Czech! The process of obtaining a residence permit
As promised, by popular demand, I will describe the process of emigration to the Czech Republic and what difficulties and nuances I encountered upon arrival!
To date, there are several ways to obtain a residence permit in the Czech Republic. I will dwell on one of them in as much detail as possible.
1) You got a job in a company and this company has prepared for you all the necessary documents for a visa. But this method is now the most difficult and risky, since in a crisis it is necessary to employ Czechs in the first place, so you most likely will not get a visa.
2) You are given a visa based on business activities. Type you here in the Czech Republic open IP and on this basis you get a visa. But the Czechs do not really like IPeshnikov, therefore this method is also risky. That is, the chance to get a refusal on this visa increases significantly.
3) And the last way, which we dwell on in more detail, is a visa based on business in the Czech Republic. You open the company SRO (our LLC) and on this basis you receive the first one-year business visa.
So, first of all, answer one question: are you ready to invest all or the lion's share of your savings in the Czech economy to open a business. If the answer is yes, then it’s worthwhile to understand how you will earn a living, and what kind of business it will be, and whether it is worth working for the Czech market or, for example, outsourcing to the Russian one. Everyone should answer these questions for himself, and here no one can advise anything good. Think about what is closer to you than what you are interested in doing, whether you have the necessary funds to start such an activity and act on this basis! Write a business plan in the end!
Most of our compatriots in the Czech Republic are engaged in real estate services and migration of compatriots to the Czech Republic, just such a company you will need at the stage of preparing documents and opening a company.
- The first thing you must determine for yourself is who will open the company for you. As I wrote above, there are many companies that deal with such issues. Such companies are called "Openers" by everyone who moves, since it is she who will open the company for you and prepare visa documents. Ideally, of course, it would be better if acquaintances or friends would help you in this matter, but I did not have such an opportunity.
- The difficulty in choosing a company that will prepare the documents for you is that not everyone approaches this issue in good faith or not everyone has the necessary experience in this matter, which is full of its nuances. Here you need to ask for advice from those who have already moved and experienced all the hardships on themselves.
- Learn all the possible information about moving. On the Russian-Czech forums gid.cz andforum.immigration.cz you will find all the texts necessary for awareness. Read them carefully until you move to the Czech Republic.
- After choosing a “bottle opener”, you will be sent profiles to all the co-founders of the company, which will need to be filled out. According to my observations, the co-founders should not be more than three people, even better than two. You will also need to sign and send to the “opener” all powers of attorney, a list will be sent to you.
- As soon as you send out all the power of attorney, certificates of good conduct in Russia and make an advance payment, nothing more depends on you. Now it remains only to wait for a set of documents for obtaining a visa.
The cost of opening a company with "openers" varies from 1200 - up to 2500 euros. Moreover, the quality of services may not be directly proportional, but even vice versa. Here the choice is purely individual, on the advice or intuition.
The first thing the opener does is all the co-founders or their representatives gather at a notary and sign the charter of the company.
You should also include information about the types of activities of your future company in the charter, there are free activities, such as design, information technology, and there are not free activities that you have to prove that you have the right to do this, for example, medical activities.
You can announce the activities that you plan to engage in. If the company really does something, then you should get a list of licenses, here it is called the Zhivnostensky list. Some "openers" take extra money for each type of activity, although now you can say any number of free types of activity at the same price of 1,000 kroons (1,500 rubles), as far as I know. That is, you register one type of activity or five - for a bottle opener it does not cost anything, so keep in mind. At what, attention! According to rumors, the chances of obtaining a visa increase if you have a living sheet with the prescribed activities and these activities are not rental properties, which is the default!
In order to register a company, an opener is also obliged to submit an extract on the authorized capital from a bank of 200,000 kroons (~ 300,000 rubles) to the commercial court, this service is open for paid openers and is often included in the cost of setting up a company as an additional option (200 euros) . You can deposit half the amount for 100 euros into your account and report another 100,000 kroons within five years. After the registration of the company "opener" withdraws this money from the account.
One more thing! According to Czech law, one company may have several directors. All co-founders should be registered in the charter documents as directors! It’s just that the co-founders are making failures now!
