Visa Information

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Applicants, who intend to travel purely for tourist purposes, i.e. visiting for leisure, recreation or sightseeing, and provide for their own accommodation (hotel, hostel, B&B, camping, …) need to apply as Tourist.

Admissibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be admissible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, Conference Visa, Medical Visa, Study or Professional Training or Cultural/Sports Visa

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

Please bring your original Hukou / ID card.

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

For Minors, please click here.

A.STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)

2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

B.SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Proof of current occupation
   1. Employer letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s employment) and last 3 months payslips
   2. Student letter (original): recent, signed, UK university/college/school letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)
   3. Self- employment letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s self-employment) obtained from:
      1. last tax return correctly showing applicant’s details: name, address, Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number; if first tax return has yet to be filed a letter from HMRC containing the Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number needs to be provided.
      2. Company director: Directors´ service contract; Certificate of Incorporation and Letter from Accountant need to be provided when owning the company.
   4. Unemployed/retired
      1. Receiving Benefits: recent original letter obtained from local Jobcentre or Pension Service
      2. Not receiving Benefits: applicant’s cover letter explaining his/her financial situation
      3. Housewife/man (only applicable to married couples): applicant may be sponsored by his/her spouse/registered partner; in these cases the following needs to be provided:
         1. marriage certificate (original + copy): when this document was issued outside the EU and is not in English or Czech, then it should be translated by a certified translator in the UK
         2. spouse/registered partner’s passport (original + copy)
         3. spouse/registered partner’s proof of occupation (as in B.1.a, b or c)
         4. spouse/registered partner’s proof of funds
         5. spouse/registered partner’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming sponsorship
2. Proof of funds
1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and end balance dated within the last week on the visa application submission date showing a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under a.

3. Proof of travel (airplane, train, boat, coach, (hired) car)
   1. Confirmed return travel tickets: mentioning applicant’s name and travel dates to & from the Schengen Area
   2. When travelling by car: car registration, car insurance, return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel mentioning the car’s registration number) and driver’s driving licence. If applicant is not the driver, then driver’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming joint travel with applicant and travel dates need to be provided too.

When travel tickets have been paid through travel agency, then a receipt, an invoice or a payment confirmation is also required.

4. Proof of accommodation

   confirmed accommodation (hotel, hostel, camping,…) reservation mentioning applicant’s name, travel dates and accommodation address details.

   If the applicant’s name is not mentioned on the accommodation reservation, then a joint travel confirmation letter, signed and dated by the person whose name is on the reservation, must also be provided along with a photocopy of that same person’s passport/ID card + passport signature page, if signature is not on passport’s bio page.

   When accommodation is reserved for a group, then a list with the names of the group members will also be required; alternatively the group members their names may also be mentioned on the travel ticket.

Applicants visiting more than 1 Schengen State also need to provide a complete Travel Plan (see here) clearly showing the dates of stay in the various Schengen States + addresses of stay during that same period.

5. Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)

   UK registered travel insurance – clearly showing the applicant’s name - has to be valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen Area and must cover the entire period of the applicant’s intended stay in the Schengen Area; minimum coverage for medical emergency and repatriation must be 30.000 €.

3. MINORS (every applicant who hasn’t reached the age of 18 years when submitting a Schengen visa application)

In addition to ALL abovementioned documents, every minor also needs to provide the following documents as part of A. Standard Documentation:

1. Birth certificate
   
   Unabridged birth certificate showing biological parents their names; if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK is also required
2. Consent of both parents
   
   Both biological parents need to give their written consent (signed & dated) for the minor to travel
3. Parents passports (copy)
4. Proof of sole custody (in case of a single parent): when parents are divorced or one of the parents has deceased, then the same has to be demonstrated by court order (original to be seen) or death certificate (original to be seen)
5. Proof of legal guardianship (in case a guardian has been appointed by the parents): the guardianship letter and the guardian’s passport’s Bio page and signature page, if signature is not on Bio page

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (seeSchedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (see Schedule an Appointment).

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Applicants, who intend to travel to visit and stay with family/friends legally residing in Czech Republic, need to apply as Visitor Family/Friends.

Admissibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be admissible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country.
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, Conference Visa, Medical Visa, Study or Professional Training or Cultural/Sports Visa

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

For Minors, please click here.

A.STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)
2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

B.SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Proof of current occupation
   1. Employer letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s employment) and last 3 months payslips
   2. Student letter (original): recent, signed, UK university/college/school letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)
   3. Self- employment letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s self-employment) obtained from:
      1. last tax return correctly showing applicant’s details: name, address, Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number; if first tax return has yet to be filed a letter from HMRC containing the Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number needs to be provided.
      2. Company director: Directors´ service contract; Certificate of Incorporation and Letter from Accountant need to be provided when owning the company.
   4. Unemployed/retired
      1. Receiving Benefits: recent original letter obtained from local Jobcentre or Pension Service
      2. Not receiving Benefits: applicant’s cover letter explaining his/her financial situation
      3. Housewife/man (only applicable to married couples): applicant may be sponsored by his/her spouse/registered partner; in these cases the following needs to be provided:
         1. marriage certificate (original + copy): when this document was issued outside the EU and is not in English or Czech, then it should be translated by a certified translator in the UK
         2. spouse/registered partner’s passport (original + copy)
         3. spouse/registered partner’s proof of occupation (as in B.1.a, b or c)
         4. spouse/registered partner’s proof of funds
         5. spouse/registered partner’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming sponsorship

2. Proof of funds
1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and end balance dated within the last week on the visa application submission date showing a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under a.

3. Proof of travel (airplane, train, boat, coach, (hired) car)

1. Confirmed return travel tickets: mentioning applicant’s name and travel dates to & from the Schengen Area
2. When travelling by car: car registration, car insurance, return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel mentioning the car’s registration number) and driver’s driving licence. If applicant is not the driver, then driver’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming joint travel with applicant and travel dates need to be provided too.

When travel tickets have been paid through travel agency, then a receipt, an invoice or a payment confirmation is also required.

4. Proof of accommodation

   Staying with friends or relatives in the Czech Republic:

   Applicant must provide an original signed invitation letter, photocopy of both sides of the inviting person´s ID ("občanský průkaz" in Czech) or copy passport’s bio page and copy of Czech residence permit ,if your host is not Czech.

   The invitation letter needs to provide exact dates the applicant is going to be staying with the invitee and the address where they will be staying.

   A formal obligation can be obtained by your host at the regional office of the Czech Immigration Authority in the Czech Republic. It may replace some required supporting documents as financial funds and proof of accommodation.

Applicants visiting more than 1 Schengen State also need to provide a complete Travel Plan (see here) clearly showing the dates of stay in the various Schengen States + addresses of stay during that same period.

5. Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)
   
   

   UK registered travel insurance – clearly showing the applicant’s name - has to be valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen Area and must cover the entire period of the applicant’s intended stay in the Schengen Area; minimum coverage for medical emergency and repatriation must be 30.000 €.

3. MINORS (every applicant who hasn’t reached the age of 18 years when submitting a Schengen visa application)

In addition to ALL above mentioned documents, every minor also needs to provide the following documents as part of A. Standard Documentation:

1. Birth certificate
   
   Unabridged birth certificate showing biological parents their names; if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK is also required
2. Consent of both parents
   
   Both biological parents need to give their written consent (signed & dated) for the minor to travel
3. Parents passports (copy)
4. Proof of sole custody (in case of a single parent): when parents are divorced or one of the parents has deceased, then the same has to be demonstrated by court order (original to be seen) or death certificate (original to be seen)
5. Proof of legal guardianship (in case a guardian has been appointed by the parents): the guardianship letter and the guardian’s passport’s Bio page and signature page, if signature is not on Bio page

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (see Schedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (see Schedule an Appointment).

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Applicants, who intend to travel for business purposes, i.e. visiting a business/company to have meetings, to make business deals, to recruit, to train or other work related activities can apply as Business.

Every Business visa application has to be confirmed by an invitation letter from a business/company based in Czech Republic, if not, applicant will need to apply as Tourist.

Admissibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be admissible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, Conference Visa, Medical Visa, Study or Professional Training or Cultural/Sports Visa

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

1. STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)
2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

2. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Proof of current occupation
   1. Employer letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s employment) and last 3 months payslips
   2. Student letter (original): recent, signed, UK university/college/school letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)
   3. Self- employment letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s self-employment) obtained from:
      1. last tax return correctly showing applicant’s details: name, address, Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number; if first tax return has yet to be filed a letter from HMRC containing the Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number needs to be provided.
      2. Company director: Directors´ service contract; Certificate of Incorporation and Letter from Accountant need to be provided when owning the company.
2. Proof of business invitation

   Signed (with name and position of signee), headed invitation letter from a company/business in Czech Republic confirming the purpose of visit, travel dates and arrangements for accommodation/travel, if applicable.

3. Proof of funds
1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and end balance dated within the last week on the visa application submission date showing a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under a.

4. Proof of travel (airplane, train, boat, coach, (hired) car)

1. Confirmed return travel tickets: mentioning applicant’s name and travel dates to & from the Schengen Area
2. When travelling by car: car registration, car insurance, return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel mentioning the car’s registration number) and driver’s driving licence. If applicant is not the driver, then driver’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming joint travel with applicant and travel dates need to be provided too.

When travel tickets have been paid through travel agency, then a receipt, an invoice or a payment confirmation is also required.

5. Proof of accommodation

   confirmed accommodation (hotel, hostel, camping,…) reservation mentioning applicant’s name, travel dates and accommodation address details.

   If the applicant’s name is not mentioned on the accommodation reservation, then a joint travel confirmation letter, signed and dated by the person whose name is on the reservation, must also be provided along with a photocopy of that same person’s passport/ID card + passport signature page, if signature is not on passport’s bio page.

   When accommodation is reserved for a group, then a list with the names of the group members will also be required; alternatively the group members their names may also be mentioned on the travel ticket.

Applicants visiting more than 1 Schengen State also need to provide a complete Travel Plan (see here) clearly showing the dates of stay in the various Schengen States + addresses of stay during that same period.

6. Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)

   UK registered travel insurance – clearly showing the applicant’s name - has to be valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen Area and must cover the entire period of the applicant’s intended stay in the Schengen Area; minimum coverage for medical emergency and repatriation must be 30.000 €.

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (see Schedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (see Schedule an Appointment).

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

1. Following family members of EEA/EU and Swiss nationals are entitled to apply for a Schengen visa as EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, i.e. submitting fewer documents required than regular Tourists and exempt from paying the applicable visa fee, when travelling together with their EEA/EU or Swiss national family member:
1. Spouse
2. Parent(s) (if supporting and cohabiting with an EEA/EU or Swiss national family member younger than 21 years old – elderly person depending and cohabiting with an EEA/EU or Swiss national family member)
3. Child(ren) (if younger than 21 years old)
4. Registered partner
2. Any applicant, travelling without his/her EEA/EU or Swiss national family member, cannot apply as EEA/EU and Swiss national family member and need to apply as Tourist, i.e. providing all the required documents and paying the applicable visa fee.

Eligibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member or Airport Transit

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

For Minors, pleaseclick here .

1. STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)
2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

2. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION
   1. EEA/EU and Swiss national’s passport or ID card (original to be seen)
   2. Apostilled Proof of relation to EEA/EU and Swiss national: marriage/birth certificate (original to be seen), if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK of the same is required. (Please note visa fee is applicable if the document is not apostilled)
   3. Proof of cohabitation with EEA/EU and Swiss national family member: e.g. utility bills, tenancy agreement clearly showing applicant and EEA/EU and Swiss national family member are living together on same address
   4. Confirmed return travel reservation. It needs to show the name of the applicant and the family member/s he/she is travelling with. When paid through a travel agency, then a receipt, invoice or payment confirmation should be provided.When travelling by car, please provide the driver’s driving license, car registration, car insurance and confirmed travel reservation (ferry or Eurotunnel) showing the car’s registration number and passengers’ names.

