Employee Card
An employee card is a type of long-term residence permit that enables third countries citizens to stay and work legally in the Czech Republic for a period longer than 3 months.
GENERAL INFO
TO APPLY IN CZECHIA
TO APPLY FROM OUTSIDE CZECHIA
EXTENSION
Who can apply for this type of residence permit?
You can apply for an employee card if you are a third country citizen. An employee card can be obtained for all kinds of employment regardless of the required education and qualification.
An Employee Card cannot be issued to members of the governing bodies of a legal entity if the application is submitted to carry out an activity that corresponds to the scope of business of the legal entity.
How long is this type of residence permit valid for?
Always for a maximum period of 2 years. The validity can be restricted in particular to:
- the duration of the employment; or
- the validity of the work permit; or
- the period of time established in the decision on a work or vocational training permit issued by a recognition authority.
What does this type of residence permit look like?
What obligations and restrictions does this residence permit mean?
You must fulfil the purpose of your stay for the whole duration of your residence permit. You must also follow the obligations for foreigners stipulated by law.
If you wish to change your employer, work position or you wish to start another work position with the same or another employer, you must report it to the Ministry of the Interior.
If you finish your employment and you do not have free access to the labour market, within 90 days you must report the start of new employment or apply for a new long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic for a different purpose, otherwise, your employee card will expire.
One of the conditions for obtaining an employee card is that the employer must fulfill the obligations of an employer who must not be considered as an unreliable employer.
What does this residence permit enable you to do?
If you hold a valid residence permit, you can leave and re-enter the Czech Republic repeatedly. You can also travel within the Schengen Area without a visa.
You can stay and work legally in the Czech Republic for the duration of your residence permit.
Can you apply for this residence permit even if you have no long-term visa or residence permit in the Czech Republic?
Yes, if you apply at a diplomatic mission.
Who can apply for an employee card in the Czech Republic?
- Holders of a long-term visa issued for any purpose (except for long-term leave to remain visa, long-term seasonal employment visa or special work visa), or
- holders of a long-term residence permit (except for long-term leave to remain residence when the stay is shorter than 3 years).
If you entered and reside in the territory of the Czech Republic on the basis of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification, you may apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose only after 3 years of residence in the country, or after reaching 18 years of age, or after meeting other statutory exceptions.
How and where can you apply?
Only in person at one of the Ministry of the Interior offices.
If you or your employer participate in a government-approved programme, based on a power of attorney, your employer can apply for you. If the conditions of the programme allow that.
When do you have to submit the application?
At the latest the last day of your current long-term residence’s or visa’s validity.
During the time when your application is being processed, you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit or visa expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of Residence).
What is the administrative fee?
CZK 2,500.
The administrative fee can only be paid by credit card at the Ministry of the Interior office.
What is the time limit to process the application?
60 days; 90 days in especially complicated cases, or if the Ministry of the Interior asked the Labour Office for a binding opinion.
The time limit is not running if the proceedings are suspended or if there is a legal ground for it.
When can you start new employment?
- If your work position is registered in the Central Database of Job Vacancies, you can start new employment only after you have received a written Confirmation of Compliance with the requirements for issuance of the employee card from the Ministry of the Interior. Usually, you receive this confirmation when your biometric data is taken or during your registration upon arrival.
- If you have free access to the labour market, you can start new employment before the Ministry of the Interior takes a decision on the application. Most frequently, students, pedagogical and academic workers, and scientists have free access to the labour market in the Czech Republic.
- In the case that you have been issued a work permit for your work position, you can start new employment if you are permitted to stay in the Czech Republic and the work permit is valid.
Examples:
- A foreigner with a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies works part-time during his/her studies (studies of a university-accredited programme = free access to the labour market). After completing the studies, he/she decides to apply for an employee card (completion of a university-accredited study programme = free access to the labour market) and to start working full time at the same employment. He/she can continue at the same employment or start different employment.
