Researcher in Czechia

Conditions

A third-country national who intends to enter Czechia and reside there for a period longer than 3 months as a researcher must have concluded a hosting agreement with an accredited institution for the purpose of conducting research activities and, concurrently, must obtain a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research.

Procedures

Where and how to apply

In general, the application for issuing the residence permit for the purpose of scientific research has to be lodged at the Embassy of the Czech Republic abroad. A third-country national is entitled to lodge the application at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in the state of which he/she is a citizen, or that issued his/her travel document or in the state where he/she has a long-term or permanent residence permit. Compliance with this condition is waived for a third-country national who is a citizen of a state that belongs to the list of countries whose citizens are entitled to file the application at any Embassy of the Czech Republic abroad.

However, a third-country national is entitled to lodge this application in the territory of Czechia at the office of the Ministry of the Interior as well, if he/she has been already residing in the territory based on a long-term visa or a residence permit issued for another purpose or if he/she has been residing there based on a residence permit issued for the same purpose (i.e. scientific research) by another Member State of the European Union.

In case he/she has been residing in the territory based on a long-term visa or a residence permit issued for another purpose, he/she is entitled to lodge the application until the very end of validity of such residence permit. On the other side, if he/she has been residing there based on a residence permit issued by another Member State for the same purpose, he/she is entitled to lodge the application during his/her visa-free stay whenever (at the end of his/her visa-free stay at the latest).

A third-country national, who is residing in the territory of Czechia based on a long-term visa issued by another Member State of the European Union for the purpose of scientific research and, thus, who is entitled to stay in the territory without any special permit, is not entitled to lodge the application for a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research in the territory of Czechia.

Submission of the application for the residence permit for the purpose of scientific research is charged with the administrative fee. This administrative fee is equal to 2 500 CZK and has to be paid in the form of a revenue stamp(s) if the application is lodged in the territory of Czechia. In case the application is lodged at the Embassy abroad, this fee is generally paid in the foreign currency.

Documents required

To obtain the residence permit for a purpose of scientific research, a third-country national must submit:

• a valid travel document;
• a photograph showing the current appearance of the applicant;
• a hosting agreement concluded with the research institution;
• a written commitment by the hosting (research) organisation that it will cover the costs relating to a residence of a third-country national in the territory of Czechia after the residence permit expires, incl. the costs of his/her departure from the Czech Republic if such costs have been incurred within six months from the date the hosting agreement ends and have been paid from public funds;
• if required, an extract from the Penal Registry record and 
  a document proving that he/she fulfilled the conditions set out by the interim measures of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic on the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases.

Further requirements

Originals or other officially authenticated copies of all of the attached documents must be submitted. Travel documents must be submitted in original. All submitted documents in foreign languages must be submitted in their original version and with an officially certified translation into the Czech language. The required attachments to the applications must not be older than 180 days, except for travel documents and the photograph of the third-country national, provided that corresponds to his/her current appearance.

If the application has been lodged at the Embassy of the Czech Republic abroad and if it has been approved, a third-country national is obliged to present a proof of medical travel insurance valid from the day of entry until the date he/she will be covered by public health insurance. Moreover, a third-country national is obliged to submit a proof of payment of the insurance premium upon request. If the application was lodged in the territory of Czechia, a third-country citizen is obliged to submit this proof right away (at the moment of submission of the application).

Upon arrival in Czechia, a third-country national has to visit an appropriate office of the Ministry of the Interior in person to provide biometric data that are necessary for the production of a residence card. The residence card then will be issued at latest within 60 days.

Duration of validity of permits

The residence permit for the purpose of scientific research is usually issued for the duration of 2 years, possibly for the duration stated in a hosting agreement (if the duration stated there is shorter than 2 years).

Conditions for renewal

The validity of the residence permit for the purpose of scientific research can be extended, provided that the same conditions applicable to the issuance of a permit are met. The validity of this residence permit can be extended for a period stated in the hosting agreement, however, for a period not longer than 2 years.

The application for an extension has to be lodged in the territory of Czechia at the office of the Ministry of the Interior. A third-country citizen is entitled to lodge this application before the expiration of the validity of the previous residence permit at the latest, but not sooner than 120 days before the expiration of its validity.

