Frequently asked questions

Czech citizenship

• Do I need to renounce my current citizenship when applying for Czech citizenship?

  No, you will not need to renounce your current citizenship, as long as your country allows for dual citizenship.

• Do I need to speak Czech to become a Czech citizen or is there a language or cultural test I need to pass?

  For obtaining ancestral citizenship (i.e. renewal of citizenship by declaration or confirmation of citizenship), you do not need to speak Czech and there is no language or cultural test.

  If you are applying for naturalisation in the Czech Republic, you do have to speak Czech and take a test.

• What happens if I do not want to submit original documents?

  The Czech authorities require that all documents be submitted to them as originals, duplicates or copies certified by a Czech notary or the Czech consulate. All foreign documents must have an Apostille (or in the case of EU countries a multilingual version of the document).

  If you do not want to send the originals, we recommend obtaining duplicates or have certified copies made at the Czech consulate.

• I don’t know when or if my European ancestor naturalized in the US, how can I find this out?

  You can submit a request to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to find out this information. The USCIS will issue you with either a naturalisation certificate or a non-naturalisation certificate / certificate of non-existence.

Family members

• I am eligible for Czech citizenship, does this mean my spouse and children are also eligible?

  Citizenship in the Czech Republic cannot be acquired through marriage so unfortunately your spouse does not qualify for citizenship. However your spouse does qualify for a spousal visa in all 27 EU states.

  The eligibility of your children is more complicated, as it depends on the way in which Czech citizenship has been confirmed for you and also on the date and birth place of your child.

Eligibility for Czech citizenship by descent

• I am eligible for Czech citizenship by descent through one of my grandparents, does my parent need to be a confirmed Czech citizen before I apply?

  No, your parent does not need to be a Czech citizen before you apply. However you will need to provide proof that you are a direct descendent of your grandparent by including your parent’s birth and marriage certificates, if they’re married. Your parent does not need to apply for citizenship for you to be able to apply.

• My case is very straight forward, am I eligible? Why do I need to fill out a family tree?

  We ask that all new enquirers fill out a family tree so that our Eligibility and Compliance team has a clearer picture of your family history when assessing your case. The Polaron family tree template also includes important details such as immigration dates, marriage dates and naturalisation dates, which are all factors that impact eligibility.

• I was born a Czech or Czechoslovak citizen but then I renounced my citizenship when immigrating to another country, can I reclaim my Czech citizenship?

  Yes, it is usually possible to reclaim your Czech citizenship. However there are a few exceptions – for example, if you ever held Slovak citizenship or if you lost your Czechoslovak citizenship just after World War II.

• What is the likelihood of my application for Confirmation of Czech Citizenship being successful?

  We have a 97.5 % success rate, because we take evaluating your case very seriously and we only advise you to proceed with the application if we are certain of your eligibility.

• I don't have any Czech documents of my ancestors, can you help me obtain them?

  Yes, if you know the date and place of birth, marriage and death of your ancestor, we will help you obtain their documents from the Czech Republic.

Czech passport

• How much is it to apply for a Czech passport? Is this service included in the cost of confirmation of citizenship?

  Polaron is unable to apply for a passport on your behalf. Once you are a confirmed citizen of the Czech Republic, you can go to your local consulate and apply for it yourself. This is a straight forward process and we would provide you with all of the necessary documentation. The cost is around 1200 CZK (~USD$100) and you do not need to speak Czech to apply for the passport.

Duration

• How long is processing time?

  The Czech authorities should decide on your application within 6 months once filed. Please remember that obtaining all the necessary documents, certificates and translations will also take weeks, if not months. The entire process usually takes approximately 12 months.

Other ways of gaining Czech citizenship

• I have no Czech ancestry, can I still apply to naturalise in the Czech Republic?

  Yes, naturalisation in the Czech Republic is open to anyone who meets the legal conditions. These include five years of permanent residence in the Czech Republic, a Czech language exam, a Czech history and culture exam, proof of income and a clean criminal record.