CHANGES IN CONDITIONS FOR THE ENTRY AND STAY ON THE TERRITORY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC FROM 2011

• The term of validity of a long-term visa is shortened,
• a long-term visa will be newly issued for the maximum period of 6 months,
• if the purpose of the foreign national's residence in the Territory requires a stay exceeding 6 months, the foreign national is obliged to submit an application for a long-term residence not earlier than 90 days and not later than 14 days before the long-term visa validity expiration,
• the foreign national shall submit such application at a regional office of the Ministry of the Interior.

IMPORTANT ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

• As visas are only issued by Czech Embassies/Consulates abroad, applicants must wait for their applications to be processed,
• a visa can be issued only by the Embassy/Consulate in the country where the application was submitted,
• hence, you cannot apply for a visa in the US and pick it up in Europe or in the Czech Republic,
• you must be present in the US at the end of the application process when the student visa is issued into your passport,
• we don't accept the passports mailed from the Czech Republic and we don't ship them to the Czech Republic!
• according to your residence in the USA, where to apply for a visa,
• prior to your visit of the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago, please arrange an appointment. The business hours are from Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and newly also on Wednesday afternoon from 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm.

READ CAREFULLY

The school/program has to be accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic otherwise you are not eligible to apply for this type of visa and have to apply for the long- term visa for other purposes.

 

PROCESSING TIME

• All visas have to be approved by the Czech Immigration Police,
• therefore, the processing time is approximately 60 days from the date the Consulate General receives the fully completed application and is only applicable to a university or a school with the accredited study programs,
• the processing time of 90 days is applicable to a university or a school without the accredited study programs,
• therefore, the Consulate General recommends that applicants send their applications at least 3 or 4 months in advance of their intended departure from the US,
• please understand that the Embassy/Consulate is not able to speed up the process!

FEE

WE WOULD LIKE TO INFORM THAT VISA FEE CHANGES ON MONTHLY BASIS DUE TO ACTUAL EXCHANGE RATE. FEE RECIEVED ON THE FOLLOWING MONTH CAN´T BE ACCEPTED.

EXACT VISA FEE

Fees paid in cash or money order should be made payable to the Consulate General of the Czech Republic. We do not accept personal checks. The fee may change without prior notice!

EXCEPTION

Please notice there is a non application fee for those who get a written confirmation from a school recorded in the Register of Schools, and School Facilities and Studies, under the accredited study programs of higher education institutions in the Czech Republic (includes the number of the accredited program).

REQUIREMENTS

• Please read carefully as incomplete applications will be immediately returned or the process will be delayed,
• all documents must be presented in their original form or as a notarized copy,
• no documents (except for your passport) may be older than 180 days,
• additional copy of all documents is obligatory.

1. Completed visa application form

• The form must be filled out completely with a ball point pen or by a typewriter with black or blue ink. Do not use red ink to complete the application,
• please do not forget to sign the application in the place indicated at the bottom of the fifth page,
• when completing the application please do not forget to state your full name (as it appears in your passport),
• all dates are to be written: DAY/MONTH/YEAR.

APPLICATION FORM

2. Two (2) same recent passport photographs (2 x 2 inch)

• Of the applicant's entire face as to show a clear and exact likeness of the applicant (i.e. without sunglasses or a head cover, unless worn for religious or medical reasons),
• the photo must be taken in color against a plain, light background with a good contrast,
• it must be of clear and good quality and printed on regular photographic paper.

3. Original passport and a copy of data page (the one with your picture) of the passport

• You must submit your original passport or official travel document recognized by the Schengen countries with a validity exceeding the intended stay of the applicant by at least 3 months,
• please make sure that the passport has a blank page to affix the visa - it must contain at least 2 blank pages,
• the passport must not be older more than 10 years,
• if you need your passport during the processing time, please send a request with your application as well as a prepaid envelope so that the passport can be returned to you. We only accept mail services such as EXPRESSMAIL (we only accept Flat Rate Envelope with the post stamps in the amount of $18.95 - for more information contact USPS) or FEDEX (for future tracking, we suggest keeping the registration number of the envelope),
• the passport must be resubmitted at the end of the application process for the issuance of the visa after the Embassy has received the approval from the Czech authorities,
• during this time, you must be present in the US,
• we don't accept passports mailed from the Czech Republic and we don't ship them to the Czech Republic!

4. Document confirming the purpose of stay

• The original or a notarized copy of a document certifying acceptance into a study program issued by a Czech university or school,
• this document must be in the Czech Language.

