If you intend to study or take part in other educational activities in the Czech Republic, as a third-country national you must obtain a visa or residence permit. Remember that you must obtain the document in advance before you arrive in Czechia. It is not possible to apply for a visa upon arrival or even to collect a visa you have already applied for.
The type of visa or residence permit you choose depends on the length of your stay. In the table below you can learn which permit is suitable for you.
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Type of permit and duration |
Important to know |
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Short-term stay |
Up to 90 days (in any 180 days) Cannot be extended You can not apply for Czech Long-term Visa or Residence Permit |
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Long-term stay |
Up to a maximum of 12 months Cannot be extended for more than 12 months |
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Usually issued for 12 months (e.g. validity of confirmation of ongoing studies) can be prolonged |
The following documents are mainly required for receiving a student visa or a residence permit:
application form
letter of acceptance for studies
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
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.
You may be able to obtain the following documents for your visa application from the faculty/institute (for Erasmus+ students from the European office):
Admission documents
This might be in the form of the Letter of Admission/Acceptance and/or Confirmation of Ongoing Studies after the enrollment.
Accommodation Agreement for Charles University hall of residence
This document is provided only to those who have applied for the Charles University dormitory. If you will decide not to apply for the student dormitory or if you will cancel your reservation at the student dormitory, the Charles University cannot give you any assistance regarding your accommodation and the respected document confirming your accommodation requested by the visa/resident permit administrative process.
Confirmation of Funding
This document may be provided by one of our individual faculty only to those students who received a scholarship or other form of funding.
As Charles University does not have a central admissions office, the documents provided may vary depending on the type of study (exchange, internship, full-time study) and the faculty or institute to which you have been admitted.
Please note that it is not within the competence of Charles University to expedite the visa issuance (or appointment) process.
We also do not provide visa counselling.
Schengen Visa (short-term) is intended for brief stays for short internships and conferences over period that does not extent over 90 days in any 180 days. For stays shorter than 90 days, apply for a Schengen visa for the purpose of study or scientific research (i.e. "other" purpose).
Bear in mind that while staying in the Czech Republic on a short-term visa, it is not possible to apply for a long-term visa/residence permit, nor to extend or re-apply for another short-term visa. For this reason, it is advisable to apply for a short-stay visa only if you are sure that you will not be staying for more than 90 days.
Countries whose citizens need a Schengen visa
Schengen visa calculators available at:
European Commision SchengenVisaInfo
Exemptions from the visa:
Selected countries have a short-term visa waiver. This could be particularly useful for some exchange students, interns and researchers participating in academic activities
Holders of a Schengen visa from another Schengen area member state do not need to apply for a visa and can stay in the Czech republic within the validity of their visa.
Selected countries partake in the Student Facilitation Program which facilitates immigration procedures for students admitted at major Czech universities, including ours.
Apply at the relevant Czech diplomatic mission (consulate, embassy, visa centre etc.) in the country of your origin or residence (according to the local territorial competence) for a suitable immigration document.
For this application, you may be required to pay a particular consular fee.
Note that processing times can be up to 90 days. It is therefore highly advisable to contact the relevant diplomatic mission well in advance (six months before your arrival at the earliest).
If you intend to study in the Czech Republic or take part in other educational activities for a period longer than 90 days, you typically apply for one of two kinds of long-term immigration documents: a long-term visa or a long-term residence permit.
The most essential difference lies in the maximum length of the permit. A long-term Visa can be issued for a maximum of 12 months and you can not prolong it over the period of these 12 months.
Selected countries partake in the Student Facilitation Program (= Student Mode, "Režim student"), which facilitates immigration procedures for students admitted at major Czech universities, including ours. The programme is beneficial for students applying for a long-term immigration document (see below). For more information see the website of Czech MFA.
The long-term visa is primarily intended for people who expect to stay in the Czech Republic for several months – for example exchange students or other students admitted to short-term programmes. Depending on your individual case, you choose between a long-term visa for the purpose of study or scientific research (i.e. "other" purpose).
The application requires fewer documents to be submitted, compared to the residence permit application. This might be regarded as its only benefit though. This visa is valid for up to 12 months. In case the purpose of your stay lasts, you can request – before the expiry of the visa – a long-term visa extension at your local branch of the Ministry of the Interior.
Remember that the maximum total validity of your visa, including the initial time frame and its possible ensuing extension, is the said 12 months. Therefore, instead of extending, you can request a change of status to the long-term residence permit.
For this application, you may be required to pay a particular consular fee. Note that processing times can be up to 90 days. It is therefore highly advisable to contact the relevant diplomatic mission well in advance (six months before your arrival at the earliest).
Abroad: Apply at the relevant Czech diplomatic mission (consulate, embassy, visa centre etc.) in the country of your origin or residence (according to the local territorial competence) for a suitable immigration document.
