In Prague, go into the glass building at the rear of the court building and take a number, then be prepared to wait up to an hour-and-a-half.

Take with you:

• A valid passport, ID card or foreigner's residency permit

• A duty stamp (kolek) worth 50 CZK, which is available from a post office, or 50 CZK to buy a stamp at the registry

If your passport/ID card/residency permit doesn't list your surname at birth, date and place of birth, birth number, or citizenship, you'll also have to take your birth certificate and/or marriage certificate along with you, plus a notarized Czech translation of those documents.

CZECH POINT TERMINALS
Since January 2008 foreigners with a rodné číslo (birth number) have been able to get a printout of their penal record from the government-run Czech Point network of electronic information points.

Instead of going to a penal register office, you can take the required identification to one of more than 1,500 Czech Point terminals located at post offices and municipal offices around the country.

For a full list of locations (in Czech), see the official Czech Point website.

(For locations in Prague, select the "PRAHA" option at the bottom of the "KDE JE CZECH POINT" dropdown menu.)

ONLINE APPLICATIONS
It's also possible to apply for your extract from the penal register electronically, via the Justice Ministry website's Czech-language elektronická podatelna ("electronic registry") service.

In order to do this you have to have a valid certificate of authorization (kvalifikovaný certifikát) for your computer, which includes your electronic signature.

It isn't stated explicitly on the Justice Ministry website, but it can be assumed that you'll also need a rodné číslo (birth number) to apply electronically, just as would if you applied via a Czech Point terminal.

POSTAL APPLICATIONS
You can also obtain your penal-register extract through the post.

Take the relevant documents and an application form to one of the following administrative offices:

• Regional attorney's office (okresní státní zastupitelství)

• Municipal council (obecní úřady)

• Town council (městské úřady)

• Offices of the Prague local council (obvodní úřady a místní úřady v Praze)

After verifying your documents, these offices will hold onto them, then post your penal register to the address given on your application form by registered mail. It usually takes about two to three weeks.

THIRD-PARTY APPLICATION
If someone applies on your behalf, he or she must provide a notarized power of attorney, with a sworn translation in Czech.

CONTACT
For any further inquiries, call the Rejstřík trestů (Penal Register) direct at (+420) 244 006 111.