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Third-Country Nationals

If you do not fall within the above-mentioned category of EU citizens or citizens of other states forming the Schengen Area, you are considered a third-country national. This page is intended for you—that is, for persons who are not citizens of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland, nor family members of such citizens.

Here you will find clear information on the options available to foreign nationals for staying in the Czech Republic—ranging from short-term stays without a visa, through short-term and long-term visas, to long-term and permanent residence, and even the possibility of obtaining Czech citizenship.

This website provides a basic overview and practical links to official sources, such as the Ministry of the Interior and other relevant institutions. You will also find specific contact details for the relevant authorities in Prague.

Short-term Stay in the Czech Republic – without a Visa

If your country does not have a visa requirement for the Czech Republic, you may, in accordance with the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals, enter the Czech Republic with a valid travel document and stay for a maximum of 90 days. The Czech Republic is part of the Schengen Area (an area without internal border controls); therefore, as a foreign national, you may remain in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period. This is known as the 90/180 rule.

However, you are not permitted to work during this period. You are also obliged to report your place of residence to the relevant Foreign Police department within three days of arrival. If you are staying in a hotel or dormitory, this obligation is fulfilled by the accommodation provider.

To calculate the number of days you are allowed to stay in the Czech Republic (and the whole Schengen area) under the 90/180 rule, you can use the Schengen calculator.

Short-term and Long-term Visa

Short-term Visa for Foreigners in the Czech Republic

Are you planning to come to the Czech Republic as a citizen of a country subject to a visa requirement in order to study, conduct business, visit family or friends, or attend a cultural event? If so, you must obtain a visa depending on the intended length of your stay. A short-term visa (also known as a Schengen visa) allows stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

The issuance of short-term visas falls within the competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. For more information, please visit the Ministry’s website.

In exceptional circumstances, you may apply for an extension of a short-term visa at the Foreign Police departments of the regional directorates of the Police of the Czech Republic. A list of these offices is available here.

Long-term Visa for Foreigners in the Czech Republic

A long-term visa (over 90 days) allows you to stay in the Czech Republic for up to one year. However, it is issued only for the period for which you can demonstrate the purpose of your stay. For example, if you submit confirmation of studies for only one semester, the long-term visa will be issued only for that period.

You must submit your application for a long-term visa in person at the relevant diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic abroad. Please note that you may be invited to an interview during which the purpose and circumstances of your stay will be verified. When applying for a long-term visa to the Czech Republic for a stay exceeding 90 days, you are required to submit the following documents: a valid passport, one photograph (unless photographs are taken at the office), a document proving accommodation in the Czech Republic, proof of sufficient financial means for your stay, and a document confirming the purpose of your stay in the Czech Republic (such as confirmation of studies, a trade licence, or an invitation). For detailed information on acceptable purposes of stay and the required supporting documents, please consult the Official Information Portal for Foreigners of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic. An extract from the criminal records and additional documents may also be requested.

Always submit original documents or certified copies. All documents, with the exception of the passport, must be translated into Czech. Foreign public documents are subject to higher authentication.

Diplomatic missions of the Czech Republic are authorized only to accept visa applications; the decision on granting a visa is made by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic. If your visa is granted, the diplomatic mission will usually notify you by email that your visa is ready for collection. You must then provide proof of travel health insurance.

If your application for a Czech visa is refused, the Ministry of the Interior will inform you of the reasons for the refusal in writing. Within 15 days of receiving this notification, you may request the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic to re-assess the reasons for refusing a long-term visa (over 90 days). The Ministry is obliged to inform you of the outcome of the re-assessment within 60 days.

For more information on long-term visas, required documents, the application procedure, and visa extensions, please visit the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, which is responsible for processing long-term visa applications.

Long-term Residence for Foreigners in the Czech Republic

Are you planning to stay in the Czech Republic for more than one year? Or have you already been staying in the Czech Republic on a long-term visa and wish to extend your stay? In that case, the appropriate option is to apply for a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic.

You must submit the application in person and provide essentially the same documents as when applying for a long-term visa for a stay exceeding 90 days. This usually includes: a valid passport, a document proving the purpose of your stay in the Czech Republic, a document proving accommodation in the Czech Republic, and a proof of sufficient financial means for your stay.

Always submit original documents or certified copies. All submitted documents must be translated into Czech. Foreign public documents are subject to higher authentication. An administrative fee is also payable upon submission of the application.

Long-term residence permits for foreign nationals fall within the competence of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic. If you entered the Czech Republic on a visa valid for more than 90 days, intend to remain in the country for more than one year, and the purpose of your stay continues to apply, you may submit your application at the Ministry’s office known as the Foreigners’ Residence Unit (Department for Asylum and Migration Policy).

If you intend to work, invest, study, conduct scientific research, or reunite with family members in the Czech Republic on a long-term basis, you may apply for a long-term residence permit at a diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic abroad, even without prior residence in the Czech Republic.

Purpose of the Stay of a Foreigner in the Czech Republic

If you are staying in the territory of the Czech Republic on a long-term basis, you must prove to the Ministry of the Interior the reason for your stay—this is referred to as the purpose of stay. The basic types of purposes of stay include studies, scientific research, employment, business, and family reunification.

As a foreign national, you are always required to fulfil the purpose of your stay in the Czech Republic as permitted by the Ministry of the Interior and as stipulated by the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals in the Czech Republic. Until you are granted a permanent residence permit, you may not spend even a single day in the territory of the Czech Republic without fulfilling the approved purpose of your stay.

