New Foreigners’ Act to introduce digitisation, enhanced security and mandatory registration of EU citizens
The government has approved a new bill on the entry and residence of foreign nationals, which aims to fundamentally modernise the system governing residence in the Czech Republic. The proposed legislation responds to the need to consolidate the current fragmented legal framework, align national law with European Union requirements, and significantly expand the digitisation of processes related to residence of foreign nationals in the Czech Republic.
Digitisation of residence processes
The new law aims to simplify processes, enhance security and, above all, place the administration of residence matters on a modern digital footing. It is due to come into force on 1 January 2029, by which time the Ministry of the Interior is expected to develop and deploy a new robust information system (ICAS). This system is intended to enable foreign nationals to communicate with the authorities via their electronic account and carry out a significant proportion of their administrative tasks online. The new framework also assigns specific roles to employers and other entities, including defined access to the system and participation in the digitised processes.
Residence of EU citizens
The proposal introduces changes to the registration of European Union citizens staying for more than 90 days. At present, obtaining a ‘Certificate of Registration’ is voluntary, but it is set to become mandatory in future. The aim is for the state and local authorities to have a more accurate overview of people who are actually living in the country on a long-term basis. Among other things, this will enable better planning of capacity, particularly in education, healthcare and infrastructure. According to information from the Ministry of the Interior, this obligation is not due to come into force until 2030.
The new role of guarantors
Another significant element of the proposal is the strengthening of the role of guarantors. This is an entity that enables a foreign national to fulfil the purpose of their stay in the Czech Republic (typically an employer, educational institution, scientific or cultural organisation, or sports club). The proposal aims to define the rights and obligations of the guarantor more clearly and to increase the responsibility of these entities in residence proceedings, particularly where the possibility of a foreign national residing in the Czech Republic on a long-term basis effectively depends on their effective cooperation.
The draft of the new Act on Foreign Nationals is now being sent to the chamber of deputies. Whilst the previous government’s draft, submitted to deputies in 2024, was never debated, it is now expected that the issue of the entry and residence of foreign nationals will spark a lively debate in parliament. However, given the proposed effective date of the new law, lawmakers should not delay its approval.
The Ministry of the Interior emphasises that the proposed legislation is not intended to liberalise the conditions for residence. Its primary objective is to modernise administrative processes and streamline communication with public authorities, while fully preserving the existing material requirements, such as the stated purpose of stay, proof of sufficient financial means and health insurance, and the conduct of security checks. For employers and other organisations, it will therefore be crucial to prepare, in particular, for the digitisation of administrative procedures and for the fact that the role of guarantor may, in practice, entail new administrative obligations and higher demands on internal compliance.