- A foreigner with a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies works part-time during his/her studies (studies of a university-accredited programme = free access to the labour market). At the end of the academic year, he/she terminates the studies without completing them, and so he/she no longer has free access to the labour market in the Czech Republic. But before his/her current long-term residence permit expires, he/she manages to apply for an employee card (for the purpose of employment on a work position registered in the Central Database of Job Vacancies). He/she can start the employment only after his/her application has been granted and he/she has received a written Confirmation of Compliance from the Ministry of the Interior.
STEPS TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR AN EMPLOYEE CARD IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC:
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In order to apply you will need:
- Proof of accommodation.
- Photograph.
- Proof of work relation (work contract, agreement on performing work or a preliminary contract/agreement in which the parties commit to close a work contract or an agreement on performing work within an established time limit).
- Document stating identification number of the job vacancy (this document will not be required only in case of stating identification number of the job vacancy in the application formyou do not need to show this document if you are eligible to free access to the labour market)
Upon request provide also:
- Medical Report
- Document similar to a criminal record certificate, issued by other states where you have resided for a total of six months during the three years preceding your application.
If your work position is registered in the Central Database of Job Vacancies:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a document certifying a professional qualification to perform the job (e.g. a diploma or a certificate) – if required so by the employer, nature of the job or the law.
If you have free access to the labour market:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a proof that you have free access to the labour market (e.g. a Czech university diploma).
- The obligation to prove free access to the labour market does not apply to you if you are a citizen of one of the listed third countries.
If your job requires a work permit:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a work permit issued by the Czech Labour Office.
If your employer is an employment agency:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide other documents stipulated by law.
If you or your employer participate in a government-approved programme:
- Some documents, subject to conditions, can be replaced with a confirmation from the employer.
- For issuing a confirmation you can use this form.
- You can replace a proof of accommodation, work contract, agreement on performing work or documents certifying a professional qualification to perform the job. For more information ask your employer.
- If you participate in the Key and Research Staff Programme or Highly Qualified Worker Programme, you can replace a document similar to a criminal record certificate issued by other states where you have resided for a total of six months during the three years preceding your application with a solemn declaration certifying that there is no record of a conviction or sentence in those countries. The diplomatic mission or the Ministry of the Interior may request this document in justified cases.
Upon application you must pay an administrative fee of CZK 2,500.
If you want your application to be processed as soon as possible, you have to provide all the necessary documents already when submitting the application. If your application is incomplete, the Ministry of the Interior can suspend the administrative proceedings, which may lead to prolonging the application processing time (for more information please see the section additions to the application).
However, if there is a time limit for submitting the application stipulated by law and you do not have all the necessary documents yet, submit the application anyway, even though it may be incomplete. As if the time limit expires, your right to reside in the Czech Republic may cease to exist along with it.
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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 – it must be filled in legibly, in block capitals, in Latin characters, and in Czech. You can also collect the form free of charge at one of the offices of the Ministry of the Interior.
In the form, always state the number of the vacancy registered in the Central Database of Vacancies for which employee card holders can be hired. Your employer will give you this number. If a work permit has been issued for this work position, or if you have free access to the labour market in the Czech Republic, you do not need to know the number of the vacancy.
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Book an appointment to submit your application in advance, either online or by phone. Booking an appointment in advance saves your time; however, it is not a necessary condition for submitting the application – without booking an appointment, you will be served in the standard queue order.
The lack of available appointment slots is not a reason for late submission. If the soonest available appointment is later than 60 days from the child’s birth, submit the application without booking an appointment. See the office hours of your locally competent Ministry of the Interior office to learn during which hours you may visit without an appointment.
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You must submit the application for an employee card in person at a Ministry of the Interior office. If you or your employer participate in a government-approved programme and if the conditions of the programme allow it, based on a power of attorney, your employer can apply for you.
If you submit the application in person, you will receive a slip confirming the submission and stating the reference number assigned to your application. You need the reference number, for example, to track the status of your application.