Within the EU: If you are long-term or permanent residents in another state in a Schengen area and you wish to apply for a Czech long-term visa or residence permit, you can do so at the Visa Centre of the Consulate General in Dresden, Germany.
In Czechia: A foreign national is also entitled to file an application at the MoI office in the territory of the Czech Republic in this case:
| a. |
if the foreign national is a holder of a long-term visa (for more than 90 days) for any purpose, except for a long-term visa of leave to remain, the purpose of seasonal work or extra work, |
| b. |
if the foreign national is a holder of a long-term residence permit for another purpose issued in the territory of the Czech Republic, |
| c. |
if the foreign national is a holder of a long-term residence permit issued for the purpose of the study by another EU member state (except Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark), if he/she submits the application within his legitimate residence. |
The long-term residence permit is primarily intended for those who expect a longer stay – for example full-degree students etc. Its validity is determined by the purpose of stay and since the confirmation of study is always issued for the entire academic year, students' permits typically last for 12 months. Its extension is possible at the Ministry of Interior.
Benefits of Residence Permit over Long-term Visa:
Holders can study in another EU member state within a compatible study programme without the need for any additional visa (a note “STUDY MOBILITY” or its equivalent / translation must be stated on the residency card in order to qualify for such visa-free stay).
Holders can also move freely within the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within any 180 days for non-profit purposes – in this respect, it fulfills the function of a short-term Schengen visa (see the "Travel days calculator" above).
You can change the purpose of stay according to your current needs.
When applying for a permanent residency, the long-term residency counts towards the required 5 years continuously spent in our country. Sadly though, 1 year of studying counts only as 6 months of "regular staying". So after 5 years of studying here, you are half way there.
Cons of Residence Permit:
Applying for a Residence Permit requires more documents than for a long-stay visa.
Abroad: Apply at the relevant Czech diplomatic mission (consulate, embassy, visa centre etc.) in the country of your origin or residence (according to the local territorial competence) for a suitable immigration document.
Within the EU: If you are long-term or permanent residents in another state in a Schengen area and you wish to apply for a Czech long-term visa or residence permit, you can do so at the Visa Centre of the Consulate General in Dresden, Germany.
In Czechia: A foreign national is also entitled to file an application at the MoI office in the territory of the Czech Republic in this case:
| a. |
if the foreign national is a holder of a long-term visa (for more than 90 days) for any purpose, except for a long-term visa of leave to remain, the purpose of seasonal work or extra work, |
| b. |
if the foreign national is a holder of a long-term residence permit for another purpose issued in the territory of the Czech Republic, |
| c. |
if the foreign national is a holder of a long-term residence permit issued for the purpose of the study by another EU member state (except Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark), if he/she submits the application within his legitimate residence. |
You are obliged to register with the appropriate Foreign Police Department within 3 working days after the arrival if it has not been done by the accommodation provider (e.g. hall of residence, hostel, hotel etc.).
If you applied for the residence permit, you also received a single-entry visa for 60 days (for the purpose of collecting the permit). Within 3 working days after your arrival, you also need to visit the local branch of the Ministry of the Interior to provide your biometric data and collect a residence card.
All details on the after-arrival obligations are listed on the website of the Ministry of Interior.
You are bound to report any changes to the information contained on the residence card to the Ministry of the Interior (scroll down for “STUDENTS WORKPLACE”). For stays without any residence card, these changes are to be reported to the relevant Foreign Police Department.
Students who have been issued a residence card are obliged to return the card 3 days before ending their stay in the country.
Welcome to the Czech Republic are integration courses for newcomers to the Czech Republic. The courses are beneficial mainly for foreigners from non-EU countries who have moved to the Czech Republic and plan to stay here for a longer time.
These courses offer a lot of practical information about the way Czech society functions (legal issues related to your stay in the country, rights and obligations, employment, accommodation, healthcare, and some everyday tips). They take place regularly once a year in September/October at the premises of our university. The exact dates are announced in due time in the CU Point calendar (you can subscribe for notifications on new events). Alternatively, you can attend any of the courses for public. All of these courses are free of charge and they are conducted in English. Don´t forget to have a look at their Facebook page.
If you have any questions regarding your stay for the purpose of studies, do not hesitate and contact officers from the Ministry of the Interior, Department for Asylum and Migration Policy (Students Workplace) via e-mail at , phone at +420 974 820 680 or their hotline. You may also use services provided by dedicated NGOs (see here and here).
Charles University
Ovocný trh 5
Prague 1
116 36
Czech Republic
CU Point - Centre for Information, Counselling and Social Services
E-mail:
Phone: +420 224 491 850
Erasmus+ info:
E-mail:
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