An important point! Some bottle openers may offer you paperwork with a visa guarantee. This is a divorce, no one can guarantee anything! A guarantee can only be in the correct execution of documents. Because, by law, they cannot refuse you, if everything is in order!
Now we are waiting for the decision of the commercial court on the registration of your company, this process takes an average of a month.
As soon as the documents are ready and your company is registered, you should make an appointment at the Czech consulate nearest you. In Russia, the Czech consulate is in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Moreover, recording a queue is a separate and very important story, because how to reach the consulate is a whole task, it is constantly busy there, some openers via some unknown channels record to Moscow for 200 - 250 euros yourself. Russian citizens can be served not only in Russia, but also abroad. Consuls speak Russian in the Baltic states, for example. In English almost everywhere in Europe. The line there is less, for example, but additional money and time will be required for two trips there.
After you signed up, you are waiting for your sacred day and visa documents.
Documents include, in addition to the registration of the company, also a leased address for the company in the Czech Republic. Also your registration in the Czech Republic and a completed application form. Do not worry, you do not need to rent anything! Addresses of registration and a leased company will be provided to you by an opener, and documents for registration for a year cost separate money - 350 - 500 euros per person. Actually, it’s cheaper, but you won’t check it and you still don’t decide anything from Russia.
Here there are some nuances! These documents on rent and registration are the most common reason for refusal, because unscrupulous "openers" to make more money for you buy cheap addresses that list 100 guest workers from Moldova and Vietnam, or the address of a company that is rented by 30 firms of 20 square meters. What do you yourself do not check how many people are really registered there and in this matter you can only trust the "opener", which means by hook or by crook to convince the opener that you are a rich businessman who will buy five apartments through them upon arrival!
You will also need to put money on a card for each co-founder of the company in the bank and take statements in the amount of at least 5000 - 6000 euros. You can easily transfer this money from the account to the account. The more money in the account, the better!
Before applying for a visa, during the registration of your company, you should go to the Czech Republic in order to study the area where you are registered and where you rent an office. This will come in handy later. Do not hope to get a business visa if your passport does not have a Czech tour visa!
So, the documents are ready, the hour has arrived! You are at the consulate!
The consulate will torture you for the seriousness of your intentions and it depends on your answers whether they will give you a visa or not. So you need to prepare for all possible issues!
1. What is the name of your company? (memorize)
2. Company address? (at what not only the address can be asked, but what color is the house, what shops are nearby, what trams go, what is the name of the district and so on)
3. What are you going to do in the Czech Republic? (here it is necessary to tell with excitement about what you will do and how to earn money, preferably with what amount of investment you will come to the Czech Republic. These words should correspond to the types of activities that you have performed in the charter and the Zhivosten sheet. They can also be written about experience work in these areas)
4. How many people are in the company and what share do you own? (everything is clear here)
5. Who helped you open a company in the Czech Republic? Why did you choose the Czech Republic? (it’s better if they are friends, but it’s not scary to tell the truth, they are aware of the “openers”)
6. Have you had a company before? (it would be better if it were and continues to exist in Russia)
7. How will you run a company without knowing the language? Who will help you? (hiring a manager)
8. Where and by whom do you currently work in Russia? (your business, the most correct answer)
9. What language will you communicate while living in the Czech Republic? (English, learn Czech)
10. Do you plan in the future to include in your company, as founders, members of your family? (not!)
These are sample questions, there can be many more. Now they even ask questions about the political structure of the Czech Republic and the European Union. So get ready as good as possible! You should also give the impression of a businessman, if you come in a T-shirt and pants with pockets, I think you will be denied a visa. And one more thing, it’s better not to show what you want to the Czech Republic at all costs! You are a businessman in the first place and you are pragmatically interested in loot! It is important!
Everything, the interview was over, the documents were handed over. Now it remains only to trust in the Lord, to pray and wait! If you did everything right, then there will be no reason for refusal and you will receive the first annual business visa for a maximum of four months. When inserting a visa, do not forget to take out insurance for the duration of the visa, covering medical expenses of 30,000 euros. Good luck
Next time I’ll talk about the ways to cross, what to do upon arrival, what beer to drink, who to be friends with, about girls and first impressions! And most importantly, I will describe what my friends and I do not like here to throw off the pink glasses from some impulsive migrants!
