Czech Citizenship

Discussion in 'Looking for Ancestors' started by Phulsey3124, Nov 1, 2005.

  1. Phulsey3124

    Phulsey3124 New Member

    My mother was born and raised in the Czech Republic and then moved to Germany and then USA where she was naturalized in 1971. If I was born while she was still a Czech Citizen should I be able to apply for the Czech Citizenship as well? If anyone knows how and what is involved to obtain a direct citizenship, can you let me know? Your help is appreciated. I plan to move there in February.
     
  2. Karel Fous

    Karel Fous Well-Known Member

  3. Viktor

    Viktor Well-Known Member

    Phulsey:

    If indeed you want to pursue this endless journey, good luck! I was born in the former Czechoslovakia, and lived there untill the age of six, and to this day speak the language fluently (like a native without an accent, as I was complemented). Thus I assumed, that "re claiming" my Czech citizenship, would be a breeze. Boy was I WRONG!

    First ,I encountered buerocratic resistence due to the fact that I was born to Czech parents (I've documents , tracing my Czech lineage as far as 1852), in Bratislava -- now Slovakia. Then I presented documents, that I was indeed "adopted" after the war (mother re married) in Bohemia by my Czech parents (step father was also a Czech).But my efforts were of no avail, since the New Czech government is very "protective" of the "purity" of the Czech nationality --those who left in and after 1948 to escape the comminist oppression, are deemed as : "persona nan grata", and deserved to loose their citizenship rights. Hence, if you mother left the CSSR before 1989, her citizenship was also "revoked", since there was no "legal immigration" during the time of ther communist regime.

    To further complicate the process, if there was ANY propriety involved --your mothers famly had thie propriety confiscated. This then will be finnal "coup de grace", since the resent government, although it likes to call itself as "free and democratic", is deadly affraid, that thier family and or friends might have to return the "stolen propriety" to it's righfull owners, and by rerinstating one ex-pats citizenship, they would open the flood gates of discontent. These people have been living in STOLEN propriety for some 47 years, and it alomst feels like it is their own!

    Hence, my advice is; go for a visit, enjoy, look over the country -- it is truly a beautifull land were most of it resenbles Apalachia and some parts of Colorado, but the winter weather is more like in International Falls, MN -- But you'll not find a Grand Canyon or the wast Southwest. Enjoy yor visit -- the tourist visa is good for 6 months -- and I'm certain that before your time is up, you'll long for good old Home Sweet Home in the USA. Every day living in CZ is indeed "different" and at times frustrating and difficult, which is tollerable, and if you have living relatives there it will help. But to solo it, I would not recomend, because EVERITHING is DIFFERENT and the Culture Shock you'll experience will be too much to bear. More than likelly you'll be back in the US by the time your visa expires and kissing the ground as you desinbark from the plane.

    I also persued this dream -- reclaim my birthright -- for a few years, but finally gave in and acepted my faith! Thank God, I'm an Amreican citizen --- otherwise I would be stateless to this day, since the land of my birth, Czechoslovakia, confiscated my citizenship --, and the US is my country...


    Have a nice visit in February (if I were you, I would have a open round trip ticket handy) and enjoy. But life long commitments can not be based on the price of beer. Have a few, but you'll tire of it too...

    Good Luck,

    Viktor[/u]
     
  4. Foss

    Foss Member

     
  5. otto

    otto Member

    Hi
    My parents left the Czechoslovakia in 1950, when I was ten. We emigrated to Australia, but later came to UK to be near home. In 1990 I decided to reclaim my birthright to be a czech citizen again. When I wanted to visit the old country they said I needed a visa as I now had Australian citizenship. This was like a red rag to a bull for me and I went to town at the czech embassy in London. After I got my citizenship back, but then when Slovakia went its own way, I had to reapply for my czech citizenship, to prove I was indeed born in Prague. I believe if you were born a czech, no matter where in the world you are you are a czech and are entitled to czech citizenship No matter what anyone says. So my advise is hammer at them and they will give in and grant you a czech citizenship it is your birthright.
     
  6. Rommie

    Rommie Well-Known Member

    My best wishes. :cry:
    You´ll have a problems no matter if you´re Czech citizen or not. Officals love making problems!
    Well, I thought you´ve got citizenship of country where were you born...Or citizenship of you parents if you were born abroad.
    I´m lost
    :oops:
    Good luck!
     
  7. otto

    otto Member

    Hi Rommie,
    I was born in Prague, both my parents were czech. Does this clarify it or are you still lost.
    Regards Otto
     
  8. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    Hi otto,

    it is'nt so easy. Czech citizenship expires usualy by acceptation of another citizenship but there're some exceptions. Maybe your case is included in these exceptions.
    Do you know relevant law? Do you know Czech? Give me your e-mail via privat message if you want Czech version of these laws.
     
  9. Rommie

    Rommie Well-Known Member

    Hi, otto!
    Thanks, itś clear now :lol:
    I know good czech website about law, but I don´t know if you´re good in Czech? :cry:
    But it could be helpful, cause there are articles about czech citizenship for foreigners or for czech citizens which lost CZ citizenship.
    I hope my word make sense to you :lol:
    Bye

    EPRAVO.CZ Articles or just : www.epravo.cz
     
  10. Suniskys

    Suniskys Active Member

    Be prepared for a long process!!!

