Continuous Residence – EU Citizens and Their Family Members
A permanent residence permit may be granted upon application to foreigners who, as of the date of submission, have resided in Czechia continuously for the period specified by law, depending on the applicant’s residence permit. Here you can find out what counts towards the period of continuous residence.
EU citizens
The period of continuous residence includes the time you have actually spent in Czechia, even if you did not have a residence permit in the past. You can therefore apply for permanent residence even if you do not hold a registration certificate. In such a case, however, you must prove that you have actually resided in the country for the necessary period of time.
Continuous residence is considered maintained if the absence of an EU citizen from the territory of Czechia does not exceed a total of 6 months per year. In exceptional cases, the residence of an EU citizen may be considered continuous even if it exceeds 6 months per year, provided that this occurs1:
- due to the performance of mandatory military service, or
- for serious reasons, particularly in the case of pregnancy and childbirth, serious illness, study or professional training, or due to a work assignment abroad — in such cases, however, the absence from the territory must not exceed 12 consecutive months.
The period of imprisonment is not counted toward the period of continuous residence2.
EU citizen’s family members
The following periods are counted in full length toward the period of continuous residence for the purposes of an application for permanent residence of an EU citizen’s family member3:
- residence in the territory based on a temporary residence permit of an EU citizen’s family member, including the period during which the application was being processed,
- residence in the territory based on a short-term visa,
- residence in the territory based on a long-term visa and a long-term residence permit (including a long-term visa and long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies),
- residence as a person granted asylum or subsidiary protection in Czechia,
- residence in the territory under temporary protection.
The following cases are not counted toward the period of continuous residence:
- the duration of administrative procedure on international protection,
- the period of serving a prison sentence.
Continuous residence is considered maintained if the absence of an EU citizen’s family member from the territory of Czechia does not exceed a total of 6 months per year. In exceptional cases, the residence of an EU citizen’s family member may be considered continuous even if it exceeds 6 months per year, provided that this occurs:
- due to the performance of mandatory military service, or
- for serious reasons, particularly in the case of pregnancy and childbirth, serious illness, study or professional training, or due to a work assignment abroad — in such cases, however, the absence from the territory must not exceed 12 consecutive months.
1 § 87g(7) Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals