Job Discussion Forums

clarity22 · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Posts: 7 Location: Czech Republic

Hi,

I am an EU citizen and my partner is American. At the moment we are living in the Czech Republic. His school was supposed to sort out his visa etc (he started working there in January) BUT they scammed him on his pay big-style, so he stopped working there in the middle of February. He doesn't want to sort out the visa himself because of the red tape, the money, and the fact that he is now here illegally.

We therefore need to leave the Schengen zone for 90 days so that he can get back in in the the future. Our plan was to go to the UK and work in a summer school for July/August, stay there for another month and then head back to either the Czech Rep or sunnier climes in Europe....

However, on checking job ads for the summer camps, they all seem to want EU nationals. I checked the website of the British Embassy and it looks like he needs a work visa for the UK. If he applies for this at the British Embassy in Prague, will that have any consequences for him between now and July, ie will he be kicked out of the country??!!! Obv he hasn't got a Schengen visa in his passport.

This is all a bit of a minefield and have spent so much time trawling the web looking for answers... any help would be greatly appreciated Smile

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Your partner seems to be legal at the moment but he better learn to pay the game quickly or he will be in trouble. He has 90 days but can't extend.

http://prague.usembassy.gov/cons_residlaw.html

It seems the same as Australia where you must find a job first and your boss needs to present evidence that he can't get somone from the EU (local) so he needs you.

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0109/expatriating_to_london.shtml

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I suggest that your boyfriend's best bet is to go to the authorities and start the working visa process on his own. The current policy is for the police to be lenient to US citizens who are making the effort to get legal.

(see the Prague Post for more details - I printed it in the Czech Rep forum yesterday on Dave's)

But I think it would be a big risk to stay illegally in the Czech Rep until June without making some effort.

I assume he is looking for another job? I'd make it a priority to try to find one where he will have support for his visa process right away, even if he ends up with bad working schedules and/or lower pay.

Also, I think it's pretty difficult for US teachers to get working permits for UK summer schools. Good luck on that.