Long-term Residence Permit for Family Purposes
A long-term residence permit for family purposes is intended for third country citizens’ family members who wish to reside in the Czech Republic for more than one year.
GENERAL INFO
APPLICATION
EXTENSION
Who can apply for this residence permit?
You can apply for a long-term residence permit for family purposes if you are a holder of a valid long-term visa for family purposes or a long-term residence permit for any purpose and you want to stay in the Czech Republic with your family member for more than one year.
How long is this residence permit valid for?
For a maximum of 2 years.
What does this type of residence permit look like?
What obligations and restrictions does this residence permit mean?
You must fulfil the purpose of your stay for the whole duration of your residence permit. You must also follow the obligations for foreigners stipulated by law.
This residence permit does not give you free access to the labour market and so you cannot be employed.
The Czech law system does not acknowledge a polygamous marriage and, therefore, it is not possible, for example, to permit residence for family purposes to an applicant whose spouse already resides in the Czech Republic with another spouse.
What does this residence permit enable you to do?
If you hold a valid residence permit, you can leave and re-enter the Czech Republic repeatedly. You can also travel within the Schengen Area without a visa.
Can you apply for this residence permit even if you have no long-term visa or residence permit in the Czech Republic?
No, you can only apply if you are a holder of a long-term visa for family purposes or a long-term residence permit for any purpose.
Not sure if you can apply for this type of residence? Are you interested in what else you may apply for?
Who can apply for a long-term residence permit for family purposes in the Czech Republic?
- Holders of a long-term visa for family purposes.
- Holders of a long-term residence permit issued for any purpose (except for a long-term leave-to-remain residence permit when the stay is shorter than 3 years).
How and where can you apply?
Only in person at one of the Ministry of the Interior offices. Applicants under 15 years of age must submit their applications through one of their legal representatives (most frequently through one of their parents), using one of the above-mentioned ways.
When do you have to submit the application?
At the latest the last day of your current long-term residence’s or visa’s validity, at the earliest 120 days before its expiration.
During the time when your application is being processed, you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit or visa expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of Residence).
What is the administrative fee?
CZK 2,500 in the form of stamps, CZK 1,000 for minors under 15 years of age.
What is the time limit to process the application?
60 days. The time limit is not running if the proceedings are suspended or if there is a legal ground for it.
STEPS TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A RESIDENCE PERMIT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC:
1. Prepare the necessary documents
In order to apply you will need:
- Travel document
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of funds for the residence (finances) or a proof that all costs related to the stay will be covered by a public authority, legal entity or the host organisation
- Photograph
- Comprehensive medical insurance (information on children under the age of 18 can be found here)
- Original of a proof of family relationship (e.g. a marriage certificate, birth certificate)
Upon request also:
- A proof of payment for the insurance stated on the proof of comprehensive medical insurance
Upon application you must pay an administrative fee 2,500 CZK in the form of stamps. 1,000 CZK for minors under 15 years of age.
If you want your application to be processed as soon as possible, you have to provide all the necessary documents already when submitting the application. If your application is incomplete, the Ministry of the Interior can suspend the administrative proceedings, which may lead to prolonging the application processing time (for more information please see the section additions to the application).
However, if there is a time limit for submitting the application stipulated by law and you do not have all the necessary documents yet, submit the application anyway, even though it may be incomplete. As if the time limit expires, your right to reside in the Czech Republic may cease to exist along with it.
Please review the formal requirements that the documents must meet.
2. Fill in the application form
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 – it must be filled in legibly, in block capitals, in Latin characters, and in Czech. You can also collect the form free of charge at one of the offices of the Ministry of the Interior.
3. Make an appointment to go to a Ministry of the Interior office
Make an appointment online or by phone beforehand in order to submit your application. 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.
