This message has been Cross-Posted from the CETEFL network:
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    So, here once again, in the Prague Post, is a new article on
    Residency permits in the Czech Republic... this time for
    British Subjects:
    
        "Permit Mess Hits Brits Too:  New rules Requiring
        Proof of Clean Records Problematic for Citizens of
        Countries with No Crminal Registries."
    
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        To "cut to the quick", since this is, after all,
        Friday evening, I'll highlight the story, and
        then give you the URL for the Prague post (which
        doesn't seem to be working right now, so I don't
        know if it's any help at all.)
        
        The article stressed that:
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        1.  Although Czech authorities say that the old
        requirement (a sworn/notarized statement, in Czech,
        that you are not a criminal) is still in effect for
        British subjects, it appears to NOT be true when
        you go to the Foreign Police office (or at least NOT
        always true.)  Remember, this is where Kafka grew up.
        
        2.  The British Home Office and Scotland Yard have 
        (allegedly) both refused to give such a statement of
        "No criminal record on file", in the past.
        
        3.    Ben Amar Peisio of London's Foreign and Commonwealth
        Office for international legalization (allegedly) said
        that his office would issue such documents for a charge of
        12 British Pounds (i.e., 18.60 dollars/660 Czech Crowns),
        and the process is supposed to take only 2 weeks !
        (NO contact information, however, was given for Mr. Peisio.)   

        4.  At the end of the article is a list of documents 
        needed to register in the Czech Republic.  It is a "good
        start", but even I know it's not complete.  Expect to
        make 2, 3 or 4 trips to the Foreign Police, before they
        are happy with your "packet" of materials.

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        As always, I recommend erring on the side of safety, and
        calling your local embassy, before you come to the Czech 
        Republic, or to ANY foreign country.

        First call them to start complying with what's currently 
        required, and then call them a week before leaving for the 
        country, to see if any additional requirements have been 
        recently introduced.                
        
        A serious attitude about getting oneself organized, to live
        and work in a foreign country, is (perhaps) one of the 
        distinctions between being a "professional EFL teacher" and
        simply working as a holiday "holiday EFL teacher":  if it's 
        too much trouble to do both, "good!", then choose.  
        
        (People on holiday don't need to meet all these 
        residency requirements --- until they get a job.)        


            Here are those Embassy numbers again (in Prague):
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                    Australian:  420-2-5709 0511
                    British:     420-2-5732 0355
                    Canadian:    420-2-7210 1800
                    Irish:       420-2-5753 0061
                    South African:  420-2-6731 1114


        Dennis Hickman
        In Prague

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        Report originally prepared for CETEFL (The Central/Eastern
        European Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, by
        Dennis Hickman, M.Ed., CETEFL System Administrator.
        
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