Did you come to the Czech Republic as a student? Make sure to double-check your residence permit designation, because you might be obligated to take a mandatory adaptation and integration course! It all depends on what kind of visa or permit you have. Even if you technically came here to study, as long as your residence permit has the label “other”, you do not fall under the exemption that other students and visa holders do.
Students with a permit for the purpose of “other” have to take the course.
What is an adaptation and integration course
Adaptation and integration course helps foreigners understand their duties, rights, and obligations as they stay and live in the Czech Republic. It also covers other useful topics such as Czech culture and mentality. After taking the course, you will feel more knowledgeable and thus comfortable after your arrival in the country.
If you’re obligated to take part, you ought to do so within one year from the date you received your permit.
Who’s obligated and who’s exempt
Generally speaking, the course is mandatory for all non-EU foreigners who receive either long-term or permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic (from 1 January 2021).
However, adaptation and integration courses aren’t mandatory for absolutely all foreigners. There are some exceptions. When it comes to students – those who came here with a long-term residence permit for the purposes of study do NOT have to undertake the course. (Attention! If your permit isn’t labeled as “study”, this exception doesn’t apply to you.)
You also do NOT need to undertake the course if you came here on a visa rather than a residence permit (= you have a little label in your passport rather than a biometric card).
Other exempt foreigners include those with ICT cards, children below 15, adults over 61, holders of employee cards and blue cards who came to Czechia on a government program of economic migration (either Highly Qualified Employee or Key and Scientific Personnel), EU citizens, and family members of EU/Czech citizens).
So do I need to sign up?
Simply put – if you came here on a visa (label in passport) or your long-term residence permit has the designation “study” – NO, you do not need to take the course.
But if you came here on a long-term residence permit with the designation “other” – YES, you do need to take the course.
More about the courses
The course will be led by an experienced tutor and interpreted into various languages, including English, Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish, French, Serbian, Mongolian, Arabic, and Vietnamese.
You can sign up here. It will cost you 1,500 CZK.
You won’t be able to access specific information about the courses – such as available dates, location of the venue, etc. – until you pay for the course.
The course takes 4 hours. Once you complete it, you will receive a certificate.
And no worries, there is no test or exam, so you don’t need to stress out about going. In fact, if you don’t go, you might receive a fine of up to 10,000 CZK!
Want to know more about studying in Czechia? Check out our study tag. Additionally, sign up for our weekly newsletter to keep yourself informed about current events in the country.
Photo source: Monstera, Pexels.com
Article source: MOI, vitejtevcr
