The Czech Republic is a small but stable and developed state in the central part of Europe. Membership in the EU and a comfortable geographical location next to Germany and Poland allow the country to increase trade relations and attract foreign investment, which contributes to the growth of welfare and social security of the population.
A residence permit (RP) in the Czech Republic for Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians is the “golden mean” between the desired, but, on the other hand, alien West, and the somewhat boring, but still native post-Soviet space. That is, the culture and mentality of the Czechs look more attractive for adaptation than, say, the Spaniards or Italians.
Most often, citizens from the CIS countries go to the Czech Republic to study, work or do business. In almost every case it is necessary to obtain a residence permit. This is a prerequisite for legal stay in the country for more than 3 months and the initial stage on the path to obtaining permanent resident status and Czech citizenship. This article will discuss how Russians, Ukrainians and other foreigners can obtain a residence permit in the Czech Republic in 2021.
Benefits of a residence permit
A residence permit in the Czech Republic in 2021 is a document that provides its owner with fairly extensive rights. A long-term residence permit, or residence permit, allows you to:
- reside in the country for an unlimited period of time;
- study in any educational institution in the Czech Republic;
- get a job yourself;
- purchase real estate;
- expect to receive a loan or mortgage from banks;
- buy a car and get a European license.
A residence permit gives the right to unlimited stay in the Czech Republic, but this document must be renewed annually for five years. To get a job in the Czech Republic, a foreign citizen must meet a number of conditions. You need to have a very scarce specialty so that the employer can explain to the relevant authorities the need to invite a foreign specialist.
Example of a residence permit card in the Czech Republic
The holder of a residence permit in the Czech Republic can get a job independently, as well as quit or change jobs. It is very important for entrepreneurs who have their own business in the Czech Republic to be able to obtain a bank loan. It should be noted that when purchasing real estate, a residence permit in the Czech Republic is not provided.
Obtaining a residence permit
A residence permit in the Czech Republic can be granted to a foreign citizen subject to certain conditions:
- own business in the Czech Republic;
- travel to the country at the invitation of the employer;
- getting an education;
- marriage or family ties with a citizen of the Czech Republic;
Starting your own business
Opening your own business will allow you to obtain a residence permit in the Czech Republic with all the relevant rights. The process itself is very simple, since registration is done quickly, and one crown can be in the bank account as the authorized capital. Difficulties may arise when choosing a business. First of all, you should not purchase a ready-made business. Nobody will sell their own business, which brings real income, and if the owner sells his business, it means there are some problems there.
Many people believe that the restaurant business in the Czech Republic is a gold mine, but it is not so. In large cities there are so many catering establishments of different levels that no one will pay attention to a new cafe or restaurant. Czechs are conservative people and prefer to visit established establishments where they are well known. Opening a family mini-hotel is also a failure, since the whole Czech Republic is crowded with places where tourists can stay, and the competition in this market segment is enormous.
Several years ago, when the flow of people wishing to go to the Czech Republic for permanent residence increased sharply, companies that provided various assistance with immigration were very popular. There, for a certain fee, they could tell you everything, show you everything and draw up any documents. Now supply has significantly exceeded demand, and opening such an assistant company makes no sense.
The country is in demand for the services of doctors of various specialties, especially cosmetologists, but this type of activity requires appropriate education and work experience. In addition, knowledge of the language should not be at the spoken level, but much higher.
Real estate companies are quite often opened by immigrants from Russia. But here too there are difficulties. Even our compatriots prefer to contact well-known companies than to use the services of a small company that has just entered the market. The Czechs themselves turn directly to developers, since their prices are much lower, and the residents of the country are very economical in their mentality.
When planning to open your own business in the Czech Republic, you should remember that all profitable niches have long been occupied, and in order for the business to generate income, you need to offer clients something unique and over a certain period of time you will have to prove your worth.
Work in the Czech Republic
This is a rather complex process that does not always end positively. There are two ways to get a job in the Czech Republic. The first is searching for work on specialized sites, where potential employers write a list of vacancies. You need to send dozens of your resumes by email in the hope that someone will respond and take care of the special permit required by a foreigner planning to work in the Czech Republic.
The second option involves entering the country on a “C” visa and searching for work on your own.
If a person has successfully settled and received the appropriate document, this does not mean that he has the right to a residence permit in the Czech Republic on a general basis. If a conflict arises between an employer and an employee and the employee is fired, the document giving the right to reside in the country is automatically revoked. A win-win option that allows you to obtain a residence permit in the Czech Republic is the status of a unique specialist. For example, a virtuoso violinist, an internationally recognized scientist or a talented composer can easily obtain a residence permit, but people of this level can choose any country in the world community.
Getting an education
Immigration to the Czech Republic to get an education is not a very complicated and inexpensive process. The cost of studying in English-language educational institutions is determined by the level of the institution and is different everywhere. At a university where instruction is conducted in Czech, education is free, and the student only pays for a place in the dormitory. But in order to enroll in the free faculty, you need knowledge of the Czech language.
The European Union has adopted the CEFR foreign language knowledge system, which divides the level of training into several groups: from A1 - survival level to C2 - perfect proficiency. To study at an educational institution, level B2 is required. The learning process is free, and the future student only pays for participation in the exams, and this will cost 20-40 euros.
