Immigration law
Czech citizenship
Act No. 186/2013 Coll.
The final step of integration: citizenship brings an EU passport and closes immigration questions for good. It is also the most discretionary proceeding — what is judged is not a file but a biography.
What the law says
The Citizenship Act generally requires five years of permanent residence (or ten years of lawful stay in total), integration, integrity and stable income. The language exam is B1, plus a civics test; exemptions apply to some applicants.
The Interior Ministry decides with broad discretion: even where conditions are formally met, it weighs tax history, sources of income, offences and the genuine link to the country. Czech law permits dual citizenship.
How the work runs
I begin with an honest audit: taxes and contributions across the years, travel, fines, the income structure. Where I see a weak spot I say so and suggest letting it mature: a year of clean history often does more than a perfect cover letter.
The application itself is a dossier: a biography, proof of integration, income in a form the Ministry recognises. I accompany you to the decision; after a refusal we weigh re-filing or judicial protection where available.
Deadlines and pitfalls
The proceedings run for months and can hardly be rushed — all the more reason to file a dossier that raises no questions. Classic problems: taxes “optimised” to zero against a comfortable lifestyle, insurance gaps, forgotten old misdemeanours.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to give up my current citizenship?
Not on the Czech side: the 2013 Act allows multiple citizenship. Whether you keep the original depends on your home country’s law — verify that separately before filing.
Who is exempt from the exams?
Among others, applicants under 15 and over 65, graduates of Czech schools and persons with documented health limitations. I confirm whether an exemption applies to you before any exam registration.
How long does the citizenship application take?
The statutory guide is 180 days; practice runs longer. It can hardly be rushed — invest in a dossier without question marks instead: every ministry request adds months.
Does time on temporary residence count?
Yes — towards the alternative condition of ten years of lawful stay in total. The basic route is five years holding permanent residence; I calculate which path is shorter on your dates.
I once got a fine. Is citizenship over?
Not necessarily: the whole picture is weighed — gravity, time elapsed, conduct since. The one rule is to hide nothing: an undeclared trifle hurts more than the trifle itself.
Contact
- Address
- Konviktská 291/24, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha 12 minutes' walk from Národní třída (metro B, trams)
- Phone
- +420 700 000 000
- kancelar@advokatpopov.cz
- Data box
- [data box ID]
- Consultations
- Mon–Fri 9.00–18.00in person, online or by phone — by appointment