3. MINORS (every applicant who hasn’t reached the age of 18 years when submitting a Schengen visa application)

In addition to ALL abovementioned documents, every minor also needs to provide the following documents as part of A. Standard Documentation:

1. Birth certificate (appostilled)
   
   Unabridged birth certificate showing biological parents their names; if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK is also required. (Please note visa fee is applicable if the document is not apostilled)
2. Consent of both parents
   
   Both biological parents need to give their written consent (signed & dated) for the minor to travel
3. Parents passports (copy)
4. Proof of sole custody (in case of a single parent): when parents are divorced or one of the parents has deceased, then the same has to be demonstrated by court order (original to be seen) or death certificate (original to be seen)
5. Proof of legal guardianship (in case a guardian has been appointed by the parents): the guardianship letter and the guardian’s passport’s Bio page and signature page, if signature is not on Bio page

Update for non-EU family members of British nationals regarding travel and visa applications in regards to Brexit.

Changes to the application submission rules:

• If an application is submitted before 30.11.2019 for a trip, which starts and ends before 30.11.2019, current rules for family members of EU nationals under the directive 2004/38/ES.
• If an application is submitted before 30.11.2019 for a trip, which starts before 30.11.2019, but ends after 30.11.2019, current rules for family members of EU nationals under the directive 2004/38/ES.
• If an application is submitted before 30.11.2019 for a trip, which starts and ends after 30.11.2019, the application is to be submitted with a full set of documents as required for third-country nationals who are not family members of EU nationals. The visa fee is not levied and the applications remain free of charge until 30.11.2019. (The applicant would need to provide all documents under the Tourist Category)
• Applicable rules for applications submitted after 30.11.2019 are subject to the result of negotiations and method of exit of the United Kingdom from the EU.
• After the exit date, the non-EU family members of British nationals will have to respect the general conditions for authorized short says (90/180 rule) at all times. The stays in the Schengen area before with the British national before the exit will not be taken into account.

Changes to rules concerning issued visas

• Visas issued to non-EU family members of British nationals under the conditions for family members of EU nationals will remain valid even after the exit date. However, after the exit date border officers may request documents in accordance with article 14 and article 15 of the Visa code and if they cannot prove that they fulfill the conditions at the border, the entry can be refused and the visa can be revoked.

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (seeSchedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (seeSchedule an Appointment).

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Applicants, who intend to travel to attend/to be actively involved in a conference/seminar/workshop can apply for Conference Visa.

Invitation letter/tickets needs to confirm clearly the purpose of attending the conference/seminar/workshop, if not, applicant will need to apply as Tourist.

Admissibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be admissible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, Conference Visa, Medical Visa, Study or Professional Training or Cultural/Sports Visa

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

For Minors,pleaseclick here .

1. STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)

2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

2. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Proof of current occupation

   1. Employer letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s employment) and last 3 months payslips
   2. Student letter (original): recent, signed, UK university/college/school letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)
   3. Self- employment letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s self-employment) obtained from:
      1. last tax return correctly showing applicant’s details: name, address, Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number; if first tax return has yet to be filed a letter from HMRC containing the Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number needs to be provided.
      2. Company director: Directors´ service contract; Certificate of Incorporation and Letter from Accountant need to be provided when owning the company.
   4. Unemployed/retired
      1. Receiving Benefits: recent original letter obtained from local Jobcentre or Pension Service
      2. Not receiving Benefits: applicant’s cover letter explaining his/her financial situation
      3. Housewife/man (only applicable to married couples): applicant may be sponsored by his/her spouse/registered partner; in these cases the following needs to be provided:
      1. marriage certificate (original + copy): when this document was issued outside the EU and is not in English or Czech, then it should be translated by a certified translator in the UK
      2. spouse/registered partner’s passport (original + copy)
      3. spouse/registered partner’s proof of occupation (as in B.1.a, b or c)
      4. spouse/registered partner’s proof of funds
      5. spouse/registered partner’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming sponsorship

2. Proof of Invitation/Registration to Conference/Fair/Congress/Seminar

   Invitation letter or registration confirmation + receipt/payment confirmation to attend conference/fair/congress/seminar or workshop

3. Proof of funds
1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and end balance dated within the last week on the visa application submission date showing a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under a.

4. Proof of travel (airplane, train, boat, coach, (hired) car)

1. Confirmed return travel tickets: mentioning applicant’s name and travel dates to & from the Schengen Area
2. When travelling by car: car registration, car insurance, return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel mentioning the car’s registration number) and driver’s driving licence. If applicant is not the driver, then driver’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming joint travel with applicant and travel dates need to be provided too.