You can submit documents to several educational institutions at once, enroll in the one that is easier, and then transfer to a more prestigious university. After successfully passing the exams, you will have your enrollment document in hand, and you can prepare documents for the embassy to apply for a long-term visa for the period of study. Students are provided with a paid hostel, but many prefer to rent inexpensive real estate.
Marriage
A person who is married to a citizen of the country can apply for a residence permit in the Czech Republic. This requires standard identification documents of the person entering into marriage. In addition, the following documents will be required:
- metrics;
- divorce document;
- death certificate of the spouse.
These documents are translated into Czech by a registered translator. Apostille certification is not required in this case. The Czech authorities are very strict about fictitious marriages, and a citizen caught in this, as a rule, must leave the country. To obtain permanent residence status, you must have been married for at least two years. Children under 18 years of age have the right to obtain a residence permit if one of the parents has a residence permit in the Czech Republic. And the spouse, in the case where the other spouse also has such a document.
Basic documents submitted for residence permit
There is a basic set of documents that must be prepared to obtain a residence permit:
- valid foreign and Russian passports;
- certificate of good conduct in the Czech Republic;
- certificate of good conduct in Russia;
- an insurance policy with a coverage amount of at least 30,000 euros;
- a document from the bank confirming the availability of funds in the account;
- an act of purchase of real estate or lease for a period of at least one year.
A police clearance certificate in Russia is translated into Czech by a licensed translator and certified by a notary. An insurance policy can be issued by a company that has the right to engage in insurance in the Czech Republic. The amount required in the bank account is determined by the cost of living , which may change, so this issue must be clarified closer to the date of application.
In addition, documents are required that determine the right to obtain a residence permit. This could be a certificate of opening and registration of your company, a document confirming admission to an educational institution or employment. For persons applying for a residence permit for family reunification, papers will be required that determine the degree of relationship with a citizen of the Czech Republic.
Price
The cost of obtaining a residence permit for the Czech Republic will cost you a fairly large amount.
- Thus, obtaining a long-term visa costs about 100 euros.
- Applying for a permanent or temporary residence permit costs another 20 euros.
- If you receive a work residence permit, the work card will cost you 50 euros.
Also, in order not to bother with a huge amount of paperwork yourself, you can turn to the services of companies. Their cost for processing the entire package of documents varies from 1000 euros to 5000 euros, depending on the complexity of the situation.
Residence permit in the Czech Republic for pensioners
Recently, many Russian pensioners, who have completed their service and received a pension, are planning to leave Russia and move to some European country, preferably with a Slavic mentality. The Czech Republic as a place for retirement living is among the main contenders. In 2021, several thousand pensioners who applied to enter the country will receive visas. A residence permit in the Czech Republic is for many an opportunity to live in the European space and receive excellent medical care.
Pension in the Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic, there are no special benefits for pensioners, so those who, being of retirement age, plan to move to the Czech Republic will have to use the common scheme for obtaining a residence permit. Most elderly compatriots move to the country due to family reunification status. To do this, you must have close relatives who already have a residence permit in the Czech Republic. If a Russian owns his own business in the Czech Republic and plans to employ his elderly parents, then most likely they will not be given a visa, since there have already been precedents, so it is better not to take risks and arrange reunification with their relatives.
Purchasing real estate in the Czech Republic does not give the right to obtain a residence permit, but it does provide the opportunity to obtain a Schengen visa for up to 180 days. If a Russian citizen plans to move to the Czech Republic for permanent residence and is completely removed from all types of registration, then in order to receive a pension in this country, he needs to submit a number of documents:
- a certified copy of the education document;
- a copy of the work book;
- document on the amount of pension payments;
- certificate of deregistration from the Russian pension fund;
According to Czech law, a person with a higher education cannot receive a pension of less than $150.
When obtaining a residence permit in the Czech Republic, you must take out medical insurance and you should be aware that the cost of an insurance policy in the country increases in proportion to age. Comparative cost of insurance policy:
- 30 years – $29;
- 40 years – $37;
- 50 years old – $54;
- 62 years old – $90;
These data apply to males. For women during the childbearing period, the insurance amount will be higher, and after the woman reaches the age of 50, it decreases. In general, medical care in the Czech Republic is quite expensive, and you have to pay decent money even for the initial examination, when no procedures or medications have yet been prescribed. Czech pensioners, of course, enjoy a number of benefits and privileges from the state, but visitors will have to pay for a lot out of their own pockets.
According to many who moved to the Czech Republic for permanent residence, this country is not the best place for Russian pensioners, so most potential immigrants plan to apply for visas to other EU countries in 2021. If an elderly person has children or grandchildren who live and work in the Czech Republic, and who can provide real help to the newcomer, then going abroad for permanent residence would be a good decision, since the attitude towards elderly people in European countries is better than in Russia.
Rights and obligations
- If you are the holder of a residence permit in the Czech Republic, you can live in this state all year round.
- However, you must be on the territory of the state for at least 183 days, otherwise the residence permit will not be extended.
- You get access to public medicine, and also undertake to pay for enrollment in the corresponding fund.
- You can receive benefits and social insurance. Children can attend schools and kindergartens free of charge.
- You can get a European driving license.
- You undertake to pay taxes, just like other residents of the state.
Moving to the Czech Republic can be the highlight of your life, but only if you are properly prepared for it. Therefore, we hope that you can truly enjoy the process.
