Some questions about CZ

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 10:31 pm

So I am starting professional school in the Czech republic (in Sept) and I had problems understanding the visa process (I'm an american citizen basically looking for a Schengen visa).

1. It is required since I will be spending more than 90 days there correct?

2. Could I get the application done at the Chicago consulate, fly out within the next two weeks (without visa since the processing time is about 60 days), and fly back in 60 days to receive the visa on my passport?

The major problem is that the school will be starting at the end of Sept and that does not leave me enough time to get the visa before I leave. (Essentially could I leave now and come back to get the visa and then fly back out?).

Also I was wondering if you guys could suggest an insurance company that works with the visa requirements? I've looked at some of their recommended ones but I do not see a lot of reviews so I kinda need a reliable one. Thank you for all your help and have a good one.

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:34 pm

Anyone have any insight, especially about the second one please?

republique · Post by **republique** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:07 am

Defaultstatus wrote:Anyone have any insight, especially about the second one please?

us citizens don't need schengen, you need a student visa for your stay over 90 days

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 11:48 am

"Schengen" visas are something issued for short stays (typically under 90 days).

You need a student visa.

You need to talk with the consulate about how quickly they could issue it. You may find they can do it faster.

I would not recommend entering on your US passport without a visa and then going to study. There can only be problems...

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:07 pm

Yeah I'm looking for a student visa. I was essentially asking if I could leave now-ish on just my US passport (also submit my visa documents before I leave) and then come back in 60 days (the amount they say it usually takes) just to get it stamped. I realize this means a ticket back and forth just to get the visa but they do not issue the visa in CZ and you need to be in the US.

Timeline
Now - Submit visa application
Week - Leave for CZ and begin studies in Sept
Late Oct - Come back to US so I could get visa in passport.

I figured this could work since you do not need a visa for <90 days and I would be back in 60 days (only missing a day or two of school). Hopefully you guys could help me again with this haha. Thanks again for all your help.

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:27 pm

Defaultstatus wrote:Week - Leave for CZ and begin studies in Sept
Late Oct - Come back to US so I could get visa in passport.

That's the problem the other posters tried to explain to you. When you begin your studies like that you won't have the proper permit.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:29 pm

Let me be more clear: Entry into Europe as a visitor does not entitle you to work or to study.

Think about it from a US perspective. How would US CBP/ICE react to somebody who arrives at the US border with a UK passport and either (1) lies and says they are a visitor but will actually be studying or (2) says they will be starting studying at a university in two days time? Answer: they would eject them from the country and ban them.

Same in Europe...

republique · Post by **republique** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 11:40 pm

Defaultstatus wrote:Yeah I'm looking for a student visa. I was essentially asking if I could leave now-ish on just my US passport (also submit my visa documents before I leave) and then come back in 60 days (the amount they say it usually takes) just to get it stamped. I realize this means a ticket back and forth just to get the visa but they do not issue the visa in CZ and you need to be in the US.

Timeline
Now - Submit visa application
Week - Leave for CZ and begin studies in Sept
Late Oct - Come back to US so I could get visa in passport.

I figured this could work since you do not need a visa for <90 days and I would be back in 60 days (only missing a day or two of school). Hopefully you guys could help me again with this haha. Thanks again for all your help.

If you would google your situation, you would find that this is permissible. Try it.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 11:51 pm

republique wrote:If you would google your situation, you would find that this is permissible.

Which "this" do you have in mind? Mind providing some links to things you have found?

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:05 am

Republique, I was unsure of what to google in the first place. I would love to have this info since it would mean that my situation is not as dire.

Directive, so would I essentially be unable to study until I get the visa (lose the year)? I am already in the school (would they require my visa number?) so that is not the problem.

PS - The major problem is that if the 60 days is the real number for the visa then I would miss the first month and be unable to take the tests during that time.

