The Czech passport is one of the most desirable travel documents in the world. Many people in the world whose parents or grandparents were born in the Czech Republic qualify for Czech citizenship through descent. However, knowing the dates from your family tree is more important that you think when it comes to increasing your eligibility for Czech citizenship.
Here are the key dates you should consider:
- Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918 and those who lived in this territory continuously between January 1, 1910, and July 16, 1920, acquired Czechoslovak citizenship.
- If your ancestors emigrated before October 28, 1918, you are not eligible for Czechoslovak citizenship. This is because your ancestors left Europe as Austro-Hungarian citizens and never acquired Czechoslovak citizenship.
- Your ancestor was considered stateless during the period between the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and their naturalization in another country. This means that they lost their Austro-Hungarian citizenship with the demise of Austria-Hungary, but at the same time did not acquire new Czechoslovak citizenship. Because they were never Czechoslovak citizens, their descendants cannot renew their Czech citizenship.
- Emigration between October 28, 1918, and July 7, 1920, is a controversial period as Czechoslovakia already existed, but Czechoslovak citizenship did not yet exist. In cases like these, there is only a small chance of success, but it is still possible to gain Czech citizenship.
- If your ancestors emigrated after July 7, 1920, that means you could potentially be eligible for Czech citizenship.
If you are interested in verifying your eligibility for Czech citizenship, complete our free eligibility form.