The lack of accessible slots in the schedule of appointments does not justify your failure to submit the application in due time. If the closest accessible date of appointment is after your time limit for submitting the application expires (for example your visa-free stay would already have expired), submit the application without prior reservation. For more details see your office’s opening hours (choose the appropriate office according to the location of your reported address) to find out, which is the earliest permissible date that you can appear in person, without having made a prior reservation.
4. Submit the application
You must submit a long-term residence permit application or an application for a new long-term residence permit (changing the purpose of residence) in person at a Ministry of the Interior office.
Are you not sure whether you must submit the application in person? For more information click here.
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.
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 have submitted your application within the given time limit, during the time when your application is being processed you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit or visa expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of Residence). This is the case, with some exceptions, until a final decision on your application is taken. At the Ministry of the Interior offices you can also apply for a certificate confirming permission for your residence (Bridging Visa). A Bridging Visa allows you, for example, to leave the Czech Republic and return again during the time when your application is being processed.
5. Wait for the decision
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 your 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.
6. Learn the result of the administrative proceedings
On the website under Status of my application you can see the following states:
- 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.
- Granted: The Ministry’s decision is affirmative. Please see the following section.
- Rejected: The Ministry rejected your application or closed the proceedings. In such a case you will receive the decision in writing. You can appeal against the decision within 15 days of the date you were notified of the decision.
- The decision to reject the application consists of three basic parts:
- The Statement: It contains specific legal provisions based on which the application was rejected. It may also advise you that you must leave the country, including the time limit in which you must do so.
- 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.
- 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:
- The Statement: It contains specific legal provisions based on which the proceedings were closed.
- The Statement of Grounds: It describes the procedure and grounds that led to the proceedings being closed.
- Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the decision.
If you need help, you can turn to the Integration centre or other NGOs.
You may have only received a record of the decision to close the proceedings because in your case the proceedings were closed for reasons stipulated by law in which case the applicant does not receive a written decision (Section 169r (2) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll).
7. Make your appointment to have your biometric data taken
If the application is granted, make an appointment by phone to have your biometric data taken. Please note that the appointment date is binding and you must follow the Administrative Procedure Code if you request a reschedule or cancellation.
8. Come to have your biometric data taken
Come to the scheduled biometric data scanning appointment. Take your travel document with you. At the biometric data scanning you will agree on a date to collect your completed biometric card.
9. Collect your residence permit document (biometric card)
The final step is to collect your residence permit (biometric card). The time limit for collection is 60 days from the date you had your biometric data scanned.
Under what conditions can you apply for an extension of the validity of your residence permit?
You can apply to extend a long-term residence permit for family purposes repeatedly if you are going to keep on residing in the Czech Republic and your family situation has not changed.
You can extend the validity of a long-term residence permit only if you have already been issued such a permit and you hold a plastic biometric card.
If you have a long-term visa for family purposes in your passport and you wish to keep on staying in the Czech Republic, you must either extend the visa or apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification or for a long-term residence permit for family purposes in person at a Ministry of the Interior office.
Before your residence permit expires, you can also apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose (changing the purpose of residence). Holding a long-term residence permit for family purposes you can also apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification, provided that you meet the legal requirements to acquire this type of a residence permit.
How and where can you apply?
You can submit the application to extend your residence permit’s validity 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.
Applicants under 15 years of age must submit their applications through one of their legal representatives (most frequently through one of their parents), using one of the above-mentioned ways.
When do you have to submit the application?
At the latest the last day of your current long-term residence’s validity, at the earliest 120 days before its expiration.
During the time when the application is being processed, you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of Residence).
What is the administrative fee?
CZK 2,500 in the form of stamps, CZK 1,000 for minors under 15 years of age.
What is the time limit to process the application?
60 days.
The time limit is not running if the proceedings are suspended or if there is a legal ground for it.
