In this article, we are answering the most common questions about the Permanent Residence Permit in the Czech Republic. Get in touch if you have some more questions about the Permanent Residency or if you need any assistance with your application. Happy to help either way!
What Are the Benefits of Permanent Residence in Czech Republic
For non-EU citizens, the permanent residence permit is the highest immigration status in the Czech Republic. The only status higher than the permanent residence permit is obtaining Czech citizenship. The strong status also brings a lot of benefits along with it. We are listing the most important ones below:
- Your status in the Czech Republic is permanent – this means you do not have to renew your status every year or two, you do not have to worry about approval or denial of your application. Permanent Residency is permanent which means you only have to get a new residence card every 10 years.
- You have free access to Czech labor market – regardless of your nationality or the type of visa or residence permit you had before obtaining the permanent residence permit, you gain free access to Czech labor market along with your permanent residence card. This means you can work freely in the Czech Republic – no need for permissions to work, vacancy numbers, reporting change of employers etc.
- You get access to Czech public insurance – most nationalities can not access the Czech public insurance before they get the permanent residence permit without being locally employed. That changes when you obtain permanent residence permit. You are now part of the public system regardless of your employment status.
- You can vote in local elections – although this might not be super important for many, if you see the Czech Republic as your forever home and you want to influence what happens around you, in your neighborhood, with permanent residence permit you can.
- Easier access to other EU countries – although obtaining Czech permanent residence permit does not automatically grant you the right to live and work in other EU countries, moving within the EU becomes a lot easier, especially with the additional status of “long-term resident of the EU”. You can technically live in some other EU country/countries for up to six years and still keep the Czech permanent residence permit (different rules apply for permanent residence permit of EU family members!).
How to Get a Permanent Residence Permit in the Czech Republic
How to get a permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic depends on what is your situation and what kind of permanent residence permit you want to apply for
Generally the process can be summed up into these three steps:
- Make sure you qualify for the Permanent Residence Permit – there are different requirements and qualification criteria for different versions of the permanent residence permit – Permanent Residence Permit for an EU citizen, Permanent Residence Permit for a Family Member of an EU citizen, Permanent Residence Permit for a non-EU citizen. For example some family members of EU citizens can apply for permanent residency after 2 years of living in Czech Republic, although the standard requirement is 5 year. EU citizens and their family members also do not have to pass the Czech language exam which is otherwise a standard requirement as well.
- Collect all the required documents – similar as in point 1, the required documents also depend on what type of permanent residence permit you are applying for. We go into details in the article highlighted below but generally, you always must have the following:
– application form,
– passport,
– passport photos,
– proof of accommodation,
– proof of living here long enough (2 years, 5 years or longer depending on your circumstances),
– for most applications you also need to show high enough monthly income,
– for non-EU applicants a Czech language certificate might be required (more details here),
– admin fee – that ranges from 200 CZK for EU citizens and their family members to 2 500 CZK for adult non-EU citizens. - Submit your application – permanent residence permit application must always be submitted in person. In most cases, you submit it to the branch of the Ministry of the Interior responsible for the place where you live. In some cases (primarily minors), a permanent residence permit application can also be submitted through a Czech Embassy.
Read more in this article about Permanent Residence Permit or contact us to discuss your specific situation.
