Moving to Prague: the first 30 days, week by week

The first month in a new country is mostly queues, forms and a SIM card that will not activate. The one mercy is that almost everything has a sensible order, and doing the right thing on the right day means you never redo it. Here is a four-week plan for a newcomer who is staying long term.

Our first 24 hours checklist and first week checklist go day by day. This one zooms out to the whole month.

Week one: the base

Report your place of stay. Third-country nationals must report within three working days of arrival, and a hotel or accommodation provider does it for guests. EU citizens staying more than 30 days report within 30 days (as of 2026; check the Ministry of the Interior). The foreign police handle this first report. If you have a residence permit, later address changes go to the Ministry of the Interior (OAMP), not the police.

Get connected. Buy a local SIM or an eSIM; our SIM guide explains the choices. Install the PID Lítačka app and decide on a pass. See Prague public transport tickets.

Health cover. Employees are covered through their employer. Others should check which scheme applies. Non-EU foreigners outside the public system must hold commercial insurance meeting the Foreigners Act (as of 2026; check the Ministry of the Interior). See Czech health insurance for newcomers.

Week two: the flat and the money

If you are in short-term accommodation, this is the week to sign a long lease. Use the one-week search plan and read the move-in checklist. Read the meters and put them in writing: taking meter readings shows how.

Open a bank account. Every bank must offer a basic payment account, and many have English-language onboarding. See opening a Czech bank account and best banks for foreigners. Give your employer the account number so the first salary lands properly.

Week three: official admin and the neighbourhood

By now you know your street, your tram and your supermarket. Use this week for the slower tasks.

• Residence status. If you hold a permit or are applying for one, follow the Ministry of the Interior's instructions for your permit type. Extension applications are made no earlier than 120 days before and no later than the day the permit expires (as of 2026; check the Ministry of the Interior).
• A GP. Registering with a general practitioner (praktický lékař) is easier when you are not ill. Ask which doctors take new patients and speak English.
• Utilities and waste. If gas, electricity or internet are in your name, finish the transfers. See utility bills in a Prague flat.
• Trusted contacts. Save the numbers in the emergency guide.

Week four: money and routine

Sit down with a month of spending and compare it with your plan. How much money you need to live in Prague gives a method, and Prague groceries and eating out show where spending drifts. If you are planning to stay for years, you may eventually look at buying, and the guide to buying property in Czechia as a foreigner on Hypoteky.com is a starting point, though nothing needs deciding this month.

Then do something that is not admin. Walk the Royal Route, go to a park, learn the word for "a coffee, please".

Mistakes people make

Leaving the health insurance question until something goes wrong. Paying a large sum in cash for a deposit. Signing a lease in Czech that you cannot read. Forgetting that a hotel counts as an address for the first report but not as a home for your bank.

If something slips

Something will. The bank wants a document you do not have, the doctor's receptionist speaks only Czech, the SIM does not activate. Keep one folder, on paper and on your phone, with scans of your passport, permit, lease, insurance and any confirmation of your place of stay. Carry originals only when an office asks for them.

When a step is blocked by another, work backwards. If a bank refuses an account because it needs a lease, ask your accommodation provider for a written confirmation of your stay. If an insurer wants an address, give the one you reported. Most blockages are about order, not about rules.

Also use week one for the things that are not paperwork. Find the nearest supermarket and pharmacy, ride your commute once at rush hour and learn which tram stop is yours. People who do this settle faster than people who treat the first month as a queue, because the city starts to feel like somewhere they live.

Frequently asked questions

How soon after arriving must I report my address?

Third-country nationals within three working days; EU citizens within 30 days if they stay longer than 30 days (as of 2026; check the Ministry of the Interior).

Do I need a Czech bank account in the first week?

It is not legally required, but it makes salary, rent and bills simpler. Start the application in week one or two.

Where do I find a doctor?

Ask your insurer for a list of GPs that take new patients, or ask colleagues and neighbours. Some practices work in English.

When should I sign a long lease?

Once you have seen the flat and read the contract. Many newcomers bridge the gap with a short stay first.

Start with the first item: write down the date you arrived and the date your place-of-stay report is due.

This is a general explainer, not legal or tax advice.