STEPS TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION OF A RESIDENCE PERMIT’S VALIDITY:
1. Prepare the necessary documents
In order to apply you will need:
- Travel document
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of funds for the residence or a proof that all costs related to the stay will be covered by a public authority, legal entity or the host organisation
- Comprehensive medical insurance
- Original of a proof of family relationship (e.g. a marriage certificate, birth certificate)
Upon request also:
- Proof of payment for the insurance stated on the proof of travel medical insurance
- Medical report
- Photograph if your appearance has changed
Upon application you must pay an administrative fee 2,500 CZK in the form of stamps. 1,000 CZK for minors under 15 years of age.
If you want your application to be processed as soon as possible, you have to provide all the necessary documents already when submitting the application. If your application is incomplete, the Ministry of the Interior can suspend the administrative proceedings, which may lead to prolonging the application processing time (for more information please see the section additions to the application).
However, if there is a time limit for submitting the application stipulated by law and you do not have all the necessary documents yet, submit the application anyway, even though it may be incomplete. As if the time limit expires, your right to reside in the Czech Republic may cease to exist along with it.
Please review the formal requirements that the documents must meet.
2. Fill in the application form
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 – it must be filled in legibly, in block capitals, in Latin characters, and in Czech. You can also collect the form free of charge at one of the offices of the Ministry of the Interior.
3. You can send the application, or you can make an appointment at a Ministry of the Interior office.
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. Attention: a lack of free appointment slots will not be considered as a reason for a late application submission. If the offered appointment slot is after your time limit for submitting the application expires, send the application by post, Data Box or by e-mail with an advanced electronic signature, or visit a Ministry of the Interior office without an appointment – with no appointment reservation you have to wait for your turn.
If you are not going to submit your application in person, the date of its posting or the date of its sending by Data Box or email is important for complying with the given time limit. If you post the application at a post licence holder (most commonly a post office) the last day of your current resident permit’s validity, the time limit for submitting the application will be complied with. This applies even in the case that the application is delivered to the Ministry of the Interior after your residence’s validity has expired. We recommend, however, not to leave the submission for the last moment.
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.
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 have submitted your application within the given time limit, during the time when your application is being processed you are staying in the Czech Republic legally, even if your current residence permit or visa expires (for more information please see the section Fiction of Residence). This is the case, with some exceptions, until a final decision on your application is taken. At the Ministry of the Interior offices you can also apply for a certificate confirming permission for your residence (Bridging Visa). A Bridging Visa allows you, for example, to leave the Czech Republic and return again during the time when your application is being processed.
4. Wait for the decision
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 your 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.
5. Learn the result of the administrative proceedings
On the website under Status of my application you can see the following states:
- 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.
- Granted: The Ministry’s decision is affirmative. Please see the following section.
- Rejected: The Ministry rejected your application or closed the proceedings. In such a case you will receive the decision in writing. You can appeal against the decision within 15 days of the date you were notified of the decision.
- The decision to reject the application consists of three basic parts:
- The Statement: It contains specific legal provisions based on which the application was rejected. It may also advise you that you must leave the country, including the time limit in which you must do so.
- 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.
- 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:
- The Statement: It contains specific legal provisions based on which the proceedings were closed.
- The Statement of Grounds: It describes the procedure and grounds that led to the proceedings being closed.
- Your rights: It informs you on how to proceed if you wish to appeal against the decision.
If you need help, you can turn to the Integration centre or other NGOs.
You may have only received a record of the decision to close the proceedings because in your case the proceedings were closed for reasons stipulated by law in which case the applicant does not receive a written decision (Section 169r (2) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll).
6. Make your appointment to have your biometric data taken
If the application is granted, make an appointment by phone to have your biometric data taken. Please note that the appointment date is binding and you must follow the Administrative Procedure Code if you request a reschedule or cancellation.
7. Come to have your biometric data taken
Come to the scheduled biometric data scanning appointment. Take your travel document with you. At the biometric data scanning you will agree on a date to collect your completed biometric card.
8. Collect your residence permit document (biometric card)
The final step is to collect your residence permit (biometric card). The time limit for collection is 60 days from the date you had your biometric data scanned.