Czech citizenship: terms of registration, necessary documents, dual citizenship, deadlines for obtaining

Many citizens of the Russian Federation dream of having citizenship of another country. The reasons for this can be very different: training, wedding, working trips. One of the most popular countries for traveling and moving Russians is the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic has many advantages: easy to learn language, mild climate, proximity to Russia, safe living, high standard of living, social security of citizens, beautiful architecture and much more.

Among residents of the CIS there is an opinion that it is easier to fly to the moon than to obtain Czech citizenship. There are several features that you need to know before obtaining citizenship. If we approach the issue thoroughly, then obtaining citizenship will not cause any problems.

Is it possible to retain citizenship of another country and obtain Czech citizenship?

The legislation of the country in the field of migration policy makes it possible to maintain current citizenship. In 2013, President M. Zeman signed a decree on dual citizenship. That is, a person has the right to have dual citizenship (Czech Republic - Russia). The choice is granted to all candidates for a Czech passport.

Why get citizenship?

You can stay on the territory of the Czech Republic on a tourist visa for 90 days of continuous residence. After the visa, you need to renew or receive anew a document of a different quality. This is not very convenient, while Czech citizenship provides many advantages:

• You can work in the country without the need for permits, permits, work visas. In addition, the Czech Republic is part of the European Union, which means that you can freely work not only there, but also in any other country that is part of the Union.
• An opportunity to take part in elections and referenda held in the Czech Republic.
• Czech citizenship offers excellent opportunities for doing business in the country and gives privileges to foreign companies. The policy of protectionism (supporting local producers) and promoting small business in the Czech Republic is one of the most progressive and effective in the European Union.
• Citizenship allows you to travel to countries of the European Union without a visa.
• Citizens of the country have the opportunity to occupy prestigious public posts, while those who do not have such a status are prohibited at the legislative level.
• The ability to receive a full social package of services.
• Free tuition at private and public universities.

Ways to obtain citizenship

How can I obtain Czech citizenship? This is done in one of the following ways:

1. Marriage to a Czech citizen. This is one of the fastest ways to obtain citizenship. The list of documents is minimal.
2. Obtaining refugee status. At the same time, a person entering Czech territory must not have citizenship, or it should not be possible to establish it.
3. Born in the Czech Republic and live on its territory for several years. This method has many caveats and rules. So, for children of foreigners, the term is much longer than for children in whom the Czech is one of the parents.
4. You can obtain citizenship of the Czech Republic and the Russians. To do this, you must live permanently in the Czech Republic for at least five years. This allows you to apply for citizenship and a citizen's passport. This method is called naturalization.
5. Have Czech relatives or be adopted by Czechs. This method is one of the fastest and easiest. To obtain citizenship, only documents confirming the degree of kinship or adoption will be needed.
6. Restore citizenship. This method is only suitable for those who previously had Czech citizenship. In accordance with the legislation of the country, persons who have lost citizenship are entitled to its restoration in a simplified mode.
7. Become a “public domain” for the Czech Republic. Any musician, philologist, writer or other cultural figure has the right to undergo an accelerated simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship if he can prove his worth in this field. This category also includes athletes who agree to compete in international competitions under the flag of the Czech Republic.

Stages of obtaining citizenship by residents of the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus

Earlier it was very difficult to obtain Czech citizenship for immigrants from the former CIS. State authorities often refused to issue the coveted passport for formal reasons. After 2014, the authorities completely revised the country's migration policy and introduced a number of amendments to the legislation. This greatly simplified the procedure for obtaining Czech citizenship for Russians, Belarusians, Kazakhs and Ukrainians. According to Czech statistics, most often residents of these countries, as well as Slovakia, Poland and Romania, approved the application for citizenship last year.

Stages of obtaining citizenship:

1. Obtaining a visa to enter the Czech Republic (for example, tourist). After its completion, a long-term visa is issued.
2. Obtaining a residence permit. To do this, you need to collect a package of documents: an employment contract or an extract from the university, a passport, 2 photos, medical insurance, a certificate of no criminal record, an extract from the bank. The last document is necessary in order to confirm solvency.
3. Registration of residence or rental housing (this will be needed to confirm a permanent stay in the country).
4. It is best along the way to get a job in the Czech Republic. This will increase the chance of approval of citizenship.
5. Submission of necessary documents to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for verification.

Naturalization

This method of obtaining citizenship is the most difficult and time-consuming, but if other options are not suitable, then it remains the only legal one. In order to obtain a passport of the Czech Republic, you will have to collect an impressive package of documents and prove your physical presence in the country.

Before applying for citizenship, a candidate for Czech citizenship must live in the country for at least five years.

For EU citizens, this period has been reduced to three years. You can be absent from the country only for valid reasons (childbirth, illness, etc.) for no more than six months, without valid reasons you cannot leave the country for more than two months.

In addition, you will have to prove your integration in Czech society, knowledge of the language, culture, legislation of the country, and collect a package of documents confirming residence on its territory.

