Entry and Visa information

Whether you need a visa to enter the Czech Republic depends on your nationality. CZU cannot speed up the visa issuance/appointment process (only through the "Regime Student" - see below). Long-term visa and residence permits processing is solely under the authority of the Czech Embassies abroad and the Czech Ministry of the Interior.

 

STUDENTS FROM EU/EEA AND SWITZERLAND

Students from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland are exempt from student visa requirements. To enter the Czech Republic, EU students only need a valid passport or national ID card.  

EU students have, however, a reporting duty after their arrival if the intended stay in the Czech Republic is longer than 30 days. In this situation, within 30 days of entering the Czech Republic, a student is required to report his/her presence to the Foreign Police Department in Prague (Odbor cizinecké policie, Olšanská 2176/2, 130 51  Praha 3). This obligation does not apply if the person providing accommodation submits the registration forms on behalf of the student, i.e. in case of stays in student dormitories.

For more information regarding the stay of EU citizens and their family members in the Czech Republic click here. Information leaflets for EU citizens and their family members are available here.

 

STUDENTS FROM COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE EU

Students from countries outside the EU have to turn to the local Czech embassy or consulate and apply for a student visa (find the list of Czech embassies or consulates here). Please note, that the whole procedure requires some paperwork and can take up to 60 days, so it is recommended to apply for the visa well in advance. The regulations for obtaining visas change from time to time, so the information listed here should be considered as guidelines only. You should always consult your local Czech embassy or consulate or check the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic for the latest information regarding visa requirements.

There are short-term visas (for stays up to 90 days) and long-term visas (for stays over 90 days). Students arriving for a period longer than one year should apply for a long-term residence permit for study purposes. 

The following documents are mainly required for receiving a student visa or a residence permit:

  • visa application form
  • letter of acceptance from CZU
  • a valid passport and passport photos
  • proof of financial resources for the stay (e.g. in the form of a bank account statement or confirmation of being beneficiary of a grant)
  • confirmation of guaranteed accommodation (proof of accommodation in the Czech Republic)
  • valid international health insurance
  • abstract from the Register of Criminal Records

Please note that some documents (e.g. the abstract from the Register of Criminal Records) must be translated into the Czech language by a translator with an official rubber stamp. The Foreign Police examines the visa applications and notifies the Czech embassy or consulate to issue the visa.

If you are planning to study a degree at CZU, please apply for a visa to stay over 90 days (long-term) or a long-term residence - for the purpose of studies. In case of applying for a short-term language/preparatory course or other short-term courses, students should apply for short-term visas (for stays up to 90 days). More information can be found here.

 

REGIME STUDENT - fast track for visa interview

Applicants for student visa and long term resident permit for studies in the Czech Republic (more than 90 days) who received an official letter of acceptance for studies from one of the Faculties of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), may be nominated by the CZU International Relations Office for fast track interviews (Regime Student) at the Czech Embassy in their country of origin. Provided that the nomination is endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth of the Czech Republic, and accepted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the selected students will be contacted by the Czech Embassy Consular Section in their country of origin (by email or by phone), and will eventually receive a fixed date for their long term resident visa interview and for submitting all the required documents.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

  • Applicants for long term resident visa for the Czech Republic are not automatically eligible to be nominated for fast track interviews. CZU International Relations Office reserves the right to nominate students for the Regime Student at its own discretion and is not legally bound to nominate a student, particularly when the student is not recommended for nomination by the Study Office and/or International Relations Office at one of the CZU Faculties. 
  • A nomination for the Regime Student is by no means a guarantee that the applicant will actually receive a long term resident student visa.
  • Only CZU International Relations Office is entitled to send nominations for Regime Student to the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth.
  • Applicants for long term resident visa are not entitled to nominate themselves and have no legal right to be nominated.

 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Information for university students - 3rd country nationals regarding:

  • applying for a Visa-free stay,
  • applying for a Long-term stay for study purpose (at the Ministry of Interior office),
  • applying for a Long-term residence for the purpose of seeking employment (updated by the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals with effect as of July 31st, 2019) can be downloaded here. For details please also visit the website of the Ministry of Interior here. 

 

PROBLEMS WITH VISA APPLICATION

Although we understand your concerns about waiting long for your visa to be issued, unfortunately, we are not able to speed up the visa issuance/appointment process. Long-term visa and residence permits processing is solely under the authority of the Czech Embassies abroad and the Czech Ministry of the Interior.

Try to check the status of your application. If you don’t succeed, please contact your local Czech Embassy, its staff will give you more precise information. You can also turn to the Ministry of the Interior´s information hotline. 

 

DETAILED INFORMATION ON VISA AND ENTRY FORMALITIES 

 

REGISTERING WITH THE CZECH FOREIGN POLICE

Registration at the Foreign Police Department is compulsory for all foreign nationals staying in the Czech Republic for more than 30 days. They must register within 3 days from the date of arrival to the country. Read more about this obligation here.

 

VISIT OTHER COUNTRIES

Both long-term visas and residence permits allow visits to other countries in the Schengen area, provided the stay in the other Schengen Area states does not exceed 90 days within any 180 days and is of a non-profit nature.

 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LONG-TERM VISA AND RESIDENCE PERMIT

Both the long-term visa and residence permits are issued when the stay on the territory of the Czech Republic is expected to exceed 3 months. In general, the long-term visa is primarily intended for persons who expect to stay in the Czech Republic for several months – for example, study program lasting several months, etc. The long-term residence permit is primarily intended for persons who expect a longer stay in the Czech Republic – for example, a study in a university program, employment, etc. You can read more at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

FAMILY VISA

Your children or spouse can apply for a long-term visa or residence permit for family reunification purposes. You can find more information at the website of the Ministry of Interior.

 

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