Rodné číslo and the reporting duty in Czechia: the number the police won't give you

Czechia has one compulsory report for an EU citizen: whoever stays longer than thirty days reports to the Foreign Police within thirty days of entry. Whoever forgets risks a fine of up to 3,000 crowns, which can be imposed on the spot. But the report doesn't give you a personal number. The rodné číslo, the number that school, bank, health insurer and doctor ask for, is requested for you by the Ministry of the Interior when you apply for the voluntary registration certificate. That is the finding: the "voluntary" paper is in practice your route to the number.

What is the reporting duty, and what does it give you?

You report your address within thirty days of entry to the Foreign Police office of your place of residence, if you expect to stay longer than thirty days. You use the official form of the Foreign Police and bring it in person or send it by post. Online is only possible via a Czech datová schránka or with a Czech qualified electronic signature, and you won't have either on arrival.

Two exceptions: children under fifteen don't have to report, and whoever stays in a hotel, hostel or guesthouse is reported by the operator.

What it gives you: your stay is registered at that address, and you have met the legal obligation. A personal number is not included. The ministry writes it itself: with a report to the Foreign Police no rodné číslo is requested, and the same applies to EU citizens.

What do you need the rodné číslo for?

According to the ministry, the number is needed to deal with, among others, schools, banks, insurers and doctors, and without a rodné číslo you can't close some contracts or get a mortgage. With the registration certificate the ministry also names buying a car as an example.

How do you get it?

You don't ask for it yourself. When you apply for the registration certificate, a ministry employee requests the number for you ex officio. For that they need two pieces of information people often don't have to hand:

• your place of birth, as a city, town or village that can be found on a map online, not just a region;
• the first and last names of your parents, including maiden names.

Step	Deadline	Cost
Report to the Foreign Police	within 30 days of entry	free; late or not at all: fine up to 3,000 Kč
Application for the registration certificate, with the rodné číslo	whenever you like, for a stay of more than 3 months	200 Kč
Processing of the application	at most 30 days	—
Assignment of the rodné číslo	as a rule within 30 days	—
Collecting the registration certificate	within 30 days	—
Duplicate of the document with your number	on request	300 Kč

The ministry doesn't tell you when your number is there. You won't hear it automatically: you check at the counter or via the helpline for foreigners, and you only get the number itself at the counter, not over the phone. If you wait longer than six months, the ministry advises you to go in. So don't plan the bank and the purchase of a car for the day after your application.

Which changes do you have to report?

With a registration certificate in hand you have a few fixed reporting duties, each with its own deadline:

• a change of name, civil status or passport details, or of the details on your registration certificate: within 15 working days;
• a move, if you are going to live at the new address for more than 180 days: within 30 working days;
• loss, theft or damage of your residence document: within 3 working days;
• leaving Czechia: you hand in the registration certificate no later than 3 days before your residence ends.

Loss or theft of your passport you report immediately to the police.

And your digital identity?

Czechia lets you log in to the government with your bank. The Bank iD is free, works for portals of the government, health insurers and companies, and according to the provider itself also for foreigners and for children from fifteen. You can also make an advanced electronic signature with it. Not every bank offers it; check before you choose a bank (see banking and paying in Czechia).

The registration certificate itself, what you bring and why you want it for other reasons too, is in the residence routes to Czechia. Where the report falls in your own order is in the step-by-step plan for Czechia.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 4 of 5 of the journey, step 4.1: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Czechia or go straight to step 4.1 in the open plan.