If you have submitted your application within the given time limit, during the time when your application is being processed you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit or visa expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of Residence). This is the case, with some exceptions, until a final decision on your application is taken. At the locally competent Ministry of the Interior offices you can also apply for a certificate confirming permission for your residence (Bridging Visa). A Bridging Visa allows you, for example, to leave the Czech Republic and return again during the time when your application is being processed.
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The Ministry of the Interior will assess your application in an administrative procedure. If any errors or missing documents are identified, you will receive a written notice to correct errors in submitted application. The notice will specify:
- what is the error or missing document,
- what must be done to correct it, and
- the period for correction.
In justified cases, this period may be extended upon written request.
The Ministry of the Interior also verifies whether you meet the conditions for issuing the requested residence permit. Related to this, an interview may be conducted with you.
During the administrative procedure you may, for example:
- Supplement the application with additional documents.
- Be represented by a legal representative.
- Request access to your file.
- Request a suspension of the administrative procedure.
- Withdraw your application.
You can track the status of your application online via the Status of your application section on the Information Portal for Foreigners or in your personal account. If you receive a notice to submit supplementary documents or to correct errors, the processing period is suspended until the error is corrected or until the period set in the notice has passed.
For information on the state of your application you may also submit a written Request for a Familiarisation with the Status of the Administrative Procedure. The most common reasons for longer processing are listed in the FAQ section.
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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:
- 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.
- The Grounds of the statement: It explains why the application was rejected and what documents and proofs served as grounds for the rejection.
- 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:
- The Statement: Legal grounds on which the administrative procedure was discontinued.
- The Reasoning: It explains the processing and grounds that led to the discontinuation of the administrative procedure.
- Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the resolution.
Načítavání obsahuYou may have only received a record of the decision to close the proceedings because in your case the proceedings were closed for reasons stipulated by law in which case the applicant does not receive a written decision (Section 169r (2) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll).
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If the application is granted, make an appointment by phone to have your biometric data taken. Please note that the appointment date is binding and you must follow the Administrative Procedure Code if you request a reschedule or cancellation.
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Come to the scheduled biometric data scanning appointment. Take your travel document with you. At the biometric data scanning you will agree on a date to collect your completed biometric card.
The Ministry of the Interior will also issue you a Confirmation of Compliance. Having received this confirmation, you can start your employment. This does not apply if you have been issued a work permit to perform the job, or if you have free access to the labour market.
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The final step is to collect your residence permit (biometric card). The time limit for collection is 60 days from the date you had your biometric data scanned.
When collecting your first employee card, you must present to the Ministry of the Interior a confirmation issued by your employer that you have started working on a work position for which the employee card has been issued. For issuing this confirmation, you may use this form.
How and where can you apply?
You can only apply in person at one of the Czech Republic’s diplomatic missions:
- in a country that issued you with a travel document or which you are a national of, or
- in a state in which you have been granted a long-term or permanent residence permit and have been legally residing there continuously for at least 2 years (for EU countries, you can apply only in Dresden visa centre), or
- at any of the Czech Republic’s diplomatic missions if you are a national of one of these countries.
For a list of all the Czech Republic’s diplomatic missions please see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
At some diplomatic missions, there are quotas for applications for employee cards. Before applying, therefore, you should get informed at the particular diplomatic mission if they are accepting applications for employee cards.
There are specific rules concerning applications for employers that participate in government-approved programmes.
What is the consular fee?
5,000 CZK paid in local currency or paid by card.
What is the time limit to process the application?
60 days; 90 days in especially complicated cases, or if the Ministry of the Interior asked the Labour Office for a binding opinion.
The time limit is not running if the proceedings are suspended or if there is a legal ground for it.
When can you start new employment?
Only after your application has been granted and you have received from the Ministry of the Interior a written Confirmation of Compliance. Usually, you receive this confirmation during registration at the Ministry of the Interior upon your arrival in the Czech Republic.
This does not apply if the Czech Labour Office issued you a work permit to perform the job , or if you have free access to the labour market. In such case, you can start your employment immediately after your arrival if you are going to stay in the Czech Republic with a D/VR visa, or with a visa for a stay no longer than 90 days. You must not work during a visa-free stay.
