Getting married is the most common way to obtain Czech citizenship, but it is necessary to know that being married does not mean being a Czech citizen. It mainly makes you eligible for a facilitated way of naturalisation through which you may shorten the requirement of living in the UK for years to a great extent.
The process involved
Here is a step-by-step guide to the process below:
The Principle of naturalisation
A normal naturalisation process involves a period of continuous residence of approximately 10 years. However, many other important conditions are still required.
Minimum general requirements of Eligibility
To be eligible to obtain citizenship by marriage, you must meet all the following requirements:
Marriage to a Czech Citizen
You should be legally married to a Czech citizen at the time of application. For this purpose, a registered partnership is not deemed a marriage by the Czech Citizenship Act.
Permanent Residence in the Czech Republic
You have to have the status of Permanent Residence (Povoleni k trvalemu pobytu). This is an essential prerequisite. You cannot apply if you are holding a long-term visa or a long-term residence permit.
Residency Period
At least permanent residency in the Czech Republic. This period has to be a continuous one. Short-term trips abroad are usually okay, but a long-term absence will break the chain. The other half should have been resident in the Czech Republic physically for at least 6 months.
Clean criminal record
You cannot be convicted of a deliberate criminal offence committed in the Czech Republic or abroad (there are some exceptions to this rule in the case of minor offences).
The Czech authorities will run a clean criminal check in the Czech Republic and will ask for an extract from your home country. (nd any other country you’ve lived in for more than 6 months in the last 3 years).
Knowledge of the Czech language
You have to showcase a sufficient knowledge of the Czech language at a level B1 (intermediate). This is proven by taking a certified language exam.
Czech Realia
You must have experience and knowledge of the Czech constitution, political system, culture, history, and geography. This is also exam-certified.
Fulfilment of legal obligations
You have to prove that you have been paying taxes, contributions to social security and public health insurance as required by Czech legislation.
Streamlined application procedure
It entails:
Secure permanent residence
This is the first major obstacle. You usually qualify for permanent residence by having lived in the Czech Republic for some time on a permit for long-term residence (usually relating to family reunification). The requirement normally is 2 years for spouses of EU citizens (which includes Czech citizens). This is required at the Ministry of the Interior (Ministerstvo vnitra).
Wait out the 3-year residency period
Once you have your Permanent Residence card, the clock begins to tick. Ensure that you meet the physical presence requirement (at least 50% of each year in the country).
Documentation (This is the most important step)
Start assembling documents a long time in advance. You will need:
- Application form: The official application for the issuance of the Czech citizenship.
- Proof of identity: Your valid Passport.
- Proof of current residence: Your permanent residence card.
- Proof of marriage: Full Czech marriage certificate (uplny vypis z matriky oddaci), not older than 1 year.
- Proof of the Citizenship of your spouse: Your spouse’s passport or ID card (Czech).
- Criminal record extracts:
- From the Czech Republic: The Ministry of the Interior will get this itself.
- From your home country (and others): You will need to provide an official and apostilled (or superlegalized) extract of criminal record. Which has to be translated into Czech by a sworn translator.
- Proof of language and realia: A certificate of a certified examination.
- Proof of tax and Insurance payments: Documents issued by the financial office (Financni urad) and social/health insurance institutions.
- Administrative fee: The cost of the application is currently 2,000 CZK.
Submit the application
Submit the fully completed application personally at the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy (Odbor azylove a migracni politiky) of the Ministry of the Interior. An appointment is highly recommended online in advance.
Interview & the waiting period
The time limit for legal processing is 180 days. During this time, your ministry will check all your documents. They may also meet with you and your spouse to interview you to determine the authenticity of your relationship. Be ready to answer questions on your life together.
The decision
A written formal decision will be issued to you. If the application is accepted, the only remaining step is the oath.
Taking the Oath of Citizenship
In case of a positive decision, you will be invited to the ceremony, which takes the form of an oath of allegiance to the Czech Republic. The oath is taken only after which the person becomes a citizen of the Czech Republic. After that, you will be given the certificate of citizenship.
You can also view these posts:
Living in Czechia
Traveling to Czechia: Visa requirements
Preparing for the immigration interview in Czechia
