Takeaway:

The visa process takes time, and getting approved before you 90-Day Tourist visa expires depends on how quickly you complete the early steps in the process. Stick to our weekly checklist and try to complete these steps as soon as you can when you arrive in Prague.

FAQ

Q: Wow, that's a lot of steps! Do people actually do this process?

A: Yes! We have helped hundreds of foreigners get legal to live and work in the Czech Republic. Yes, the process can be long and bureaucratic, but if you follow all of the steps, you'll get through it. For many western European countries, like Italy, France, or Spain, it's not as easy for Americans to get a visa and permission to work. So although this process is long, at least it's doable for Americans!

Q: I want to obtain my visa as soon as possible. Can I work more quickly than the timeline guidelines you've laid out?

A: Absolutely! Most of our clients are TEFL students who are busy their first month in Prague. We've laid out the timeline of steps so the process is manageable for them. But by all means, if you're a visa-getting superhero and want to complete modules 1-5 in your first couple of weeks in Prague, go on with yo bad self.

Q: How long will this all take?

A: It varies. The two factors it mainly depends on are:

1) How quickly you find housing and get the housing documents from the owner of the apartment, and 2) How long the Czech government takes to process your application. Unfortunately, you won't have any control over #2.

Q: How long will it be until I can actually get paid?

A: Most people work under the table throughout the visa process. Many schools and companies are willing to start paying you in cash as long as they know you are in the visa process.

Q: I see "criminal affidavit" as a step. Is it a problem if I have some minor charge on my record?

A: No. This is actually a sworn affidavit, not a real criminal background check. They will not look into your records at all; rather, you will swear that you have not committed a felony and then they will issue the document. We have had clients with something on their record and it was never a problem. See our future video on the criminal affidavit for more details.

Do you have a question we didn't answer above?

Contact us at [email protected] and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.