Summary of Immigration Restrictions Related with COVID-19

1. UPDATE (5 May 2020), all changes below will become effective starting 11 May 2020

Processing of applications for visas / residence permit previously submitted at Czech consulates as part of any program for support of migration will be resumed.

Consulates of the Czech Republic will start acceptaning certain types of visa / residence permit applications.

• Employee Cards / Blue Cards / long-term visas of family members processed as part of the government program for support of migration Key and Research Personnel
• Long-term visas for seasonal workers and special employment visas
• Short-term visas for selected purposes (contact us for details)

Holders of visas issued for collection of a residence permit (D/VR visas) will be allowed to enter Czech Republic; applicants, who have previously had their residence permit (e.g. Employee Card) application approved and the visa has not yet been granted when the State of Emergency was introduced, shall now receive their entry visa.

2.Travel restrictions

• Please refer to the following page of the Ministry of the Interior: click here
• As of 27 April EU citizens are permitted to entry Czech Republic under certain circumstances even without residence certificate previously issued by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic. Several conditions apply however, please refer to the link above.
• Foreigners, who have overstayed the validity of their visa or their visa-free stay of 90 days, will receive a special stamp from the border control while leaving the Czech Republic. Such stamp should protect them from trouble from other Schengen-member countries they might be transiting through. More information in English and Czech. Should you be leaving Czech Republic via car / bus / train, it is recommended to collect this stamp from the Foreign Police office beforehand. Contact us for assistance.

3. Impact on holders of (short-term) work permits and short-term (Schengen) visas

If you hold a 90-days work permit and related short-term (Schengen) visa issued by the Czech Republic for the purpose of employment, you are currently staying in the Czech Republic and these permits were issued before the declaration of the State of Emergency, both these permits are automatically renewed by as much as 60 days after the end of the State of Emergency under the condition the respective employment contract gets extended accordingly by an amendment. Both permits would therefore be valid at least until 29 June. Should the State of Emergency get prolonged again (past 17 May), both permits will get prolonged accordingly. Related government decision can be found here: https://www.vlada.cz/assets/media-centrum/aktualne/248.pdf

Work permits issued on the basis of assignment from abroad (= employee remains on foreign payroll), that will expire during the State of Emergency or in less than 60 days after the end of the State of Emergency, are also  automatically extended by as much as 60 days after the end of the State of Emergency (currently extended until 29 June).

Schengen visa holders (issued for purpose other than employment – see above) / holders of passports allowing up to 90 days of stay can legally remain in the Czech Republic throughout the declared State of Emergency.

4. Impact on holders of Employee Cards

Under normal circumstances there is a maximum permitted gap of 60 days between termination of employment of Employee Card holder and submission of announcement of employer change to the Ministry of the interior (Employee Card becomes automatically void if this deadline is not met).  Czech government has issued a directive on 23 April, which becomes effective starting 27 April, that as long as the State of Emergency is in place, the deadline of 60 days no longer applies. The 60 days deadline will start again on the first day following termination of the State of Emergency (possible 18 May 2020).

5. Summary of impacts on residence permit applications (both new and existing)

Please refer to our table below.