For incoming employees

Entry conditions for a stay in the Czech Republic depend upon your nationality, the purpose of your stay and the duration of your stay. All entry formalities are detailed on the Official Web Portal for foreigners, who are living, or wish to live, in the Czech Republic or on the website of Euraxess - Researchers in motion, Czech Republic.

European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland citizens:

You do not need any visa or special permit to travel, live, and work in the Czech Republic. You only need a valid passport or national ID card.

Third-country nationals:

Obtaining a visa or residence permit is one of the most important steps of the preparation of your stay in the Czech Republic. You will have to go to the local Czech embassy or consulate abroad and submit your visa/residence permit application. These applications cannot be submitted being inside the Czech Republic.

• Short-term stay – Up to 90 days:

You will require a short-term Schengen visa for a stay of up to 90 days.  This visa authorises you to stay in the Czech Republic (and all other  Schengen States) for the period of time specified in the visa, however not for more than three months during any half-year from the date on which you first enter a Schengen country.

• Long-term stay - Longer than 90 days:

Researchers

If you are employed at USB to carry out scientific or academic research, you need to apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of scientific research (also called “scientific permit”). This special residence permit for researchers has several advantages: the application is processed faster than other visas, within 60 days. Also, as a holder of a scientific permit, you will not need any extra work permit.

During the application, you will need to submit several documents. USB, as an employer, can provide you with the “hosting agreement” and the “written commitment”.

Another advantage of this specific scientific permit, is that you do not need to provide a proof of accommodation during the application. Anyway, it is highly recommended to arrange your accommodation and get the accommodation contract well in advance. The proof of accommodation will be requested during the collection of the residence permit after your arrival. USB can also provide you with an accommodation contract at USB dormitories.

Once your application has been approved, you will receive a visa for the purpose of collecting a residence permit (D/VR visa). This visa allows you to enter the Czech Republic, it is issued for a maximum of 60 days.  After entering the Czech Republic, it is necessary to report to an office of the Ministry of the Interior within 30 calendar days. See section “First steps after arrival”.

Submission of the application for long-term residence permit or its prolongation is charged with administrative fees, generally 2500 CZK. See the list of fees on the Official Web Portal for foreigners, who are living, or wish to live, in the Czech Republic.

Other purposes

If you are not employed as a researcher, you will need to apply for an “employee card”, which is a permit to stay for the purpose of employment on a long-term basis and to perform work for which the card was issued. Find more information on the Official Web Portal. 

Family members

Once you are issued with a residence permit, your family members (husband, spouse, partner, children…) can apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of “family reunification”. 

General recommendations

If you are a holder of a residence permit or a long-term visa issued by another Schengen state, you may stay in the territory of the Czech Republic without a visa only for a short-term stay not exceeding 90 days.  It is necessary to think about the length of your stay before entering the Czech Republic.

Citizens of some countries are exempt from visa obligation for entering the Czech Republic. Attention: this visa free regime applies only to short-term stays up to 90 days of non-profit nature.

The regulations for obtaining visas can change from time to time. In addition, embassies in individual countries are given a certain leeway in applying them. This means that the regulations listed here should be considered as guidelines only. Always you have to consult the local Czech embassy/consulate for the latest information regarding visa requirements, and the particular local requirements that are in force.

For more information, visit these websites:

Official Web Portal for foreigners, who are living, or wish to live, in the Czech Republic

Euraxess - Researches in Motion

When you first arrive to the Czech Republic, until you are employed and registered for public health insurance, you must have an alternative (travel) health insurance, either from a commercial insurance company or the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). 

Anyone who doesn't have the right to public health insurance in the Czech Republic, must have commercial health insurance while staying in this country (i.e. family members). 

Commercial Health Insurance

Short-term (up to 90 days) stays - BASIC medical insurance:

• Covers essential treatment and hospitalization which cannot be postponed at any public health care facility in the Czech Republic.
• Covers costs incurred as a result of an accident or sudden illness in CZ, including repatriation to your home country

Long-term (longer than 90 days) stays - COMPREHENSIVE medical insurance:

• Suitable for foreigners who intend to stay in the Czech Republic for 90 days and longer and are not covered by the public health insurance system.
• It is similar to public health insurance and provides preventive and dispensary health care, including care in connection with pregnancy and childbirth. 

