Intro: Who needs a visa or trade license

In this module, we'll cover Visas (which allow you to live in the Czech Republic) and Živnos (the Czech Trade License, which allow you to work in the Czech Republic).

If you are a non-EU citizen, you will need both if you want to live in the Czech Republic. You'll learn:

  • What the Schengen Zone is and why it will become VERY IMPORTANT to you.
  • How long it will take you to get a visa
  • The order of the steps you need to take
  • The costs of getting a visa
  • How to save hundreds of dollars on the process

If you are an EU citizen, we'll go over the trade license that allows you to work in the Czech Republic.

BEWARE THE

ARCHIVES OF ANECDOTAL ADVICE

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You can find troves of opinions on Reddit, Quora, and even our own beloved-yet-hated Prague-specific Facebook Groups.

These forums are great for questions like "where can I buy new sneakers in Prague?" or "best food delivery service in Prague?" but be very cautious when looking for answers on topics like visas or trade licenses. Here's why:

First, some people are just plain wrong. Do you really want to trust @cuteaussie911 with your legal status? Please don't.

Second, while the very general legal requirements set forth by the Czech government are generally the same for everyone, the process, the specifics (how you fulfill those specifics), the timeline and even the location you're allowed to apply from varies according to your nationality, and can even be specific to your age group (e.g., Canadians 18-36 vs. Canadians over 36+).

So while forum busybodies swear they are 100% certain about how they got their visa, they don't know you, your specifics, nor if the rules have changed since they applied. It's fine to do research in forums, but take it all in with a grain of salt. Then consult a professional.

In this module you'll learn the steps to getting a visa, and we'll even set you up with a discount for an online visa course, created by visa professionals here in Prague who have helped hundreds of expats get their Visas and trade licenses in Prague over the last 5 years.

EU CITIZENS

If you are an EU Citizen, you can skip right over the visa lessons to Step 3 (with our blessing and envy) and learn about the Živno (the trade license) which will allow you get start working as an independent contractor right away.