I believe we would not be lying if we say that the Czech Republic is one of the rising stars of global tourism as the country keeps on attracting more and more visitors both from Europe and other continents every single year. However, where is the Czech Republic even located? The Czech Republic, often known as Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, and it is bordered on the south by Austria, on the west by Germany, on the northeast by Poland, and on the eastern side by Slovakia.
The country is absolutely the best place to visit if you want to feel that European charm, but do not want to spend too much money. While most tourists visit Prague, Czech Republic has plenty of ancient and historic cities to offer to its visitors. In both summer and winter, the Czech highlands offer a wide range of activities and winter tourism being the most famous one. In numerous areas, particularly in the city, Prague, ancient eras that the country has undergone through the centuries are mixed with modernity.
At this point, it is one of the well-known facts that only a few towns can boast of a river as beautiful as the Vltava. Very surprisingly, over thirty bridges and footbridges cross Prague's waterways and see dozens of steamers, rowboats, and pedal boats pass through each day which looks like a very long-lasting water show that you cannot stop enjoying even for a second. It literally is the heart of the city, and the historic Charles Bridge, with its Baroque sculptures, just completes the picture of this beautiful European capital.
Now that we have convinced you to visit the Czech Republic and discover its endless beauty, there is one more thing that you should be aware of before you pack your luggage and book the first flight to Prague. And yes, you are right, we are talking about the Czech Republic visa. As you can see from the title of this article as well, today we will be mainly talking about the Czech Republic Schengen visa. Here we will try to answer some questions such as “Is the Czech Republic part of Schengen?”, “How to apply for the Czech Republic visa?” and also go through the Czech Republic visa requirements and opportunities for the Czech republic visa extension.
First of all, what is Schengen? And is the Czech Republic part of Schengen, and what is the Czech Republic visa status in general? The Schengen Area is a collection of 26 European nations that have agreed to remove all passports and other forms of border control at their shared borders. For foreign travel, the region generally acts as a single jurisdiction with a unified visa regime. Because the Czech Republic is part of the Schengen Area of European nations that have eliminated border controls amongst themselves, as we have mentioned above, you will need to apply for a Czech Republic Schengen Visa for a short stay of fewer than 90 days.
However, before you apply for the Czech Republic visa, you should check whether you are required to obtain a visa at all or not besides other important Czech Republic visa information. Well, in that case, we can easily separate all the countries around the world into two groups. The first list of countries is the ones that are visa-exempt and are not expected to showcase a visa for entrance into the country. Meanwhile, the second group of nationals must undergo the Czech Republic Schengen visa application. In order to allocate your country on one of the lists, to be sure if you need a visa or not, and know your Czech Republic visa status, do not forget to visit the link where you can find the related Czech Republic visa.
After being sure that you are indeed required to have a visa prior to your arrival, now you have to decide which one of the Czech Republic visa types suits you the best.
Overall, there are three groups of Czech Republic visa types available for travel to the country. The first one being the Schengen visa, a transit visa for airports and last but not least, there is a national visa that is also known as the Czech long term visa designed for longer stays in Czechia.
Because the Czech Republic is a Schengen country, you will need to apply for a Czech Republic Schengen visa to be able to realize your trip to this breathtaking land of castles and mountains. Actually, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, business excursions, medical examinations or treatment, short-term schooling, exchange programs, and a variety of other non-permanent aspects are all valid reasons to apply for this sort of visa. Bear in your mind that a Schengen visa only allows you to stay in the country for a maximum period of 90 days. So, if you want to work or study in the country for a longer period, you are definitely encouraged to apply for a Czech national visa as known as the Czech long term visa.
The Schengen visa allows the bearer to travel the Schengen area for up to 90 days every six months. And during the validity time of your visa, you can visit any of the 26 member countries of the Schengen Zone. This basically means besides the Czech Republic, you will also get the chance to travel to Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
However, how can you apply for Czech Republic visa? Firstly, let us go through some of the main documents that you will need during the Czech Republic Schengen visa application process. You will need a Czech Republic Schengen visa application form that needs to be fully completed in English or Czech and signed and dated by the applicant himself or signed by both parents in case of the applicant being minors, to be precise below the age of 18.
After completing a Czech Republic Schengen visa application form, you will also be asked to provide two recently taken passport-style pictures, which should not be older than 6 months and with clear facial features and eyes. It is very important to have your passport with at least two free “visa pages” that is no older than 10 years and valid for at least three months after your departure date from the Schengen Area. Other Czech Republic Schengen visa requirements that you need to meet include photocopies of your passport's main page and any previous Schengen visas, if applicable. A confirmed flight ticket plus a valid hotel booking with the correct location and contact information. You will also be required to provide travel and medical insurance with a limit of €30,000, as well as a cover letter detailing your itinerary and visit's purpose. And confirmation that you will be able to support yourself throughout your stay, which corresponds to approximately €43 per day for stays up to 30 calendar days and €1,274 for extended periods, plus €170 for each month.
On a usual basis, the processing time for a tourist visa to the Czech Republic takes up between 5 and 20 calendar days. However, of course, the time period might vary slightly as it is solely dependent on the nation from which you are applying for a visa. Meanwhile, Czech Republic visa fees have been 80 EUR from the 2nd of February 2020 and must be paid when the application is being submitted. However, as it was with the processing time, Czech Republic visa fees might differ, as well. For example, depending on the nation and location of your papers' submission, you may also be required to pay other administrative costs such as the Visa Application Centre charge, courier service price, and so on. However, the good news for some of our readers! The European Union, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine reached an agreement that decreased the visa cost for nationals of these countries to 35 EUR.
Where can you make a Czech Republic Schengen visa appointment? You must apply for a Czech Republic Tourist visa at one of the responsible institutions, which in most cases are the Czech Republic visa applications centres, embassies or consulates in your country of residence for the Czech Republic Schengen visa appointment. However, if, unfortunately, none of the above-given options is valid in your case, then simply you must apply to the embassy or consulate that is closest to your home country, which is likely to be located in one of the neighbouring countries.
However, what if you just fell in love with the country or, for any other reason, have to stay in the Czech Republic for a little longer? Is the Czech Republic visa extension even possible? Yes. You can extend your short-stay visa under extraordinary circumstances or in an emergency. If you want to stay in the country for longer than your visa allows you to just because you want to prolong your vacation, then sadly, the Czech Republic visa extension is not an option for you, and travellers should apply for a long-term national visa in the Czech Republic.