In the meantime, Ahoj! See you live!
To date, there are several ways to obtain a residence permit in the Czech Republic. I will dwell on one of them in as much detail as possible.
Action options
1) You got a job in a company and this company has prepared for you all the necessary documents for a visa. But this method is now the most difficult and risky, since in a crisis it is necessary to employ Czechs in the first place, so you most likely will not get a visa.
2) You are given a visa based on business activities. Type you here in the Czech Republic open IP and on this basis you get a visa. But the Czechs do not really like IPeshnikov, therefore this method is also risky. That is, the chance to get a refusal on this visa increases significantly.
3) And the last way, which we dwell on in more detail, is a visa based on business in the Czech Republic. You open the company SRO (our LLC) and on this basis you receive the first one-year business visa.
Process
So, first of all, answer one question: are you ready to invest all or the lion's share of your savings in the Czech economy to open a business. If the answer is yes, then it’s worthwhile to understand how you will earn a living, and what kind of business it will be, and whether it is worth working for the Czech market or, for example, outsourcing to the Russian one. Everyone should answer these questions for himself, and here no one can advise anything good. Think about what is closer to you than what you are interested in doing, whether you have the necessary funds to start such an activity and act on this basis! Write a business plan in the end!
Most of our compatriots in the Czech Republic are engaged in real estate services and migration of compatriots to the Czech Republic, just such a company you will need at the stage of preparing documents and opening a company.
Difficulties
- The first thing you must determine for yourself is who will open the company for you. As I wrote above, there are many companies that deal with such issues. Such companies are called "Openers" by everyone who moves, since it is she who will open the company for you and prepare visa documents. Ideally, of course, it would be better if acquaintances or friends would help you in this matter, but I did not have such an opportunity.
- The difficulty in choosing a company that will prepare the documents for you is that not everyone approaches this issue in good faith or not everyone has the necessary experience in this matter, which is full of its nuances. Here you need to ask for advice from those who have already moved and experienced all the hardships on themselves.
- Learn all the possible information about moving. On the Russian-Czech forums gid.cz andforum.immigration.cz you will find all the texts necessary for awareness. Read them carefully until you move to the Czech Republic.
- After choosing a “bottle opener”, you will be sent profiles to all the co-founders of the company, which will need to be filled out. According to my observations, the co-founders should not be more than three people, even better than two. You will also need to sign and send to the “opener” all powers of attorney, a list will be sent to you.
- As soon as you send out all the power of attorney, certificates of good conduct in Russia and make an advance payment, nothing more depends on you. Now it remains only to wait for a set of documents for obtaining a visa.
Documents and cost
The cost of opening a company with "openers" varies from 1200 - up to 2500 euros. Moreover, the quality of services may not be directly proportional, but even vice versa. Here the choice is purely individual, on the advice or intuition.
The first thing the opener does is all the co-founders or their representatives gather at a notary and sign the charter of the company.
You should also include information about the types of activities of your future company in the charter, there are free activities, such as design, information technology, and there are not free activities that you have to prove that you have the right to do this, for example, medical activities.
You can announce the activities that you plan to engage in. If the company really does something, then you should get a list of licenses, here it is called the Zhivnostensky list. Some "openers" take extra money for each type of activity, although now you can say any number of free types of activity at the same price of 1,000 kroons (1,500 rubles), as far as I know. That is, you register one type of activity or five - for a bottle opener it does not cost anything, so keep in mind. At what, attention! According to rumors, the chances of obtaining a visa increase if you have a living sheet with the prescribed activities and these activities are not rental properties, which is the default!
In order to register a company, an opener is also obliged to submit an extract on the authorized capital from a bank of 200,000 kroons (~ 300,000 rubles) to the commercial court, this service is open for paid openers and is often included in the cost of setting up a company as an additional option (200 euros) . You can deposit half the amount for 100 euros into your account and report another 100,000 kroons within five years. After the registration of the company "opener" withdraws this money from the account.
One more thing! According to Czech law, one company may have several directors. All co-founders should be registered in the charter documents as directors! It’s just that the co-founders are making failures now!
An important point! Some bottle openers may offer you paperwork with a visa guarantee. This is a divorce, no one can guarantee anything! A guarantee can only be in the correct execution of documents. Because, by law, they cannot refuse you, if everything is in order!
