Your first 90 days in Czech Republic: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · July 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The invisible 3-working-day Foreign Police report — airports and landlords rarely mention it, hotels handle it silently, and private-flat arrivals discover it as a fine at a later permit interaction.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Address report to the Foreign Police; biometric-permit (D/VR) holders also visit the MOI
Within 3 working days of arrival (hotels report for you); MOI within 30 days for D/VR visas
The 3-day rule is the step nobody mentions — fines up to CZK 3,000; long-term visa holders report in person at the Foreign Police office covering their address.
Get your Rodné číslo (birth number) — the personal ID used across tax, health and social systems
Keys employment, tax, healthcare and most registrations; freelancers additionally receive a DIČ when registering with the tax office.
Assigned by the Ministry of the Interior with the residence permit — no separate application for most arrivals; trade-licence (živnostenský list) holders then register at the tax office.
Open a bank account
A passport plus residence permit or long-term visa opens an account at most banks and the process is comparatively easy; Revolut/Wise are common until the permit card exists, and US persons file standard FATCA forms.
Enrol in healthcare
Employees are enrolled in public insurance (VZP and peers) automatically; other non-EU long-stay arrivals — freelancers' first years, students, family members — commonly must hold approved comprehensive private insurance.
Sort your driver's license
Exchange is mandatory within 3 months of residence exceeding 1 year: US licences swap without a test if they match the Geneva/Vienna convention template — non-conforming state formats can force the Czech exams.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to Czech Republic?
Add your email for new Czech Republic guides and a heads-up when the arrival rules or figures change. We never file anything ourselves.
Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Czech Republic: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Czech Republic?
Address report to the Foreign Police; biometric-permit (D/VR) holders also visit the MOI — Within 3 working days of arrival (hotels report for you); MOI within 30 days for D/VR visas. The 3-day rule is the step nobody mentions — fines up to CZK 3,000; long-term visa holders report in person at the Foreign Police office covering their address. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the Rodné číslo and do I need one?
Rodné číslo (birth number) — the personal ID used across tax, health and social systems is Czech Republic's personal tax/ID number. Keys employment, tax, healthcare and most registrations; freelancers additionally receive a DIČ when registering with the tax office. Assigned by the Ministry of the Interior with the residence permit — no separate application for most arrivals; trade-licence (živnostenský list) holders then register at the tax office.
Can I drive in Czech Republic on a US license?
Exchange is mandatory within 3 months of residence exceeding 1 year: US licences swap without a test if they match the Geneva/Vienna convention template — non-conforming state formats can force the Czech exams. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Czech Republic?
Employees are enrolled in public insurance (VZP and peers) automatically; other non-EU long-stay arrivals — freelancers' first years, students, family members — commonly must hold approved comprehensive private insurance. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Czech Republic's system treats foreign residents.