Czech Republic

Last Updated: 2026-03-31

Official Portal: Ministry of the Interior — Czech Citizenship

Embassy Finder: Czech Embassies and Consulates

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Residency for naturalization	5 years of continuous lawful residence with permanent residence permit; 3 years for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
Language requirement	B1 Czech (CEFR) — certified exam at an accredited institution
Civics test	Yes — test on Czech constitutional system, cultural, social, and geographical knowledge
Processing time	3—6 months (statutory maximum 180 days)
Naturalization fee	CZK 2,000 (approximately EUR 80) per adult
Dual citizenship	Fully permitted since 1 January 2014
Citizenship by birth in Czech Republic	Limited jus soli — only to prevent statelessness
Citizenship by descent	Yes (jus sanguinis) — automatic if at least one parent is a Czech citizen
Governing law	Zakon o statnim obcanstvi Ceske republiky (Act No. 186/2013 Coll.) — Czech Citizenship Act

Dual Citizenship

The Czech Republic fully permits dual and multiple citizenship since the entry into force of Act No. 186/2013 Coll. on 1 January 2014.

Post-2014 rules:

Czech citizens who acquire a foreign nationality do not lose Czech citizenship.
Foreign nationals who naturalize as Czech citizens are not required to renounce their prior nationality.
This applies universally regardless of the other country involved.

Pre-2014 rules (for reference):

Under the previous Act No. 40/1993 Coll., Czech citizens who voluntarily acquired a foreign nationality automatically lost their Czech citizenship. This caused significant problems for Czech emigrants, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The 2014 Act is not retroactive — persons who lost Czech citizenship under the old law must apply for re-acquisition (see Restoration below). However, the process has been significantly simplified.

Historical note on Czechoslovak dissolution: When Czechoslovakia dissolved on 1 January 1993, citizens had to opt for either Czech or Slovak citizenship. Those who chose Slovak citizenship and later wished to become Czech citizens had to naturalize. The 2014 Act eased this for many affected individuals.

Acquisition of Nationality

By Birth (Jus Soli)

The Czech Republic does not apply a general jus soli principle. Birth on Czech territory alone does not confer citizenship.

Exceptions (Section 5):

A child born in the Czech Republic who would otherwise be stateless acquires Czech citizenship at birth.
Foundlings discovered on Czech territory are deemed Czech citizens until another nationality is established.
A child born in the Czech Republic to parents who are both stateless persons lawfully resident in the Czech Republic acquires Czech citizenship at birth.

By Descent (Jus Sanguinis)

Czech citizenship is acquired automatically at birth if (Section 4):

At least one parent is a Czech citizen at the time of the child’s birth.
This applies regardless of where the child is born (in the Czech Republic or abroad).
No registration requirement for the citizenship to take legal effect, though registration at a Czech consulate is recommended for births abroad.

No generational limit with unbroken chain: Czech law does not impose a specific generational cutoff. A child born abroad to a Czech parent acquires citizenship, provided the parent was a Czech citizen at the time of birth. However, if a parent lost Czech citizenship before the child’s birth (e.g., under the old 1993 Act by acquiring a foreign nationality), the chain is broken.

By Adoption

A child adopted by a Czech citizen acquires Czech citizenship upon the adoption becoming legally effective under Czech law (Section 7), provided:

The child is a minor (under 18) at the time of the adoption.
The adoption is a full adoption (osvojeni) recognized under Czech law.
Adults adopted by Czech citizens do not acquire citizenship through adoption.

