How to bring your family to the Czech Republic

Is it now time for your family to join you in the Czech Republic? Here’s an overview of your options:

A] You’re an EU-citizen

Do you have non-EU family members? If your spouse can travel to the Czech Republic without a visa (check this list of visa-free stays), you can start by applying directly for a Temporary Residence Permit as an EU citizen’s family member. Apply at the MOI office in Brno (contact info here).

If your spouse needs a visa to enter the CR, you will need to apply for a short-term Schengen visa as an EU-citizen family member first. Once in Brno, apply for a Temporary residence Permit at the MOI office.

Who exactly is considered an EU citizen’s family member? Find out here or here.

B] You’re a non-EU citizen

Do you need to relocate your family members who are also non-EU? First, let’s specify who is a family member in the eyes of Czech immigration law: spouses, same-sex registered partners, children under 18 years of age, dependent relatives (for example a lone parent who can’t take care of themself).

It isn’t possible to relocate siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, etc.

If both you and your family member are non-EU citizens, your family will submit their application at one of the Czech diplomatic missions.

Your options are as follows:

1] Long-term Visa for Family Purposes

= a visa sticker in the passport, maximum validity is 1 year. Lear more here.

Advantages:

• shorter processing time (90 days), and
• no conditions regarding the length of your stay in the Czech Republic before your family members can apply.

Disadvantages:

• your spouse can work only with an additional work permit,
• You will have to prepay commercial comprehensive health insurance for your spouse and children for the whole period of the visa validity.

2] Long-term Residence Permit with the Purpose of Family Reunification

Learn more at the MOI info portal.

Advantages:

• free access to the labour market = your spouse can work without an additional work permit and can work under any type of contract (part-time, full-time, etc),
• Biometric ID card – no need to carry passport with the visa sticker all the time,
• no need to prepay commercial health insurance for children as they will be part of the public health insurance system.

Disadvantages

• longer processing time (up to 270 days)
• Your family member can apply on the condition that you hold:

1. 1. either a Blue Card, ICT card or Permanent Residence Permit, or
   2. an employee card and you have been living in the Czech Republic for at least 6 months
   3. you have another type of long-term residence permit (for example study, etc.) and at the same time you have been living in the Czech Republic for more than 15 months.

Find more information at the MOI info portal.

Can you help me with the relocation process?

Brno Expat Centre is happy to help you understand the basic requirements and your options, and provide you with important contacts. However, we cannot arrange a visa or residence permit for your family.

If you want professional help, we can direct you to an expert in immigration law, or a reliable agency that arranges visas and residence permits for a fee.

Once your family arrives, we can help them settle in. They can join our Spouse programme, find a local buddy or attend our events (all for free).

If you’d like to hire a professional to take care of your family’s relocation process, we can recommend:

Photos by Brnoregion.com (taken at the Planet Festival, Brno Kraví Hora, organised every year by the Brno Observatory)