What is Czechpoint
Making it easier to get a výpis (an extract) or get a notarized signature on your documents
The Czech government has launched Czechpoint in 2009 to make it easier to get official documents such as extracts for the trade license register, commercial court, land register, criminal record etc. etc. The system can be used online at www.czechpoint.cz at (larger) postoffices or most notaries. The benefit is you can get documents from anywhere in Czech Republic, you do not have to travel anymore to the place the original document was issued.
If you are considering using the Czechpoint at the Prague main post office in Jindřisšká you may as well go to a notary or smaller post office. Usually the lines are shorter.
Notarized Signature
Probably the most-used function of Czechpoint is to get an 'overeny podpis' (notarized signature) on a document. Typical examples are permission for a business address of an SRO, changes to Commercial Court, or the landlord's permission of a visa application.Notarized Copies
For a small sum (30CZK per page) you can have 'official' copies of docucments made - for example: you have only one rental contract, but the foreign police wants an original. Purchase contracts is another example. (Unless, of course you print out multiple and everybody signs each document).But: there are restrictions: document has to be in Czech, it can not be a passport, ID card, driver's license or any foreign document.
Commercial Court Extract
There is no real need to an extract from the commercial court (výpis z obchodního rejstríku) from the actual Commercial Court near Námestí Míru (Mestský soud v Praze, Slezská 9, 120 00 Praha 2). You can get it from any Czechpoint.But for copies of the Company Formation documents (notarský zápis) a trip to the Commercial Court or the notary that produced them is required, since these cannot be obtained at Czechpoint at all.
Both the Court Extract and Company Formation documents can also be obtained as unofficial pdf from the website www.justice.cz
Trade License Extract
For an extract of the trade license register (výpis z živnostenského rejstríku) you can go to Czechpoint or to any Mestský Urád in Czech Republic. All offices have access to data of all trade licenses issued in Czech Republic.Czech or EU Criminal Extract
For a Czech criminal extract (výpis z rejstríku trestů) it is better to go to CzechPoint, instead of the Criminal Court near metro Pražského Povstání (Rejstřík trestů, Soudni 1, Praha 4 Nusle), since you may have to wait for hours if there are long lines.Processing the request for an EU Criminal Extract is not immediate, and depends on your nationality. It can stretch from a few hours to a few weeks and the country can refuse giving information (Nl, for example).
Note that for a Czech criminal extract at Czechpoint a 3rd-Country National will need to show a birth certificate. Without it, you will have to go to the criminal court anyway since they do not require the birth certificate, only the passport.
Landregister / Kadastral Extract
As official government bodies now also can look directly in the Land Register near metro Kobylisy (Katastr / Ceský úrad zememerický a katastrální, Pod sídlištem 9/1800, Praha 8) there is no need anymore to bring a výpis z katastru when registering a trade license, but should you require one, then this can be done at Czechpoint.Note that sometimes it is hard to find with just the address, you may need the kadastral building number and apartment number (sooo, provide kadastral information in order to get a extract with the same info from the Katastr - yes, you read it right. It is backward.)
In 9 out of 10 cases, you can find the informatioon you need in the online kadastr. The basic info is free of charge, and through a payway you can get specific info on a piece of land / building.
Usefulness of Czechpoint documents
Czechpoint documents do always not look like the original documents. For example at Commercial Court you get an 'official copy' with the kolky (green, glued paper stamps), much like the original document.The Czechpoint document is a printout you also can get yourself at www.justice.cz, the only difference is that somebody stamped it to prove it is a legally valid copy.
Furthermore, notaries and czech authorities have nowadays access to an online database (basically the same as Czechpoint is using), so in many cases they do not even require a paper copy of your extracts anymore.