Czech immigration terms
40 words you will meet on forms and in letters from the Ministry, in Czech with their English meaning. Where one page is about a term, it links there.
A
- Apostila / Apostille(Apostille)Documents
- International certification under the Hague Convention that authenticates public documents for use in other countries. Required for criminal records, birth certificates, diplomas, and marriage certificates.Apostille and sworn translation, explained
B
- Biometrický průkaz(Biometric Card)Documents
- The physical residence card issued for long-term and permanent residence. Contains biometric data (fingerprints, photo). Issued at OAMP office.Biometrics and collecting the card
C
- Cestina pro cizince(Czech for Foreigners)Exams
- Official portal for Czech language exams (cestina-pro-cizince.cz). Book A2 and B1 exams, find study materials, and locate exam centers.The language exam guide
- Cizinecká policie(Foreign Police)Offices
- Branch of the Czech Police that handles foreign nationals — registration of accommodation, residence checks. Website: ipc.gov.cz.
Č
- Český POINT(Czech POINT)Offices
- Czech Proof of Output from Information Systems of Public Administration. Network of service points at post offices and municipal offices. Provides: criminal record extracts, verified copies, authenticated signatures.The 100 CZK extract at a Czech POINT
D
- Dlouhodobé vízum(Long-term Visa (D type))Visas
- Visa for stays over 90 days in the Czech Republic. Required for employment, study, business, or family reunification. Valid for up to 1 year.The long-term visa application form
- Doplnění(Supplementation (of application))Procedures
- When the OAMP requests additional documents for your application. You typically have 30 days to provide the missing items. Your application processing time pauses during this period.What a request to supplement does to the clock
F
- FRS(Foreign Police Service)Offices
- Služba cizinecké policie — handles accommodation registration, residence checks, and border control. You must register your accommodation within 3 days of arrival. Website: ipc.gov.cz.
I
- IČO(Business Identification Number)Business
- Identifikační číslo osoby — unique 8-digit number assigned to every business entity in Czech Republic. Received when you register your Trade Licence.
K
- Kolková známka(Revenue Stamp (abolished))Documents
- The historical stamp once used to pay government fees. Abolished as a means of payment (Act 349/2023): stamps were accepted only until the end of 2024. Since 2025 fees are paid the way the specific office takes money, typically bank transfer or QR payment, sometimes card or cash.How fees are actually paid now
- Krátkodobé vízum(Short-term Visa (Schengen))Visas
- Visa for stays up to 90 days within a 180-day period in the Schengen area. Does NOT count toward permanent residence requirements.
M
- Matrika(Registry Office)Offices
- Municipal registry office that handles birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates. Important for apostille and document legalization.A baby born in Czechia: the first steps
- Ministerstvo vnitra (MVCR)(Ministry of Interior)Offices
- The main government body handling immigration. Runs OAMP (Department of Asylum and Migration Policy). Website: mv.gov.cz.
- Ministerstvo zahraničních věcí (MZV)(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)Offices
- Manages Czech embassies and consulates abroad where you submit visa applications. Website: mzv.gov.cz.
- Modrá karta(Blue Card (EU Blue Card))Permits
- Residence and work permit for highly qualified non-EU workers. Requires a high qualification (a university degree, at least 3 years of higher vocational education, or comparable professional experience) and a contract paying at least 1.5 times the average gross annual wage the Ministry of Labour announces for Blue Cards. Issued for the contract length plus 3 months, up to 3 years.The Blue Card guide
N
- Nostrifikace(Nostrification (Credential Recognition))Documents
- Process of recognising foreign educational qualifications in the Czech Republic. Required for regulated professions. Applied for at a Czech university or school.
O
- OAMP(Dept. of Asylum and Migration Policy)Offices
- Odbor azylové a migrační politiky — the department within the Ministry of Interior that processes immigration applications. Regional offices throughout Czech Republic.
- Občanství(Citizenship)Permits
- Czech citizenship (české občanství). Acquired by: birth, declaration, or granting (naturalization). Allows dual citizenship since 2014. Requires PR, B1 Czech exam, reálie exam, and životopis.The citizenship guide
- OSVČ(Self-Employed Person)Business
- Osoba samostatně výdělečně činná — a sole trader / freelancer with a Trade Licence (živnostenský list). Subject to income tax, health insurance, and social insurance.