Conditions under which you can apply for Czech citizenship:

1. Living in the country for at least five years.
2. Successful passing the exam and test on knowledge of language and culture. To do this, you will have to pass a test, which consists of three sections: “Geography”, “Civil structure” and “Culture, history of the country”. A total of 30 questions will have to be answered. Passing is considered 60% of the correct answers. There is a fourth part: oral. You can pass the language proficiency exam at a vocational training center located in Prague. You will have to pay a fee for passing the exam. Children under 15 years old and older people over 65 are exempted from the exam.
3. Lack of criminal record in the last three years. This applies to both the Czech Republic and Russia. For those who decide to obtain dual citizenship in the Czech Republic, the rules are the same. Not only the laws of both countries, but also the rules of migration policy cannot be violated.
4. Knowledge of the legislation of the country. These questions will be asked during the exam.

In the last three years of residence in the Czech Republic, the applicant must:

• regularly pay taxes, not be deprived of parental rights and not violate the law in these areas;
• receive income (certificates of its sources are attached to the applicant’s documents);
• not receive subsidies or allowances from the state.

Citizenship through marriage

Until recently, it was possible to automatically obtain citizenship by marrying a Czech citizen. However, this practice has been discontinued since 2008. The reason is that the number of fictitious marriages in order to obtain citizenship has increased.

Now Czech citizenship through marriage can be obtained only after three years of marriage. If the marriage was concluded with a person who has the status of a permanent resident without citizenship, then you will have to wait five years. In some cases, the competent authorities can conduct a marriage check: interview neighbors, call spouses for an interview, call parents and other relatives, and interview colleagues at work.

Fictitious marriages are punished in the Czech Republic by expulsion from the country and a ban on entry not only into this republic, but also into other countries of the European Union.

Representatives of sexual minorities also have the opportunity to obtain citizenship through marriage. The same rules apply for them.

Obtaining citizenship by children

Parents receiving Czech citizenship can include children strictly under 18 years of age in the application. In addition, when applying for a guardian, a child adopted by Czechs may be granted citizenship.

To obtain citizenship by children in some cases, the following documents are required:

• adolescents over 15 years old take written consent to obtain citizenship;
• in the case of applying for citizenship only one of the parents will require the notarized consent of the second parent or his personal presence when applying to the municipal authorities (if the second parent is deprived of parental rights for any reason, then his consent will not be required).

Native citizenship and adoption

In order to obtain Czech citizenship by birth, one must meet one criteria.

1. Born in the Czech Republic or outside the country. At the same time, at least one of the parents must have Czech citizenship, dual citizenship in this case gives the child the right to apply for a passport.

Important! At birth in the Czech Republic, the child is automatically registered in the local registry office, but this does not make him a citizen. In order to obtain a Czech passport at the age of 18, a child must permanently reside in the Czech Republic for at least two-thirds of the indicated time. Otherwise, the right to acquire Czech citizenship by birth is lost.

2. Be adopted by a local family. A citizen of the Czech Republic must be at least one of the parents. In this case, the child may obtain citizenship on his own at the request of his guardians. If the child was adopted outside the Czech Republic, then he acquires citizenship only after the adoption procedure has been completed and this fact has been recognized by the competent authorities of the country.

Important! If at least one of the parents is Czech, but the child is born out of wedlock, he can also be granted citizenship. Until recently, it was necessary to confirm the degree of kinship with the help of DNA examination, now this procedure has been abolished.

Option for refugees

This way of obtaining citizenship today is one of the most difficult, since the Czech Republic government has refused quota for refugees, and in general the country is in no hurry to let in immigrants with refugee status. In connection with the hostilities in the home state, many Ukrainians were granted this status. How to obtain Czech citizenship to Ukrainian citizens with refugee status? This category of immigrants can apply for citizenship only after six years of continuous residence in the Czech Republic.

Citizenship Restoration

This right is granted to those who previously had Czech citizenship, but for some reason lost or refused it. To recover, you will need to confirm the presence of a Czech passport in the past.

Documents for obtaining citizenship

After all the conditions are met, you will need to provide the municipality with a package of documents:

• application for citizenship;
• autobiography;
• birth certificate and marriage, their termination;
• certificates of no criminal record;
• Certificate of Successful Exam
• confirmation of legal residence in the territory of the Czech Republic within the prescribed period;
• extracts from tax and customs authorities on the absence of debts;
• confirmation of financial position and sources of income;
• employment contract (if any);
• education documents.

All papers must have a translation into Czech.

After approval of the application, a new citizen will be called to the municipality to take the oath.

Common Citizenship Issues

• Is it possible to obtain citizenship by opening a business in the country?

Not. Having a business in the Czech Republic and paying taxes to the treasury does not guarantee citizenship.

• Is it possible to obtain citizenship in the Czech Republic when buying real estate?

Not. The presence of real estate in the Czech Republic does not accelerate the acquisition of citizenship.

• In case of denial of citizenship, how soon can I re-apply?

Re-applying for citizenship can be submitted two years after the refusal.

• How long to wait for an answer on Czech citizenship?

After fulfilling all the conditions for obtaining citizenship and providing all the necessary documents to the municipality, the decision is usually taken within six months. In practice, an answer can be expected for two years.

• Is it possible to retake the Czech language and culture exam?

Yes, and if the candidate for citizenship has not passed only one of the blocks, the entire exam will have to be retaken.

• What documents convey additional Czech citizenship?

Often, the Czech authorities when considering applications for citizenship require additional paper. Among the most common is an explanatory note about the reason for applying for citizenship without children or only by one of the spouses. In addition, a certificate from the school is often required for children. They may request a statement of income for previous or current periods.