Czech Citizenship: Complete Application Guide 2026

Under Act No. 186/2013 Coll. on Czech Citizenship, the requirements are:

1. Permanent Residence: You must hold PR in the Czech Republic
2. Residence duration: 5 years of PR (or 10 years total legal residence)
3. Clean criminal record: No serious offenses in the last 5 years
4. B1 Czech language certificate: Intermediate level
5. Reálie exam: Czech life and institutions test
6. Integration: Demonstrate ties to Czech society
7. Income: Your residence in the 3 years before applying must not have significantly burdened the state benefit systems without serious reason (§ 14(8) of Act 186/2013). Having claimed something is not automatically disqualifying — the test is significant burden, not abstinence.
8. No security threat: No threat to the state

Shortened timelines:

• Czech spouse: Requirements may be relaxed
• Former Czech citizens: Simplified path
• Ages 18–20 with 10+ years residence: Simplified
• Stateless persons: Preferential treatment

The B1 level is intermediate — you can handle everyday situations independently.

Exam structure:

• Reading: 50 minutes, texts and comprehension questions
• Listening: 35 minutes, recordings and questions
• Writing: 60 minutes, letter/email/essay
• Speaking: 10 minutes, conversation with examiner
• Total: ~155 minutes
• Pass mark: 60% in each section
• Fee: 3,700 CZK (one attempt)
• Retake: we cannot confirm whether individual sections can be retaken separately, or at what price. This product has carried both "the whole exam must be retaken" and "individual sections at 1,800 CZK". Check with the exam provider.

Provider: UJOP Charles University — book at cestina-pro-cizince.cz

Tip: Permit.cz has a complete B1 exam practice module with timed tests matching the real exam format.

The reálie exam tests your knowledge of Czech culture, history, geography, and institutions.

Exam details:

• Questions: 30 multiple-choice
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Pass mark: 60% of the available points in each half — at least 42 points across reading, writing and listening, and at least 24 for speaking (cestina-pro-cizince.cz)
• Fee: not confirmed — the only page stating it carries no date; check mv.gov.cz. For a child the fee is 500 CZK (mv.gov.cz, page-declared 2026-05-27).
• Language: Czech (or with interpreter for additional fee)

Topics covered:

• Czech history (key dates, personalities)
• Geography (regions, major cities, rivers)
• Political system (Parliament, President, government structure)
• Legal system (courts, rights, Constitution)
• Culture (traditions, holidays — Vánoce, Velikonoce, etc.)
• Economy (currency CZK, major industries)
• Education (school system, universities)
• Healthcare (insurance system, VZP)

Tip: Permit.cz offers free reálie practice tests with 200+ questions covering all exam topics.

You must submit a "životopis" — a narrative life story written in Czech. This is NOT a CV/resume.

What to include:

• Personal background (birth, family, education)
• Why you came to the Czech Republic
• Your life in Czech Republic (work, community, friends)
• Your integration into Czech society
• Why you want to become a Czech citizen
• Future plans

Format: Written in Czech, 2–4 pages, narrative style (not bullet points).

Tip: Permit.cz's Životopis Generator helps you create this document step by step with proper Czech formatting.

Step 1: Pass exams — B1 language + reálie (budget 2–6 months for preparation)

Step 2: Gather documents:

• Valid passport
• Birth certificate (apostilled + translated)
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Criminal record from home country (max 180 days old)
• Czech criminal record
• Životopis in Czech
• Proof of income (last 3 years of tax returns)
• Proof of accommodation
• B1 certificate + reálie certificate
• Passport photos

Step 3: Submit at regional office — OAMP (Odbor azylové a migrační politiky)

Step 4: Interview — You may be invited for an interview about your integration

Step 5: Wait for decision — 180 days is the statutory maximum for citizenship (§ 23(1) of Act 186/2013), but it often takes longer

Step 6: Oath of allegiance — If approved, take the oath at a ceremony. You are a Czech citizen from the moment you take the oath.

Fees:

• Application: adult — not confirmed — the only page stating it carries no date; check mv.gov.cz. Minor — 500 CZK (mv.gov.cz, page-declared 2026-05-27).
• B1 exam: 3,700 CZK
• Reálie exam: we hold no separate confirmed price. The provider publishes 5,700 CZK for the language and reálie exams together and 3,700 CZK for the language exam alone; both are set by the provider, not by law, and the page carries no date.
• Document translations & apostilles: priced per page by the translator and per document by the issuing authority; we publish no range.