By Marriage

Marriage to a Czech citizen does not automatically confer citizenship. The foreign spouse must naturalize through the standard process but benefits from a reduced residency requirement:

Requirement	Details
Residence	3 years of continuous lawful residence with permanent residence permit (reduced from 5 years)
Marriage to Czech citizen	Must be married to a Czech citizen at the time of application
Language	B1 Czech (CEFR) — certified exam
Civics test	Pass the Czech citizenship knowledge test
Criminal record	No serious criminal convictions
Financial self-sufficiency	Proven source of income; no burden on the social assistance system
Renunciation	Not required — dual citizenship permitted

By Naturalization (Residency)

Standard pathway (Section 14):

Requirement	Details
Lawful residence	5 years of continuous lawful residence in the Czech Republic with a permanent residence permit (or 3 years for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens)
Language	B1 Czech (CEFR) — must pass a certified exam at an accredited institution (waivers for applicants under 15, over 65, or with certain disabilities)
Civics knowledge	Pass a test on Czech constitutional system, cultural, social, and geographical knowledge (waived for the same categories as the language test)
Criminal record	No convictions for intentional crimes in the Czech Republic or abroad in the preceding 5 years
Financial self-sufficiency	Must prove that income is sufficient; not a burden on the state social assistance system in the preceding 3 years (exceptions for students, retirees, persons on parental leave)
Integration into society	Assessed holistically — family ties, employment, community involvement
Renunciation	Not required — dual citizenship permitted
Fee	CZK 2,000 per adult; CZK 500 per minor

Processing time: The Ministry of Interior must decide within 180 days of receiving a complete application. In practice, decisions often come within 3—6 months.

Discretionary grant (Section 16): The Minister of Interior may waive certain conditions (especially the residency requirement) for applicants who have rendered or are expected to render significant services to the Czech Republic, or for humanitarian reasons.

Loss and Renunciation

Voluntary Renunciation

A Czech citizen may renounce citizenship by making a declaration of renunciation (Section 40) to:

The regional office (krajsky urad) if residing in the Czech Republic, or
The Czech embassy/consulate if residing abroad.

Conditions:

Must hold another nationality or have been assured one.
Renunciation must not render the person stateless.
Must be of full legal capacity (18+) or represented by a legal guardian.

Renunciation takes effect upon delivery of the declaration to the competent authority.

Involuntary Loss

Ground	Details
Acquisition by fraud	Citizenship obtained through fraudulent declarations, false documents, or concealment of material facts may be revoked within 10 years of the grant (Section 42).

Important: Since 1 January 2014, the Czech Republic does not revoke citizenship for voluntary acquisition of a foreign nationality. This was the most significant change in the 2014 Act.

Note: There are no provisions for denaturalization based on disloyalty, foreign military service, or prolonged absence from the country.

Restoration of Nationality

Declaration of Re-acquisition (Section 31—36)

Former Czech citizens who lost their citizenship (whether under the old 1993 Act or by renunciation) may re-acquire Czech citizenship by declaration:

For persons who lost citizenship under the old Act No. 40/1993:

May file a declaration with the regional office or Czech consulate.
No residency requirement.
No language or civics test.
Must provide proof of former Czech (or Czechoslovak) citizenship and proof of loss.
Dual citizenship is permitted — no renunciation required.
This pathway was introduced specifically to remedy the harsh effects of the old automatic-loss rule.

For former citizens who renounced:

May re-acquire by declaration if they have resided lawfully in the Czech Republic for at least 2 years.

For former Czechoslovak citizens who chose Slovak citizenship in 1993:

May file a declaration for Czech citizenship. The specific conditions depend on the individual’s circumstances.

Stateless Persons and Foundlings

Foundlings discovered on Czech territory are deemed Czech citizens until another nationality is established (Section 5).
Stateless children born in the Czech Republic acquire Czech citizenship at birth.
Stateless adults may apply for naturalization with reduced conditions at the discretion of the Ministry.
The Czech Republic is a party to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Document Checklist

Sources

Zakon c. 186/2013 Sb., o statnim obcanstvi Ceske republiky — Czech Citizenship Act, effective 1 January 2014. https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2013-186
Ministry of the Interior — Czech Citizenship. https://www.mvcr.cz/mvcren/article/czech-citizenship.aspx
Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Embassy Finder. https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/diplomatic_missions/czech_missions_abroad/index.html
Czech Language Exam for Citizenship — Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies, Charles University. https://ujop.cuni.cz/
European Convention on Nationality (1997) — Czech Republic is a party. https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=treaty-detail&treatynum=166

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