In the modern world, it is almost impossible to stay in the same environment and space all the time. We are forced to move from one city to another, from one country to another, for various reasons. For example, it might be work or family matters. Someone just changes the environment or travels around the world. Even all the disasters and cataclysms of the past and not the most prosperous 2020 will not stop those who want to expand their internal horizons. In order to cross the borders of many countries, it is very important to issue such a document as a visa. This is a special permit document, without which visiting a particular country will be prohibited. Depending on your nationality, you will have the right to visa-free travel to some countries. There are also a large number of states to visit to which you will need to issue this permission. Given the circumstances and grounds for obtaining a visa, there is a certain classification of them. The most popular are short-term tourist, guest, transit or business visas. There are also long-term ones: student, work, and guest. One of these types is a visa for family reunion. Today we will talk about the beautiful state of the Czech Republic and all the nuances associated with the registration of a permit document. So, the Czech family reunion visa.
What is family visa?
A family visa to the Czech Republic can be either short-term or long-term. The first makes it possible to visit the Czech Republic with a family visit for up to 90 days within 180 days. The application for this visa is submitted either in person at the visa offices of the Czech Republic or the consulates and embassies located near your residence address. When filling out the visa application form and submitting the application, it is important to be present in person and immediately bring all the required documents. Be attentive to all the requirements of your country's consulate. For example, they may not accept or even consider the information you additionally sent by email.
How to apply for family reunion visa?
1. Application form - dated application with your signature (in the case of minor children, the application form should be signed by two parents). It is mandatory to fill in the Czech language; sometimes, English is allowed.
2. Passport obtained within the last 10 years. Its validity period must be more than 3 months after you have returned from the Czech Republic; at least two blank "visa pages"; be sure to have your signature and whole intact photos firmly attached to the document.
3. 2 photos taken a maximum of 6 months ago; good quality photos, 80% of the photo should include the front part of the face. White background and not having any facial expression is a must.
4. Residence permit or visa (if your residence and residence are different). It must be valid for more than 3 months after returning from the Czech Republic.
5. Copies of the following documents:
- A photocopy of the main page of your passport;
- 1 photocopy of your residence permit or visa (if your place of residence and residence are different);
- Photocopies of the previous Schengen visas.
6. Travel itinerary with hotel or accommodation booking confirmation with full address, including name, street, city, postal code, contact information, booking link, and air tickets.
7. Proof letter from the Czech employer or sponsor to confirm employment, containing:
- Information about the company or sponsor;
- Information about the position you hold, the start date of employment and salary;
- Information about the availability of business trips, their terms and the purpose of such work leave;
- If you are a student, then the letter is from the educational institution.
8. These are bank statements confirming the availability of funds for living in the Czech Republic for the entire duration of your stay there. Statements must be made at most 6 months before the application is submitted.
9. Foreign medical insurance, issued for the entire duration of the visa and valid for all states of the Schengen Agreement, with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros and the possibility of transporting the applicant to his home country for health reasons. Credit card health insurance is not accepted. All insurance conditions must be specified in the insurance document itself or a separate confirmation letter.
10. Indication of the purpose of the visit to the Czech Republic and the place of stay in the country.
What documents will you need to visit close relatives (the group of close relatives includes spouses, parents or guardians, and grandparents)?
- An official letter of invitation. At the same time, you can use the scanned version of this letter when you apply at the consulate, but you are required to show the original at the border. So it is advisable to send it by mail immediately.
- A document confirming the family relationship;
- A document proving the position in the Schengen area of a relative who invites you;
- If you are going to live in the house of your relative, then he will be required to confirm the ownership of the apartment or house or proof of the legality of using the apartment or house.
When visiting other relatives or friends:
- Also, an official letter of invitation;
- Documents confirming the family relationship (if any);
- If you are going to live in the house of your relative, then he/she will be required to confirm the ownership of the apartment or house or proof of the legality of using the apartment or house.
11. Permission of parents or other legal representatives when a minor is present in the territory of the Czech Republic if such parent/legal representative/legal guardian will not be there together with the child. As well as a certificate of birth/adoption/guardianship is needed. Remember that absolutely all the papers must be filled out and correctly translated into Czech.
In addition to all that was previously listed, the embassy of Czech Republic has the right to request more information based on your situation or the special requirements of your particular country. They will also need to be brought personally to the consulate in order to avoid unnecessary problems with the purchase of a permit document-a visa.
