Document on the purpose of stay
“Studies”
A document on the purpose of stay is primarily a confirmation from a school or an educational legal entity about enrolment in studies. To achieve unity in the documents confirming the purpose of stay in the
In the event of an application for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies in accordance with § 42d of the ARFN, the following definitions must be met:
- higher professional education in the field of education in a higher vocational school entered in the Register of Schools and School Facilities in accordance with the Education Act (Act No. 561/2004 Coll.) – § 64/1/a of the ARFN,
- secondary education and higher vocational education in fields of education in a secondary school or a conservatory entered in the Register of Schools and School Facilities in accordance with the Education Act (Act No. 561/2004 Coll.) undertaken within an exchange programme in a domestic host organisation - § 64/1/a in connection with § 64/2 of the ARFN,
- studies in accredited study programmes at a higher educational establishment in accord with the Higher Education Act (Act No. 111/1998 Coll.) – § 64/1/a of the ARFN, as per study programmes that are "compiled" with parts of accredited study programmes by most Czech public and private universities for their foreign partner schools, based on a declaration by the Ministry of Education, the MOI will consider these types of programmes to be "studies" according to §64/1/a of the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals. However, the MOI will require that the confirmation of enrollment issued by the school contain a statement that the student will be entered in the Register of Students ("matrika studentů").
- participation in a language and professional preparation for studies under an accredited study programme of a higher education institution organised by a public higher education institution – § 64/1/b of the ARFN, as per a foreign student participating in language and professional training for a future accredited study programme of a university that is organized by a public university (§64/1/b), the confirmation of enrollment issued by the school must specify at least one accredited study programme for which the preparatory course is intended.
- participation in a language and professional training course organised in the framework of a programme of the European Union or in accordance with an international agreement – § 64/1/b of the ARFN,
- scholarships [§ 64/1/c of the ARFN] undertaken on the basis of:
- valid international agreements of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, a valid Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports scholarship programme, a European Union scholarship programme, or a scholarship programme of the Government of the Czech Republic,
- professional training (this professional training cannot be paid) aimed at acquiring practical and professional experience and carried out during the foreign national’s studies at a domestic or foreign higher education institution or, at most, five years after graduating from a higher education institution where such training must be organised and coordinated by a domestic higher education institution, the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic or by a legal entity accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and having its registered seat in the Czech Republic or a legal entity with a registered seat abroad but having its organisational unit in the Czech Republic – Section 64/1/e in connection with § 64/2/b of the ARFN;
- exchange of experience and studies for individuals responsible for educating and developing human resources, provided that these activities are performed within programmes or initiatives of the European Union or within international agreements - § 64/1/f of the ARFN.
In the case of an application for a long-term visa for the purpose of studies in accordance with § 30/1 of the AFRN, the same conditions must be met as in the case of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies in accordance with § 42d of the ARFN, however, apart from the framework of the above it may concern the following cases:
- secondary education and higher vocational education in the field of education in a secondary school, conservatory or a higher vocational school entered in the Register of Schools and School Facilities in accordance with the Education Act (Act No. 561/2004 Coll.,) - § 64/1/a of the ARFN, if it concerns education at a secondary school or a conservatory, it does not have to solely concern education within an exchange programme,
- professional training (including professional training for payment) aimed at acquiring practical and professional experience and carried out in a domestic host organisation during the foreign national’s studies at a domestic or foreign higher education institution or, at most, five years after graduating from a higher education institution where such training must be organised and coordinated by a domestic higher education institution, the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic or by a legal entity accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and having its registered seat in the Czech Republic or a legal entity with a registered seat abroad but having its organisational unit in the Czech Republic – § 64/1/d of the ARFN;
- professional training (including professional training for payment) and voluntary service of youth between 18 and 25 years of age aimed at acquiring practical and professional experience and carried out in a domestic host organisation, as part of a project under a programme or an initiative of the European Union or under a similar governmental programme and organised or coordinated by a legal entity accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and having its registered seat in the Czech Republic or a legal entity with a registered seat abroad but having its organisational unit in the Czech Republic – § 64/1/e of the ARFN.
