Job Discussion Forums

[Larissa]

Hello everybody, I am about to take the CELTA and am considering looking for work in the Czech republic as of next fall, however, I wanted to know what's the scoop on getting a work/residence visa for Americans?
I heard the laws were changing to be more EU in 2007. For the moment, can Americans get a visa once they have a contract? In case that is possible, should one go back to the US to collect it, or is it possible to get everything done in the Czech republic? What about the time it takes to get the visa in the US? Did anyone go through this situation? How long does it take to wait for a visa in the US if you get it there? In other words, can one still come in time for the job or is it a catch-22?

Thanks a lot to everyone,

[zewd]

Getting a work visa is a pain in the arse for Americans, but it can be done. Sometimes the school will pay for it, sometimes they wont. Sometimes they don't want you to get a visa (which means they don't have to pay tax and social security on you), and in this case they may or may not "tax" your pay anyway. It can all be done from the Czech Republic (except for dropping off the application, but you don't need to go to the US for that), and this is really the best way to do it since job hunting is best done in person.

Here's my experience with it- first you have to get a work permit, for which you need an original or notorized and a translated copy of your birth certificate, diplomas (high school, college and TEFL or CELTA) and a note from a doctor saying you are fit for the job. This could involve anything from a 350 crown visit to a doctor who takes your blood pressure and asks if you do drugs (my experience in Ceske Budejovice) or a 2000 crown visit to a doctor who gives you a full physical (stories I have heard from teachers in Prague.)

After you have your work permit, you have to apply for your visa. The application has to be dropped off at a Czech embassy outside the country, most people either go to Bratislava, Vienna or Dresden. I went to Bratislava and had a horrible experience... I have heard Dresden is the best place to go. Then you wait a month or 2 (or more if you're not so lucky) and go and pick up your visa in the same city where you dropped it off. And then you have to register your visa with the foreign police, which involves many hours of standing in line. The whole process sucks and involves a lot of running around and accumulating various stamps and scraps of paper, but it could be worse.

I probably forgot a few steps, but I did this all a few months ago so my memory is cloudy. Keep in mind that each step in the process also involves a fee, so have cash on hand.

[spiral78]

It's been a while since I went thru the process, but we used to have an affadavit from the central police station from the state in the U.S. we'd last lived in saying that we'd committed no serious crime. This can be done by mail,of course, but if you're planning in advance, it might be faster to secure such a letter before leaving for the CR.

[Fledermaus]

The long-stay visa (valid for up to a year) is actually not difficult to get at all. A bit of a bureaucratic process, but if you're getting a work permit from a school, it's not really all that bad, even if the school doesn't help you with it. If you need help with the process, there are agencies that can provide it. Some charge quite a bit of money, others have pretty modest rates. A Google, Yahoo or AltaVista search should pull up a long list of places to contact.

Spiral78, the criminal record affidavit for US citizens is even easier than that. You only have to sign an affidavit (in Czech) in front of a notary, for a little more than $1.00, and you've got it. Simple as that.

Just for everyone's information, so you at least have enough info to get started, here's a list of what you will need for a visa:

Passport
Two (2) passport-sized photos
Application form
Czech criminal record report
Home country criminal record report (for US citizens, affidavit mentioned above is enough)
Statement from landlord that accommodation is available for the validity time of the visa (up to one year)
Document from Housing Authority that landlord owns the property (easy to get)
Officially documentable reason for stay (your work permit would fulfill this requirement)

Your prospective employer would be the one to apply for and get the work permit for you, since they have to prove they could not hire a native Czech for your position. This can take up to a month, but often less time.

The process for US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens is best started after you get here, since proof of housing is one of the requirements, and you can't easily get housing unless and until you are here and you can see available flats, meet with landlords, etc. Otherwise, it's like trying to do everything by remote control. And once you submit your visa application, it's just a matter of waiting 2-3 months (mine took about 9 weeks). Besides, you will ideally want to be here in order to interview with language schools and check them out with as much of a critical eye as possible to determine what's best for you. What Zewd says about some schools getting work permits and others not is totally true, so you should ask about this. Among other things, getting a work permit will put you on the Czech national healthcare system (via your taxes, but it's well worth it; your mom won't have to worry about you ).

Whatever you do, don't let any of this intimidate you. If you're really into the idea of teaching in the Czech Republic, just go for it! And if you want to get TEFL training, it's WAY cheaper to do it here than back home. Good luck!

[Larissa]

Many thanks to everyone who has replied, the information you gave me has been very helpful!

[Leon Purvis]

[spiral78]

I don't know if this affadavit is still a legal requirement in the CR. I haven't had to go through the process since 1998, as my spouse is Czech and I have had legal status there for some time now.
However, you could check on the U.S. Embassy website for Prague. There was some deal where you had to swear before an official that you are not a convicted felon and the Embassy would issue a document basically saying that you swore that (not very reliable, is it??!!) and the Czech government was accepting this document. But again, this is all OLD info - you should probably check on the Embassy websites.
Basically the visa process is something that most people go through when you are there. I doubt there is much that you can prepare in advance. Just be sure to have all normal documents, like birth certs, driving licenses, and passport.

[kid eh]

Just to add to this, as a Canadian I just had to go the Embassy in Prague and have them do a check for me - takes a day to process. Mind you, it costs a 1000 kc. And then *another* 600 kc to get it validated by the Min of Foreign Affairs here because Canada and the CR don't recognize those documents from each other's countries on their own (bit of cool relationship for historical reasons, apparently). Incidentally, I've since heard that this requirement was recently scrapped (very recently - possibly the end of 2005?), so this may save some new teachers a small step (and some money), but I'm not positive about that.

[johnnyappleseed]