When can I apply for a Permanent residence in the Czech Republic?

Have you fallen in love with the cobblestone streets, world-class beer, and rich cultural history of the Czech Republic? If so, you may be thinking about putting down permanent roots in this beautiful country. Whether you’re here for work, study, or love, obtaining permanent residency is a crucial step in making the Czech Republic your forever home.

How long do you need to stay?

In general, you will need to have lived in the Czech Republic for at least five years under a long-term visa or residence permit before you can apply for permanent residency. Yes, the five-year countdown starts as soon as you have lived here continuously for that long.

But, if you are from the EU (or married to one), things get a little easier! You can skip ahead to the EU citizen section, or stick around if you're intrigued by how the Czech immigration system works.

What counts toward your 5-year residency?

It’s more than just living here for five years straight. Certain absences won’t count against your time, and some types of residence permits only count partially - or not at all (a bit of a bummer, we know).

What does count:

Long-term visas or permits: These do count toward the five-year total.
Asylum status or subsidiary protection: Time spent under these statuses counts, too.
Temporary residence permits for EU citizen’s family members: These also contribute to the five-year period.
Student visas: Time on a long-term student visa and residene permit counts, but only half of it does. So, if you're a student, keep that in mind!
Short absences: If you’re away for less than 6 months at a time, it doesn’t break your continuous residence, but only if the sum of your absences does not exceed 310 days
Long absences: If your employer sends you abroad for work, and the absence is less than 10 months in total (no more than 560 days), that time can be included in your residency.

What does not count:

Work assignments by a foreign employer: Time spent in the Czech Republic while being sent by a foreign employer does not count.
Au Pair stays: If your stay was for domestic work in exchange for food, accommodation, and pocket money, it will not be included.
Long-term visa for seasonal work: Time spent on a visa for stays over 90 days for seasonal employment or extraordinary work visas does not count.
Long-term visa for the purpose of leave to remain: Time spent on this kind of visa does not count unless you later obtained a Long-term residence permit for the same purpose.
Diplomatic residence: If you resided in the Czech Republic under a residence permit issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a member of a diplomatic mission, an international governmental organization, a public institution, or an accredited entity, that time does not count. The same applies to registered family members of such individuals.

What does "continuous residence" really mean?

Maintaining continuous residence is essential for applying for permanent residency. Simply put, you need to live here without taking long breaks or extended stays outside the country. But don’t worry, there are a few exceptions:

Absence for less than 6 months at a time: It doesn’t break your residency status and as mentioned earlier, it does count towards your 5 years, but only only if the sum of your absences does not exceed 310 days.
Absence for up to 12 consecutive months due to valid reasons (like pregnancy, serious illness, or studying): This does not break your residence, but your absence will not be counted towards your five years, meaning your eligibility date for permanent residence will be postponed.
Employer-mandated work abroad: If your employer sends you abroad for work, and the absence is less than 10 months in total (no more than 560 days), that time can be included in your residency.

So, for most non-EU citizens, the rule is: five years of continuous living with a long-term permit or visa. Once you hit that milestone, you're all set to apply for permanent residency!

Special Exceptions for Blue Card Holders

If you are a Blue Card holder, you may be able to apply for permanent residency much sooner! Instead of the usual five years, you could qualify after just two years of residence in the Czech Republic—but here is the catch:

You must have lived in the EU for a total of five years under a Blue Card, not just in the Czech Republic.
Time spent in the EU for scientific research, studies, or under international protection in another EU country can count toward this five-year requirement.
If you held a Blue Card in another EU country for less than 12 months, that time will not be counted.
Temporary absences from the EU of up to 12 consecutive months (and a total of 18 months over the five years) will not disrupt your residency period.

These same rules apply to family members of Blue Card holders who have long-term residence for family reunification purposes.

Already left the Czech Republic? Can you still apply?

Changed your mind and want to come back? Czech law allows you to apply for permanent residency even if you’re not currently in the country. If your long-term residence permit expires while you're outside the country, you have to apply for permanent residency within 6 months of that expiration date.

Do you need to learn Czech?

Yes, but don’t worry—it’s not as daunting as it sounds! One of the key requirements for permanent residency is passing a Czech language exam at the A2 level. The good news is, it’s not a test on Czech politics or literature—just basic conversational skills.

To prepare, you can take language courses, use apps, or practice chatting with locals. After living here for a while, you’ve probably picked up some Czech already, so this shouldn’t be too hard!

Important note for EU citizens and their family members: You won’t need to pass the Czech exam! The law provides this benefit, meaning no language certificate is required for you.

What about EU citizens and their relatives?

If you’re an EU citizen—or a family member of one—the process for obtaining permanent residency in the Czech Republic is much simpler. The basic rule of five years of continuous residence still applies, but with fewer restrictions on absences.

How is the 5 year residence counted for EU citizens

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to hold the Registration Certificate for the entire five years. If you never applied for one—or if you obtained it only recently—don’t worry. You can still prove your five years of residence through other documents, such as:

Lease agreements
Employment contracts
Health insurance payment statements
Other official records confirming your stay in the country

This flexibility makes it easier for EU citizens to meet the residency requirement, even if they never formally registered their stay. Essentially, for EU citizens, the process is simple: just prove your five years of residence. However, the law also takes into account limited absences.

What counts as continous residence for EU citizens?

Your five-year residence remains uninterrupted as long as your absences from the Czech Republic do not exceed six months per year in total, or one continuous absence of up to 12 months, but only for serious reasons such as pregnancy, serious illness, work assignment abroad, studies or vocational training, or mandatory military service.

Exceptions for EU citizens

While the standard five-year rule applies to most, some EU citizens can apply earlier under certain conditions:

Retirement: If you worked or ran a business in the Czech Republic for at least 12 months before retiring, you only need 3 years of residence.
Disability: If you stop working due to a third-degree disability, you can apply after 2 years.
Cross-border workers: If you've worked in the Czech Republic for at least 3 years but now work in another EU country and commute regularly, you might still qualify.

Family members of EU citizens

Family members of EU citizens can also become eligible for permanent residence after five years of continuous residence in the Czech Republic. The definition of continuous residence is the same as for EU citizens, meaning the same absence limits apply. However, there are certain exceptions that can speed up the path to permanent residency.

A family member of an EU citizen may qualify for permanent residence sooner than five years under the following conditions:

After two years of continuous residence, if they have been a family member of an EU citizen (including Czech) with permanent residence in the Czech Republic for at least 1 year.
If they are the surviving family membe

r of a Czech citizen who was registered for permanent residence in the country, or in some cases, the surviving family member of an EU citizen who resided in the Czech Republic for employment or business purposes.

Why apply for Permanent residence?

Still wondering if it’s worth the effort? Here are some perks to make your decision easier:

Freedom to work without needing a separate work permit.
Access to public healthcare on the same terms as Czech citizens.
Stability—no more worrying about visa renewals!
Easier access to loans and mortgages (hello, dream home).
A potential pathway to Czech citizenship, if that’s in your future plans.

Now that you’ve made the Czech Republic your home, it’s time to take the next step and make it permanent. Let’s turn your stay into a lasting chapter of your life here!