Changing the Purpose of Residence
If you hold a long-term residence permit and you want to reside in the Czech Republic for a different purpose, you must apply for a new long-term residence permit, which may be subject to certain rules1.
What does changing the purpose mean and how does it work?
For example, if you hold a long-term residence permit for sports purposes and you want to apply for a long-term residence permit for family purposes, you must apply for a new long-term residence permit. The procedure differs from application for an extension of a long-term residence permit for the same purpose.
- You must submit the application only in person at a Ministry of the Interior office.
- You can submit the application at any time before an expiration of your residence permit2.
- The time limit for taking a decision on such an application is 60 days.
What limitations are there for changing the purpose of residence?
- You can apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of doing business after you have resided in the Czech Republic for 5 years. This does not apply:
- if you hold a long-term visa for the purpose of doing business, or
- if you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business, or
- if you have entered the Czech Republic for the purpose of family reunification and you hold a long-term residence permit for this purpose (for more information please see below).
- You can only apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business if you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies of a university accredited study programme or the purpose of scientific research and, at the same time, these studies or research are coming to an end.
- If you have entered the Czech Republic for the purpose of family reunification and you hold a long-term residence permit for this purpose, you can apply for a residence permit for a different purpose after 3 years of residence in the Czech Republic or after having reached 18 years of age. The exceptions are:
- You can apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose if you are a bereaved person after a reunification-of-family permit holder and by the day of the reunification-of-family permit holder’s death you have resided in the Czech Republic for at least 2 years; or the reunification-of-family permit holder’s death was caused as a result of a work accident or an occupational disease.
- You can apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose in the case of a divorce if by the day of the divorce you have resided in the Czech Republic for at least 3 years.
- If you hold a long-term residence permit for the purpose of leave to remain, you can apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose provided that you have resided in the Czech Republic continuously for at least 3 years.
What applications do the above-mentioned limitations not apply to?
- If you are applying for a residence permit that is modified in Act no. 326/1999 Coll. (Foreigners Act) by an independent section, e.g. Section 42a Long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification in the Czech Republic.
- Such residence permits (purposes of residence) are: family reunification, studies, protection, scientific research, employee card, blue card, intra-company employee transfer card, intra-company employee transfer card of another EU Member State, investment.
- You will always find the limitations applicable to these applications in the corresponding Act Section.