Are you a third-country citizen planning to study in the Czech Republic or are you already studying here? One way or another, you should double-check that you know how to apply for your visa, what to do when you get to the Czech Republic, how to extend your permit once it expires, and what to do when you want to leave the country for a vacation and your visa extension hasn’t yet been approved.

Don’t forget to register with the Foreign Police once you arrive in Czechia!

Applying for the first time

Want to come and study in the Czech Republic? You’re going to need to have some kind of a permit/visa. 

If you’re only coming for a short period – up to 90 days – you can apply for a short-term visa for the purposes of study. More often, however, students are coming here for longer than that (usually at least the whole semester), so they need either a long-term visa for the purpose of studies or a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies.

Both the visa and the residence permit will allow you to stay and study in the Czech republic long-term. However, a residence permit might be more beneficial to you if you’re planning on staying longer than a year and perhaps even find a job to earn some extra cash while you’re studying. It’s up to you which one you choose. 

 

Providing all the necessary documents

To apply for both types of permits, you’ll need to visit the Czech embassy in your country and provide several documents, including e.g. travel document, photograph, proof of accommodation, proof of funds, and proof of enrollment in studies. 

In some cases, you may also be asked to provide an extract from the penal register and a proof of medical travel insurance. 

Keep in mind that the rules regarding foreigners’ insurance in Czechia have recently changed and new non-employed expats are obligated to purchase their insurance from the PVZP insurance company. This may differ based on your location – every embassy is slightly different. Therefore, it’s always better to call your local Czech embassy to get more information on this matter or to get in touch with us, so that we can find out the details for you as a part of our services for students.

You should also find out whether your university in the Czech Republic requires you to present an acknowledgement certificate of your former education. This is called nostrification and proves that your former studies are equal/comparable to the Czech education and that your diploma is valid here. This is another matter we can help you with.

 

Getting your biometric card and reporting your stay

Once you’re safely in the Czech Republic, you need to make a personal visit to your local MOI (Ministry of the Interior) office, where you’ll be given a special biometric card. If you’re unsure about how to make your appointment and what to do, we can come with you.

You will also need to register with the Foreign Police department. Note that it is absolutely crucial that you do this within 3 days from your arrival to the country.

You are also obligated to report any changes concerning your stay in Czechia. This includes changes in your address, travel documentation, or family status (e.g. if you get married).

 

 

Extending your visa or residence permit

To extend both your visa and permit, you need to once again submit an application to your local MOI office. Here’s a list of all the MOI offices. Once again, if you use our services, we can keep an eye on this for you, so that you don’t miss the deadline and get fined.

You can apply for an extension of your long-term visa earliest 90 days before and latest just before the expiration date. The validity of a long-term visa cannot be extended beyond one year.

If you have a long-term residence permit, you might even be able to get it extended for up to 2 years. All you need to do is to prove that you’ll be studying and living here for the next 2 years (i.e. provide a confirmation of studies for the next 2 years).

 

Getting a bridging visa

Are you worried about not being able to leave the Czech Republic once your visa or permit expires? If you’ve already applied for an extension, the MOI can provide you with a “bridging visa”. 

This special label is issued for various time-periods (e.g. two months) – whatever is necessary for you to be able to “bridge” the two documents. It will be in your passport to make sure you can safely return to the country even though you haven’t yet received your visa/permit extension.

 

We’ll do it for you

Do you still feel lost in all of these rules and obligations? Worry not, because we can help you! If you use our services, we can provide assistance and consultation from start to finish – we’ll make sure all of your documents are in order, we’ll go to the MOI and Foreign Police with you, and we’ll take care of your extensions and bridging labels as well.

We recommend that you do not postpone the preparation for a visa/permit extension till the last moment, so you can save your time and nerves.

In the meantime – if you have any questions or would like to use our services, don’t hesitate to contact us. 

 

Photo source: Andrew Neel, Pexels.com
Article source: MVCR