    My father started to help me get my Czech citizenship. He is Czech, I was born in Canada. I now have dual citizenship.

    I had to get my birth certificate translated into Czech, and later on, my marriage certificate. It took years to get my initial citizenship and lots of forms to fill out.

    When I changed my maiden name to my married name, it took over a year to get my new passport with my new name.

    I would start by going to a Czech embassy and talk to someone there.
     
  11. otto

    otto Member

    Hi Suniskys
    Thanks for your advice, but I already have a czech citizenship, but Wer thinks I should not. as I hold an Australian citizenship. Yes, as you stated, I did go to the czech embassy and they did sort it out for me quite well. No problem, exept I had to get a birth certificate, which took time. They even said my children could have a czech citizenship together with their British Citizenship, but unfortunately I had to decline as neither speak a word of czech. ( I blame my mother for this. She said knowing czech will not help them in this wide world)
    I dearly love going back to Prague, but alas I cannot ever live there as dearly as I would like, mainly all my family now lives in the Uk. The wife is English.
    Well thanks for your advice
    Regards
    Otto
     
  12. JR

    JR New Member

    Hi Sunisky, I'm not certain if you (or anyone else who can relate to this topic) is reading this but I'm in a similar situation at the present time. My mother was born in the town of As, in Czech and left in the late 1930's when she was just 2 weeks old, emigrating to Canada. She never sought her Czech citizenship and holds only a Canadian passport.

    My mother is now seeking her Czech citizenship and just has her birth certificate from the town of As. She has sent in her marriage certifcate (translated into Czech) and is now waiting for word back from the Czech government to see if she will receive her citizehship, claiming that she never "gave up" her citizenship becasue she never had it.

    As her unmarried Canadian born daughter, I'm would like to apply to Czech citizenship as well through claim of ancestry. What advice do you have, time, process...etc. for myself once my mother receives her citizenship? All responses are welcome!

    thanks,

    JR
     
  13. thisisnotdel

    thisisnotdel Member

    I got Czech citizenship back when I was about 9, not just me, but my mother, and sister. I think it really depends, so yes, I have dual citizenship, Canadian and Czech.
     
  14. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    I thought the Czech Republic doesn't allow dual citizenship. But maybe it's America that doesn't allow it.
     
  15. MK

    MK Well-Known Member

    Answer is both Yes and No. Dual citizenship is allowed but if somebody was Czech citizen and became citizen of another country by his/her free will then he/her lose czech citizenship.
    Exceptions are: other citizenship by marriage (since 2003:when husband became foreign citizen during marriage, before 2003 - just "by marriage" - no strings attached), and by birth.
    Regarding America: US currently allow dual citizenship - that international contract between CZ and US which banned it was allready canceled. (who lost Czech lost Czech citizenship because of this contract can now apply for renewal )
    Another issue is when somebody was Czech (Czechoslovak) citizen and received another citizenship before 1993 - he/her can not lose Czech citizenship.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Code:
    	(1) Státní občan České republiky pozbývá státní občanství České republiky dnem, kdy na základě výslovného projevu vůle (žádost, prohlášení, souhlas nebo jiný úkon směřující k nabytí cizího státního občanství) dobrovolně nabyde cizí státní občanství. K pozbytí státního občanství České republiky nedojde v případech, kdy došlo k nabytí cizího státního občanství v souvislosti s uzavřením manželství se státním občanem cizího státu, a to za předpokladu, že došlo k nabytí cizího státního občanství manžela za trvání manželství. K pozbytí státního občanství České republiky nedojde ani v případech, kdy k nabytí cizího státního občanství došlo narozením.
     
  16. Kanadanka

    Kanadanka Well-Known Member

    we left in 1969 and neither my parents, nor my brother and I lost our Czech citizenship even after becoming Canadian citizens. We even managed to get our properties back several years ago. We are now exploring the option of having my husband (who is Canadian born of English ancestry) and our children apply for Czech citizenship.
     
  17. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the clarification. :)
     
  18. gypzy

    gypzy Well-Known Member

    Forgive me if I sound like a ditz. Why did she never have Czech citizenship if she was born on Czech land?
     
  19. kimba

    kimba Active Member

    I researched this too, contacting the Czech Embassy in the US and asking them. I had no clue - my grandfather was born in Bohemia and taking a cue from the Italians (if you had even one grandparent who was born in Italy you can apply for Italian citizanship) I decided to find out if the Czechs were ready to welcome us all back.

    I thought this would actually be the easiest way to attain EU citizanship which is what I was really searching for.

    Phew, what a rigamarole I landed in! There was a list about two feet long that gave all of the conditions on whether or not it was possible in any given instance to attain citzenship. If my grandfather was born during certain years but emigrated during other certain years then no, but if he emigrated later then yes and what was the condition of the emigration (was it before a war or during a war) and this went on and on and on ...

    The weird thing was that the folks at the embassy seemed to really want to help me do this and were eager to help me find a loophole. Although, I gave up before they did ...
     
  20. ta

    ta Well-Known Member

    Hi MK,

    that was a great info you gave us! Thanks!
    By the way, where did you get the original cut-paste citation of that law? Could you tell me the exact source? I would like to use it but I need the whole thing...

    Thanks!
     

Share This Page