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General informations for foreigners

General information for foreigners staying in Czech Republic

Prague, Brno, Hradec Králové, Plzeň, Mariánské Lázně, Karlovy Vary, Liberec

Stay of foreigners in the CR is governed by Act No. 326/1999 Coll., on the stay of foreign nationals in the territory of the Czech Republic nd on amendments tocertain acts, as subsequently amended (hereinafter reffered to as the "Foreigners Act"). For current version of the Foreigners Act visit the website of the Ministry of Interior. According to Foreigners Act foreigners are divided on EU citizens and their family members (the same scheme is applied to the European Economic Area citizens and their family members - ie the citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland citizens and their family members) and other nationals from so-called third countries.

The stay of foreign nationals in the territory of the CR is also subject to the legal regulations of the EU / EC. Visa issues are primarily regulated by the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas ("Visa Code") and Council Regulation (EC) No. 539/2001 (as subsequently amended), which contents the list of the third countrieswhose nationals must have visa when crossing the external borders and the list of the third countries whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

From 21st December 2007 in the CR also applies all the provisions of the Schengen acquis - since that date the CR is part of the Schengen area.

Any foreigner over the age of 15 must hold their own travel document (passport) and must submit a separate application for a visa. Children younger than 15 years must be registered in the foreigner's passport if traveling with him and they submit an application for o visa through the legal guardian.

The foreigners who have a a long-term or permanent residence issued by another EU Member State are subject to specific conditions of residence in the CR.

General information on residence of EU/ EEA and Switzerland

Citizens the European Union member states as well as the Citizen of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland are free to move within the Schengen area. Citizens of the above mentioned countries can entry and reside in the Czech Republic without special restrictions, and only with a valid travel document which can be also an identity card. If a citizen of the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland does not have a travel document and cannot obtain one, at the time of the border check the police will allow him/her to prove identity and the fact that he/she is a citizen of the EU or one of the aforementioned countries by means of another document.

Regardless of the purpose and duration of residence, EU citizens need a visa. It is only necessary to meet reporting requirements. The following chapters describe the regime for the citizens of the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland, although sometimes is used the term of "the EU citizen".

A citizen of a non-EU state can travel within the EU/Schengen area on the basis of a valid passport and visa. The visa can be replaced by a valid residence permit issued by the CR or another Schengen state. The passport should be valid for at least the period of the planned stay outside of his/her home state or the state in which he/she resides.

A residence card issued by the CR or another Member State cannot be considered to be a travel document for the purpose of travelling around the EU – it must always be accompanied by a valid passport.

If you hold a valid short-term (Schengen) visa and a valid travel document, your stay and movement in the Schengen area is governed by the validity of this visa, the number of permitted entries and further by the number of permitted days – the entire period of the permitted stay can be a maximum of 3 months (90 days) during every six-month period (180 days). Thus, during the visa’s validity, you can move freely in the Schengen area and you must leave it before it expires.

If you hold a valid long-term visa, residence permit or valid permanent residence card together with a valid travel document, you can travel to other Schengen countries and stay in their territories for up to 3 months during any six-month period.

The half year starts from the first day of entering the other states of the Schengen area. After 90 days in this half-year period, it is necessary to leave these Schengen states. It is possible to return in the next half year.