Permanent Residence Permit without Previous Residence in the Czech Republic

TO APPLY IN CZECHIA

Who can apply for a permanent residence permit without meeting the requirement of previous continuous residence in the Czech Republic?

1) You can apply for a permanent residence permit without meeting the requirement of previous continuous residence in the Czech Republic on humanitarian grounds or for reasons of special consideration if you are staying in the Czech Republic:

  • under a visa-free stay, with a visa for a stay no longer than 90 days, a visa for a stay longer than 90 days or a long-term residence permit and, at the same time, you are a child or a spouse of a foreigner with granted asylum, or
  • with a visa for a stay longer than 90 days or a long-term residence permit, or
  • with a long-term residence permit for the purpose of protection if your cooperation with a law enforcement authority has contributed to proving that a criminal offence of human trafficking was committed or that illegal crossing of the state borders was organised or facilitated.

2) You can apply for a permanent residence permit without meeting the requirement of previous continuous residence in the interest of the Czech Republic if you are staying in the Czech Republic temporarily (that is, for example, also under a visa-free stay).

3) You will find more information on how to apply on behalf of a minor child whose parents hold a permanent residence permit or a child born in the Czech Republic on a special website.

How and where can you apply?

Only in person at one of the Ministry of the Interior offices. Applicants under 15 years of age must submit their applications through a legal representative (most frequently through one of their parents).

What is the administrative fee?

CZK 2,500, 1,000 for minors under 15 years of age.

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 PERMANENT RESIDENCE PERMIT WITHOUT MEETING THE REQUIREMENT OF PREVIOUS RESIDENCE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC:

  • To apply, you will need:

    • Document similar to a criminal record certificate issued by:
      • a country which you are a national of or where you have a permanent address,
      • a country in which you have resided continuously for more than 6 months in the last 3 years.
      • If this country does not issue such a document, then you shall provide a solemn declaration. It does not apply to foreigners under 15 years of age and foreigners over 15 years of age who have been granted a visa for a stay longer than 90 days for the purpose of tolerated stay or a long-term residence permit for the purpose of tolerated stay.

    If the Ministry of the Interior prompts you to do so, prepare also:

    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 you submit an incomplete application, the Ministry of the Interior can suspend the administrative proceedings, which may lead to prolonging the application processing time (for more information, see the section additions to the application).

    Upon application you must pay an administrative fee 2,500 CZK, 1,000 CZK for minors under 15 years of age.

    Please review the formal requirements that the documents must meet.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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

    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.

  • 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:

    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:
      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.

  • 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.

  • Come to your appointment to have your biometric data taken and bring your travel document with you. At your appointment, you will be told when to come and collect your card when it is ready. You will also receive the decision for issuance of a permanent residence permit.

  • 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.