Czech Biometric card

The biometric card is mandatory for:

• Third-country citizens with long-term residency

• Non-EU nationals with permanent residency

• Czech partnership visa holders

• UK citizens who obtained temporary or permanent residency before Brexit

• EU citizens and non-EU family members with temporary and permanent residency

The providing of the biometric information is obligatory and serves the purpose of identity identification and verification of the card itself. The only exception is in the case of an anatomical or a physiological anomaly of the bearer. In such a case, only a photograph is taken.

Where can I get the biometric card? The biometric residence cards are only issued at Ministry of Internal and cannot be issued without the presence of the person the card is for. You can determine whether or not certain offices issue these cards by whether or not they have “BIO” in their whole name.

The biometric information is usually taken at the same office you can pick up your biometric card from once it is issued.

For the foreigners who want to apply for a biometric card but still live outside of the Czech Republic, a Visa will be issued at an embassy so they can be allowed entry. The embassy should also offer additional information on which Ministry of Interior office should the foreigner contact.

After arriving, it is obligatory to provide the biometric information at this office within three working days.

The biometric card is arranged at the MOI office in two appointments. On the first appointment, an MOI employee will collect your biometric data, such as your photo and fingerprints.

The production of the biometric card takes around 20 days. During the second appointment, the MOI employee will verify your fingerprints, photo, and personal details before providing you with your card.

In summary, the entire process of arranging a biometric card at the MOI office takes approximately 20 days.

If the foreign citizen is already in the Czech Republic, they need to provide their contact details (phone number or e-mail) with their application for the permanent or the temporary residency and will be contacted by the Ministry of Interior staff directly to schedule a date and a place for an appointment to provide their biometric information.

Whether or not the foreigner applies directly or through the embassy, they need to pick up the residency permit within 60 days from the day they provided their biometric information. Once again, they will be informed about the date and the place of the pick-up by the Ministry of Interior staff.

If you cannot make it to the appointments (regardless of whether to provide biometric information or for the pick-up), it is necessary to contact the Ministry of Interior and provide a serious reason why you cannot be present, otherwise, you may face a fine of 10.000 CZK.

If it is important information, such as your name or your surname, you must announce these changes to the Ministry of Interior within 3 days from the change. For the address, it has to be within 30 days (but only if this change will be long-term, aka over 30 days, and only if it is the case of a permanent residency).

From 2.08.2021 family members of EU citizens should exchange their temporary residency document (Blue book) or permanent residency document (Green book) to a biometric card. The deadline to apply for your biometric card in the Czech Republic was 3.08.2023.

The deadline for exchanging the residency permit to biometric cards for partners (unmarried couples or partnership visas) of EU citizens was 31.08.2021. Validation of your biometric card will be the same as your current residency validation and is valid in all Schengen countries. We can also help you with how to renew your biometric card.

After the deadline, exchanging residency permits for a Czech biometric card is no longer possible for Partner Visa holders or family members of EU citizens who haven't arranged their biometric cards. Non-EU citizens who are family members of EU citizens or Partner Visa holders must apply for an extension and get their residency renewal approved to obtain a Czech biometric card.

In summary, exchanging permits for biometric cards after the deadline is not an option, and obtaining a new biometric card requires going through the extension process.

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From 2.08.2021 all UK citizens who obtained their temporary residency (certificate) and permanent residency (green book) before Brexit should exchange them to make a biometric card.

Validation of your permanent residency biometric card will be the same as your current residency validation, and validation of your temporary residency biometric card will be for 5 years. The deadline for obtaining a biometric card for UK citizens in the Czech Republic is 31.08.2022.

British citizens were required to exchange temporary residency certificates for biometric cards before 03.08.2023.

Contact us and let us arrange it for you hassle-free!