If you are moving to the Czech Republic from Canada, you will likely need help. The Czech Republic does not offer or accept immigration or declaration forms in other languages. All required documents must be in the Czech language. For this reason (and many others), most people moving to the Czech Republic work with a shipping company like A-1 Auto Transport.
More on that later. For now, let’s focus on your questions about moving to the Czech Republic.
Can I Import my Household Goods and Personal Belongings?
The Czech Republic offers tax and duty-free imports for your household goods if you have owned them for at least six months. You must have lived outside of the Czech Republic for at least one year and complete your imports within one year of the issuance of your Czech visa. You are not permitted to sell any of your imported goods within a year of your arrival.
Establishing a residence in the Czech Republic will require you to establish housing. Customs officials will need to see a copy of a housing contract in order to clear your belongings through customs. If you do not have a copy to provide, you will have six months to present it.
Here are some of the documents you will need to provide, all written in the Czech language:
- Passport
- Czech Residence Visa
- Lease/rental contract with a minimum term of 2 years
- Bill of Lading/Air Waybill
- Detailed Inventory with serial numbers and valuations
- Power of Attorney for the customs agent
- Declaration
Am I Allowed to Bring my Pets?
Yes, you can bring your pets as long as you can provide current copies of your Certificate of Vaccination and Health Certificate from a licensed veterinarian. Your pet won’t even have to be quarantined unless they are flagged by a Czech customs official for potential health problems. In that event, your pet can be quarantined for up to 30 days until it is deemed safe for entry to the country.
Should I Leave my Vehicle at Home?
Your private vehicle will be duty-free with the stipulation that you may not sell, lease, rent, loan, or dispose of the vehicle within one year of your arrival in the Czech Republic. In fact, if you leave the Czech Republic before that one-year period ends, you are required to take your imports with you when you leave the country.
Any vehicle that you import to the Czech Republic cannot be more than 5 years old, and you must have owned it for at least 6 months prior to your move.
To clear customs with your vehicle, Czech officials will require the following documentation:
- Certificate of Title (a clear title with no liens) and Proof of Registration
- Owner’s Manual
- Proof of Purchase
- International Insurance Policy
- Residence Permit
- Passport
- Power of Attorney for customs agent
- Proof of Residency (lease, rental or purchase contract)
Before driving in the Czech Republic, you will need to obtain a road usage tax sticker. Missing this requirement could result in a traffic stop and fine.
The Help You Need is Just a Call Away
With most international moves, the average citizen could probably manage it. It would be stressful, confusing, tedious, and risky – but ultimately, doable. You may find out you have to pay more taxes than you expected, or you may have to surrender a prohibited item or two. Moving to the Czech Republic is different. Since the country does not provide or accept customs declaration documents in English or French, filling out the paperwork correctly can be a chore, if not impossible.
At A-1 Auto Transport, we handle all the paperwork for you. That way you can focus on what is important to you and your family, while we handle the details. Call us today for your free, no-obligation shipping quote so we can get started working for you.
Written By:Joe Webster
Joe Webster began his journey in the auto transport field by attending the University of Southern California (USC), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Marketing.
After college, he started his career in the auto transport industry from the bottom up and has done virtually every job there is to do at A-1 Auto Transport, including but not limited to: Truck Driver, Dispatch, Sales, PR, Bookkeeping, Transport Planner, Transport Manager, International Transport Manager, Brokering, Customer Service, and Marketing. Working with his mentor Tony Taylor, Joe Webster has learned the ins and outs of this industry which is largely misunderstood.
With over 30 years experience in the industry, we've been helping people ship their vehicles, motorcycles, RV's, heavy equipment, household goods and more across the country or overseas without a hitch. Ask us anything.
Email me - info@a1autotransport.com
