency permit fees (yes/no) | Yes |
| Where to apply for a Czech residence permit |
Ministry of the Interior |
| Requirements to become a Czech permanent resident |
5 years of stay in Czech Republic |
| Minimum residency for citizenship |
10 years of stay |
| Ways to acquire citizenship in Czech Republic |
By naturalization, descent, by declaration or by special merit |
| Fee for citizenship formalities | CZK 2,000 |
Table of Contents
Immigration procedures applicable to Americans
American citizens considering moving to Czech Republic for a short-term period of time or for a long-term period can receive information on the obligations they have from our lawyer. Our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic can present when an American citizen has to apply for a Czech long term residence permit or a visa in this country and when such a national is entitled to a visa exemption.
You can also rely on our lawyer for advice on the Czech citizenship requirements applicable here, as well as for advice on how to immigrate to Czech Republic. The Czech citizenship can be obtained by Americans who qualify under one of the citizenship pathways available here.
For most foreigners, Americans included, citizenship can be obtained by naturalization, which represents a long-term process that is completed in 2 main stages. The 1st one refers to the process of becoming a permanent resident, and the other one maintaining this status long enough to have the right to apply for citizenship.
The procedure through which the American can obtain a residence permit in Czech Republic on a permanent basis depends on the connection the person has with this country.
Those who arrived for business opportunities, for employment, for family reunification, etc., can apply for permanent residency after 5 years of stay on the Czech territory. For others, such as those married to Czech nationals, a shorter period of time will apply.
Do American citizens need a Czech visa for short-term stays?
A short-term stay in Czech Republic is defined as a period of time in which a foreigner lives in this country or in any of the Schengen countries for a period of up to 90 days spent in these countries withing 180 days.
Although American citizens are not citizens of the EU or of the European Economic Area (EEA), they do not need a short-term visa for Czech Republic or for any other Schengen countries, an exemption prescribed by the Regulations No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the European Council.
However, American citizens must be aware that this right is granted as long as the purpose to move to Czech Republic for a short period of time is related to traveling or business purposes.
The stay can’t be related to working in this country, as a different document will be required (a work permit), which is issued based on other legal grounds. We can also offer detailed information about how to immigrate to Czech Republic.
Do Americans need a business visa for Czech Republic?
Yes, businessmen who want to set up a business or make an investment in the Czech economy are required to apply for a business visa. The application process has to be started at the Czech Consular Office associated with the region where the American citizen has his or her permanent residency.
It must be noted that the place where the application is made is the place where the business visa will be issued. The Czech Republic immigration law stipulates that a business visa can be issued only in the case in which the American investor will move to Czech Republic for a period longer than 90 days.
The applicant has to be present in the USA at the moment when the visa is issued, so that it can be added to his or her passport; thus, the application must be made in due time prior to the arrival in the Czech Republic.
The person applying for a business visa has to complete the application for long-stay visa form, submit two recent photographs, the passport in the original version, the proof of having sufficient financial resources when moving to Czech Republic and the proof on the reason of stay in this country. Below, you can watch a video that presents the procedure of how to immigrate to Czech Republic from the USA:
Please note that the minimum financial requirement the American citizen must meet is having at least CZK 101,000 per one year of stay. At the moment when the person applies for a business visa, he or she must have already made the necessary arrangements for living in Czech Republic, as the person must have accommodation in this country.
Besides these, the applicant must prepare a criminal history background, have a travel insurance and pay the application fee. Our team can provide more information to US nationals interested in the Czech residency by investment option.
Those moving to Czech Republic for employment purposes will have to lodge similar documents and to respect the requirements imposed by the labor law applicable here. Regulations that can apply to American citizens who relocate to Czech Republic from the USA for work purposes can be found at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the institution which is in charge with supervising the local workforce.
Is there an investment visa available for Americans?
Foreigners can move to Czech Republic for investment purposes. There aren’t any nationality restrictions for the investment visa, therefore, Americans can immigrate to Czech Republic from the USA. In order to participate in this program, investors have to prepare a large capital and make a significant investment in the local economy.
Those who are interested to move to Czech Republic from the USA for investment purposes will be able to do so if they can comply with the following:
- invest a capital of minimum CZK 75 million;
- create minimum 20 new jobs for EU citizens;
- the jobs must be maintained for a period of at least 2 years;
- the visa is valid for a period of 2 years and the investor is required to maintain the conditions of the visa for the entire validity of the document;
- it is allowed to invest 60% of the capital in the form of tangible and/or intangible assets.
One of the main advantages of this immigration document is that the processing times will be greatly reduced compared to other visas, as the Czech authorities prioritize and welcome foreigners able to invest in the country’s economy. In this case, it is worth mentioning that the investment visa can be processed in a period of maximum 45 days.
Compared to a business visa, which is processed in around 120 days, American investors can easily move to Czech Republic from the USA in a very short amount of time. We also mention that this visa allows investors to relocate here with their close family members (spouse and children).
The family members can be directly included in the application, which means that, upon the approval of the visa, the investor can directly relocate with his or her close family members to Czech Republic. In other cases, family members have to apply for family reunification visas, which can be processed in a much longer period of time, of more than 200 days.
Can foreigners appeal a visa refusal in Czech Republic?
Yes, provided that foreigners will not be able to move to Czech Republic from the USA due to the fact that the visa was refused, they have the right to appeal the decision. For this, you can always rely on the services of our immigration lawyers in Czech Republic.
For those who want to immigrate to Czech Republic from the USA under the above-mentioned visa (the investment visa), the deadline to appeal the decision is 15 days since the moment when the person was notified on the decision.
The notification will contain information as to why the Czech authorities have denied the visa; in all cases, the grounds for refusal will be in line with the Czech Republic immigration law. We invite you to find our more from our team on other rights you have when you relocate to Czech Republic from the USA, regarding the visa application, refusal, approval, issuance of the document, etc.
How many Americans live in Czech Republic?
The number of American citizens living in Czech Republic is not very representative compared to the total number of foreigners living in this country. Although there aren’t many US nationals living here, it must be noted that the number of those moving to Czech Republic increased at a steady rate, as follows:
• in 2006, there were only 4,411 American citizens living here;
• at the level of 2011, there were 5,960 Americans who had a Czech long term residence permit or temporary residency in Czech Republic;
• in 2011, the number of Americans living in Prague, the capital city of the country, was of 3,719;
• in that year, there were 1,278 registered Americans who have arrived here on a long-term visa;
• at the level of June 2016, there were 3,909 Americans living in Prague;
• in 2017, the total number of Americans moving to Czech Republic was of 8,966.
We invite American citizens to address to our immigration lawyer in Czech Republic for advice on any of the procedures involved when relocating here for studies, employment, business purposes or even for obtaining the Czech citizenship. Our lawyer can present the full list of documents available for each specific case.
