A new bill, drafted by the Interior Ministry, proposes the digitisation of the Czech residence system, with the aim of simplifying and speeding up the procedure to obtain residence and ensure a more effective registration system for foreign nationals living long-term in the Czech Republic, ministry spokesman Adam Rozler told CTK.
The draft has passed the comment procedure and the ministry is going to submit it to the government, Rozler said.
Based on the proposals, people would communicate with the authorities electronically, fill in forms online, and be automatically informed about the status of their applications.
“The current law is outdated and also unclear as a result of frequent amendments,” Rozler said. Based on the current rules, nevertheless, the new legislation does not substantially change the conditions for granting a residence permit, he said.
The main change is digitisation. For this, the ministry wants to build a new information system in which foreigners would create an electronic identity and a personal account. “Foreign nationals will be able to communicate with the authorities online from home and vice versa. This will mean a relief for not only our offices in charge of the residence procedure, but also for the foreigners themselves,” said Interior Minister Vit Rakusan (STAN).
In addition to the digitisation of the residency system, the bill will introduce a change in the registration of EU citizens who wish to stay in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days. It will also strengthen the role of the guarantor – a person or entity, such as an educational, scientific or cultural institution, employer, sports club, etc., which guarantees the purpose of the foreigner’s stay in the country.
The law is due to come into force at the beginning of 2026, along with the launch of the new information system. Registration of EU citizens will remain voluntary in 2026, but will be mandatory from 2027.
