Visa is an authorization which allows a foreigner to enter and temporarily stay on the territory of the Czech Republic / Schengen Area under conditions specified within.

Visa is issued into a passport (travel document) of a foreigner in a form of a visa sticker. Every applicant, incl. a child, is issued an individual visa sticker. If the child does not have an own passport and is inscribed in the parent´s passport, two visa stickers are issued into the passport of the parent.

Types of visas

Schengen (short-stay) visa

• are issued for a stay in the Czech Republic / Schengen Area for up to 90 days
• are issued as
  • airport transit visa (letter “A” visa)
  • short-stay visa (letter “C” visa) for the purpose of
    • tourism
    • health
    • business
    • culture
    • sport
    • visit (invitation)
    • official (political)
    • study, internship
    • scientific research
    • employment
    • training
    • other

Long-term visas

• are issued for a stay in the Czech Republic for over 90 days
• authorize the holder to travel and stay in other Schengen Area States on a short-term basis (up to 90 days within any 180 days – see the 90/180 rule)
• are issued as
  • long-term visa (letter “D” visa) for the purpose of
    • health
    • culture
    • sport
    • visit (invitation)
    • family
    • study, internship
    • scientific research
    • entrepreneurship
    • other
  • long-term visa for the purpose of collecting a long-term residence permit (letter “D” visa) for the purpose of
    • employment – employee card and blue card
    • unification of family
    • study
    • scientific research
    • stay of a resident of another EU Member State
  • long-term visa for the purpose of collecting a permanent residence permit (letter “D” visa)

Legal sources:

• Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code)
• Act No 326/1999 Coll., on the Residence of Foreign Nationals in the Czech Republic and Amending Certain Acts