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[pacific]

I am a Czech citizen, my husband has U.S. citizenship. Does anyone here know how the process of applying for permanent residency in CR works? Can it be started in the U.S. or is it easier to do this once in the Czech Rep.? How long does the process take?

[merlin]

It's a pretty easy process compered to other processes in the Czech republic.
I seem to remember it didn't take long at all - about 2 months?
The easiest way to get information is to call directory assistance in CR and ask for the Czizince Policie, but don't expect them to speak English. I don't know about now but 5 years ago the US was classed with vietnamese and Ukranians and the official didn't speak English where I applied.

[spiral78]

I can shed a little additional light on this one, having a Czech spouse and permanent residency thanks to this.

You should apply in the okres/region where the Czech citizen was born.

In my case, this allowed us to avoid the Prague system, since my spouse was born in Tabor. The smaller venue made the process much more pleasant, I can tell you! No long lines, staff actually relatively friendly and forthcoming....

The application process includes some fairly extensive paperwork clarifying previous addresses and focusing on parents. You'll want to have all the relevant parental info with you (I had to calculate father's age on the spot!).

You'll also need two European passport photos (you can get these in any big shopping area in the CR). Your husband will ultimately receive a green passport-type document which is not valid for travel, but will cover him for both residency and work within the country. This document can take up to a year to receive (or it may take a lot less, depending - mine was just eight weeks or so, as Merlin remembers). However, the fact that this paperwork is filed should cover your husband in the interim in terms of legality. That question would be one to clarify when you are at the police offices.

Permanent residency also entitles your husband to a stamp in his US passport stating that he is a spouse of an EU member citizen- I am not sure how directly valuable this might be in terms of employment within the EU at the moment, but it can't hurt!

In case you decide to pursue Czech citizenship for him, the current law is that you can submit papers three years after issuance of the permanent residency. There is a language examination. The U.S./Czech Rep do allow dual citizenship.

[pacific]

Thanks for your replies. I knew spiral would have some good info for me

My son, born in the U.S., already has dual citizenship. I applied for him via a Czech consulate and voila. I call him the luckiest family member!

I didn't realize a person with permanent residency could apply for Czech citizenship after only three years! Did you do that? How long is the wait time after that?

[spiral78]

I've been married for 7 years, but just got permanent residency in 2005 (we were living in the Netherlands, and I didn't have time/need to do it sooner). I can apply for citizenship in 2008, therefore, and will definitely do so. I've already spoken to the officials in Ceske Budejovice (the greater Tabor regional office) and I will have to take a language exam and then they will file the papers. They expect that citizenship should come through quite quickly, like within 90 days, since the investigations that need to be done are primarily carried out before granting permanent residency. So, I don't yet know from first-hand experience, but I think this should be the standard.

How's your husband's Czech? This could be the toughest part to pull off - mine is functional, but I'm going to take an intensive before facing the test.

[merlin]

I'd do a bit more research on the US side before your husband tries to get Czech citizenship. As I understand it, people born in another country are allowed to have dual citizenship but for those who grew up in the US aquiring dual citizenship is not to be taken up lightly. I believe in the latter case you could have your US citizenship taken away in certain cases.

True, what the US governement doesn't know won't hurt them, but remember which government we're talking about ...

I personally see no real benefit to becoming a Czech citizen. Get the permanent resident first, live here for ten years, and then let your husband decide at that time if he want to be tied to this country for the rest of his life. Many people with similar ambitions reconsider after a few years.

[spiral78]

Sorry, Merlin, this time you're wrong.

I was born in the U.S., and, while the authorities may not be flattered that I'm acquiring another citizenship, there is NO official problem with having two passports. No one has to give up his/her U.S. citizenship first, at the present time. This from my first hand, continuing experience in the matter.

The potential benefits to becoming a Czech citizen also includes legal working/living permits for some EU member countries.

I want to emphasize that this is NOT why I have filed the paperwork to gain citizenship (in any case, I have permission for the Netherlands and Austria through my spouse's international company).

Obviously, everyone's experiences are different. But I've been married to a Czech for seven years (together for nine) and I have serious, long-term connections in the country, including real estate. Not to mention my love for the Czech Rep and (almost) all things Czech.

