To apply, you will need: 

• Travel document.
• Proof of accommodation.
• Medical insurance – if the purpose of your stay is studies, family purposes or other. 
• Photograph.
• Proof of residence in the Czech Republic at present and by December 31st 2020 if it is not clear from the already provided documents.
• An original of a document proving a family relationship – only if you are an EU citizen and you state as the purpose of your stay family purposes (e.g. an original of a marriage certificate, birth certificate, decision of a competent authority on custody or of a decision on adoption).

If the Ministry of the Interior prompts you to do so, prepare also:

• Medical report.
• Document similar to an extract from the Penal Register record.

Upon application, you must pay an administrative fee 200 CZK in the form of stamps.

Please review the formal requirements that the documents must meet.

You can fill in the application form online. Then print out the filled-in form and sign it.

You can also download a blank application form, print it out and fill it in by hand, or you can collect the form free of charge at one of the Ministry of the Interior offices. The form must be filled in legibly, in block capitals and in Latin characters.

You can submit the application at a Ministry of the Interior office, send it by post, Data Box or by e-mail with an advanced electronic signature, or you can submit it through an authorised representative.

If you wish to submit the application in person, please make an appointment online or by phone beforehand. Although a timely appointment reservation saves your time, it is not a necessary condition for submitting the application – with no appointment reservation you have to wait for your turn. Applicants under 15 years of age must submit their applications through one of their legal representatives (most frequently through one of their parents).

If you submit the application in person, you will receive a slip confirming the submission and a reference number assigned to your application. You need to know the reference number, for example, to be able to track the state of your proceedings. If you do not submit the application in person, you can learn the reference number by calling our information hotline. In this case, it is recommended to call the hotline no sooner than a week after the application was sent as it takes a few days to assign a reference number to an application.

The Ministry of the Interior will assess your application in administrative proceedings. If any errors are detected in the attached documents, you will be prompted in writing to remedy such errors. In the notice, the Ministry will explain in detail what the errors are and what you have to do to remedy them. It will also set a time limit for you to do so. When justified and if you apply for it in writing, this time limit can be extended.

The Ministry of the Interior also checks if you meet the requirements to obtain the residence permit you are applying for. In such case, you may be invited for an interview.

In the course of the administrative proceedings you can:

• Add additional documents to your application.
• Be represented in the proceedings (a power of attorney).
• Ask for access to file.
• Ask for a stay in the proceedings.
• Withdraw the application (withdrawal of the application).

You can track the state of your proceedings online on the website under Status of my application or in your personal account. If you were prompted to provide documents or to remedy errors, the time limit for processing your application is not running until the errors are remedied or for as long as it is established in the notice.

For more information on the state of your application you can submit a written application for a notification on the state of the proceedings. You can find the most common reasons for why processing may take longer in the database of frequently asked questions.

On the website under Application submitted you can see the following states:

a) Being processed: No decision has been taken yet. For more information on what you can do in the course of the administrative proceedings, please see the previous section.

b) Granted: The Ministry’s decision is affirmative. Please see the following section

c) Rejected: The Ministry rejected your application and closed the proceedings. In such case, you will receive the decision in writing. You can appeal against the decision within 15 days from the date you were notified about the decision.

The decision to reject the application consists of three basic parts:

1. The Statement: It contains specific legal provisions based on which the application was rejected. 
2. The Statement of Grounds: It explains why the application was rejected and what documents and proofs served as grounds for the decision on your application.
3. Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the decision.

The decision to close the proceedings consists of three basic parts:

1. The Statement: It contains specific legal provisions based on which the proceedings were closed.
2. The Statement of Grounds: It describes the procedure and grounds that led to the proceedings being closed.
3. Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the decision.

If the application is granted, make an appointment by phone to have your biometric data taken. Please note that the appointment you have made is binding and you must follow the Administrative Procedure Code when requesting a reschedule or cancellation.

Come to your appointment to have your biometric data taken and take your travel document with you. At your appointment, you will be told when to come and collect your card when it is ready.

The last step is to collect the registration certificate (biometric card). The time limit for collection is 60 days from the date you had your biometric data collected.