How to register your stay in the Czech Republic as an EU citizen

Moving to the Czech Republic as a citizen of another EU member country can seem like Procházka růžovou zahradou – a Czech saying literally translated as “a Walk through the rose garden” (e.g. meaning something easy or pleasant), compared to the more complex immigration process non-EU citizens typically face, which usually requires more planning in advance. And indeed, the relocation is generally much easier, thanks to the freedom guaranteed by the EU in the Schengen Area. But we believe there may still be obligations that you are not aware of, or tips that could come in handy for your future interactions with the Czech Immigration Authorities. So, if you are interested, let’s take a closer look.

After arrival registration with the Foreign Police

From an immigration perspective, your first steps in the Czech Republic, if you are taking your stay seriously and plan to reside in the Czech Republic for more than 30 days, should lead to the local Foreign Police office. All EU citizens, who will be staying for more than 30 days are required by law to report their residence in the Czech Republic to the Foreign Police Service within 30 days as of their entry to the country. This step is often skipped by many foreigners, and while the Foreign Police rarely checks this due to the free movement rights of EU citizens, we recommend doing the registration, especially if you are planning to stay longer and start building your life here, it’s better to be on the top of the bureaucracy. However, in today’s nomadic world, it is very likely that you may have already fulfilled this obligation, as you are automatically registered in case you have stayed in any hotel or any other type of registered accommodation in the Czech Republic. The providers are obliged to do the registration on your behalf during the check-in. So, before you walk towards meeting the Czech Foreign Police (which does not have particularly welcoming reputation among foreigners), think about if that could be your case.

As the Police officers often do not speak any English, and as often you can find them in a not very sunny mood, being well-prepared can help you shake off some stress and maybe even catch the officers off guard :). Thus, here you will find a list of documents to bring with you:

• Your passport

• Completed registration form

• Proof of Accommodation

• Health insurance

• In case you need confirmation of your registration bring also a 50 CZK revenue stamp - available at post offices

At the end we recommend bringing patience and some kind of entertainment with you, as you might be waiting in a long queue.

Obtaining a Registration Certificate from the Ministry of the Interior

After your visit to the Foreign Police, we believe you are now skilled at dealing with Czech authorities, and you are ready to face the Czech Police boss – the Ministry of the Interior – “s prstem v nose” - a Czech phrase meaning “easy peasy” (literally “with a finger in your nose”)!

Obtaining the Registration Certificate for EU citizens is not mandatory, and you can happily live here without it for many years – although that depends on how much you want to avoid dealing with Czech authorities - there are several reasons why getting one might be worth it:

📄 Serves as proof of legal stay

Even though as an EU citizen you have a right to stay here without any kind of a permit, there are situations when an actual proof of your long-term residency or its intention could be required from you – such as when you are looking for a new apartment and the landlord requests during your communication some proof of your residence in Czech, your employer could consider it as a confirmation of your eligibility to work and live here and also of your intention to settle down here. It might help you when opening a bank account, enrolling in the public healthcare system or dealing with other state-supported services. In general, it can simplify many bureaucratic processes when dealing with Czech authorities.

🛂 Simple way to Permanent Residence

If you are enjoying life in the Czech Republic, and you are considering applying for a Permanent residence in the future, it will make your life much easier, as you do not have to go through the paperwork nightmare, digging through a pile of documents you have at home and try to search which ones you can use to prove the 5 years of continuous residence in the Czech Republic, which are required to prove when applying for the Permanent Residence - unless you have been holding the Registration certificate – in that case you do not need to worry about proving your 5 years presence as the certificate serves as a bulletproof evidence.

👨‍👩‍👧 Opening a way for family reunification

In case you have some family members or a partner who are not citizens of an EU country  like you, but they would like to join you and follow you to the Czech Republic, you will most likely need to arrange for the Registration Certificate, as that way your family members (or at least some family members specified by law) can apply for a Temporary residence permit of an EU citizen family member.

Now when we covered how the Registration certificate can make your life easier you might be more willing to hear what needs to be done to get it! :)

🗂️ Prepare the documents

• Your passport or ID card

• One passport-sized photo

• Completed application form: You will need to select the purpose of your stay from the following options: employment, self-employment/business, other gainful activity, study, family or other.

• Health insurance: Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is sufficient. If the purpose of your stay is employment and you provide either a confirmation from your employer or your Employment contract, you do not need to submit health insurance (the same applies to self-employment).

• Document proving a family relationship: Usually a birth or marriage certificate. Only if your stay is for family purposes.

• Administrative fee of 200 CZK: This can be paid contactless during your visit if applying in person, or in advance by bank transfer if applying by post. If paying in advance, you will need to generate payment details via the Ministry’s website and attach the payment confirmation to your application.

  
  

📎As for all the original documents you obviously do not want to lose, we recommend making a certified copies to submit to the Immigration office – simple copies would not be accepted.

📬 Submit your application

You can choose the submission method that works best for you:

• In person at the Immigration Office – officially called OAMP (Odbor azylové a migrační politiky Ministerstva vnitra/Department on the asylum and migration policy of the Ministry of the interior). If applying this way, we highly recommend booking an appointment in advance, either online or by phone, otherwise you might find yourself waiting in a very long queue.

• By post – gather all required documents and send them to the correct Immigration Office.

• Via data box, if you have one.

📍It is important to identify the correct Immigration Office based on your residential address in the Czech Republic.

⏳ Wait for your application to be processed (up to 30 days)

If you submitted your application in person, you will receive an application reference number on the spot. If you applied by post or data box, you will need to call the OAMP info line to ask about the number – they are usually able to provide it one or two weeks after submission. You can track the status of your application on the OAMP website using this number. The standard processing time is 30 days. If something is missing or incorrect, you will be notified and given a deadline to complete or correct the application.

🎉  Pick up your Registration Certificate

Once your application is approved, contact the Immigration Office again to book a date for collection. The certificate must be collected in person, and you have 30 days from the approval notification to do so (applies in case you have been officially notified by the Immigration Office about the approval). The certificate is valid for 10 years.

😎 Brag to your European friends

Now that you are officially registered, it’s showtime! Feel free to show off your brand-new Registration Certificate – you’ve earned it!