Therefore, if you terminate your employment, you must either take up new employment on the very next day or change the purpose of your stay so that continuity is maintained. Likewise, if you discontinue your studies or successfully complete them, you must either start employment on the following day or apply for a change in the purpose of your stay.

If you change from a long-term visa to a long-term residence permit, you must continue to fulfil the same purpose of stay (e.g. university studies)! You may change the purpose of your stay only after you have obtained a long-term residence permit.

If you have been granted a long-term residence permit, you are generally free to change the purpose of your stay at any time, with the following exceptions:

  • If you wish to change the purpose of your stay to business, you may do so only after 5 years of residence in the territory of the Czech Republic. An exception applies to persons residing in the Czech Republic for the purpose of family reunification.
  • If you have been granted a long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification and have resided in the territory of the Czech Republic for 3 years, or if you have reached 18 years of age, you may apply for a long-term residence permit for a different purpose at the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
  • If the purpose of your stay is family reunification and you divorce, you may change the purpose of your stay only if you have been residing in the Czech Republic continuously for at least 2 years and your marriage lasted for at least 5 years.

Would you like to apply for a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic right away?

If, as a foreign national, your first application is for a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic, the decision may take considerably longer than if you applied for a long-term visa instead. For example, the time limit for decisions on family reunification is up to 270 days. However, there is a clear advantage: if your application is rejected, you may appeal against the decision.

If you want to stay in the CR for the purpose of employment, you have to apply for the employee card.

Biometric Card of a Foreigner in the Czech Republic

If you are granted a long-term or permanent residence permit in the CR, you will also be issued a biometric card. This card contains biomentric data, i.e. a facial photograph and fingerprints. It facilitates verification of the identity of a foreign national residing in the Czech Republic and ensures the authenticity of documents. To have your biometric data collected, you must go to the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior of the CR.

If you have applied for a residence permit abroad, you must have your biometric data collected within thirty days of entering the Czech Republic. You need to carry a valid travel document with you. You may make an appointment in advance by phone – contact details are available at the relevant diplomatic mission. If you apply for a residence permit within the territory of the CR, the Ministry of the Interior will notify you when to have your biometric data collected.

Remember that you must collect your biometric card no later than 60 days after your data has been taken. Any changes to your data must be reported to the office within three days. The general deadline for reporting a change of address is longer – it is 30 days.

Be sure to know and meet all deadlines! Even being one day late may result in the loss of your residence permit in the CR. If you are unsure about what to do or which deadlines apply in your situation, use the free legal and social counselling provided by the  Integration Centre Prague or other NGOs that will guide you through the complex Act on Foreign nationals.

If you want to stay in the CR for the purpose of employment, you need to apply for the. employee card.

Permanent Residence of Foreigners in the Czech Republic

If you want to reside in the CR permanently, under the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals in the Territory of the Czech Republic, you may apply for a permanent residence permit after 5 years of continuous residence in the Czech Republic. Time spent on a long-term visa or a long-term residence permit counts toward this period, but time on a short-term visa does not.

Students should note that only half of the time spent studying in the Czech Republic counts toward the required period of residence for the purpose of applying for permanent residence.

The condition of continuous residence does not apply to Czech compatriots with demonstrable Czech origin, their spouses, and their minor children. They may apply for permanent residence based on what is called reasons worthy of special consideration.

To be granted permanent residence, foreign nationals must demonstrate a basic knowledge of the Czech language, which requires passing a Czech language test at the A2 level.

It is a good idea to study Czech! With knowledge of Czech, it will be easier for you to engage in everyday life in the CR. Studying Czech is also a step towards obtaining the permanent residence permit.

Applications for permanent residence must be submitted in person at the relevant office of the Ministry of the Interior, based on your registered place of residence. Along with your application, you must provide proof of accommodation in the Czech Republic and proof of sufficient financial means for your stay. You may also be asked to provide an extract from your criminal record.

 Once the decision on granting permanent residence comes into legal effect, you are automatically enrolled in the public healthcare system. Another key advantage is that you no longer have to extend your residence permit and therefore the Ministry of the Interior no longer requires you to prove compliance with the purpose of your stay or to apply for a change of your purpose of stay.

Czech citizenship

In general, a foreigner can acquire Czech citizenship after 5 years of continuous long-term residence in the CR. Under Czech law, this does not require renouncing your existing citizenship, as the Czech Republic allows multiple citizenships.

If you want to apply for Czech citizenship, you must submit an application and demonstrate knowledge of the Czech language on a B1 level and pass an Czech life and institutions test.

If you prove that you have studied for at least 3 years at a primary school, a secondary school or a university in the Czech language, you are exempt from the exam. Applicants younger than 15 and older than 65 are also exempt.

Applications for Czech citizenship must be submitted at Regional Offices or at Municipal Offices of Prague districts. The administrative fee for granting citizenship is 2,000 CZK (for a minor child it is 500 CZK).

Applying for citizenship:

The application for Czech citizenship must be submitted to the regional office. The administrative fee for granting citizenship is CZK 2,000 (CZK 500 for a minor child). In Prague, applications must be submitted in person at the municipal district office responsible for your place of permanent residence.

For example:​

For contact information for individual authorities, please see the Useful contacts section.

 

Last update: 4 March 2025