Czech Interior Ministry launches new user-friendly reservation portal for foreigners

Foreigners living in Czechia will be well aware that encounters with Czech public administration – online or in-person – can often be a daunting and tricky task.

However, the Ministry of the Interior’s new foreigners’ reservation system (FRS) in Czechia aims to make the process of finding online information and making appointments with the Interior Ministry easier. 

The new, updated interface – now launched – appears far cleaner and has more features than the current, soon-to-be-defunct website. It is still currently in progress, and more information will be added to the web pages in the coming days and weeks.

The new FRS site is available in English, Ukrainian, and Czech.

Then, after filling out their personal details – including place of residence and passport or other identification number – users can select the date on which they want to make an appointment. The booking system, similar to the older version, shows the dates and times of available slots. 

Users will still only be able to make appointments at the specific Interior Ministry of Office that covers their district (for example, people living in Prague 2 need to visit the Žukovského office, and those with residence in Prague 5 must visit the Chodov branch).

The updated format will include more detailed and better-explained guidance about different types of visas and residence permits. 

The new FRS system also provides information about how one can extend their residence permit and has a section devoted to third-country nationals who need to report changes.

The new portal also has a web page specifically for the Adaptation and Integration Course (AIC), which is “compulsory for third-country citizens to whom no exception applies.” It provides detailed information in a reader-friendly format on the deadline for taking the course, where to pay, and how to register.

Another big benefit of the new website is its special “Forms and Documents” section, which has all printable forms in one section (listed under different subsections, depending on the type of form). The older site lacks this, leaving foreigners needing to navigate the often confusing (and sometimes poorly worded) web pages of the Interior Ministry website.

The new site also has a “Frequently Asked Questions” section, which helps clarify queries about topics ranging from insurance to requirements for students.

A frequently cited gripe non-Czechs have is the difficulty of navigating Czechia’s sometimes-rigid administration system. The new portal for foreigners aims to make the process, and people’s lives, easier.