Short-term visa

We distinguish whether third-country nationals must have a visa when traveling to the Czech Republic or not.

Nationals from countries that require a visa must have a short-term visa (type C visa) for stays of less than 90 days.

Nationals from countries that do not require a visa may stay in the Czech Republic without a visa for a period not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period (the so-called 90/180 rule). However, they may not engage in gainful activity (work or run a business) during their stay. Individual visa-free stays and stays on short-term visas are added together for these persons and may not exceed 90 days in the previous 180 days.

Beyond the general visa-free rule 90/180, citizens of some countries may stay in the Czech Republic for longer provided that other conditions are met. These are citizens of countries that have a bilateral visa-free agreement with the Czech Republic (e.g. Israel, Chile, Argentina, the Republic of Korea). For specific information, it is advisable to contact the branch of the Alien Police.

All third-country citizens are obliged to register with the Alien Police at their place of residence within 3 working days of entering the territory of the Czech Republic. This obligation does not apply to foreigners under the age of 15 or if this obligation has been fulfilled by the accommodation provider (typically if you are staying at a hotel).

If a foreigner has arrived in the Czech Republic to receive a long-term or permanent residence permit (i.e. arrived on the basis of a so-called D/VR visa), they must report their arrival within 3 days at the workplace of the Ministry of the Interior.

Visa-free stay does not serve to submit an application for a long-term visa or long-term residence in the Czech Republic. These are submitted at the Czech Republic’s embassies abroad. However, there are certain exceptions: an application for a temporary or permanent residence permit for a family member of an EU citizen, an application for a long-term visa for the purpose of tolerating residence in the territory, and an application for international protection, only these can be submitted in the Czech Republic even from a visa-free stay.