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Czech Republic Visa Policy

Discover the Czech Republic visa policy and learn if you require travel authorization to visit.

Visa Policy for the Czech Republic

The visa policy of the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, decides if foreign citizens need a visa for the Czech Republic and determines who may enter the country visa-free.

As the Czech Republic is one of European countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement for passport-free travel between member states, it largely shares the same visa policy as the other countries in the Schengen Area.

Citizens of other Schengen countries are permitted freedom of movement to Czechia if they simply present a valid passport or national ID card upon arrival at border checkpoints, and do not need a visa for the Czech Republic.

A number of other nationalities around the world are currently permitted to travel to the Czech Republic without a visa for stays up to 90 days for tourism, business, transit or medical treatment.

However, this will change in 2024, when the same travelers will be required to obtain an ETIAS authorization online before they can visit any of the Schengen countries.

All other nationalities, as well as visa-free citizens who wish to visit Czechia for longer periods of time or other travel purposes, are required to apply for an embassy Schengen visa from the nearest diplomatic government of the Czech Republic, specifying the type of visa they need according to the motive for the visit.

Find further information about visa options for the Czech Republic below.

Tourist Visa Policy for the Czech Republic

Over 90 nationalities currently do not need a tourist visa for the Czech Republic for stays up to 90 days, including citizens of other countries of the Schengen Area who are granted visa-free entry with a national ID card.

However, in 2024 all third-nationals of the Schengen Area will need to apply online for an ETIAS travel authorization to visit any Schengen country for tourism for the same period.

This electronic visa waiver for tourism will be available through an online form that will only take a few minutes to complete with basic passport information, personal data, and travel details.

Once an ETIAS for tourism is approved, it is electronically linked to the holder’s passport and can be used for multiple tourist stays of 90 days with each entry to the Czech Republic and the other Schengen countries.

In order to visit Czechia for tourism, the immigration pòlicy states that all other foreign citizens are currently required to apply for a Schengen tourist visa for the Czech Republic from the nearest consulate of the country.

Below you can find a complete breakdown of all the tourist entry options currently available for the Czech Republic.

ETIAS for the Czech Republic

Czech Republic regulations regarding visa-free entry currently permit citizens of select countries outside of the Schengen Area to enjoy stays of up to 90 days without a visa.

However, this will change in 2024, when the ETIAS travel authorization program is expected to be introduced.

The ETIAS system was first approved by the European Parliament in 2016 to increase border security in Europe, and was expected to take 5 years to implement.

Once fully operational, all third-national countries will be required to register online for an ETIAS visa waiver before they can travel to the Schengen Area for short stays.

The electronic application is expected to be simple and will only take a few minutes to fill in. Once approved, an ETIAS authorization for the Czech Republic will be digitally linked to the applicant’s passport.

An approved Czech Republic ETIAS is valid for 3 years from issue, or until the associated passport expires. It allows multiple entries to Czechia and the other Schengen countries for purposes of tourism, business, transit, or medical treatment.

Find below a complete list of nationalities that will require an ETIAS for the Czech Republic.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

According to Czech visa rules and regulations, travelers from approximately 150 countries around the world are required to obtain a Schengen visa from an embassy or consulate of Czechia in advance of their visit, no matter the purpose of their trip or the intended length of stay.

The protocol of obtaining a visa from an embassy of the Czech Republic involves first making an appointment at the nearest foreign diplomatic mission of the country and completing an application form with the necessary information.

On the form, it is necessary to indicate which of the different types of visa for the Czech Republic they require, whether a visitors visa, business visa, student visa, work visa, or other available option.

It will then be necessary to bring a range of supporting documents to the embassy appointment depending on the type of travel visa selected. Applicants will also be asked to pay an embassy visa fee before the request can be processed.

Those who need to apply for a Czech Republic visa from an embassy are usually advised to begin the process well in advance of their intended travel dates, as it may take several weeks for the visa to be approved.

Below you can find a complete list of all of the embassy visa required nationalities for the Czech Republic.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required: Country list

  • Afghanistan
  • Aland Islands
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antarctica
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Belarus
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Botswana
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • China
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos Islands
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Cuba
  • Curacao
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Djibouti
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greenland
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guam
  • Guernsey
  • Guinea
  • Guinea Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Isle of Man
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Jersey
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mayotte
  • Mongolia
  • Montserrat
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • New Caledonia
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Korea
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Reunion
  • Russian Federation
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Barthelemy
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Sint Maarten
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • South Sudan
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Swaziland
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Togo
  • Tokelau
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Uganda
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
Get Embassy Info

Visa Not Required

There are currently almost 100 nationalities who do not need a visa for the Czech Republic.

The length of the visa-free stay permitted depends on the traveler’s nationality. Citizens of other countries in the Schengen Area are permitted freedom of movement to the Czech Republic if they present a valid ID card at border checkpoints.

At the moment, other visa-free nationalities can enter the Czech Republic for stays of up to 90 days for purposes of tourism, transit, medical treatment, or business.

However, once the ETIAS authorization program is implemented in 2024, they will be required to obtain an online approval before they can visit the Czech Republic for the same period of stay.

It will be necessary to submit an ETIAS application at least 72 hours before the intended arrival date in the Czech Republic, to ensure sufficient processing time.

However, the majority of ETIAS applications will be quickly processed and the approved authorization electronically linked to the holder’s passport.

An electronic travel authorization for the Czech Republic will be valid for 3 years from approval, or until the expiry of the holder’s passport, meaning there is no need to apply before every trip to the Schengen Area.

To travel to the Czech Republic for other purposes, these citizens are required to apply for a Schengen visa from an embassy or consulate in their country of residence.

Browse the list below to discover all of the visa not required countries for the Czech Republic.

Visa Not Required: Country list

  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kiribati
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macau
  • Macedonia
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Norway
  • Palau
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Republic of Cyprus
  • Romania
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Timor Leste
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela
Get Embassy Info

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