Changing the Purpose of Residence

If you hold a long-term residence permit and you want to reside in the Czech Republic for a different purpose, you must apply for a new long-term residence permit, which may be subject to certain rules.

What does changing the purpose mean and how does it work?

For example, if you hold a long-term residence permit for sports purposes and you want to apply for a long-term residence permit for family purposes, you must apply for a new long-term residence permit. The procedure differs from application for an extension of a long-term residence permit for the same purpose.

You must submit the application only in person at a Ministry of the Interior office.
You can submit the application at any time while your residence permit is still valid.
The time limit for taking a decision on such an application is 60 days.

What limitations are there for changing the purpose of residence?

You can apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of doing business after you have resided in the Czech Republic for 5 years. This does not apply:
- if you hold a long-term visa for the purpose of doing business, or
- if you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business, or
- if you have entered the Czech Republic for the purpose of family reunification and you hold a long-term residence permit for this purpose (for more information please see below).
You can only apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business if you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies of a university accredited study programme or the purpose of scientific research and, at the same time, these studies or research are coming to an end.
If you have entered the Czech Republic for the purpose of family reunification and you hold a long-term residence permit for this purpose, you can apply for a residence permit for a different purpose after 3 years of residence in the Czech Republic or after having reached 18 years of age. The exceptions are:
- You can apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose if you are a bereaved person after a reunification-of-family permit holder and by the day of the reunification-of-family permit holder’s death you have resided in the Czech Republic for at least 2 years; or the reunification-of-family permit holder’s death was caused as a result of a work accident or an occupational disease.
- You can apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose in the case of a divorce if by the day of the divorce you have resided in the Czech Republic for at least 3 years.
If you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of leave to remain, you can apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose provided that you have resided in the Czech Republic continuously for at least 3 years.

What applications do the above-mentioned limitations not apply to?

If you are applying for a residence permit that is modified in Act no. 326/1999 Coll. (Foreigners Act) by an independent section, e.g. Section 42a Long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification in the Czech Republic.
Such residence permits (purposes of residence) are: family reunification, studies, protection, scientific research, employee card, blue card, intra-company employee transfer card, intra-company employee transfer card of another EU Member State, investment.
You will always find the limitations applicable to these applications in the corresponding Act Section.