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Visa Requirements

Foreigner residence in the Czech Republic

A foreigner may come to the Czech Republic for the purpose of study only upon the condition that he has applied for and was granted a student visa for a period of more than 90 days from the Czech embassy in his home country.

As soon as the applicant receives proof of acceptance to the university or college, he may apply at the Czech embassy in his home country for a student visa for periods of more than 90 days (according to law 326/1999 regarding foreign residence in the Czech Republic, and its amendments). Visas for periods of more than 90 days are granted by the foreign police of the Czech Republic and valid for up to 365 days. The application process is conducted in the Czech language, therefore all documents must be in Czech and may not be older than 180 days, with the exception of the passport and photos. Periods of residence that are shorter than the period of the validity of the visa may be extended on the condition that the purpose of residence that the visa was issued for does not change, and may be extended only until the expiration date of the original visa. Applicants who are in the Czech Republic on temporary visas for periods of more than 90 days, and who would like to stay for periods longer than one year, are entitled to apply for a long-term residence permit. Applications for visa extension or for long-term residence permits must be submitted to the foreign police at the earliest 90 days, and at the latest 14 days, before the expiration date of the visa. Applicants are required to pay a fee upon submission of the application. Visas for periods of more than 90 days can be cancelled if the foreigner is convicted of a crime, does not fulfill the purpose of residence for which the visa was granted, or if the foreigner requests its cancellation. In cases where visa applications are declined, appeals will not be considered. Applicants must apply for visa extension within the required time period and pay the proper fees. They will not be notified.

Along with the student visa for periods of 90 days or more foreigners are required to submit:

• A valid passport
• Documents proving purpose of residence in the country (acceptance to the college, local address, and proof of paid health insurance)
• Statement of criminal record for the Czech Republic and for the country the applicant comes from, as well as any country the applicant resided in in the last 3 years for a period of more than 6 months. For countries that do not provide this document, foreigners need to submit a signed, sworn statement regarding criminal record.
• 2 identical passport photographs (dimensions 35mm x 45mm). Photos should include a full face, front view and open eyes. Retouched photographs will not be accepted.
• A medical statement may be required by the embassy or foreign police to show that the applicant does not suffer from any serious illnesses. This is required mainly in cases where the applicant is suspected of being seriously ill.
• Applications for visas, along with all properly completed documents, should be submitted to the Czech embassy in the applicant’s own country.

Upon arrival at the border in the Czech Republic, applicants are required to submit the following documents:

• Valid passport
• Valid Czech student visa for periods of more than 90 days

According to paragraph 93 of law 326/1999, foreigners have 3 days from arrival to report their local place of residence at the office of the foreign police.

Notes:

• Students may for both short and long term visas
• An applicant can expedite the visa process by requesting that the embassy send all documents to the Czech Republic by courier. The applicant is responsible for expenses. In this case, the consulate is required to send the documents by the next day.