Permanent Residence Permit of an EU Citizen

Who can apply for this residence permit?

As an EU citizen you can apply for a permanent residence permit:

• after 5 years of continuous residence in the Czech Republic, or
• after 2 years of continuous temporary residence in the Czech Republic if for 1 out of the 2 years you have been a close family member of another EU citizen who already holds a permanent residence permit or of a Czech citizen who has permanent residence in the Czech Republic.

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How long is a residence permit valid for?

A permanent residence permit is issued for a period of 10 years.

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What does a residence permit look like?

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What obligations and restrictions does this residence permit mean?

You must follow the obligations for foreigners stipulated by law for the duration of your residence permit.

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What does this residence permit enable you to do?

Persons with permanent residence have access to the public medical insurance, have a right to social welfare benefits and a right to work and do business. A residence permit also enables you to vote in municipal and European Parliament elections.

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Can you apply for this type of residence even if you do not hold a registration certificate?

Yes, but you have to provide a proof that you have been residing continuously for the required period of time in the Czech Republic. Subject to certain conditions you can also apply without meeting the condition of continuous residence.

Who can apply for the permanent residence permit?

EU citizens, and subject to conditions some citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You can apply for a permanent residence permit:

• after 5 years of continuous residence in the Czech Republic,
• after 2 years of continuous temporary residence in the Czech Republic if for 1 out of the 2 years you have been a close family member of another EU citizen who already holds a permanent residence permit or of a Czech citizen who has permanent residence in the country,
• if at the time of your employment or self-employment termination, you have reached the age at which you are entitled to a retirement pension, or if you have applied for receiving a pension before you have reached the retirement age. In both cases you must prove that:
  • you have worked in the Czech Republic in the last 12 months, and at the same time that
  • you have resided continuously for 3 years in the country.
• if you have terminated your employment or self-employment as a result of having become third degree disabled after 2 years of continuous residence in the country,
• if you work in another EU Member State and you return back to the Czech Republic at least once a week. This applies only in the case that previously you have continuously resided and worked in the Czech Republic for at least 3 years.

Without the condition of previous residence you can apply if:

• during your self-employment you have become entitled to a third degree disability pension as a result of a work accident or an occupational disease,
• you are applying for humanitarian reasons (e.g. for a recently born child for the purpose of family reunification with his/her legal guardian that holds a permanent residence permit),
• you are applying for a child born in the Czech Republic (for a recently born child for the purpose of family reunification with his/her legal guardian that holds a permanent residence permit),
• there are reasons for a special consideration of your application,
• your residence is in the interest of the Czech Republic, upon your own application,
• the custody of you as a minor child have been given to a person holding a permanent residence permit.

A continuous residence in the Czech Republic means that your absence from the country shall not exceed 6 months a year, or if it does, there are serious reasons for it.

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How and where can you apply?

You must submit the application for a permanent residence permit in person at a Ministry of the Interior office.

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What is the administrative fee?

200 CZK.

The administrative fee can only be paid by credit card at the Ministry of the Interior office.

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What is the time limit to process the application?

A maximum of 60 days. The time limit is not running if the proceedings are suspended or if there is a legal ground for it.

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STEPS TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A PERMANENT RESIDENCE PERMIT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC:

• 1. Prepare necessary documents

  In order to apply you will need:

  • Application form
  • Travel document
  • Proof of meeting the condition of 5-year continuous temporary residence or proof of 2-year continuous temporary residence in the Czech Republic if for 1 out of the 2 years you have been a close family member of another EU citizen who already holds a permanent residence permit or of a Czech citizen who has permanent residence in the country.
    • Original of a document proving that you are a family member of an EU citizen (e.g. an original of a marriage certificate, birth certificate, decision of a competent authority on custody or a decision on adoption of a child), if you are subject to the condition, that you have been for 1 year a close family member of another EU citizen who already holds a permanent residence permit or of a Czech citizen who has permanent residence in the country
  • Proof of accommodation
  • 2 photographs

  If you are applying for a child born in the Czech Republic (within 60 days), you will need:

  • Application form
  • Travel document (or identity document)
  • 2 photographs
  • Birth certificate of the child

  Upon application you must pay an administrative fee 200 CZK.

  Please review the formal requirements that the documents must meet.

• 2. Fill in the application form

  You can fill in the application form online. Then print out the filled-in form and sign it.

  You can also download a blank application form, print it out and fill it in by hand, or you can collect the form free of charge at one of the offices of the Ministry of the Interior. The form must be filled in legibly, in block capitals and in Latin characters.

• 3. Make an appointment to go to a Ministry of the Interior office

  Make an appointment online or by phone beforehand in order to submit your application. Although a timely appointment reservation saves your time, it is not a necessary condition for submitting the application – with no appointment reservation you have to wait for your turn.