STEPS TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR AN EMPLOYEE CARD FROM OUTSIDE THE CZECH REPUBLIC:
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In order to apply you will need:
- Proof of accommodation.
- Proof of work relation (work contract, agreement on performing work or a preliminary contract/agreement in which the parties commit to close a work contract or an agreement on performing work within an established time limit).
- Document stating identification number of the job vacancy (this document will not be required only in case of stating identification number of the job vacancy in the application form; you do not need to show this document if you are eligible to free access to the labour market).
- Document similar to a criminal record certificate, issued by the state of which you are a citizen.
Upon request provide also:
- Medical Report
- Document similar to a criminal record certificate, issued by other states where you have resided for a total of six months during the three years preceding your application.
If your work position is registered in the Central Database of Job Vacancies:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a document certifying a professional qualification to perform the job (e.g. a diploma or a certificate) – if required so by the employer, nature of the job or the law.
If you have free access to the labour market:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a proof that you have free access to the labour market (e.g. a Czech university diploma).
- The obligation to prove free access to the labour market does not apply to you if you are a citizen of one of the listed third countries.
If your job requires a work permit:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a work permit issued by the Czech Labour Office.
If your employer is an employment agency:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide other documents stipulated by law.
If you or your employer participate in a government-approved programme:
- Some documents, subject to conditions, can be replaced with a confirmation from the employer.
- For issuing a confirmation you can use this form.
- You can replace a proof of accommodation, work contract, agreement on performing work or documents certifying a professional qualification to perform the job. For more information please ask your employer.
- If you participate in the Key and Research Staff Programme or Highly Qualified Worker Programme, you can replace a document similar to a criminal record certificate issued by other states where you have resided for a total of six months during the three years preceding your application with a solemn declaration certifying that there is no record of a conviction or sentence in those countries. The diplomatic mission or the Ministry of the Interior may request this document in justified cases.
Upon application, you must pay a consular fee 5,000 CZK.
Please review the formal requirements that the documents must meet.
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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 – it must be filled in legibly, in block capitals and in Latin characters. You can also collect the form free of charge at a Czech Republic’s diplomatic mission
In the form, always state the number of the vacancy registered in the Central Database of Vacancies for which employee card holders can be hired. Your employer will give you this number. If a work permit has been issued for this work position, or if you have free access to the labour market in the Czech Republic, you do not need to know the number of the vacancy.
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Before submitting the application, contact the diplomatic mission and make an appointment. For a list of all the Czech Republic’s diplomatic missions and their contact details please see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
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You must submit the application in person. In justified cases a diplomatic mission may waive the obligation to submit the application in person.
If you or your employer participate in a government-approved programme and if the conditions of the programme allow it, based on a power of attorney, your employer can apply for you.
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The diplomatic mission will turn your application over to the Ministry of the Interior.
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.
During the administrative procedure you may, for example:
- Supplement the application with additional documents.
- Be represented by a legal representative.
- Request access to your file.
- Request a suspension of the administrative procedure.
- Withdraw your application.
You can track the status of your application online via the Status of your application section on the Information Portal for Foreigners or in your personal account. If you receive a notice to submit supplementary documents or to correct errors, the processing period is suspended until the error is corrected or until the period set in the notice has passed.
For information on the state of your application you may also submit a written Request for a Familiarisation with the Status of the Administrative Procedure. The most common reasons for longer processing are listed in the FAQ section.
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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:
- 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.
- The Grounds of the statement: It explains why the application was rejected and what documents and proofs served as grounds for the rejection.
- 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:
- The Statement: Legal grounds on which the administrative procedure was discontinued.
- The Reasoning: It explains the processing and grounds that led to the discontinuation of the administrative procedure.
- Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the resolution.
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If the application is granted, come to the diplomatic mission in order to collect your entry visa – visa for a stay longer than 90 days for the purpose of collecting a residence permit (D/VR). A diplomatic mission’s employee will contact you beforehand in order to schedule an appointment with you. You do not need a D/VR visa if you can enter the Czech Republic in another way, e.g. without a visa with a biometric passport.