There are several Czech insurance companies that provide the right type of insurance specifically designed for the needs of foreigners: 

• Pojišťovna VZP
• UNIQA pojišťovna
• MAXIMA pojišťovna
• Slavia pojišťovna 
• Vitalitas (provides insurance for Euraxess clients)

For more information about commercial health insurance from these specific insurance companies, please see this website: https://www.pojisteni-cizincu.cz/en/ 

Public Health Insurance

Public health insuracne in the Czech Republic is provided to: 

• anyone with permanent residence status in the Czech Republic
• employees whose employer is based in the Czech Republic
• family members of EU citizens who are employed in the Czech Republic
• non-EU citizens who previously resided in another EU country and were registered for public health insurance there, and their family members.

Public health insurance companies:

• 111 Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna (VZP ČR)
• 201 Vojenská zdravotní pojišťovna České republiky (VoZP ČR)
• 205 Česká průmyslová zdravotní pojišťovna (ČPZP)
• 207 Oborová zdravotní pojišťovna zaměstnanců bank, pojišťoven a stavebnictví (OZP)
• 209 Zaměstnanecká pojišťovna Škoda (ZPŠ)
• 211 Zdravotní pojišťovna ministerstva vnitra ČR (ZPMV ČR)
• 213 Revírní bratrská pokladna, zdravotní pojišťovna (RBP)

Short-term accommodation

It may be very difficult to find a long-term accommodation while being abroad. Anyway, it is strongly recommended that you arrange short-term accommodation in advance at least for the first 1–2 months of your stay at USB. You can then use the time to find a longer term rental. Also you will need to submit to the Embassy proof of accommodation during the visa application, or to get your residence permit. This document can be provided by USB dormitories only for future employees (not for family members).

• Accommodation at university dormitories 

More information on our websites here.

As an employee, you can get accommodated at the university dormitories. This is usually the easiest possibility, especially for those who need proof of accommodation for the visa application.

Attention! Proof of accommodation can be furnished only for a student or an employee of USB. It cannot be furnished for a family member!

• Accommodation at USB faculties

Some faculties have also their own rooms or apartments that they can provide to their visitors or employees, especially for the beginning of their stays. In that case, the faculty may be able to provide you the proof of accommodation.

• Private accommodation

In case you do not need the proof of accommodation for the visa/residence permit, you can also find various alternative accommodation providers in České Budějovice. There are for example some private dormitories that you can find around the city: private dormitory Kolej Pedagog (situated next to the main campus, many USB students choose to live there), other private dormitories: https://www.studentprogram.cz/soukrome-koleje/.

Long term accommodation

If you are satisfied with living at the university dormitories, you are entitled to stay there during the length of your emloyment at the university. Anyway, usually, after some time employees search for their own place to live. There are different possibilities.

• Renting a room: Flat-sharing

There are several websites and Facebook groups with accommodation offers. Try for example to search on these ones:

• Espolubydlení.cz: https://www.espolubydleni.cz/podnajem-spolubydlici/jihocesky-kraj
• Student program: https://www.studentprogram.cz/spolubydleni/
• Spolubydlení ČB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/234631556716962
• Bydlení České Budějovice: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BydleniCeskeBudejovice/

Besides renting a flat/room in blocks of flats, there is also the option of renting a flat/room in a family house all around the city of České Budějovice. Families offering such flats/rooms for rent usually live downstairs and the flat/room that they rent to students is on the first floor. Sometimes the whole house may be rented to students. These flats/rooms are usually very nice and there are often gardens that may be used.

You will find many offers of room-sharing, which is common practice especially among students. If you want your own room, search in Czech "samostatný pokoj".

• Renting a flat

Flats in the Czech Republic have some specifics and it may be hard to understand the flats´ description in the announcements. Here is a short overview:

1+1, 2+1, 3+1, 4+1 …
The first number means how many rooms there are in the flat in total. It includes both the bedrooms and the living rooms. The second number  after the plus, usually “+1” indicates the number of kitchens. It is common for Czech flats and houses to have only one kitchen, but you might come across big houses that have more.

1+kk, 2+kk, 3+kk, 4+kk…
In that description, “kk” stands for kuchyňský kout (kitchen corner). That means that the kitchen is not a separate room and the whole cooking area is placed in one of the rooms, usually the living room, sometimes in the corridor. Thus a 1+kk flat or also called “garsoniéra” is a studio. 

When looking for a flat, be sure to always visit the place before renting, and ask about even small details. The description in the announcement may be disappointing. Also remember that most of the flats are rented unfurnished, even if in certain cases this is negotiable with the flat owner. 

There are many real estate agents in České Budějovice that can speak English and help you, but be prepared, that they may charge a fee for their services. You can search some offers in English at: www.sreality.cz/en 

This section is currectly being updated.

This section is currectly being updated.

This section is currectly being updated.