Public Announcements

How to Obtain a Criminal History Record for a Czech Residence or Work Permit

Information in English on how U.S. citizens can obtain residence and/or work permits for the Czech Republic is available from the Czech Embassy in Washington, DC, from their Consulates General in New York and Los Angeles or the Czech Interior Ministry.

In 1999, the Czech Government removed a waiver enjoyed by Americans for one of the documents normally required for a Czech residence permit. This waiver applied to a requirement that in connection with a request for permission to stay and/or work in the Czech Republic, foreigners must provide certification from the competent national authority of their own countries that they have no criminal record. Acting on information received from the FBI that such a certification is available to residents of the U.S., in June 1999 the Czech Government started requiring such a certification from Americans applying for residence and/or work permits. The Interior Ministry later reinstated the waiver in recognition of the difficulty Americans have in obtaining this document. However, other Ministries handling work and business permits did not reinstate the waiver, and the Interior Ministry did so only "for the time being".

Any American citizen can apply directly to the FBI for a criminal history search. Inked fingerprints on an approved card must be submitted with a signed request and a certified check or money order for $18 to:

FBI CJIS Division
ATTN. SCU
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306
tel. (304) 625-5590.

An "approved" card means a special fingerprint form available from law enforcement agencies in the US. The FBI does not require that the fingerprints be taken by a law enforcement authority; any person can do so. (The Embassy does not have a stock of these forms, and cannot assist with taking the fingerprints.) The FBI states that fingerprints must be clear and readable and all applicable information boxes on the card must be completed. Any smudged fingerprints will be returned unprocessed. A common error is the use of too much ink, which smears the print.