Before receiving the entry visa in your passport, you must provide a proof of travel medical insurance for the period of time from the day of your entrance in the Czech Republic to the day you start your employment, when you begin to be covered by the public medical insurance. The diplomatic mission can also ask you to provide a proof of payment for the insurance.
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In case you have been granted a D/VR visa, you have to register at an office of the Ministry of the Interior within 30 calendar days of your arrival to the Czech Republic. If you are able to legally enter the Czech Republic in a different way, for example without a visa while having a biometric passport, you have to register within 3 days of your arrival.
During the registration, the office’s employees will schedule an appointment with you so that you get your biometric data taken.
The Ministry of the Interior will also issue you a Confirmation of Compliance. Having received this confirmation, you can start your employment. This does not apply if you have been issued a work permit to perform the job, or if you have free access to the labour market.
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Come to the scheduled biometric data scanning appointment. Take your travel document with you. At the biometric data scanning you will agree on a date to collect your completed biometric card.
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The final step is to collect your residence permit (biometric card). The time limit for collection is 60 days from the date you had your biometric data scanned.
When collecting your first employee card, you must present to the Ministry of the Interior a confirmation issued by your employer that you have started working on a work position for which the employee card has been issued. For issuing this confirmation, you may use this form.
Under what conditions can you apply for an extension of your employee card’s validity?
You can extend your employee card’s validity repeatedly for the period of time for which your work contract or agreement on performing work have been closed. But always for a maximum of 2 years.
Specific rules apply to these situations:
- If you work with a work permit, the Ministry of the Interior will extend the validity of your employee card for the period of time established in the decision extending the work permit.
- If a recognition authority has issued a decision on a work or vocational training permit for performing the job, the Ministry of the Interior will extend the validity of your employee card for the time established in this decision.
- For conditions applying to associates, executives and other members of business corporations’ statutory bodies click here.
How and where can you apply?
You can submit the application to extend your residence permit’s validity at a locally competent Ministry of the Interior office, send it by post, Data Box or by e-mail with a recognised electronic signature, or you can submit it through an authorised representative.
When do you have to submit the application?
At the latest the last day of your current residence’s validity, at the earliest 120 days before its expiration.
During the time when the application is being processed, you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of residence).
During the time when the application is being processed, you can also keep on working legally with no interruptions if you are applying for an extension of your employee card’s validity for the same work position that you are already working on.
If you are applying for an extension of the validity of your employee card issued based on a work permit, you can keep on working if the Czech Labour Office has decided to extend the work permit, or if you have applied for an extension of the work permit within the time limit established by law.
What is the administrative fee?
CZK 2,500.
The administrative fee can be paid by bank transfer or by credit card at the Ministry of the Interior office.
What is the time limit to process the application?
60 days.
The time limit is not running if the proceedings are suspended or if there is a legal ground for it.
STEPS TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION OF AN EMPLOYEE CARD’S VALIDITY:
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In order to apply you will need:
- Proof of accommodation.
- Proof of work relation (work contract or agreement on performing work).
If your work position is registered in the Central Database of Job Vacancies:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a document certifying a professional qualification to perform the job (e.g. a diploma or a certificate) – if the validity of the document you have provided for your previous application has expired.
- o If you have previously provided the document and it is still valid, instead of producing it, you can require from the Ministry to obtain it from their records, as part of the proceedings. This request will be made in a free form in Czech.
If your job requires a work permit:
- Besides the above-mentioned requirements, you must provide a decision extending your work permit.
If your employer is an employment agency:
- You must provide other documents stipulated by law.
If you or your employer participate in a government-approved programme:
- Some documents, subject to conditions, can be replaced with a confirmation from the employer.
- For issuing a confirmation you can use this form.
- You can replace a proof of accommodation, work contract, agreement on performing work or documents certifying a professional qualification to perform the job. For more information ask your employer.
Upon application you must pay an administrative fee of CZK 2,500.