Detailed information about the extension of a residence permit

Appeals

A third-country national can appeal a refusal to issue a residence permit for a researcher by requesting the Ministry of the Interior to reassess his/her application within 15 days of the original decision being delivered to him/her. A special Commission at the Ministry of the Interior will examine and make a decision about this request.

Further information

Detailed information about residence permits for the purpose of scientific research

Detailed information about visa-free stays of third-country researchers who are holders of a residence permit issued by another Member State of the EU

Detailed information about long-term visas

Rights

Employment during research

A third-country national who resides in the territory of Czechia based on a valid residence permit for the purpose of scientific research is entitled to work without any special permit (i.e. he/she does not need to apply for the Employee Card, the Blue Card, for issuing the working permit, etc.). A holder of this residence permit has a free access to the labour market in the territory of Czechia for a whole period of validity of this residence permit.

Detailed information about free entry to the Labour market

Stay and employment after research

A third-country national who has been residing in the territory of Czechia as a scientific researcher (based on a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research) and, concurrently, who has completed the research is eligible to file an application for a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or, as the case may be, an application for a residence permit for the purpose of starting a business.

The application for issuing a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment/starting a business has to be lodged in the territory of Czechia at the office of the Ministry of the Interior. This application has to be filed in person no sooner than 120 days before the end of the validity of such a residence permit and no later than on the last day of its validity. The application has to be filed in an appropriate form.

To obtain a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment/starting a business, a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research has to submit:

• a valid travel document;
• a document on availability of accommodation;
• a photograph showing the current appearance of the applicant;
• a document on availability of funds for his/her residence for the entire duration of their stay in the country or a document proving that his/her total monthly income will not be lower than the sum of the subsistence minimum and the officially determined highest average cost of housing or the actual cost of housing incurred;
• a document on successful completion of research issued by the relevant (hosting) research organisation;
• a document on travel medical insurance for the entire duration of his/her stay in the territory of Czechia and upon request a document on payment of the insurance premium.

The period of validity of a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business is nine months and this permit cannot be renewed.

Detailed information about residence permits for seeking employment or starting a business

Change of status

A third-country national who is a holder of a residence permit in the territory of Czechia (incl. the Blue Card) who intends to reside in the territory for another purpose than the one that he/she was granted the permit is obliged to apply to the Ministry of the Interior for a new residence permit. Those third-country nationals who will be holders of a residence permit for starting a business or seeking employment will be eligible to file an application for a residence permit for the purpose of business without having to meet the condition of prior five-year residence in the country.

Detailed information about the change of the purpose of residence

Family members

A family member of a third-country citizen who has submitted the application for issuing the residence permit for the purpose of scientific research or who has been already residing in the territory of Czechia for this purpose, is entitled to submit the application for issuing the residence permit for the purpose of family reunification. In general, this application has to be lodged at the Embassy of the Czech Republic abroad.

If this application will be approved, the validity of this residence permit will be equal to the period of stay of a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research.

Detailed information about residence permits for the purpose of family reunification

Mobility

If you are a holder of a visa for a stay of over 90 days (a long-term visa) for the purpose of scientific research or if you are a holder of a residence permit for this purpose that are issued by another Member State of the European Union, you may conduct research and teach in the Czech Republic if you fulfil certain requirements.

If you are a holder of a long-term visa or residence permit issued by another Member State of the EU for the purpose of scientific research, you are entitled to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic for the same purpose without any special permit or a visa for a period not longer than 1 year from the day of the very first entry into the territory of the Czech Republic.

If the third-country national intends to stay in the territory of the Czech Republic for a period longer than one year, he/she is obliged to apply for a residence permit.

Eventually, the third-country national who is a holder of a valid residence permit issued by another Member State of the European Union (except Ireland and Denmark) for the purpose of scientific research is entitled to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic for the same purpose (i.e. scientific research) without any special residence permit or a visa for a period up to one year.

