The competent authority to assess an application for long-term residence is the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.

The applicant may submit an application for long-term residence he/she has been staying in the territory under a visa for a stay over 90 days and intend to reside temporarily in the territory for more than 6 months based on the same purpose of stay. The application for long-term residence permit under this paragraph is filed with the office of the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy in the territory of the Czech Republic.

An application for long-term residence for study purposes may be filed at a diplomatic mission if the applicant intends to reside temporarily in the territory for more than 3 months for the purposes of study pursuant to Section 64 of Act No. 326/1999 Coll., except for studies at a primary or secondary school or conservatoire which are not organized as a part of an exchange programme, or for vocational practical training provided for a fee.

An application for long-term residence for the purpose of scientific research is filed at a diplomatic mission if the applicant has concluded a hosting agreement with a research organization and intend to reside temporarily in the territory for more than 3 months (the “researcher”).

Furthermore, an application for long-term residence may be filed by the spouse, a minor or adult dependent child of the spouse or by a child of an alien who applies for issue of a long-term residence permit or is already staying in the territory for the purpose of scientific research (the “researcher's family member”).

Further information about residence for researchers and their family members is provided by the EURAXESS centres.

An application for long-term residence for the purpose of family reunification is filed at a diplomatic mission. Aliens who stay in the territory on the basis of a visa for stay over 90 days or of a long-term residence permit issued for another purpose may file an application for long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification with the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy in the territory of the Czech Republic.

An application for long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification shall be filed by the alien in case of reunification with a family member who holds a long-term residence permit or a residence permit and has been residing at least 15 months in the territory of the Czech Republic. In case of reunification of spouses, each spouse must attain at least 20 years of age. If such criteria are not met, the alien may only apply for the issue of a visa for a stay over 90 days for the purpose of family reunification.

A decision on the permission of long-term residence in the territory of the Czech Republic shall be issued:

• within 120 days after the submission date of the application for issue of a long-term residence permit to a resident of another Member State of the European Union and his family member;
• within 270 days after the submission date of the application for issue of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification;
• within 60 days after the submission date of the application for issue of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of study, scientific research or for the purpose of issue of a long-term residence permit to a researcher's family member.

Before submitting the application the applicant may be required to make a registration of an appointment for submitting the visa application via an internet registration system (system Visapoint). Information about the system can be found here.

Supporting documents:

Information about the supporting documents to the application for residence permit can be found at the website of the Ministry of Interior (here).

The application needs to be submitted in person.

Refusal of the visa

In case your visa has been refused, you have the right to appeal this decision; the appeal should be addressed to the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of Interior that made the decision about your application within 15 days after delivering the information about the application refusal.

You can acquire detailed information on the website of the Ministry of Interior.