Due to the recently implemented lockdown, the Ministry of the Interior in the Czech Republic had to introduce some precautionary measures in their offices as well. These precautions mostly affect appointments and the extent of services they will be providing during the next few weeks. What do you have to remember if you need to visit them?
You Need an Appointment
If there is something you have to deal with at one of the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy offices, the most important thing you have to be aware of, is that from October 22 you need to have an appointment in order to be granted access to the office. Without making an appointment prior to visiting, you won’t be allowed to enter the office at all. So how can you make an appointment? They can only be arranged by phone or electronically if arranging appointments at the locally assigned office of the Ministry of Interior is available online. Existing appointments are still valid.
However, new appointments can be arranged only for important and urgent reasons that need to be handled immediately, such as:
- Registration after arrival,
- Obtaining biometric data,
- Issuing of residence permits,
- Issuance of the bridging label (i.e. confirmation of legality of your stay) which can only be issued if the client proves urgency of this action by submitting a valid train, bus or plane ticket (booked tickets are not accepted),
- Applications for:
- Long-term visa and long-term residence permit for the purpose of being allowed to stay in the country,
- Switching a long-term visa for a long-term residence permit,
- Residence permits for children born in the Czech Republic.
What Else?
If you are a third country national (that is a non-EU citizen) whose short-term visa for the purpose employment, short-term seasonal visa, seasonal visa for a stay of over 90 days, or special work visa expired after after March 12, 2020 you are allowed to stay in the Czech Republic legally until November 16 if:
- Your employer extended your employment contract, or
- You sign a new employment contract with your employer immediately after the previous employment contract expires.
The validity of their work permit is also extended. You can find more information on this topic in the following languages (UPDATED on November 23: links removed – website not found):
- Ukrainian,
- Vietnamese,
- Russian,
- Romanian,
- Chinese,
- Arabic,
- Spanish,
- French.
Let us know and get your residence permit as soon as possible to be safe in the future in case the pandemic indeed returns in full force. Having a residence permit is the best way of making sure you’ll be able to return to the Czech Republic even if the borders are closed again.
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Source of the image: Unsplash.com
