Czech law currently adheres to the EU Visa Code for short-term visas, which specifies: the conditions for granting a short-term visa, the reasons for potential denial, conditions for extending the period of stay and the reasons to revocation its validity.

In accordance with the EU Visa Code, short-term visas are granted by the embassies or consulates of individual member states. The request for an extension of stay in the Czech Republic while on a short-term visa must be submitted by the foreign national to the Foreign Police.

The foreign national's total duration of stay within the territory of the member states under a uniform visa may not exceed 90 days within a 180-day period from the first date of entry into the member states.

Schengen visa: airport transit visa

Generally, a foreign national can stay in the international transit area of the Czech airport without a Czech visa while waiting for a connecting flight. However, some nationalities must have a valid airport transit visa, even if they do not leave the international transit area. The airport transit visa only authorizes the holder to transit through the airport's international transit area.

Short-term visa

A single-entry visa allows foreign nationals to enter, stay and leave only once. The visa may be used at any time in which it is valid. A multiple-entry visa allows foreign nationals to enter, stay and leave the country several times. The visa may be used at any time that the visa is valid until the permitted number of days of entry and stay is reached.

A short-term visa for a foreign national includes the following activities:

• Tourism
• Spa treatment
• Medical treatment
• Attending an invitation
• Studies
• Scientific purposes
• Business trips
• Meetings and conferences
• Cultural and sports purposes
• Short-term employment (a work permit required)
• Seasonal employment
• Training

A Schengen visa with limited territorial validity is only valid within the member state that issued the visa. Occasionally, it may be valid in several member states, provided that each of these member states agrees. This visa is granted mainly on humanitarian grounds, grounds of national interest or for the implementation of international commitments.

A long-term visa is a visa for a stay exceeding a period of 90 days. Permitted purposes under a long-term visa are as follows:

• Business/li>
• Studies
• Seasonal employment
• Joining family
• Attending an invitation
• Cultural purposes
• Taking over of residence permit

Additionally, special work visas have been introduced in 2019, which can be issued in cases of extreme labor shortages in certain industries (e.g., agriculture).

Long-term visas cannot be issued for the purpose of employment because this type of visa has been replaced with Employee Cards, long-term visas for the purpose of seasonal employment and special work visas.

A long-term visa is valid for up to one year. However, visas for the purpose of seasonal employment and visas to take over a residence permit are not.

The foreign national can, subject to minor exceptions, apply for an extension of a long-term visa, provided that the entire period of stay does not exceed one year. The application should be submitted in person by the foreign national to the appropriate Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Czech Ministry of the Interior no earlier than 90 days before, and no later than on the day before the expiration of the long-term visa.

If the entire period of stay is to exceed one year, the foreign national must apply for a long-term residence permit. The application should be submitted in person by the foreign national to the appropriate Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Czech Ministry of the Interior no earlier than 120 days before, and no later than on the day of the expiration of the long-term visa.

There is no legal entitlement to being granted a Czech visa or long-term residence permit.

EU citizens do not need a visa to stay in the Czech Republic. They are subject to the registration requirement only. A similar treatment also applies to citizens of Norway, Lichtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland. Some non-EU citizens traveling to the Czech Republic as tourists are not required to obtain a Czech visa, provided their stay does not exceed the stipulated number of days. These individuals are subject to the registration requirement only.

For example, a US citizen entering the Czech Republic for tourist purposes may only stay in the territory of the Czech Republic and Schengen area countries for a period of up to 90 days within a six-month period. If they interrupt their stay in the Schengen area (including the Czech Republic) within these six months (i.e., they travel outside the Schengen territory), the days spent outside of the Schengen territory are not calculated in the 90-day period.

However, the visa waiver does not apply to stays with economic purpose. Once the foreign national performs an economic activity, they are obligated to apply for a short-term visa and a work permit.