Ministry of the interior of the Czech Republic  

Go

Modern Administration


Quick links: Sitemap Text version Česky Fulltext search


 

Main menu

 

 

Information for schools and students

 Česky

Important practical information

1. Validity of residence certificate

A student has the right to reside within the territory of the Czech Republic only during the period of validity of his/her long-stay visa or long-term residence permit, i.e. until the date designated on the long-stay visa sticker or the long-term residence permit card as the last date of the visa’s or the residence permit’s validity.

If an application for a long-term residence permit or extension of a long-term residence permit is not submitted on the last day of the residence certificate’s validity, the student’s right to reside within the territory of the Czech Republic under this residence certificate EXTINGUISHES and it CAN NEITHER be extended.

It is therefore recommended to students that they pay increased attention to their residence certificate, in addition to their study duties, i.e. that they in particular apply for its extension in a timely manner. The Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals does not allow the Ministry of the Interior to waive the compliance with the given time limits, not even in cases requiring special consideration.

  

2. Extension of validity of residence certificate and issuance of a long-term residence permit

The validity of the student’s long-stay visa and long-term residence permit is not extended automatically, and the student must apply for its extension at the Ministry of the Interior.

An application to extend the validity of a long-stay visa may be submitted 90 days before its expiry date at the earliest and at the latest before the period of validity or period of  permitted stay in the territory expires. The application may be submitted in person at a Ministry of the Interior office or by mail (also from abroad) or via a data box of the Ministry of the Interior.  However, the validity of a long-stay visa may be extended only for a total period of one year. If the study of a foreign national in the territory is demonstrably longer than one year, the student must apply for a long-term residence permit. Another person may be authorised to submit the application.

The application to extend the validity of a long-term residence permit may be submitted 120 days before the expiry date of the current long-term residence permit at the earliest and on the last day of the validity of the current long-term residence permit at the latest. The application may be submitted in person at a Ministry of the Interior office or by mail (also from abroad) or via a data box of the Ministry of the Interior. Another person may be authorised to submit the application.

The application for a long-term residence permit may be submitted on the last day of the validity of a long-stay visa or a long-term residence permit that was issued for another reason. The application must be submitted by the student in person; otherwise, the Ministry of the Interior will not deal with it. If the last day of the validity of the student’s current long-stay visa or long-term residence permit falls on a public holiday or a rest day, the application may be submitted on the last working day preceding the last day of the validity of the long-stay visa or long-term residence permit at the latest.

  

3. Barriers to timely submission of an application

If the reasons beyond the student’s will and control prevent the student from submitting an application for extension of a long-stay visa or issuance of a long-term residence permit in a timely manner, s/he may submit the application subject to the following conditions:

  1. The application is submitted within five working days following the lapse of such reasons.

  2. The reasons that are beyond the student’s will and control are provided upon the submission of the application at the latest.

  3. The student proves the existence of such reasons upon notice from the Ministry of the Interior at the latest.
     

The reasons that are beyond the student’s will or control include a disease that confined the student to bed, an injury, etc. However, the reasons beyond the student’s control do not include the student’s stay abroad, neglect, preparation for examinations, etc.

  

4. Service of documents in a pending procedure

A student ought to pay attention to the documents served by the Ministry of the Interior during the procedure regarding his/her application. A document may be served successfully only on condition that the student’s name is clearly provided on a mail box. The student may also authorise another person to receive the documents.

  

5. Departure from the territory for holidays

It is recommended that the application to extend the validity and to issue a long-term residence permit be submitted prior to the actual departure from the territory of the Czech Republic and that the student notifies the Ministry of this fact or applies for an interruption of the procedure regarding his/her application. In the student’s absence, the documents could be served to his/her address in the territory of the Czech Republic and it could happen that s/he would not have an opportunity to read the contents of such documents. If the student intends to arrive to the territory of the Czech Republic after his/her long-stay visa or residence permit card expires, s/he must apply for a so-called “bridging” sticker for him/her to be able to arrive to the territory of the Czech Republic without any difficulties. Otherwise, the student would have to apply for a long-stay visa for the purpose of taking over a residence permit (the “DV/R”) at the Representative Office of the Czech Republic in his/her country of origin in order to be able to return to the territory of the Czech Republic. The bridging sticker may be issued only to persons who have already submitted their application to extend the validity of a long-stay visa or long-term residence permit.

  

6. Compliance with deadlines and time limits determined by the Ministry of the Interior and the law

The time limits determined by the Ministry of the Interior in a request to put the application in order are not only indicative; any failure to comply with them will result in the suspension of the procedure regarding the application. If the student knows that s/he will not be able to comply with the time limit determined by the Ministry of the Interior, it is prerequisite to apply for its extension in a timely manner and provide the necessary justification.

If the student is summoned to an interview, s/he must appear to this interview; any failure to appear for the interview without any serious grounds constitutes a reason for refusal of the application.

Any failure to appear upon notice of the Ministry of the Interior to provide the details necessary for issuance of a residence permit card constitutes a reason for the suspension of the procedure regarding the application.  The same applies to cases where a student fails to collect the produced residence permit card within the 60-day time limit. The Ministry cannot waive the requirement to comply with this duty and must suspend the procedure regarding the application.

Any failure to appear at the Ministry of the Interior within three working days following the arrival to the territory for the purpose of providing the details necessary for the production of a residence permit card constitutes a reason for the immediate suspension of the procedure regarding the application for issuance of a long-term residence permit submitted at a representative office. The Ministry cannot waive the requirement to comply with this duty and must suspend the procedure regarding the application.

  


Department for Asylum and Migration Policy, October 12th, 2023

Print  E-mail