Job Discussion Forums

[goonmama]

My boyfriend and I will be relocating to Prague on July 13. We are Americans in hope of teaching jobs. He has a tefl and 3 interviews lined up for our arrival. I will be taking a tefl course right away and also have an interview lined up. Our motivation for moving to Prague is that I have been studying Czech language and literature for a few years now and I want to boost my language skills so that I can translate Czech poetry into English. We will try our best to work legally and do everything within our means to remain in Prague as law abiding foreigners. We have one way tickets and a one year lease. I'm interested in any advise about steps we should take now so as to increase our chances of obtaining a work permit before our tourist visas expire, but particularly I'm wondering what we should tell the foreign police when we arrive. Should we be honest about our hopes of remaining their as legally working foreigners, or should we tell them that we are only planning to visit and then change our story once we get our work permits?

[spiral78]

You are unlikely to be talking to any foreign police upon arrival. Are you thinking that you will be questioned or interviewed at the airport or at the border, if you are coming by rail or bus? You can be nearly 100 percent sure that this will not happen. Prague hosts millions and millions (literally) of English speaking tourists every year, and no one at your point of entry is likely to question you about your intentions.

Certainly no one is going to record your 'intentions' upon entry, file them, and the notice any inconsistency later on! This has been an open country for quite a long time now.

Normally you will go to the Foreign Police as a part of your visa application process. Everyone enters on a tourist visa at first, and then applies for legal residence and working papers later on.

You're not seeking do do anything out of the ordinary at all.

You will need an employer willing to get you started on the application process in order to succeed. If you have some Czech language skills already, this will be useful.

The FP are pretty straightforward, and remember that you are among many thousands. You don't need any special strategies to get the visas - you just need the correct paperwork, some of which depends upon your employer.

[Aussie Chick]

Having a lease already is a good start (you took the lease sight unseen?) for the start of your visa application.

As Spiral said, you are not interviewed by the Foreign Police when you arrive. At the airport, you will barely get more than a �dobry den� from the person behind the booth at passport control. Thousands of tourists/potential TEFLers come into Prague every day, so unless your picture is on Interpol�s Most Wanted I doubt you will have any hassles at the airport.

[parrothead]

[spiral78]

I always get 'dobry den' plus - because I have Czech documents and can speak the language....they have always been really nice.

But, yeah, it's unusual to be noticed at all, either positively or negatively, I think.

[ITTP]

Hi!

One of the most common questions we receive before arrival in Prague is about the strictness of Czech passport control.
Clients are naturally concerned that arriving without a EU passport that they might be asked questions, asked to prove funds, asked to provide their return ticket - basically hassled a little before entering the country.

If you happen to be unfortunate to arrive in a rush period with a lot of visitors arriving at the airport then the only hassle you will experience are the semi-long queues to get to the passport officer who will then generally take an idle look at your passport, stamp it, and then motion you to leave through the gate to where you collect your travel luggage and then enter the Czech Republic.

It is very relaxed.

Arriving back from Istanbul in February our plane was met with passport officers as soon as it had docked so it is clear that the focus for passport officers is on travelrs arriving from the East.
If you have a US/UK/AU/NZ/CAN passport then you will almost always be ushered through even without a mention of the word 'Pas'.
Girls might get a smile from a male passport officer but that tends to be the extent of the communication.

I wish they were friendlier.
I know it is a mundane task but for many people it is the first time that they meet with a local Czech person and it would make a big difference if these officers at least smiled a bit more.

Lovely sunny weather here today btw.

Have a lovely weekend!

Neville

ITTP Prague
Jungmannova 32
Prague 1

[Aussie Chick]

[ITTP]

[Aussie Chick]

Meh, well, my account is from what I remember things were back in October when I first arrived here. But then, it was after 36 hours of being in airports and planes! Gotta love international, long-haul travel!!

[goonmama]

Thanks for all the replies. I was actually thinking about what I would tell the police when I go to register with them. I have been told that I need to do this within a couple weeks of arriving since I'm moving into an apartment rather than a hotel. Also, about the airport, I will be arriving with my cat, but maybe they won't notice that either.

cheers.

[Sigma]

[spiral78]

They will most likely notice your cat. You will need him/her to be microchipped, and you'll need either the WHO (World Health Organization) international passport or an EU one for her. You can get the first one in the US at your vet. Be sure it's filled out completely with her medical history.

The CR is quite animal-friendly, and your cat MAY slip through the airport guys unnoticed, but it's quite likely to be given a thorough once-over. This always happens when I enter with my dog via the airport.

[goonmama]

I will register with the police within three days of my arrival. Should I be completely honest about my plans to stay in Prague and teach or will they be skeptical about my ability to get a work visa in time?

[spiral78]

Best to be honest, I think. Your case is still highly typical, there being many thousands of English teachers in the city.

[Great Teacher Umikun]