President Klaus signs new foreigners’ law

President Klaus has signed a new foreigners' law tightening the rules under which foreigners can apply for permanent residence or asylum in the Czech Republic. Under the new conditions non-EU foreigners who marry Czech citizens will have to wait two years before being able to apply for permanent residence. The new legislation will take effect on January 1st of 2008 and was timed to coincide with the country's entry to the Schengen border-free zone.