Citizens of Iceland have the right to enter and reside in the territory of an EU member state, and to leave that territory under the same conditions as EU citizens. This means that Icelanders do not need a visa for their stay in the Czech Republic, irrespective of the length of their stay.
Icelanders and their family members must be able to prove their identity by presenting a valid travel document (passport), or any other identification document at any given moment. Failure to do so may be deemed an offence punishable by a fine.
DUTIES AFTER ARRIVAL
One of the obligations for Icelanders arriving in the Czech Republic is that of "reporting" in case the intended length of stay in the Czech Republic is more than 30 days. In this situation, within 30 days of entering the Czech Republic, an individual is required to report his/her presence to the appropriate Foreign Police Department that holds jurisdiction over the location of his/her stay in the Czech Republic. This obligation does not apply if the reporting has already been completed by the person providing accommodation.
Icelanders are also obliged to report a change of surname, personal status, data in a travel document, and change of data in a document issued for a stay in the Czech Republic (i.e. a certificate of temporary residence or permanent residence permit). In cases of stay without a certificate / permit issued, they are required to report changes to the Foreign Police, in all other cases the reporting is to be done to the Ministry of Interior.
Find out more on: https://www.mvcr.cz/mvcren/article/entering-the-czech-republic.aspx
If Icelanders intend to stay in the Czech Republic for longer than 3 months, they can request a certificate of temporary residence or a permanent residence permit to be issued.
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE
Stay up to 90 day (short-term)
Icelanders can stay in the Czech Republic for up to 3 months without registering. The only requirement is a valid identification document.
Stay over 90 days (long-term)
Icelanders who do not impose a disproportionate burden on the Czech social security system have the right to long-term residence in the country. Icelanders have this right if they:
a) are economically active in the Czech Republic, or
b) have sufficient funds for themselves and their family members, and have covered all risks of health insurance; or
c) are family members accompanying a citizen who fulfills one of the above mentioned conditions.
Sufficient funds for the stay (referred to in point b.) are proven on the basis of special provisions of the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals, by submitting a document on the aggregate monthly income of the foreign national residing in the Czech Republic. The amount should not be lower than the sum of the amounts for the subsistence minimum for the foreign national - 3 410 CZK (Government Regulation No. 409/2011 Coll.), and the corresponding amount of the normative costs for housing - 8 233 CZK (Government Regulation No. 320/2018 Coll.).
The fund requirement differs in cases where a foreign national is appraised with his/her family members. Find out more on: https://www.mvcr.cz/mvcren/article/proof-of-funds-for-the-purposes-of-a-long-term-residence.aspx
Certificate of temporary residence (not compulsory)
In general, it is not necessary to request the certificate of temporary residence. The Icelanders can request the certificate if they intend to stay in the Czech Republic for more than 3 months, and have not threatened state security or seriously disrupted public order. There are certain cases in which the certificate of temporary residence is necessary, for example, a car registration or application for a loan or mortgage at the bank. The applications for the certificate of temporary residence are administered by the Ministry of the Interior. Find out more about application requirements on: https://www.mvcr.cz/mvcren/article/temporary-residence.aspx
PERMANENT RESIDENCE
An Icelandic citizen automatically acquires the right of permanent residence in the Czech Republic if they have resided there legally for a continuous period of 5 years. In some specific cases, they may be eligible to apply for permanent residence before 5 years. For example, if an Icelander retires and has worked in the country for the last year, or has lived there continuously for 3 years. If an Icelander meets these conditions, they can apply for a permanent residence document, which confirms their right to live in the country where they now live permanently, without any conditions.
Upon grant of a permanent residence, an Icelander no longer has to fulfil the requirements for long-term residence - they cannot be regarded as a disproportionate burden on the public finances, even if they are entirely dependent on Czech social security system. They may use health services (public health insurance) and social services the same way as a citizen of the Czech Republic.
Continuity of residence is not affected by a temporary absence in the Czech Republic (less than six months a year), or a continuous absence in maximum of 12 months for important reasons (pregnancy, serious illness, study, etc.), or military service. A resident can lose their right to permanent residence if they live outside the country for more than 2 consecutive years.
Permanent residence permit (not compulsory)
The permanent residence document is not compulsory, but it can be useful when dealing with the authorities or for administrative formalities. The authorities may no longer require you to prove that you have a job, sufficient resources, health insurance, and so on. The application for permanent residence can be submitted at the offices of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic. Find out more about application requirements on: https://www.mvcr.cz/mvcren/article/eu-citizens-and-their-family-members-permanent-residence.aspx
The right to enter and reside in the territory of Czech Republic is not unconditional, it may be restricted for reasons of public policy, public security or public health.
