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HOW TO FILE THE SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION, kindly read carefully and follow these steps:

1. Territorial jurisdiction

You should contact the Consulate in Chicago if your residence - permanent home address is in one of the state below.

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin

2. Schedule an appointment

If you live in the jurisdiction of the Consulate, please make sure to schedule an appointment far in advance.

You must appear in person at your appointment to submit your application, even if you’re under 18.

If you are applying for visas for multiple people, make a separate appointment for each person.

Please note that the application can be filed up to 6 months ahead your trip. Apply no later than 15 days before your trip as it cannot be guaranteed it will be reviewed in time.

In most cases, visa applications are processed within 15 calender days. In exceptional cases, the review period can be extended up to 45 days.

Send your appointment requests and inquiries by e-mail ONLY.

Email your request along with completely and accurately filled out Personal Information Form (DOCX, 13 KB) to schedule an appointment.

Be sure to request a semi-specific time; “next week”, “the week of October 1”, etc. This will make it easier for the consular officer to check the schedule within the regular office hours. Book at least 2 weeks in advance and consider coming in the morning due to our opening hours.

The Consulate reserves the right to respond to an email within 10 working days.

3. Lodge the application presenting required and supporting documents

General Information

Please note that the application has to be submitted to the Consulate/Embassy of the Schengen country that is your main destination as per the amount of days you are spending there. Only if you are spending an absolute equal amount of time in each country can the application be submitted to the Consulate/Embassy of the country that will be your first entry point to the Schengen area.

Documents that are not issued in Czech or English must be submitted together with a translation.

Each visa application is review individually. Therefore, the requested documents might vary. The Consulate reserves the right to request further documentation.

Submission of incomplete application may lead to a refusal of visa application.

Application must be submitted in person. The following documents must be submitted by each applicant:

a) Original of Schengen Visa application form 

Here you find the visa application form in Word document: Schengen Visa Application Form

Come prepared to your appointment with completed application.

The applicant is obligated to sign the completed visa application form in front of the visa officer on the day of his scheduled in-person appointment at the Consulate (signature and identity verification).

Information for applicant on personal data protection (DOC, 30 KB)

b) Original & copy of passport or official travel document

The applicant shall present a valid travel document satisfying the following criteria:

- its validity shall extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory,

- it shall contain at least two blank pages,

- it shall have been issued within the previous 10 years.

c) Original & copy of documents proving the legal status in US

Documents proving the legal status in US:

- original US Permanent Resident Card (Green Card),

- a Green Card Stamp in your passport,

- an Advance Parole,

- a valid US Visa that must be provided along with a valid I-94 departure record. Students should also submit the original validated I-20, DS-2019 or IAP-66.

The US residence permit or visa should be valid at least 3 months beyond the intended departure from the Schengen member state territory.

d) Copy of proof of address

- e. g. US valid driver's licence, utility bill, lease

e) Original of one (1) recent passport photo

See specimen photos

f) Copy of proof of return

Information allowing assessment of applicant’s intention to return, in most cases booked return flight ticket (roundtrip)/ travel reservations with the name of passenger.

g) Copy of travel health insurace

Only travel health insurance meeting the following requirements will be accepted:

- name of the applicant

- coverage of at least 30.000 EUR for medical expenses and repatriation

- validity for the entire Schengen area

- validity for the entire duration of stay in the schengen area

h) Proof establishing the purpose of the trip

Documents corroborating the purpose of travel and the specifics of the stay. The purpose of the trip to Czechia must be plausible and comprehensible.

Tourist purpose

Supporting documents:

• 1 Original and Copy of letter of employer/university/school stating the following; if applicable:
•  
• a. Duration of recruitment
• b. Status
• c. Income
• d. Confirmed upcoming leave
•  
• 2 Copy of confirmed hotel reservations stating name, address and telephone of the hotel, including confirmation number as well as name of the guest
•  
• 3 Copy of itinerary, a detailed plan of your trip
•  
• 4 Original and copy of proof of adequate financial means:
•  
• a. Your bank statements of the last three months stating your name and address
• b. If you are financially supported by your spouse/other family member: signed sponsor letter, bank statements, proof of relationship, passport copy

Business purpose

On behalf of your employer, e. g. consulating, training, meeting, audit.

Supporting documents:

• 1 Original and copy of recent and signed letter from your U.S. employer stating:
•  
• a. Duration of recruitment
• b. Kind of business relations with the Czech company
• c. Travel purpose
• d. Duration of business trip(s)
• e. Guarantee to cover all travel expenses; if applicable
•  
• 2 Original and copy of recent and signed formal invitation from your business partner in Czechia stating:
•  
• a. Kind of business relations
• b. Travel purpose
• c. Duration of business trip(s)
• d. Guarantee to cover travel expenses and costs of stay; if applicable
•  
• In case you should be invited for several trips over a longer period of time, the invitation letter has to explicitly state this. Should you go on a business trip within the same company, we still request a separate letter from each office, USA and Czechia
•  
• 3 Copy of confirmed hotel reservations stating name, address and telephone of the hotel, including confirmation number as well as name of the guest
•  
• 4 Copy of itinerary, a detailed plan of your trip

Visitor purpose

In order to visit relatives or friends living in Czechia.

Supporting documents:

• 1 Original and copy of letter of employer/university/school stating the following; if applicable:
•  
• a. Duration of recruitment
• b. Status
• c. Income
• d. Confirmed upcoming leave
•  
• 2 Copy of invitation letter and passport copy of the host
•  
• Letter must include personal data, relationship between host and applicant, address and phone number, duration of stay
•  
• 3 Original and copy of proof of adequate financial means:
•  
• a. Your bank statements of the last 3 months stating your name and address
• b. Formal obligation letter of the person inviting you issued by the competent Czech authority
• c. If you are financially supported by your spouse/other family member: signed sponsor letter, bank statements, proof of relationship, passport copy

4. Family member of EEA/EU citizens

Parents, Children and Spouse only, see the definition of a family member of EEA/EU citizens.

5. Processing fee

Payable cash, by credit/debit card or money order check. For more information on that please ask the consular officer.

Conversion into USD is made based on the exchange rate at the time of the application. Visa fees are non-refundable.

After your visa is granted, you can pick up your passport with affixed visa sticker in person during our business hours (schedule an appointment in advance).

Current visa fee

6. Collect your passport

Once your application has been processed you can collect your passport or have it sent to you. If your application was approved, the visa will be affixed to a page in your passport.

Option a) collect your passport: You'll discuss at your appointment when you can collect it.

Option b) dispatch your passport: You'll discuss at your appointment how to arrange this. If you choose to have your passport sent to you, please bring a self-addressed prepaid USPS envelope. FEDEX & UPS are not accepted. For future tracking we suggest you to make a record of the tracking number. We do not take note of tracking numbers and we are not able to answer any questions regarding tracking your envelope!

It is our courtesy not responsibility. We recommend the USPS Overnight service: USPS Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope - EP13F For more information visit https://www.usps.com/

Please note processing time of minimum 2 weeks. In some cases processing time may take up to 4 weeks plus additional business days for mailing your documents.

 

Other useful link:

Alien Police Inspectorate – general, official invitation and contacts