P
- Potvrzení o ubytování(Accommodation Confirmation)Documents
- Official document confirming where you live. Can be a rental contract, employer-provided housing confirmation, or property ownership document.What counts as proof of accommodation
- Povolení k dlouhodobému pobytu(Long-term Residence Permit)Permits
- Residence permit for stays over 1 year. Includes Employee Card, Blue Card, student residence, business residence, and family reunification.The long-term residence form
- Povolení k trvalému pobytu(Permanent Residence Permit)Permits
- Indefinite residence permit granted after 5 years of continuous residence. Requires the A2 Czech language exam. Card renewed every 10 years.The permanent residence guide
- Prodloužení(Extension / Renewal (of a permit))Procedures
- One word in Czech for what English splits into "extending" and "renewing" — they are the same procedure. Each permit has a single official form that covers both getting it and prodloužení of it, so what decides your form is which permit you hold, not which English word you use. Apply from 120 days before expiry up to the last day of validity.Extending a permit: the window and the form
- Přechodný pobyt(Temporary Residence)Permits
- Residence status for EU citizens and their family members in the Czech Republic. Registered at the OAMP office.Forms for EU citizens and their family
R
- Razítko fikce(Fiction of Stay Stamp)Documents
- A stamp placed in your passport when you apply for renewal/change of residence. Allows you to legally stay while your application is being processed, even if your current permit expires.Fikce pobytu and the bridging visa, explained
- Reálie(Czech Life & Institutions Exam)Exams
- Exam testing knowledge of Czech culture, history, geography, political system, and institutions. Required for citizenship. 30 questions, 45 minutes, 60% to pass. Fee: 2,000 CZK.One free reálie paper
- Rejstřík trestů(Criminal Record Extract)Documents
- Official document from the criminal records registry. Required for most immigration applications. Czech extract obtained from Rejstřík trestů office or Czech POINT. Foreign extract from your home country.Criminal record extracts, both kinds
- Rodné číslo(Birth Number (National ID Number))Documents
- Czech national identification number assigned to residents. Format: XXXXXX/XXXX. Used for healthcare, tax, and official purposes. Foreigners receive one when getting residence.The birth number request form
S
- Soudní překladatel(Sworn (Court) Translator)Documents
- Translator officially appointed by a Czech court. Only sworn translations are accepted by Czech authorities. The translation is bound together with the original document with a ribbon and seal.The translation rule, with its source
- Souhlas s ubytováním(Accommodation Consent)Documents
- Written consent from the property owner allowing you to live at their property. Must be officially verified (úředně ověřený podpis) at Czech POINT or notary.What counts as proof of accommodation
- Superlegalizace(Superlegalization)Documents
- Authentication of documents from countries not part of the Hague Apostille Convention. Requires verification by the Czech embassy in the issuing country, then by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Apostille and sworn translation, explained
U
- UJOP(Institute of Language and Professional Preparation)Exams
- Ústav jazykové a odborné přípravy Univerzity Karlovy — the Charles University institute that administers Czech language exams (A2 for permanent residence, B1 for citizenship) and reálie exams for immigration purposes.The language exam guide
Ú
- Úřad práce(Labour Office)Offices
- Czech Labour Office that manages the Central Register of Vacancies. Employers must register job positions here before hiring non-EU workers. Website: up.gov.cz.The vacancy registry, explained
V
- Vízum k pobytu nad 90 dnů(Visa for Stay Over 90 Days)Visas
- Long-term visa (D type) allowing residence in Czech Republic for over 90 days. Applied for at Czech embassy. Required before you can apply for a long-term residence permit.The long-term visa application form
- Výpis z evidence trestů(Criminal Record Extract)Documents
- Same as Rejstřík trestů — an extract from the criminal records showing you have (or don't have) a criminal history. For long-stay visa and residence applications the 180-day supporting-document limit applies; citizenship has tighter, shorter limits of its own.Criminal record extracts, both kinds
Z
- Zaměstnanecká karta(Employee Card)Permits
- Combined work and residence permit for non-EU nationals. Valid up to 2 years, renewable. Fee: 2,500 CZK. The most common permit type for foreign workers.The Employee Card guide
- Zelená karta(Green Card (discontinued))Permits
- Former fast-track work permit for skilled workers from specific countries. Discontinued in 2014 and replaced by the Employee Card system.
Ž
- Živnostenský list(Trade Licence)Business
- Authorization to conduct business as a self-employed person (OSVČ). Issued by the Trade Licensing Office (Živnostenský úřad). Fee: 1,000 CZK. Three types: free, regulated, and craft.The trade licence guide
- Živnostenský úřad(Trade Licensing Office)Offices
- Municipal office that issues Trade Licences (živnostenský list). Available in every municipality. Registration takes 1–5 business days.
- Životopis(Life Story / Curriculum Vitae)Documents
- For citizenship applications: a narrative life story (NOT a CV/resume) written in Czech, 2–4 pages. Describes your background, life in Czech Republic, and reasons for seeking citizenship.The citizenship guide