If you want your application to be processed as soon as possible, you have to provide all the necessary documents already when submitting the application. If your application is incomplete, the Ministry of the Interior can suspend the administrative proceedings, which may lead to prolonging the application processing time (for more information please see the section additions to the application).
However, if there is a time limit for submitting the application stipulated by law and you do not have all the necessary documents yet, submit the application anyway, even though it may be incomplete. As if the time limit expires, your right to reside in the Czech Republic may cease to exist along with it.
-
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 – it must be filled in legibly, in block capitals, in Latin characters, and in Czech. You can also collect the form free of charge at one of the offices of the Ministry of the Interior.
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You can submit the application at a locally competent Ministry of the Interior office, send it by post, Data Box or by e-mail with an 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. Attention: a lack of free appointment slots will not be considered as a reason for a late application submission. If the offered appointment slot is after your time limit for submitting the application expires, send the application by post, Data Box or by e-mail with an advanced electronic signature, or visit a locally competent Ministry of the Interior office without an appointment – with no appointment reservation you have to wait for your turn.
If you are not going to submit your application in person, the date of its posting or the date of its sending by Data Box or email is important for complying with the given time limit. If you post the application at a post licence holder (most commonly a post office) the last day of your current resident permit’s validity, the time limit for submitting the application will be complied with. This applies even in the case that the application is delivered to the Ministry of the Interior after your residence’s validity has expired. We recommend, however, not to leave the submission for the last moment.
If you submit the application in person, 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. If you do not submit the application in person, you can learn the reference number by calling our information hotline. In this case, it is recommended to call the hotline no sooner than a week after the application was sent as it takes a few days to assign a reference number to an application.
If you have submitted your application within the given time limit, during the time when your application is being processed you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit or visa expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of Residence). This is the case, with some exceptions, until a final decision on your application is taken. At the locally competent Ministry of the Interior offices you can also apply for a certificate confirming permission for your residence (Bridging Visa). A Bridging Visa allows you, for example, to leave the Czech Republic and return again during the time when your application is being processed.
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The Ministry of the Interior will assess your application in an administrative procedure. If any errors or missing documents are identified, you will receive a written notice to correct errors in submitted application. The notice will specify:
- what is the error or missing document,
- what must be done to correct it, and
- the period for correction.
In justified cases, this period may be extended upon written request.
The Ministry of the Interior also verifies whether you meet the conditions for issuing the requested residence permit. Related to this, an interview may be conducted with you.
During the administrative procedure you may, for example:
- Supplement the application with additional documents.
- Be represented by a legal representative.
- Request access to your file.
- Request a suspension of the administrative procedure.
- Withdraw your application.
You can track the status of your application online via the Status of your application section on the Information Portal for Foreigners or in your personal account. If you receive a notice to submit supplementary documents or to correct errors, the processing period is suspended until the error is corrected or until the period set in the notice has passed.
For information on the state of your application you may also submit a written Request for a Familiarisation with the Status of the Administrative Procedure. The most common reasons for longer processing are listed in the FAQ section.
-
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:
- 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.
- The Grounds of the statement: It explains why the application was rejected and what documents and proofs served as grounds for the rejection.
- 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:
- The Statement: Legal grounds on which the administrative procedure was discontinued.
- The Reasoning: It explains the processing and grounds that led to the discontinuation of the administrative procedure.
- Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the resolution.
Načítavání obsahuYou may have only received a record of the decision to close the proceedings because in your case the proceedings were closed for reasons stipulated by law in which case the applicant does not receive a written decision (Section 169r (2) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll).
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If the application is granted, make an appointment by phone to have your biometric data taken. Please note that the appointment date is binding and you must follow the Administrative Procedure Code if you request a reschedule or cancellation.
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Come to the scheduled biometric data scanning appointment. Take your travel document with you. At the biometric data scanning you will agree on a date to collect your completed biometric card.
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The final step is to collect your residence permit (biometric card). The time limit for collection is 60 days from the date you had your biometric data scanned.