Czech language exams and the awarded Certificate for a successful pass are the main requirements for obtaining permanent residency in the Czech Republic for citizens from outside the EU. The level of the examination is A2 and it is the basic level using phrases and conversations in our everyday life in the Czech Republic.
Example: Jak se mas? (How are you?). Dobry den (Good morning).
The total duration of the examination is 90 minutes and it is divided into 2 parts.
Part 1
Reading 25 minutes
Listening 35-40 minutes
Writing 15 minutes
Each section is worth a maximum of 20 points. An applicant should earn at least 12 points in each section. The applicant who does not earn at least 60% of each part (reading, listening, writing) will not be allowed to participate in the second part.
Part 2
Oral examination 10 minutes
During the oral examination, you will have a conversation according to a photo or describe a situation in the photo.
Who doesn't need to do the Czech language exam?
A certificate proving the required knowledge of the Czech language is not required from a foreign national:
- who is under 15 years old
- studied at least one academic year in elementary school or high school
- had studied university in the Czech language,
- has a physical or mental handicap affecting his/her ability to communicate
- is over 60 years old
- Citizens of the EU and their NON-EU family members The First Examination is paid for by the Czech government and is free. You will only need to obtain a VOUCHER from MIO immigration offices. In case you could not pass the exam the first time, you will have to pay 1500 CZK for another attempt. The Czech language is one of the hardest European languages. We highly recommend finding good private Czech teachers, schools which are focused on these tests or communicating and practicing it with local people. Locals (Czech people) like teaching foreigners to their languages.
Free interactive-model exam for the year 2023/2024 can be tried here
You can collect your voucher for the language test at any MOI office. If you book an appointment for the collection of the voucher, you should book an appointment for service " Others "
Author's own experience: I relocated to Prague in 2007 as a student at an international university. As my studies were in English and most people spoke basic English in Prague, I didn't find the Czech language so important. After 3 years of living and studying in Prague, I understood that I would definitely live in the next ten years 10 in Prague. I decided to learn Czech in order to understand the locals and to apply for Permanent residency in the future. I took 3 months of Czech classes but it did not improve my Czech that much. Perhaps, the school was focusing more on Czech grammar. So I tried to learn it by myself. I was watching the evening news on TV every day, listening to the Czech radio even if I did not understand at the beginning. I was learning two new words every day and repeated them every morning from my notes. In one year, I had come to learn more than 700 words! With my vocabulary improved, I then decided to learn Grammar. I was inspired to read my favorite author, Vlastimil Styblík, author of many elementary school textbooks. Later, I passed the exam for Permanent residency with a score of 100% and also passed the exam for Czech citizenship with 100% as well.
What is your experience with learning Czech or exams for Permanent residency?
From 1.9.2021 the legal requirements for Permanent residency are changed and applicants should provide certification of A2 Language level.
From 1.1.2022 Citizens of NON- EU countries who can travel to the Schengen zone without a visa should be authorized by ETIAS before travelling to Schengen. ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System.