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Pobytová karta

residence card

What does “Pobytová karta” mean in Czechia?

Pobytová karta — a plastic biometric card that proves your residence permit. It is often confused with the procedure at OAMP, so remember the main thing: the card is issued by the cizinecká policie (foreign police), not OAMP. These are two different departments with two different booking portals — rezervace.policie.gov.cz for the police and ipc.gov.cz for OAMP. Going to the wrong place means a wasted day.

The deadline everyone calculates incorrectly

You have 60 days from the day you gave your biometrics (§ 117d) to collect your card, not from the day the card was ready. Officially, the production time is not set — "14 days" or "a month" is folklore from forums, not a rule. This means your deadline is already running, but the department has no obligation to meet you.

Changing your address

The holder of a pobytová karta (like an EU citizen with permanent residence) must report an address change to the Ministry within 30 working days if the address changes for more than 180 days (§ 98 para. 1). For comparison: holders of a visa for over 90 days or a long-term residence permit have 30 calendar days for a change of more than 30 days (§ 98 para. 3), and holders of temporary protection have only 3 working days.

Important. 60 days are counted from the day you give your biometrics, not from when the card is ready. If you just wait for a call saying "card is ready," the deadline might pass without you noticing — focus on the date of your biometrics.

Examples of use

SK
The residence card is issued by the cudzinecká polícia (foreign police).
The residence card is issued by the alien police (cudzinecká polícia).
SK
You have 60 days to pick up your card from the day your biometric data was collected.
You have 60 days to collect your card from the day your biometric data was taken.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to make a residence card?
The official processing time is not set. The numbers "14 days" or "a month" are just stories. Legally important is only your deadline: 60 days from giving your biometrics to receive it.
Where to go for the card — to the OAMP or the police?
For the card itself, go to the cudzinecká polícia (foreign police). They have a separate booking portal: rezervace.policie.gov.cz. OAMP (ipc.gov.cz) handles the residence permit case.

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