• 4. Submit the application

  You must submit the application in person at a Ministry of the Interior office. Applicants under 15 years of age must submit their applications through one of their legal guardian (most frequently through one of their parents). Once you have submitted the application, you will receive a slip confirming the submission and a reference number assigned to your application. You need to know the reference number, for example, to be able to track the state of your proceedings.

• 5. Wait for the decision

  The Ministry of the Interior will assess your application in administrative proceedings. If any errors are detected in the attached documents, you will be prompted in writing to remedy such errors. In the notice, the Ministry will explain in detail what the errors are and what you have to do to remedy them. It will also set a time limit for you to do so. When justified and if you apply for it in writing, this time limit can be extended.

  The Ministry of the Interior also checks if you meet the requirements to obtain the residence permit you are applying for. In such case, you may be invited for an interview.

  In the course of the administrative proceedings you can:

  • Add additional documents to your application.
  • Be represented in the proceedings (a power of attorney).
  • Ask for access to file.
  • Ask for a stay in the proceedings.
  • Withdraw the application (withdrawal of the application).

  You can track the state of your proceedings online on the website under Application submitted or in your personal account. If you were prompted to provide documents or to remedy errors, the time limit for processing your application is not running until the errors are remedied or for as long as it is established in the notice.

• 6. Learn the result of the administrative proceedings

  In the Status of your application section you may see one of these outcomes:

  • Being processed: Your application is still being processed. For more information on what you can do during the processing period, see the previous step.
  • Preliminarily assessed positively: The Ministry of the Interior has preliminarily assessed your application positively. Proceed to the next step.
  • Rejected: The Ministry of the Interior has rejected your application or discontinued the administrative procedure. In such case, you will receive written notification on the decision or resolution. You may appeal against the decision or resolution within 15 days from the day the notification was delivered.

  • The decision to reject the application consists of three parts:
    1. The Statement: Legal grounds on which your application has been rejected. It may also state any obligation to leave the Czech Republic, including the period for departure.
    2. The Grounds of the statement: It explains why the application was rejected and what documents and proofs served as grounds for the rejection.
    3. Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the decision.

  • The resolution to discontinue the administrative procedure consists of three basic parts:
    1. The Statement: Legal grounds on which the administrative procedure was discontinued.
    2. The Reasoning: It explains the processing and grounds that led to the discontinuation of the administrative procedure.
    3. Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the resolution.

  Načítavání obsahu

• 7. Collect your permanent residence permit

  The last step is to collect your permanent residence permit. The time limit for collection is 30 days.

Under what conditions can you apply for an extension of the validity of your residence permit?

The permit itself does not need to be extended. What needs extending is only the validity of the residence permit document.

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How and where do you have to apply?

You can apply for an extension of your permanent residence permit document in person at a Ministry of the Interior office – the Ministry employees will extend the document’s validity right away. You can also send the application by post, Data Box or by e-mail with a recognised electronic signature, or you can submit it through an authorised representative. In such case, however, you will have to go the office later in order to receive the new validity date in your document.

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When do you have to submit the application?

At the latest within 15 days from the date your current document expired.

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What is the administrative fee?

200 CZK.

The administrative fee can be paid by bank transfer or by credit card at the Ministry of the Interior office.

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What is the time limit to process the application?

30 days. The time limit is not running if the proceedings are suspended or if there is a legal ground for it.

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STEPS TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION OF A PERMANENT RESIDENCE PERMIT DOCUMENT’S VALIDITY:

• 1. Prepare necessary documents

  In order to apply you will need:

  • Application form (applies only to remote submission)
  • Travel document (or identity document) – if you send the application by post, a plain copy will be sufficient. You will present the original when you collect your permanent residence card.
  • 2 photographs if your appearance has changed or if you are to be issued with a new document.

  Upon application you must pay an administrative fee 200 CZK.

  Please review the formal requirements that the documents must meet.

• 2. Fill in the application form (applies only to remote submission)

  You can fill in the application form online. Then print out the filled-in form and sign it.

  You can also download a blank application form, print it out and fill it in by hand, or you can collect the form free of charge at one of the offices of the Ministry of the Interior. The form must be filled in legibly, in block capitals and in Latin characters.

• 3. You can send the application or you can make an appointment at a Ministry of the Interior office.

  You can submit the application in person at a locally competent Ministry of the Interior office, send it by post, via Data Box, by e-mail with a recognised electronic signature, or you can submit it through an authorised representative.

  If you wish to submit the application in person, please make an appointment online or by phone beforehand. Although a timely appointment reservation saves your time, it is not a necessary condition for submitting the application – with no appointment reservation you have to wait for your turn.

• 4. Go to a Ministry of the Interior office

  If you submit the application in person, you will receive the new validity date in your document right away. If you do not submit the application in person, wait for the Ministry to process your application and to prompt you to go to its offices to receive the new validity date in your document.