Czech Republic Summary Guide

Czech Republic Residence

EU/EEA residents. Citizens of the EU may enter the Czech Republic freely to live and work, although they should report their presence after 30 days to the local branch of the Alien Police Inspectorate. A passport is generally all that is required to gain entry to the country. EU/EEA citizens do not require a Work Permit or a Residency Permit, although they have the right to apply for one after being in the country for 90 days.

As a Residency Permit can be useful when purchasing a property or obtaining a driving licence, and undertaking various other legal transactions, it is a good idea to apply for the permit anyway; the documentation requirements are not arduous for EU/EEA residents, and all that is required is: passport, 2 passport-sized pictures, confirmation of health insurance (if self-employed), documentation of the reason for the intended stay (study, work, business, etc), and documentation proving that genuine accommodation has been secured.

The processing period can be between two months and 180 days, however, and the assistance of a friendly Czech native can be invaluable, as anecdotal evidence suggests that the application process can be bureaucratic and confusing to a non-Czech speaker!

A ‘temporary’ permit is valid for five years and is renewed automatically, while a ‘permanent’ permit is valid for 10 years.

Family members of a EU/EEA citizen entering the Czech Republic who themselves are not EU/EEA citizens may still have to obtain a visa and/or a Residency Permit.

Non-EU/EEA residents. Non EU/EEA residents must apply for a long-term visa if they intend to stay in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days or if they wish to work or commence business activities on their own.

For a limited list of countries, no visa is required for stays under 90 days but nationals of certain countries not on this list may find that they have to obtain a visa even for short stays in the country. Family members of a non-EU/EEA resident are also entitled to apply for a long-term visa.

Non-EU/EEA residents must apply for a Residency Permit. Permits may be issued for short-term, long-term or permanent residence. It would be normal for a short-term permit to be issued initially (for stays of less than a year) and then for the person to apply for a long-term Residency Permit later; such permits are valid for a year. In any event, an application for permanent residence (which is actually limited in duration to five years, so not permanent in actuality!) can be made after five years.

A Residency Permit can be obtained from the local office of the Foreign Police. The website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic provides useful information about applying for Residency Permits. There is usually a nominal charge for non-EU/EEA citizens for the permit – CZK2000 (= EUR78, or USD114).

The list of required documentation is somewhat longer for non EU/EEA citizens seeking residence in the Czech Republic, and includes: passport, 2 passport-sized pictures, confirmation of health insurance (if self-employed), confirmation of means of support (ditto) documentation of the reason for the intended stay (study, work, business, etc), documentation proving that genuine accommodation has been secured (usually a notarised statement from the landlord, and evidence that he/she owns the property in question), and confirmation that the intended resident doesn’t have a criminal record, either in the Czech Republic or in their home country.

Czech Republic Summary Guide Contents

Czech Republic Summary

Czech Republic Summary Chart

Czech Republic Residence

Taxation of Business People in Czech Republic

Living and Doing Business in Czech Republic

Business Forms in Czech Republic

Latest Comments

Expat Brit

Hi,

I am facing a dilemma and would like to invite any reader to advise me.

I am a Brit who has lived outside UK since 1993- initially in Belgium (5 years) & subsequently in 4 African countries. After a year outside UK, the UK Inland Revenue confirmed my status as ‘non-resident’ for tax purposes and as I have had no income in UK, I have not completed a UK tax return for many years. I visit UK very rarely, normally for one or two weeks per year.

In May 2011, I was made redundent by my employers, who were downsizing. This coincided with a move to retire in the Netherlands, where I now have official residency (my wife is Dutch). I thought that, at 63 years of age, I would be unlikely to find suitable employment; in fact, I have not tried hard and had resigned myself to permanent (but slightly premature) retirement.

However, to my surprise, I have recently been approached (through a mutual acquaintance) by a company that wishes to use my skills on a project in the Isle of Man. The role, if & when confirmed, would see me working for about 10 days a month in Isle of Man, with about 5-7 additional days per month, working from home. Contract will be for about two years. The firm has asked me to confirm if I would prefer to be paid (and therefore be taxed) in Netherlands or Isle of Man, the idea being that I create a self-employment entity for this employment. I have no data on which to base a response. Given Isle of Man's traditional ‘low tax ‘environment, are there any benefits to declaring an income in IOM? Are there any Isle of Man residency implications? Netherlands takes a tax cut on total world wide income, and, as I have never had any contact with the Dutch authorities, I am reluctant to start such a relationship now. Do I have to declare income in both countries, with a breakdown prorata to the time spent in each jurisdiction? Should I declare income to UK Inland revenue?

If anyone has pertinent advice on these points, I’d be grateful to hear them.

TJM @ Eindhoven, NL

T. Dog

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Jersey vs. Malta??

Hi, I live in South Africa, and along with 2 business partners (one in South Africa and one in Ireland - all South African citizens though) are setting up a company that designs Smart phone applications. As they will be sold on the various platforms (none of which operate out of South Africa)we have to list our company as operating out of Ireland anyway. As such, we have decided to set up our company in the best tax country and are wanting info on whether Jersey or Malta is best? If anyone has some inside info we would really appreciate it!! Thanks!Mary

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Purchasing investment-link insurance for my staff

Would that count as income tax to my staff? And would that count as expense to my company?Michael

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Irish crisis - effects on small business?

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone 'on the ground', as it were, might be reading and able to help me...I was considering relocating my hairdressing business from the UK to Ireland before the economy started to go properly belly-up...now, not so much.

Are things as bad as they seem over there, or is it being over-hyped by the media? And is the government still keen to support small business people? Cos if not, I'll look elsewhere...

Thanks,Kate

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Living in France contracting to Australian company

I am moving full time to France in Jan 2012 where I will be working as a freelance contract engineer to a number of Australian based companies. It is my choice to move to France not a work requirement. I will be renting my house out in Austrlalia and renting a house while I am in France. I hold both EU & Austrlain citizenshiip. I am married with 2 young children. Approx total family income $100k AUD.
Do I pay tax in France or Australia or both ?
Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.France move

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