Long-term Residence Permit for the Purpose of Seeking Employment or Starting a Business
A long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business is intended for third countries citizens who completed their studies of a university-accredited study programme or completed scientific research in the Czech Republic and wish to seek employment or start a business.
GENERAL INFO
APPLICATION
Who can apply for this type of residence permit?
You can apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business if:
- you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies and you have completed a university-accredited study programme.
- you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of scientific research and you have completed this research.
How long is this residence permit valid for?
Up to 9 months with no possibility of extension.
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.
The validity of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business cannot be extended.
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.
If you have completed a university-accredited study programme in the Czech Republic and then acquired a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business, you have free access to the labour market and you can work, do business, seek employment or start a business without limitations.
Holders of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business are also eligible to apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of doing business without having to meet the requirement of previous 5 years of residence in the Czech Republic.
If you hold a valid residence permit document, you can leave and re-enter the Czech Republic repeatedly. You can also travel within the Schengen Area without a visa.
Can you apply for this residence permit even if you have no long-term visa or residence permit in the Czech Republic?
No, you can only apply if you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies and you study a university-accredited study programme, or if you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of scientific research in the Czech Republic.
Who can apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business in the Czech Republic?
You can apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business if:
- holders of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies who have completed their studies of a university-accredited study programme, or
- holders of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of scientific research who have completed this research.
How and where can you apply?
Only in person at one of the Ministry of the Interior offices.
When do you have to submit the application?
You must apply before the expiry of your current residence permit.
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. 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 A RESIDENCE PERMIT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC:
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In order to apply you will need:
- Application form
- Travel document
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of funds for the residence (finances)
- Photograph
- Comprehensive medical insurance (information on children under the age of 18 can be found here)
- Document certifying completion of university studies (holder of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies) or document certifying completion of research activity issued by the corresponding research institution (holder of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of scientific research).
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.
- Document similar to a criminal record certificate, issued by the state of which you are a citizen.
- A proof of payment for the insurance stated on the proof of comprehensive medical insurance.
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.
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, 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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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 a long-term residence permit application or an application for a new long-term residence permit (changing the purpose of residence) in person at a Ministry of the Interior office.
Are you not sure whether you must submit the application in person? For more information click here.
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 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.
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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.