5. Document confirming your sufficient financial resources

• A notarized copy of the bank account statement on your name with amount cca 3000 USD (for studying period up to 4 months) with copy of corresponding internationally recognized credit/debit card (VISA or Master Card)verified by Public Notary held on your name with validity during your stay in the Czech Republic.

6. Document confirming accommodation

• An original statement from the owner of an apartment/house stating his/her ability and willingness to provide applicant's accommodation for the time of stay (signature must be notarized by a Czech notary),

or

• in the case of a lease for an apartment/house - the original or a notarized copy of the lease contract signed by both parties,

or

• in the case of a sublet - the original or a notarized copy of the lease contract and an affidavit signed by the owner confirming the sublet (signature must be notarized by a Czech notary).

More information about accommodation

7. Criminal History Background

• An AFFIDAVIT confirming that you have never been indicted and sentenced for a felony of any kind. Your signature must be notarized by a Notary Public. Please state your full name including your middle name. No further certification or verification is required,
• in addition, if you have lived in any country for 6 months or longer in the previous three years, you are required to submit a Criminal History Background issued by that country. It must be appropriately certified (Apostille or super-legalization). This does not apply, if you were under the age of 15,
• for non US nationals only - you will need a Criminal History Record from the country of your nationality. It must be appropriately certified (Apostille or super-legalization)! This does not apply, if you are under the age of 15,
• IMPORTANT! The Criminal History Records must be translated to the Czech language, the Czech Consulate does not provide translation service, the translation has to be verified by the Czech Consulate (FEE 151c - verification of translation),
• For information about Apostille or super-legalization please contact the Czech Consulate.

8. Medical health/travel insurance

Medical health/travel insurance in Czech language.

If it is in English, a certified translation into the Czech language is required.

New requirements for the proof of travel health insurance from 2011

that meets the following criteria:

• Covers costs associated with necessary and urgent health care, including the costs associated with transportation, including mortal remains in the event of death, and such insurance must not exclude providing an insurance payment in the case of accident caused by a willful act, negligence or contributory negligence of the insured, even as a result of drinking alcohol, taking narcotics or psychotropic drugs by the insured,
• the amount of the insurance payment limit must be at least EUR 60.000,
• covers the entire period of your stay in the Schengen area and cover the entire territory of the Schengen area,
• without participation of an insured foreigner,
• copy of a document confirming the coverage outside the US (a copy of the contract or a letter from the insurance company),
• if a foreign national submits the application abroad, the travel health insurance can be taken out not only at an insurance company authorized to provide such insurance in the Territory of the Czech Republic, but also at an insurance company which is entitled to provide such insurance in the other member states of the European Union and/or in a state which is bound by the Treaty on the European Economic Area (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway), or in a state where the foreign national is a citizen or where he/she has a permitted residence,
• in such cases, the foreign national is obliged to submit an officially authenticated translation of the insurance policy and general insurance terms and conditions to Czech together with the proof of travel health insurance,
• he/she has to also submit a proof of the payment of insurance premium for the whole term of required stay in the Territory.
• IMPORTANT! The Czech Consulate does not provide translation services.

 

Medical report from June 1, 2009 

• Based on the request of the Chief Hygienist of the Czech Republic, from June 1, 2009 all applicants from Kenya, Congo, Moldavia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam applying for the visa over 90 days (type D) and residency permits in the Czech Republic must enclose to their application medical report confirming their health conditions, particularly negative tests for TBC and syphilis.
• IMPORTANT! The medical report must be translated to the Czech language, the Czech Consulate does not provide translation service. Then the translation has to be verified by the Czech Consulate (FEE 151c - verification of translation).

9. Please enclose a pre-paid, self-addressed, over-night envelope.

• We only accept mail services such as EXPRESSMAIL (we only accept Flat Rate Envelope with the post stamps in the amount of $19.95 - for more information please contact USPS) or FEDEX (for future tracking, we suggest keeping the registration number of the envelope),
• we don't accept the passports mailed from the Czech Republic and we don't ship them to the Czech Republic,
• the Consulate General is not responsible for lost or damaged documentation.

Send the complete application to:

Consulate General of the Czech Republic
Consular Section
205 N Michigan Ave
Suite 1680
Chicago, IL 60601

Do not forget to include your phone number and e-mail address for future communication!

TRANSLATIONS

The Czech Consulate does not provide translation services.