The right to permanent residence is granted to foreign citizens who have been legally residing in the Czech Republic for five years. Foreigners who have received permanent residence are either issued a special internal Czech passport, or pasted into the National Passport.

Who can get a permanent residence permit?

Other conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit for foreigners are:

• marriage to a Czech citizen/citizen;

• the presence of a direct ancestor in the Czech Republic;

• adoption of a Czech citizen;

• interest of the Czech state in a foreign citizen as a specialist (you need to submit an education document).

Procedure and documents

An application for a residence permit is submitted in the Czech Republic to the police for foreigners at the place of registration. The application review period is up to three months.

List of documents required for applying for a permanent residence permit:

• valid international passport;

• two photos;

• a document confirming the purpose of your stay (for example, an employment contract);

• financial security document (bank statement indicating that the amount of €6.3 thousand is on the account);

• document confirming the provision of housing (document on the right to own real estate, lease agreement, etc.);

• certificate of absence of a criminal record on the territory of the Czech Republic and the country of permanent residence (citizenship);

• a document confirming knowledge of the Czech language issued by language schools or the relevant institution.

According to the law, you can apply for citizenship in the Czech Republic:

• by birthright, if one of the parents is a Czech citizen;

• by established paternity;

• when adopted by a Czech citizen;

• abandoned children found in the Czech Republic, if their parents aren’t identified;

• foreign citizens by naturalization.

Citizenship by marriage

The husband / wife of a Czech citizen who is officially married to him and has proved that the marriage is not fictitious has the right to apply for citizenship after 5 years of legal residence in the Czech Republic.

Citizenship for investment

In 2017, the Czech Republic adopted amendments to the immigration legislation, among which the possibility of issuing a long-term residence permit for investors (the so-called investor visa) was added. The main requirements for obtaining an investor visa are:

• it is necessary to create at least 20 jobs for EU citizens and ensure their ability to work for the entire duration of the visa;

• invest at least 75 million in the country's economy. Czech crowns;

• provide a business plan.

A full list of documents, details of the requirements for the business plan and a description of the procedure for obtaining an investor visa can be found on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic.

After five years of living in the Czech Republic with an investor visa, you can apply for citizenship through naturalization on a general basis.

Procedure and conditions for obtaining citizenship

Citizenship is granted to foreigners who:

• Lived for 10 years in the Czech Republic on the basis of a residence permit.

• Don’t have any arrears in paying taxes or fines.

• Own real estate or rent housing.

• They know Czech at the B1 level. (Information and materials for the Czech language exam can be found on the website www.cestina-pro-cizince.cz)

• Studied Czech culture, history, legal and social structure of the Czech Republic.

• Share democratic values, adhere to Czech laws and integrate into society.

The decision to recognize a foreigner as a Polish citizen is issued by the Ministry of internal affairs.

All information about applying for Czech citizenship, including information about the necessary documents, fees, prerequisites and conditions for obtaining Czech citizenship, can be found on the website: https://www.mvcr.cz/clanek/obcan-na-urade-82997.aspx?q=Y2hudW09OA%3d%3d

Since 2014, the Czech Republic allows you to have dual citizenship, that is, when obtaining a Czech passport, a foreigner can’t renounce the citizenship of their native country.

A blue card is required for citizens of so-called third countries who will be employed in the Czech Republic for more than three months in a highly qualified position.

A blue card is issued for a specific position. Vacancies available to foreign citizens are displayed in the central database of vacancies for Blue Card holders.

Required documents

The foreigner must submit:

• valid passport

• application form

• 2 photos

• documents confirming the purpose of your stay

• documents confirming the relevant qualification

• health insurance

• certificate of no criminal record

Attention! The above list can’t be considered exhaustive. The package of documents required for obtaining a blue card may vary depending on the situation of the foreigner and the department to which the foreigner applies for a temporary residence permit.

For more information about the list of required documents and the conditions for obtaining a Blue Card, please follow the link: https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/information_for_aliens/long_stay_visa/blue_card_green_card.html

Blue card edition

The application and package of documents for obtaining a blue card must be submitted to the embassy or Consulate of the Czech Republic in your country. The list of foreign representative offices of the Czech Republic can be viewed here: https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/diplomatic_missions/diplomatic_list.html 

In the Czech Republic, all quarantine restrictions on entry from anywhere in the world have been lifted.

Decisions of the country to accept Ukrainian victims of war:

The Czech government is currently creating all the conditions for the comfortable accommodation of Ukrainian citizens affected by the war with Russia.

Information about help centers for Ukrainians:

Residents of regions of Ukraine affected by Russian aggression must apply to the Regional Assistance Center of Ukraine, which is located in every regional city in the Czech Republic, within 30 days of arriving in the Czech Republic. You will find the addresses of some regional centers at https://nasiukrajinci.cz/en/centrum-pomoci/. In addition, such registration is also carried out by police stations for foreigners. Their list and necessary information can be found at: https://www.mvcr.cz/clanek/sluzby-pro-verejnost-informace-pro-cizince-kontakty.aspx. All services for Ukrainians are provided absolutely FREE.

Information line support at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic: +420 974 801 802

The Prague Regional Center is located in the Prague Congress Center at: (red line C) Vyšehrad metro station, ul. 5. května 1640/65, 140 21 Prague 4-Nusle - entrance №10. Contacts: [email protected] +420 775 751 748. (It should be noted, however, that the possibilities of the city of Prague to accommodate the affected Ukrainians are almost exhausted.)

