Third country citizens
Registration upon arrival in the Czech Republic
In the case of an application submitted abroad for a long-term residence permit, after its approval, a long-term visa is granted to the foreign national in order to accept the long-term residence permit. This visa is entered in the foreign national’s passport (travel document) in the form of a visa sticker. Applicants, including children, will receive a separate visa, even if the child is registered in the parent’s passport – in which case, two visa stickers are attached in the one passport.
With a few exceptions, an entry/exit stamp will be placed in the passports of third country nationals when entering and leaving the Schengen area. It is always a good idea to check that your passport has been stamped.
After arriving in the Czech Republic, you must visit within three business days of the date of entering the Czech Republic the office of the Czech Ministry of the Interior with a valid passport to pick up the long-term residence permit and to obtain biometric data and a signature. The residence permit card may then be issued.
We will arrange in advance the visit to the Czech Ministry of the Inrerior in cooperation with Euraxess Prague. The above information applies even to submitting an application for a long-term residence permit on the territory of the Czech Republic.
After this first visit to the Czech Ministry of the Interior, foreign nationals are invited to come a second time in order to receive their residence permit card, and with this action, the residence agenda is complete. However, one must watch the expiration date of the current permit and submit an application for renewing the long-term residence or for another type of residence permit or leave the Czech Republic before it expires.
At the request of the police, a third country national is required to prove their identity by showing a valid passport or residence permit (biometric card/residence card). Thus, a third country national may present this biometric card instead of a passport. However, for travelling outside the Czech Republic, the biometric card does not replace the passport, and thus third country nationals must have both a valid passport and a valid biometric residence card.
Adaptation and integration course
Every foreign national who, as of 1 January 2021, is issued a long-term residence permit or permanent residence permit after this date is obliged to take the adaptation and integration course within one year of the date of collecting their residence permit.
Foreign nationals will be acquainted with the rights and obligations connected with their stay in the territory of the Czech Republic, with the fundamental values of the Czech Republic, with everyday life, culture and customs prevailing in the Czech Republic. Course participants will also be provided information on organisations and institutions that provide advisory services to foreign nationals free of charge.
Who is not obliged to complete an adaptation-integration course?
- Foreign nationals who have already taken this course or who have been issued a long-term residence permit or a permanent residence permit before 1 January 2021
- Foreign nationals residing in the territory of the Czech Republic on the basis of long-term residence permit for the purpose of study
- EU citizens and their family members
- Foreign nationals under 15 years of age or 61 years of age or over on that date
- Holders of employee cards and blue cards issued under the Highly Qualified Employee and Key and Scientific Personnel governmental programmes
A foreign nationals must complete this course at latest within one year of the date of collecting their residence permit. The price of the course is CZK 1,500 and lasts four hours.
Detailed information about the possibilities of completing the course, dates and price will be provided by the Staff Welcome Center. Please contact us here.
Reporting changes to data in the residence card
Third country citizens are required to report the following changes within three days:
- first name/surname
- marital status (married, divorced, widowed)
- data in passports/identity cards, including replacements
- data in the residence cards
If a change of address is made, this change must be reported as follows:
- within 30 days of the change, provided the anticipated change of address will be longer than 30 days (for long-term residence)
- within 30 business days of the change, provided the anticipated change of address will be longer than 180 days (for permanent residence)
All of the above changes are reported to the office of the Czech Ministry of the Interior.
Citizens of EU
Information on the procedures to be followed by EU citizens upon arrival can be found here.