Similarly, the third-country national who is a holder of a valid long-term visa issued by another Member State of the European Union (except Ireland and Demark) for the purpose of scientific research is entitled to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic for the same purpose without any special residence permit or a visa for a period not longer than 360 days.

If the third-country national intends to stay in the territory of the Czech Republic for a period longer than one year, he/she is obliged to apply for a residence permit.

Short-term mobility

A third-country national who is a holder of a residence permit or long-term visa issued by another Member State of the European Union for the purpose of scientific research is entitled to stay in the territory of the Czech Republic without any special permit or a visa for a period not longer than one year.

In both cases, a third-country national is not obliged to apply for any special residence permit. However, a third-country national has to fulfil the reporting requirement at the office of the Foreign Police of the Czech Republic within 3 days upon arrival.

Detailed information about the reporting requirement

Long-term mobility

A third-country national who is a holder of a residence permit or long-term visa issued by another Member State of the European Union and who has already been residing in the territory of the Czech Republic based on a visa-free stay, and plans to stay in the Czech Republic beyond his one-year visa-free period is entitled to apply for a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research during his/her visa-free stay. However, this application may also be submitted before entry to the embassy of the Czech Republic in the country of origin or to the embassy of the Czech Republic responsible for the Member State that issued the residence permit or long-term visa.

The application has to be filed in an appropriate & form. This application has to be lodged in person at the office of the Ministry of the Interior. Submission of this application is charged with the administrative fee that is equal to 2 500 CZK. This fee has to be paid in the form of a revenue stamp(s).

Required documents and information

To obtain the residence permit for a purpose of scientific research, a third-country national must submit:

• a valid travel document;
• a photograph showing the current appearance of the applicant;
• a hosting agreement concluded with the research institution;
• a written commitment by the hosting (research) organisation that it will cover the costs relating to a residence of a third-country national in the territory of the Czech Republic after the residence permit expires, incl. the costs of his/her departure from the Czech Republic if such costs have been incurred within six months from the date the hosting agreement ends and have been paid from public funds;
• if required, an extract from the Penal Registry record and a document proving that he/she fulfilled the conditions set out by the interim measures of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic on the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases.

Originals or other officially authenticated copies of all attached documents must be submitted. Travel documents must be submitted in original. All submitted documents in foreign languages must be submitted in their original version and with an officially certified translation into the Czech language. The required attachments to the applications must not be older than 180 days, except for travel documents and the photograph of the third-country national, provided that corresponds to his/her current appearance.

Detailed information about residence permits for the purpose of scientific research

Employment and teaching during research

A third-country mobile researcher who stays in the territory of the Czech Republic based on a visa-free regime or based on a residence permit issued for the purpose of scientific research is entitled to work without any special permit (in accordance with Section 98 of the Act No 435/2004 Coll.). Thus, a third-country researcher who is entitled to reside in the territory of the Czech Republic has a free access to the labour market in the territory of the Czech Republic and he/she is not obliged to apply for the Employee Card, the Blue Card, etc.

Detailed information about free access to the labour market

Family members

A family member of a third-country citizen who is a holder of a residence permit or long-term visa for the purpose of scientific research issued by another Member State of the European Union in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/801 and, concurrently, who is residing in the territory of the Czech Republic without a visa is entitled to reside in the territory without any special permit likewise, if he/she accompanies this researcher.

A length of this visa-free stay is one year maximally.

A family member of a third-country citizen who has submitted the application for issuing the residence permit for the purpose of scientific research or who has been already residing in the territory of the Czech Republic for this purpose, is entitled to submit the application for issuing the residence permit for the purpose of family reunification. In general, this application has to be lodged at the Embassy of the Czech Republic abroad.

If this application is approved, the validity of this residence permit will be equal to the period of stay of a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research.

Detailed information about residence permits for the purpose of family reunification

Employment after research

A third-country citizen who has been residing in the territory of the Czech Republic based on the residence permit for the purpose of scientific research and who has finished this research successfully will be entitled to apply for issuing a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or, as the case may be, to lodge the application for a residence permit for the purpose of starting a business.

The period of validity of an issued residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business is nine months and this permit cannot be renewed.

Detailed information about residence permits for seeking employment or starting a business