[Paholsky]

I spent several months in central Europe last summer and now want to move to Prague. I have had several job interviews with recruiters in Prague but, although I am a highly skilled Web specialist and have no problem finding work in the U.S., companies in Prague often do not want to bother with the work permit that a U.S. citizen must have to live/work in the E.U. I would not mind getting a work permit on my own or hiring an agency to do this, but one needs a job offer before applying ... a catch 22.

I have mostly worked for myself for the past 10 years, and would not mind working for myself in Prague. But I do not think this would allow me to stay there beyond the 3-month period that is only allowed for visitors.

Does anyone know of an angle that I am not considering?

I just want to be able to live in Prague beyond the 3-month period while building, managing and consulting on Web applications. I keep hearing we live in a global community but nations' bureaucracies seem not to have gotten that memo. Similar situation with my cellphone carrier.

Note: I have contacted the Polish embassy to try to acquire citizenship since I have ancestors from Poland (and Slovakia), but my grandfather on my mother's side lived in Poland when it was under Russian control and, therefore, cannot gain citizenship.

 

[Bevdeforges]

Welcome to life in the 21st century. Although each country has its own immigration requirements, nearly all the countries I'm familiar with (mostly in the EU) require an employer to sponsor a visa with working privileges. It's the employer who starts the visa process in motion, and once the employer's part is approved, then the candidate can file their forms to request a visa.

The best resource I can suggest is the Europa portal section on Working in Europe: Work and pensions in the European Union It's written to address Europeans wanting to move within Europe to work, but sometimes you can find information here that might give you some sort of idea how to proceed.
Cheers,
Bev