Is there a real chance of getting a long-term Czech residence permit now?
The short answer is that in theory, yes. However, in practice, the process is difficult, expensive, and some visas have a high refusal rate – particularly, business visas based on owning a company. The current regulations for issuing these permits are quite strict. Let’s break down the three main options for obtaining a long-term visa in the Czech Republic and their key features:
- Business visa
- Work visa
- Student visa
Business visa (residence permit) for the Czech Republic
We’ll be straightforward: it’s best not to attempt this. Unfortunately, the reality is that you are highly likely to be refused. The rejection rate for these types of permits is extremely high, close to 100%.
From a formal point of view, the legal possibility of obtaining a residence permit in the Czech Republic via a company does exist. On the surface, the process seems straightforward: you register a Czech company in your name, prepare a relatively simple set of corporate documents, submit your residence permit application, attend an interview, and receive your visa.
In practice, these are the actual steps. However, if your company is a ‘shell’ with no real business activity, your application will most likely be rejected. This method worked about ten years ago, but today, such applications are almost always refused. The change happened because there was a large wave of foreigners using this visa route, causing the authorities to shut it down.
A long-term Czech visa for company owners is only achievable if you are serious about starting a real business and can provide clear evidence of this to the Czech authorities.
Such evidence must include:
- A real business presence (having an office, a retail location or a store)
- Actual financial transactions in the company’s bank account, directly linked to its business activities.
- Partnership with established Czech companies (operating companies in your industry, not ‘shell’ ones)
- Hired employees, with a strong preference for Czech citizens.
Moreover, all of these factors must come together perfectly. And even a flawless application may still be rejected by Czech authorities. On the other hand, setting everything up is also expensive, and you will have to decide if the goal justifies the costs and effort.
Additionally, many people rightly ask how they can set all this up without already having a long-term visa. This creates a vicious circle: no residence permit means you cannot properly establish the business, but no established business means you cannot get the permit. It’s an absurd situation, but this is the current reality.
At this time, our company does not provide services to establish companies for the purpose of obtaining long-term business visas in the Czech Republic. Our position is based on understanding that the client would most likely just lose money without receiving the visa. However, if a client fully understands the risks and still wishes to proceed, we take on the project. Since this often involves a significant financial investment for people, we ensure transparency by clearly describing all potential risks for you.
Furthermore, there are many companies in the Czech Republic offering services to obtain business visas and residence permits. Their typical proposal is: “We prepare the documents, you apply at the consulate, and you take your chance to get the visa. The fee for the document package is 4000 euros, paid in advance, with no guarantee of success”. We consider this practice to be highly unethical, because the service provider knows in advance that the client will most likely not receive the permit. However, the choice is yours to make.
In most cases, people who try to get a Czech residence permit via a company usually end up with a company they do not need. The company must then be closed down (liquidated). This is a matter we can assist you with.
If you are still determined to relocate to the Czech Republic, a more realistic option at present is the Czech work visa. This is what we will cover in the following section.
Long-term work visa (residence permit) for the Czech Republic
If you are determined to live in the Czech Republic, the long-term work visa is currently a much more realistic (and in fact, a working) option. People are successfully getting these visas and moving here. However, there are a few important requirements.
The process requires a job offer from a legitimate Czech company – one with a history and actual employees (not a ‘shell’ company). They provide you with a document package, which you submit at the consulate to apply for your visa. Work-based residence permits are indeed being issued, and the chances of success are fairly good for now. How long this opportunity will last is uncertain, but it will likely also be restricted in the future.
Let’s address the financial aspect of work visas. The initial cost for the work visa documents is usually low (€1000-€2000 EUR per person), and the approval rate is high. However, there is an important point to consider. In this case, you are officially employed. On paper, you receive an official salary, which means your employer (the company you work for) is required to pay taxes on your behalf – around €300-€400 per month. In reality, you will be responsible for covering these costs yourself; your visa status directly depends on these payments.
Unfortunately, you will have to pay these costs for at least five years, or your visa will be cancelled. Also, during these five years, you cannot switch to a different visa type (for example, a business visa). It is possible to change the company you are employed by (for example, you could open your own company and hire yourself to avoid dependency on third parties). However, the main requirement remains: you must still pay taxes on your salary and you cannot lower your salary to reduce the tax amount.
In short, it’s a realistic option, but one that involves long-term costs.
Student visa (residence permit) for the Czech Republic
To be honest, this is the category we follow the least closely, though we do have some relevant information.
Student visas are generally issued without major issues. While refusals do happen, they are quite rare. The Czech Republic has a large number of international students, and we believe this trend will continue.
However, a student visa is not suitable for everyone and is granted mainly to young people. If an individual over 40 claims they are coming to the Czech Republic to study, it’s understandable that this will be viewed with skepticism by the Czech authorities.
For this visa, the choice of the educational institution is very important. The institution must provide a confirmation letter stating that the person has been accepted and will attend the institution. You will need this document from a reputable university or organization. The Czech Republic has many high-quality language schools that manage this aspect quite well. Naturally, all of this involves significant expense.
We recommend this visa only for individuals who are truly coming to the Czech Republic to study. If your goal is to work or run a business, this visa is not a good fit for a number of reasons.
Can I get a long-term visa and immigrate to the Czech Republic by opening a company there?
Theoretically, yes. But in practice, starting a company just to get a visa is nearly pointless. While it is easy to prepare the basic set of documents, your chances of actually getting the visa approved are extremely low. If you are interested in this topic, check out our full article on Czech residence permits.