What does the citizenship test entail?

If you want to become a citizen of the Czech Republic, it is not enough to fill in the form and pay the administrative fee. The path to citizenship is lined with several compulsory steps, the most obvious of which is the citizenship exam, officially called the Czech language citizenship exam and the Czech realities exam. The legislator thus makes it clear that obtaining Czech citizenship is not just an administrative formality but a confirmation of real integration.

When granting citizenship, the state wants to be sure that the new Czech citizen knows the language at least at B1 level, understands the basics of the constitutional system, knows the history and everyday reality of the country and can use his or her knowledge in practice. All of this is codified in the Law on State Citizenship, which states that without successful demonstration of these competencies, the granting of citizenship cannot be approved unless the applicant has a statutory exemption.

However, in addition to the test, the applicant must also demonstrate permanent and effective residence, criminal record, financial freedom from debt and, in some cases, deeper integration into social life. These conditions for obtaining Czech citizenship are assessed simultaneously: if you fail on a single point, your application is rejected.

What the law says about the citizenship test

The basis for the whole process is the Czech Citizenship Act. It clearly lists the conditions for obtaining Czech citizenship – from length of residence to good character to the mandatory language and realities tests.

According to the Decree on Proving Knowledge of the Czech Language and Czech Realities for the Purposes of Granting Czech Citizenship, as an applicant for citizenship you must pass a state-established exam, which includes a written and oral test in Czech and a separate written test in realities. You must pass each of these tests with a minimum of 60%, with precise assessment criteria. The Decree also regulates the form of the individual test tasks, the length of the oral interview (15-20 minutes) and the obligations of the testing institutions – for example, ensuring fairness of the process, availability of dates and taking a record of the exam.

The same regulation also lists the equivalent language tests (e.g. Matura in Czech, ALTE B1+ certificate) that replace the language part of the test. Thus, an applicant can fulfil one of the most demanding conditions with an already completed diploma.

Step-by-step Czech language and Czech realities exam

The Czech language test for citizenship is the most difficult stage of the Czech passport application process for many applicants. The language part consists of a written test (reading, listening, writing) and an oral interview. As mentioned above, both must be passed with at least 60% and, in addition, the written form must be passed with at least 50% in one of the areas, otherwise it counts as a failure. The interview takes place without prior preparation, lasts approximately 15-20 minutes and is conducted by a pair of examiners to ensure objectivity.

The reality test is purely written and tests basic knowledge of the constitution, history, geography and practical information such as ‘how health insurance works’. The Ordinance requires a 60 % pass mark. In addition, the Ministry of Education publishes a sample test and a list of typical situations, which can be very helpful in your preparation.

In general, all applicants between 15 and 65 years of age who have not studied for at least three years in a Czech school and do not suffer from a serious health handicap must take the test. Exemptions also apply to holders of the “equivalent exams” already mentioned – the Baccalaureate in Czech, the state language exam or the ALTE certificate at B1 level or above.

The fee for taking the Czech language exam and the Czech realities exam is CZK 5,700, the fee for taking the Czech language exam only is CZK 3,700 and the fee for taking the Czech realities exam only is CZK 2,000.

The practical part starts with an online application at least one week before the deadline, otherwise the system will not let you in. If you fail, you repeat only the part in which you failed, with no limit on the number of attempts, but the exception is the obligation to pay the fee again.

Other conditions: residency, integrity, debts and security considerations

Passing the citizenship test opens only one of the gates. The law also insists that the applicant has been a permanent resident of the Czech Republic for at least five years (three is sufficient for EU citizens) and has actually lived here for at least half of that time. Shorter stays of up to two months a year do not count as absences. The Home Office can waive parts of this period in justified cases (e.g. when married to a Czech citizen), but this is not a claim.

Another essential condition is criminal record: the applicant must not have been convicted of a deliberate crime or serious negligence. This is evidenced by an extract from the criminal record not only of the Czech Republic but also of any country where the applicant has spent more than six months in the last ten years.

The State verifiesfinancial freedom through a certificate that the applicant has no social security or health insurance arrears. This previously often overlooked detail is now carefully checked and can derail the whole process.

Equally important is the “test” of integration and security. The Ministry checks that the applicant is not a threat to public order, has not evaded paying taxes and is socially anchored (work, study, family). This is where personal interviews and assessments by the police or intelligence services play a role.

Summary

As you can see, the road to a Czech passport is more of a marathon than a sprint. First you need to meet the residency and integrity criteria, sort out your debts, and then you have the final Czech language exam for citizenship and the realities test. If you can successfully demonstrate a B1 level of language, pass the interview and written test, and master at least 60% of the questions on geography, history or financial literacy, you will have fulfilled the most obvious requirement for Czech citizenship.

The rest is careful administration: get criminal record extracts, proof of debt-free status, provide proof of actual residence and a “cross-cutting” CV in Czech. Once you have submitted everything at the registry office or regional office, the procedure starts, in which the Ministry verifies whether you meet all the legal points. In practice, this can take 6-12 months, even longer for complex cases.

The most common mistake applicants make is underestimating details – a missing apostille on a diploma, an outdated certificate of good character or a “forgotten” outstanding health insurance.