At the aid centers, Ukrainians receive a humanitarian intra-Czech residence visa (valid for 1 year), free health insurance, an offer of temporary accommodation, information on the possibility of studying for children, finding a job, etc., and registration for one-time financial assistance. The centers also have rest rooms with everything you need, so if you come to the Czech Republic and have no acquaintances here, you should immediately go to the nearest Regional Aid Center for Ukraine. Please note that travel on Czech Railways trains is free for Ukrainian citizens.

Visa application:

Registration of citizens of Ukraine in assistance centers is carried out on any identity document:

• passport,

• biometric passport,

• internal passport of a citizen of Ukraine,

• ID card,

• pension certificate,

• for children in the absence of a passport - according to the birth certificate.

With these documents, long-term humanitarian visas lasting 1 year or until the end of martial law in the Czech Republic can be issued at the aid centers in the Czech Republic. After the end of martial law it will be necessary to leave the territory of the Czech Republic. Refugee status is currently not granted to Ukrainian citizens in the Czech Republic.

Citizens of Ukraine who were in Ukraine before the imposition of martial law and whose visa has expired have the opportunity to extend their stay and visa in the Czech Republic. Detailed information at the link: www.mvcr.cz/ukrajina 

Entry into the Czech Republic is subject to a renewed visa-free regime. Ukrainian citizens crossing the border into the Czech Republic do not need a covid-19 vaccination certificate or PCR test results.

Social security (temporary housing, food, employment opportunities, etc.)

If necessary, free housing can be obtained at the Ukrainian Aid Centers, which are currently available for 1 month with the possibility of extension. Free meals are also provided in most places of the group settlement.

After applying for a humanitarian visa, you need to apply to the employment centers at the place of residence for a work permit and social benefits. Addresses to the link: https://www.uradprace.cz/krajske-pobocky 

Useful websites:

1. Free psychological support: psychologicka_pomoc

List of doctors: https://www.cpng.cz 

Free medical care:

The Ministry of Health has created an information line, which provides information on the state of health (in Ukrainian):

+420 226 20 1221, switch to number 8

List of doctors who are ready to accept new Ukrainian patients: https://lekariproukrajinu.cz/ 

Free legal support: https://www.helpukraine.cz/ 

Contacts of free lawyers: https://www.cak.cz/scripts/detail.php?id=25507 

Free translations of legal documents are available at this office: https://www.orangetree.cz/en/contact/ 

Employment:

List of vacancies from the Ministry of Social Work: https://www.uradprace.cz/web/uk/posuk-vakantnih-misc-2 

Work permits are issued in the regional offices of the Labor Exchange, contacts: https://www.uradprace.cz/krajske-pobocky 

Free mobile connection

In the contact centers you can get a free sim-card with a top-up account for 200 Kč. Mobile operators T-Mobile and Vodafone have made calls from the Czech Republic to Ukraine free of charge.

Travel on public transport

From June 1, a season ticket for all types of public transport costs about 7 euros.

Aid

Along with humanitarian aid, refugees from Ukraine have free access to the Czech Republic's health care system and can seek help from any major hospital in their city.

The Ministry of Health has created an information line, which provides information on the state of health (in Ukrainian):

+420 226 20 1221, switch to number 8

List of doctors who are ready to accept new Ukrainian patients: https://lekariproukrajinu.cz/ 

School or kindergarten for a child: After obtaining a humanitarian visa, you can go to the nearest school near your place of residence and enroll your child in a school or kindergarten, if there are still vacancies in the school. Otherwise, you need to contact the city or village council in your city, or use this search engine: https://shkola.cz/en/index.html

Possibility to extend short-term stays and visas for citizens of Ukraine

Citizens of Ukraine who were in the Czech Republic before the imposition of martial law in Ukraine, and whose visa has expired, have the opportunity to extend their stay and visa in the Czech Republic. Detailed information at the link: https://www.mvcr.cz/ukrajina 

Should I apply for refugee status?

No, it is enough to get a humanitarian visa.

Crossing the border without a biometric passport - yes or no?

Yes, but for entry into the Czech Republic for the purpose of shelter, further travel (fixing the crossing of the Czech border) cancels the validity of a long-term humanitarian visa.

What to do if the passport expires?

If you have entered the Czech Republic on a foreign biometric passport, which has already expired or expires within the next three months, you can apply to the nearest Consulate of Ukraine (Brno, Prague) in a live queue to renew the passport . To do this, you must have the original passport and a copy.

Warning! If you are not going to go to other countries in the near future, please wait with your request so as not to overload the work of Consulates and give the opportunity to renew passports to other citizens who need it urgently.

What to do if you have a child without a passport?

If your child has crossed the border with a birth certificate and you (mother or father) have a passport (biometric or old), you can enter information about the child in your passport. To do this, you need to contact the nearest Consulate of Ukraine. You must have the original passport, a copy of the passport, the original and a copy of the birth certificate and two 3.5 × 4.5 photographs. Parents' passports include information about children under the age of 18.

Crossing the border with pets

The State Veterinary Administration has simplified the conditions for the entry of pets for citizens of Ukraine: dogs, cats that accompany their owners. All documents can be issued later in the Czech Republic. Full information: https://www.svscr.cz 

Links to official information sources for refugees from Ukraine

https://www.mvcr.cz 

https://www.nasiukrajinci.cz/?lang=ua 

https://www.stojimezaukrajinou.cz/ua 

You will also find answers to frequently asked questions on the website of the Czech Ministry of the Interior: https://www.mvcr.cz/ukrajina