In the case of an application for a long-term visa for the purpose labelled as “other”, in accordance with § 30/1 of the ARFN it concerns other educational activities, which, in accordance with the ARFN, are not studies, e.g.:
- education in an unaccredited study programme at a public or private higher education institution, e.g. a number of higher education institutions provide education programmes that are compiled of parts of different accredited programmes. This primarily concerns short-term, about half year to year-long education programmes for students from higher education institutions abroad that cannot be subordinated under § 64/1/a or c) of the ARFN – it concerns exchange stays that are mostly organised by Czech public and private higher education institutions for the partner institutions abroad.
If the confirmation of enrollment issued by the school contains a statement that the student will be entered in the Register of Students ("matrika studentů"), the purpose is NOT „other“ but „studies“.
- in the event that such a study is realised on the basis of multilateral international agreements (CEEPUS, MVF), bilateral international agreements (agreements on cultural cooperation, hence, the implementing protocols to these agreements), departmental agreements, government resolutions for developing countries and compatriots or EU programmes, the purpose “studies” is met and it will not be labelled as “other”;
- education in a school that is accredited or has an accredited study programme in the state other than the CR – e.g. education at higher education institutions that are accredited (provide accredited study programmes) especially in another EU Member State and have a branch in the Czech Republic.
- attending language and training courses and programmes that do not serve as preparation for studying in a higher education institution’s accredited study programme – it primarily concerns studies but also attending language and professional preparation for studying in a higher education institution’s accredited study programme organised by a private higher education institution. If any private higher education institution organised a preparatory course in the Czech language, albeit it served as preparation for studies, according to the ARFN, such preparation cannot be considered to be studies.
- attending studies of cognitive and other educational courses and programmes that are carried out by institutions that don’t fall under Act No. 561/2004 Coll., (in the case of primary, secondary and higher vocational schools) or Act no. 111/1998 Coll., (in the case of higher education institutions).
“Scientific research”
The document on the purpose of the stay is a hosting agreement with the research organisation signed in accordance with § 30c of Act No. 341/2005 Coll., on Public Research Institutions (pdf, 781 kB), as amended.
The agreement must be entered into with a research institution entered in the List of Research Organisations Approved for Accepting Research Workers from Non-EU Countries declared by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports notification No. 391/2010 Coll.
Research activity is understood to be the same activity of an academic worker or a host professor at a public research institution or another research organisation entered in the List of Research Organisations Approved for Receiving Research Workers from Non-EU Countries – when applying for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of “scientific research”, a hosting agreement must always be submitted. If such an academic worker or hosting professor intends to work at the public research institutions or another research organisation as an employee solely on the basis of an employment contract, not on the basis of a hosting agreement, he/she can file for an employee card [see § 98/n of Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment].
“Employment”
As of 24 June 2014 long-term residence permits for the purpose of employment are no longer issued. This type of permit was replaced by an employee card. More information on requirements of application for an employee card can be found here.
“Business”
When applying for a long-term visa or for a long-term residence permit (or its extension), the document on the purpose of stay labelled as “business” the entry into the pertinent register, list or record.
As per a foreign national who will do business or is doing business on the basis of the Trade Licensing Act as a self employed person, it will be a statement from the Trade Register in accordance with § 47/7 or 8) of the Trade Licensing Act (pdf, 234 kB). Likewise, it can be a statement from the Commercial Register, but also, for instance, an entry into the list that is a condition of carrying out an independent occupation, or, for EU citizens for the purpose of a certificate for temporary residence, a testimonial from the municipal office of a municipality with extended competence on entry into the record of an agricultural entrepreneur.
If the applicant is a statutory body or the member of a statutory of a company or cooperative that does not ensure the tasks ensuing from the given legal entity’s subject of business for this legal entity (i.e. a work permit for this purpose has not been issued, so that he/she can apply for a stay for the purpose of employment), the document on the purpose of the stay will be an extract from the Commercial Register, from which his/her status as a statutory body or member of a statutory body of a company or cooperative is clear.
“Family unification”
The document on the purpose of stay will mainly be an original or a certified copy of the document demonstrating a relationship to the holder of the authorisation for family reunification (e.g. a birth certificate, marriage certificate, a document on guardianship, a document confirming the fact that the person is without any financial means, a document on a foreign national being solitary or his/her health status).
A spouse is also considered to be a partner, i.e. a person that can prove that they have entered an officially confirmed permanent partnership of two persons of the same sex (e.g. on the basis of the Act on Registered Partnerships and also on the basis of a similar act from another state). The child of a spouse is considered to be the child of one of the partners or a child entrusted to the care of the partner.