PPS - Thanks again for everything

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:22 am

Why do you think it takes 60 days?

republique · Post by **republique** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:23 am

Defaultstatus wrote:Republique, I was unsure of what to google in the first place. I would love to have this info since it would mean that my situation is not as dire.

Directive, so would I essentially be unable to study until I get the visa (lose the year)? I am already in the school (would they require my visa number?) so that is not the problem.

PS - The major problem is that if the 60 days is the real number for the visa then I would miss the first month and be unable to take the tests during that time.

PPS - Thanks again for everything

Well you google your situation. Don't know what else you want people to do.

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:34 am

Therefore, the processing time is approximately 60 days from the date the Consulate General receives the fully completed application and is only applicable to a university or a school with the accredited study programs.

That website leads me to believe that once I submit, next week, I would need to wait 60 days for them to issue the visa into my passport.

http://www.mzv.cz/chicago/en/consular_i ... index.html

Republique, I have tried figuring out a number of things, I can't exactly find information on leaving without a student visa and coming back to have one issued. Maybe I'm missing something obvious (very possible haha)

The reason why this is even an issue is that I have just received my acceptance letter and you cannot apply for a student visa without it (which is why it seems that I have waited so long).

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 1:14 am

I would urge you to call the university on Monday and talk with them about options. They may have some suggestions or some resources. (Skype is a very good option for such international calls).

It is also likely that the embassy is being conservative in their public statement of how long it takes. It might be that if you were an Iraqi living in the US, that would be how long it takes for you to get the visa. Quite possibly a US citizen applying will be processed more quickly.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 9:53 pm

republique wrote:Well you google your situation. Don't know what else you want people to do.

You have earlier made some interesting claims. I asked you if you had any links to the material and you did not reply. I think we would all appreciate if you could provide links that support your interpretation.

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:49 pm

New Update: I have just emailed the school for some perspective on the situation.

I also happen to hold dual citizenship (US and BG). Would this Bulgaria citizenship allow me to study in CZ without a student visa or would I still need to get one?

(Another minor complication is that via a custom in my birth country (BG) I had to change my last name to coincide with my parents, so if the BG route is the way to go then I would need to change my passport)

Only reason I ask this is that the US route seems like it could take more time and it might behoove me to go the BG route instead.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:57 am

Bulgaria is a member of the EU. So it should be significantly easier for you to study in CZ, and there may be very advantageous funding benefits. I am amazed you did not mention this in the first place!

You should contact the CZ embassy in the USA and ask them what they require based on your Bulgarian citizenship. Do not even bother to mention your US citizenship.

http://www.sofia.diplo.de/Vertretung/so ... udium.html is the web site of the German embassy in Bulgaria. It says that you do NOT require a visa for studying in Germany. I am pretty sure the same is true for studying in CZ.

http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/09 ... ber-state/ is an EU document about Europeans (and their non-EU family members) studying in a different EU member state. You should definitely have a look through it - it lays out very clearly what you are required to do as a student from an EU member state studying in another member state.

Do you presently have a Bulgarian passport or national ID card? Why do you need to get a new one?

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:08 am

See also http://www.mzv.cz/sofia/en/education/wh ... ublic.html

and http://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/information_fo ... index.html

I am learning here: Bulgarian citizens do not need a visa to go to another EU Member state. If they want to work in another member state, then they may or may not be able to do that, and will definitely need permission of the host member state. Studying should be straight forward, but it is unclear what formalities you will have to do once you arrive in CZ.

I would strongly suggest you contact the consular section in Sofia. http://www.mzv.cz/sofia/en/visa_and_con ... index.html

Note also that your spouse or long term partner, if they exist, could move with you to CZ.

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 6:18 am

Bit of an update. The embassy said that with my BG citizenship I do not require a visa to study.

Seeing as I need to renew my BG passport they recommended that I enter the CZ with my American passport, fly to BG with my American passport and then fly back into the Czech Republic with my Bulgarian passport (this is due to the fact that I cannot study in the CZ with my American passport and thus would need to exit and reenter the country with the Bulgarian passport that allows this).