I personally know quite a few foreigners who have seriously assimilated into the Czech Rep.

If you're hanging out primarily in the Prague expat scene, this might be difficult to see often. But we're there...because we want to be, and are committed to the country more deeply than those who are essentially long-term visitors. I sometimes actually find myself looking forward to next year when I'll be able to.....vote!!

[Arab Strap]

Just to complicate matters a bit further..............

Back in 2003 when I applied for my permanent residency and before CZ became part of the EU I had to prove that I had around 140,000CZK in my bank account before I could apply............

Now this has no doubt changed for EU citizens but as your husband is an American perhaps this still applies...............

Try the Czizince Policie..........

Spiral, how difficult is this Czech language exam?

I've been away a while and to be honest my one year old's Czech is fast catching up with mine.

This would need an internet search but as far as I am aware I am breaking the law as both my kids have British passports and are on my wife's Czech passport. The Mrs insists that they can't have the two passports is this the case...................just a wee question.

AS

[spiral78]

I acquired permanent residency in 2005 and there was no check of finances. Maybe because we'd been married more than five years already? We own a flat in the CR as well, but no one inquired into whether we had property, so I suppose this requirement's been dropped for spouses of Czech nationals.

Arab Strap, were you married at the time you applied for perm. residency?

I am 100% certain that I am allowed by both the Czech government and the U.S. one to hold both passports. Have done the research, asked the questions.

I do not know whether the law may be different for your children, but I would think that they'd be entitled to both yours and her citizenships. At least, under Czech law - but you should inquire!!

I'm also a little apprehensive about the language exam. My Czech's functional - I live six months of the year in a small town where I'm the only non-native Czech speaker. I do all daily business in Czech only, and spend quite a bit of time socializing in the language as well. I can understand the drift of news and stuff, but I miss details and when speaking, I'm often grammatically incorrect and challenged in terms of vocab.

I hear that the test is something like interpreting a newspaper article. This could be very easy to impossible!!
I'll be taking an intensive course for at least 30 days prior to my test.....and hopefully longer, depending on my work schedule.

[merlin]

[spiral78]

Merline, I'm well aware of the changing times and the negative crap. I live relatively near to Temelin, so, in addition to the current issues you mention, you can add that one..... I agree with you entirely about consumerist & etc. and I absolutely HATE the suburban sprawl blighting more and more of the landscape.

True, I have no daughter, and if I did I might feel as you do.

I know very well that the CR is not Shangri-la. But I still have a strong commitment to the country, and look forward to next year when I can become official - nine years after I arrived in the country for the first time.

True also that, at the moment, Czech citizenship doesn't open a lot of doors in Western Europe. But I think that will change, and it certainly can't hurt.

I don'' t think it's realistic to recommend waiting ten years. It's an individual decision, everyone (and his/her priorities in life) are different, and trying to say that you're qualified to set decisive deadlines for someone you haven't met isn't realistic.

The OP may never want to have Czech citizenship. I do. You don't. We're all allowed.

[merlin]

amen

[pacific]

Just inquired at the Foreigner Police (cizinecka policie) about my husband getting a residency status. He first has to apply for "prechodny pobyt" or "transitory residency," valid indefinitely, and then, after two years (and one year of marriage to a Czech) he would qualify for "trvaly pobyt" or "permanent residency." This from the director herself. Has this changed since you applied, spiral?

[johnnyappleseed]

It has changed in the last few months.

Now people applying for Trvaly Pobyt must live in the Czech Republic legally for at least two years first.

Also, there will be a basic language test starting next year--you will have to pass that in order to get trvaly pobyt.(However, the test is supposedly pretty basic and easy.)

[spiral78]

Yes, things are changing. It was different for me.

I have been told that the language test consists of being handed a news article in Czech which you are asked to explain in Czech. This is pretty clever, because it could, technically, be as easy as the weather page or as difficult as some political story!

I suspect that this allows the testers to make some personal judgements about the individual applicants.

Anyway, it may not be entirely true information as it came from one staff member in Tabor. Perhaps there will be an official version by next year.