Record at the consulate
Now we are waiting for the decision of the commercial court on the registration of your company, this process takes an average of a month.
As soon as the documents are ready and your company is registered, you should make an appointment at the Czech consulate nearest you. In Russia, the Czech consulate is in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Moreover, recording a queue is a separate and very important story, because how to reach the consulate is a whole task, it is constantly busy there, some openers via some unknown channels record to Moscow for 200 - 250 euros yourself. Russian citizens can be served not only in Russia, but also abroad. Consuls speak Russian in the Baltic states, for example. In English almost everywhere in Europe. The line there is less, for example, but additional money and time will be required for two trips there.
After you signed up, you are waiting for your sacred day and visa documents.
Documents include, in addition to the registration of the company, also a leased address for the company in the Czech Republic. Also your registration in the Czech Republic and a completed application form. Do not worry, you do not need to rent anything! Addresses of registration and a leased company will be provided to you by an opener, and documents for registration for a year cost separate money - 350 - 500 euros per person. Actually, it’s cheaper, but you won’t check it and you still don’t decide anything from Russia.
Here there are some nuances! These documents on rent and registration are the most common reason for refusal, because unscrupulous "openers" to make more money for you buy cheap addresses that list 100 guest workers from Moldova and Vietnam, or the address of a company that is rented by 30 firms of 20 square meters. What do you yourself do not check how many people are really registered there and in this matter you can only trust the "opener", which means by hook or by crook to convince the opener that you are a rich businessman who will buy five apartments through them upon arrival!
You will also need to put money on a card for each co-founder of the company in the bank and take statements in the amount of at least 5000 - 6000 euros. You can easily transfer this money from the account to the account. The more money in the account, the better!
Before applying for a visa, during the registration of your company, you should go to the Czech Republic in order to study the area where you are registered and where you rent an office. This will come in handy later. Do not hope to get a business visa if your passport does not have a Czech tour visa!
Applying for a visa
So, the documents are ready, the hour has arrived! You are at the consulate!
The consulate will torture you for the seriousness of your intentions and it depends on your answers whether they will give you a visa or not. So you need to prepare for all possible issues!
1. What is the name of your company? (memorize)
2. Company address? (at what not only the address can be asked, but what color is the house, what shops are nearby, what trams go, what is the name of the district and so on)
3. What are you going to do in the Czech Republic? (here it is necessary to tell with excitement about what you will do and how to earn money, preferably with what amount of investment you will come to the Czech Republic. These words should correspond to the types of activities that you have performed in the charter and the Zhivosten sheet. They can also be written about experience work in these areas)
4. How many people are in the company and what share do you own? (everything is clear here)
5. Who helped you open a company in the Czech Republic? Why did you choose the Czech Republic? (it’s better if they are friends, but it’s not scary to tell the truth, they are aware of the “openers”)
6. Have you had a company before? (it would be better if it were and continues to exist in Russia)
7. How will you run a company without knowing the language? Who will help you? (hiring a manager)
8. Where and by whom do you currently work in Russia? (your business, the most correct answer)
9. What language will you communicate while living in the Czech Republic? (English, learn Czech)
10. Do you plan in the future to include in your company, as founders, members of your family? (not!)
These are sample questions, there can be many more. Now they even ask questions about the political structure of the Czech Republic and the European Union. So get ready as good as possible! You should also give the impression of a businessman, if you come in a T-shirt and pants with pockets, I think you will be denied a visa. And one more thing, it’s better not to show what you want to the Czech Republic at all costs! You are a businessman in the first place and you are pragmatically interested in loot! It is important!
Everything, the interview was over, the documents were handed over. Now it remains only to trust in the Lord, to pray and wait! If you did everything right, then there will be no reason for refusal and you will receive the first annual business visa for a maximum of four months. When inserting a visa, do not forget to take out insurance for the duration of the visa, covering medical expenses of 30,000 euros. Good luck
Next time I’ll talk about the ways to cross, what to do upon arrival, what beer to drink, who to be friends with, about girls and first impressions! And most importantly, I will describe what my friends and I do not like here to throw off the pink glasses from some impulsive migrants!
In the meantime, Ahoj! See you live!