I only have one question they said that I can study in the Czech Republic with my BG passport, but do I need a visa to technically "stay" there or can you stay in any country in the EU indefinitely if you hold the passport to another EU country?

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:57 pm

Defaultstatus wrote:Seeing as I need to renew my BG passport they recommended that I enter the CZ with my American passport, fly to BG with my American passport and then fly back into the Czech Republic with my Bulgarian passport (this is due to the fact that I cannot study in the CZ with my American passport and thus would need to exit and reenter the country with the Bulgarian passport that allows this).

I do not think the embassy really understands the law. But that is not unusual and it is fine.

Your legal presence as an EU/EEA citizen in another member state does not depend on you having entered with your EU passport or any particular passport at all. And it does not depend on you continuing to have the passport in the future.

Put another way, even if you only have an American passport and enter on that, and then later get your expired Bulgarian passport renewed at the embassy, you were the whole time a citizen of an EU member state and so your whole time was (or can be if you wish) on the basis of that citizenship.

So I personally would not go to Bulgaria (unless there were other reasons to go there). I would fly right to CZ. Once there I would go first thing to the BG embassy and renew the passport. And then get on with studying...

I would call the BG embassy in CZ today. Ask them how long it takes to renew the passport and what supporting documents you need. And if renewal takes more than a few days, ask them if you can keep the expired passport while the renewal is ongoing (very important for your school registration).

So, you should read up about your general right of free movement in all of the EU: http://eumovement.wordpress.com/directive-200438ec/ is a good start

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:27 pm

Defaultstatus wrote:I only have one question they said that I can study in the Czech Republic with my BG passport, but do I need a visa to technically "stay" there or can you stay in any country in the EU indefinitely if you hold the passport to another EU country?

You may stay up to 3 months without any further condition than having your valid passport with you. If you want to stay longer you would have to go through similar procedures as you will now in CZ. If you want to work you may have to apply for a work permit as many member states still limit the access to the labour market for A2 nationals. In general you have to show that you have sufficient means to support yourself and you may be asked to have comprehensive sickness insurance.

For CZ make sure that you register your residence within a month and apply for the registration certificate within 3 months.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:05 pm

86ti wrote:You may stay up to 3 months without any further condition than having your valid passport with you.

And actually, you do not 100% need to have the valid passport bit. Your expired passport is pretty good proof that you are a citizen, if you need to prove it.

That said, it is definitely easier and best to have a valid passport (or just as good to have a Bulgarian national ID card, if such a thing exists)

Defaultstatus · Post by **Defaultstatus** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 12:23 am

The only snag that I can foresee is the fact that I have a different last name (had it changed to coincide with the last name of my parents) on my now expired Bulgarian passport. Is there anyway that an Official Name Change document from American court (both original and translate) would allow me to get a new passport with my changed name?

Aka Would I be able to enter the country with my American passport, show up at the Bulgarian consulate with the name change papers and acquire a new passport?

PS - Going to call the consulate on Monday anyways, just wanted a heads-up if anyone had info or advice.

PPS - Again I want to thank you guys for all the help. You have made this process easier to bear.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 1:15 am

Well one way or another your are an EU citizen and so can study. The rest is just time consuming world-of-mystery-and-frustration bureaucracy.

mastermind · Post by **mastermind** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:04 pm

Defaultstatus, European Commission published a guide for EU citizens willing to exercise their rights of freedom of movement within EU (it is written in plain English and should be easy to read): http://ec.europa.eu/justice/policies/ci ... _ec_en.pdf
I doubt that even that flying to BG and back is necessary as what passport do you use to enter CZ is irrelevant from the perspective of exercising your rights. What matters is the fact of you being an EU citizen. (using another passport to enter a country does not alter your citizenship)
Quick googling also reveals that apparently CZ is one of those EU countries where registration of EU citizens is not mandatory: http://www.vlastina.cz/eu-nationals.html

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Some questions about CZ

Some questions about CZ