Czech Visa Information

---

The long-stay visa (valid for up to a year) is actually not difficult to get at all. A bit of a bureaucratic process, but if you're getting a work permit from a school, it's not really all that bad, even if the school doesn't help you with it. If you need help with the process, there are agencies that can provide it. Some charge quite a bit of money, others have pretty modest rates. A Google, Yahoo or AltaVista search should pull up a long list of places to contact.

Spiral78, the criminal record affidavit for US citizens is even easier than that. You only have to sign an affidavit (in Czech) in front of a notary, for a little more than $1.00, and you've got it. Simple as that.

Just for everyone's information, so you at least have enough info to get started, here's a list of what you will need for a visa:

Passport
Two (2) passport-sized photos
Application form
Czech criminal record report
Home country criminal record report (for US citizens, affidavit mentioned above is enough)
Statement from landlord that accommodation is available for the validity time of the visa (up to one year)
Document from Housing Authority that landlord owns the property (easy to get)
Officially documentable reason for stay (your work permit would fulfill this requirement)

Your prospective employer would be the one to apply for and get the work permit for you, since they have to prove they could not hire a native Czech for your position. This can take up to a month, but often less time.

The process for US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens is best started after you get here, since proof of housing is one of the requirements, and you can't easily get housing unless and until you are here and you can see available flats, meet with landlords, etc. Otherwise, it's like trying to do everything by remote control. And once you submit your visa application, it's just a matter of waiting 2-3 months (mine took about 9 weeks). Besides, you will ideally want to be here in order to interview with language schools and check them out with as much of a critical eye as possible to determine what's best for you. What Zewd says about some schools getting work permits and others not is totally true, so you should ask about this. Among other things, getting a work permit will put you on the Czech national healthcare system (via your taxes, but it's well worth it; your mom won't have to worry about you ).

Whatever you do, don't let any of this intimidate you. If you're really into the idea of teaching in the Czech Republic, just go for it! And if you want to get TEFL training, it's WAY cheaper to do it here than back home. Good luck!

WEBSITE FOR CERTIFIED BIRTH CERTIFICATE:
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/certs.asp

---