Where to Start When Moving to Czechia

Planning a move to Czechia starts with the paperwork timeline. The arrival date comes after it.

Fix the date first and the documents have to fit into whatever time is left.

Begin with the purpose of your stay

The purpose of stay is your reason for coming to Czechia. It determines the procedure that applies to you, the documents you need and how long the process takes.

Common purposes are employment, business, study and family reunification. Pin yours down before you order a single document.

Documents people leave too late

• Criminal record extracts and apostilles from abroad. An apostille officially confirms that a document is genuine, and the offices that issue it keep their own schedule.
• Certified translations of those documents. You do not set the translator's calendar either.
• Proof of accommodation. Many procedures ask for a specific address that can be checked, and short-term rentals often cannot supply the paperwork.
• Health insurance accepted for your type of stay. Travel insurance is often not enough, so check before you buy.

Count back from the appointment

Start from the date your file must be complete. Take away the time that translations and apostilles need.

Then check how long each document stays valid. Some extracts are accepted only when recently issued, so ordering too early can cause as much trouble as ordering late.

Plan the first weeks after arrival

After arrival you register your address, which means reporting where you live. A bank account, a phone number and insurance follow.

Families also need school or kindergarten places with a realistic start date.

None of these is hard on its own. They get hard when they all fall in the first week of a new job.