A family visa of Czech Republic is approved within plus or minus two weeks. Your country determines this and also depends on the institution where you apply for a visa. When applying, you will need to pay the fee for the Schengen visa and some other administrative services. It depends on the consulate or embassy of Czech Republic where you are applying and where you live. But there are categories of citizens for whom the so-called visa fee is completely abolished by all the countries of the Schengen Agreement, including the Czech Republic:
- Children under the age of six;
- Schoolchildren, university students and professors and teachers who make training or internship trips;
- Employees of non-profit organizations under the age of 25 who participate in events organized by non-profit organizations;
- Researchers and travellers who visit EU countries and conduct scientific research following the established regulations;
- If you have no free pages left in your travel document, you can replace the visa from this travel document with a new one with the same validity period;
- Minor single children of Czech citizens and parents of minor Czech children;
- If you belong to a family of citizens of the European Union or the European Economic Area.
There is also such a subspecies of a permit document as a Czech visa for marriage reunion. It involves a long-term stay in the Czech Republic and is necessary for visiting the Czech Republic for marriage.
The Czech Republic visa for marriage reunion may have different names, according to the consulate. It is also referred to as a "marriage visa", "marriage or wedding visa", or "bride/groom visa". It permits to stay on a long-term visa in the Czech Republic as long as the visa of the spouse or the bride/groom is active. In the future, a Czech Republic visa for marriage reunion may give you a chance to acquire Czech citizenship after unification on the country's territory.
There is also such a type of visa as the Czech Republic visa for the rule of foreigners. It applies to foreigners who need to stay in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days for six months. In this case, a foreigner living in the Czech Republic is required to provide their long-term visa.
Czech family reunion visa required documents
1. Passport (and 2 copies of the pages with the main information). It must be issued no later than 10 years on the date of application submission and contain at least two free pages. At the same time, the validity period of the visa must be at least 3 months less than the validity period of your passport.
2. A special application form filled out in full capital letters in English or Czech.
3. 2 photos - 3.5 x 4.5 cm. You need to specify your first name, last name, and date of birth on the reverse side. All information is provided in English or Czech.
4. A document proving the existence of a family connection between you and a relative-a foreigner, and, as mentioned earlier, his long-term visa.
5. Document on the availability of funds:
- a copy of the existing international payment card and a document from the bank (or an account statement) indicating your data as the account holder( applicant), the number of funds in the account, the name of the currency;
- Your statement as the holder of the financial security account and a document from the bank (or an account statement) indicating the account holder, the amount of funds, in what currency. Also, a payment card must be opened in your name in addition to the account of the person who will provide you financially;
- If the account is opened in a bank that is not located within the Czech Republic, you will need to show a copy of your existing international payment card.
6. A document confirming your residence in the Czech Republic with the specified dates from what date to what time you will be there.
7. Original or certified by a Czech notary copy of the lease agreement, sublease agreement, accommodation agreement or agreement of similar content; conditions of validity of the agreement; written confirmation of the owner or authorized user of the apartment.
8. Certificate of no criminal record in your country or in the country where you have lived for more than six months for three years.
9. For minor children, you will need to add a parent's permission to visit the child abroad:
- parents ' permission, translated into Czech, which must be certified by a notary from the Czech Republic;
- if one of the parents has died or is deprived of parental rights to the child - a death certificate or a court decision. Again, an original or notarized copy and a translation certified by a Czech notary.
10. Most likely, you will need to provide a copy of all the pages of the relative's passport with whom you are going to unite in the Czech Republic.
Also, consulates and embassies where you apply for a visa, such as the Czech Republic visa for the reunion of foreigners, may be asked to provide the following:
- an A5 envelope, on which you will need to write your home address in block letters on the right side of the envelope:
- a special “Delivery Notification" letter with your address;
- copies of all documents provided by you, except for the application form.
It is important to remember that the documents are provided only in Czech. All papers in other languages must be correctly translated into Czech, and the correctness of the translation must be certified by a Czech notary. All documents that you provide must be original. If copies are provided, they must also be certified by a Czech notary. Only those documents that have not been issued for more than 180 days will be accepted and taken into account.
Documents revealing the purpose of your trip and papers from the registry office must be provided only in the original.
That's probably all about collecting documents for processing such types of visas as the Czech Republic visa for a family reunion. You should always remember how important it is to carefully study all the requirements of the consulates of your country for filling out the paperwork for the registration of a permit document. For example, a Czech visa for family reunion with a foreigner or a citizen of the Czech Republic and a Czech visa for marriage reunion requires almost the same set of documents but still differ in some significant details.
In addition, just before leaving for the Czech Republic, send a request to the consulate whether there are any problems with the visa and all the documents issued. Also, carefully study the list of things that you can not bring with you to the territory of the Czech Republic. Be careful and take care of your health and the health of your loved ones; carry personal protective equipment with you - do not relax during the pandemic. In addition to the family reunion, which is already a very important event, the Czech Republic has beautiful architecture and its own very warm and cosy atmosphere.