When travel tickets have been paid through travel agency, then a receipt, an invoice or a payment confirmation is also required.

5. Proof of accommodation
   1. confirmed accommodation (hotel, hostel, camping,…) reservation mentioning applicant’s name, travel dates and accommodation address details.

   If the applicant’s name is not mentioned on the accommodation reservation, then a joint travel confirmation letter, signed and dated by the person whose name is on the reservation, must also be provided along with a photocopy of that same person’s passport/ID card + passport signature page, if signature is not on passport’s bio page.

   When accommodation is reserved for a group, then a list with the names of the group members will also be required; alternatively the group members their names may also be mentioned on the travel ticket

   2. Staying with friends or relatives in the Czech Republic:

   Applicant must provide an original signed invitation letter, photocopy of both sides of the inviting person´s ID ("občanský průkaz" in Czech) or copy passport’s bio page and copy of Czech residence permit ,if your host is not Czech.

   The invitation letter needs to provide exact dates the applicant is going to be staying with the invitee and the address where they will be staying.

   A formal obligation can be obtained by your host at the regional office of the Czech Immigration Authority in the Czech Republic. It may replace some required supporting documents as financial funds and proof of accommodation.

Applicants visiting more than 1 Schengen State also need to provide a complete Travel Plan (see here) clearly showing the dates of stay in the various Schengen States + addresses of stay during that same period.

6. Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)

   UK registered travel insurance – clearly showing the applicant’s name - has to be valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen Area and must cover the entire period of the applicant’s intended stay in the Schengen Area; minimum coverage for medical emergency and repatriation must be 30.000 €.

3. MINORS (every applicant who hasn’t reached the age of 18 years when submitting a Schengen visa application)

In addition to ALL abovementioned documents, every minor also needs to provide the following documents as part of A. Standard Documentation:

1. Birth certificate
   
   Unabridged birth certificate showing biological parents their names; if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK is also required
2. Consent of both parents
   
   Both biological parents need to give their written consent (signed & dated) for the minor to travel
3. Parents passports (copy)
4. Proof of sole custody (in case of a single parent): when parents are divorced or one of the parents has deceased, then the same has to be demonstrated by court order (original to be seen) or death certificate (original to be seen)
5. Proof of legal guardianship (in case a guardian has been appointed by the parents): the guardianship letter and the guardian’s passport’s Bio page and signature page, if signature is not on Bio page

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (seeSchedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (seeSchedule an Appointment).

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Applicants, who intend to travel for spa and health tourism, medical treatment, … can apply for Medical Visa.

Invitation letter needs to confirm clearly the purpose of travel, if not, applicant will need to apply as Tourist.

Admissibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be admissible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, Conference Visa, Medical Visa, Study or Professional Training or Cultural/Sports Visa

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

For Minors, please click here.

1. STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)
2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

2. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Proof of current occupation
   1. Employer letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s employment) and last 3 months payslips
   2. Student letter (original): recent, signed, UK university/college/school letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)
   3. Self- employment letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s self-employment) obtained from:
      1. last tax return correctly showing applicant’s details: name, address, Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number; if first tax return has yet to be filed a letter from HMRC containing the Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number needs to be provided.
      2. Company director: Directors´ service contract; Certificate of Incorporation and Letter from Accountant need to be provided when owning the company.
   4. Unemployed/retired
      1. Receiving Benefits: recent original letter obtained from local Jobcentre or Pension Service
      2. Not receiving Benefits: applicant’s cover letter explaining his/her financial situation
      3. Housewife/man (only applicable to married couples): applicant may be sponsored by his/her spouse/registered partner; in these cases the following needs to be provided:
      1. marriage certificate (original + copy): when this document was issued outside the EU and is not in English or Czech, then it should be translated by a certified translator in the UK
      2. spouse/registered partner’s passport (original + copy)
      3. spouse/registered partner’s proof of occupation (as in B.1.a, b or c)
      4. spouse/registered partner’s proof of funds
      5. spouse/registered partner’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming sponsorship

2. Proof of Invitation for Medical reason
   
   

   Invitation letter to visit medical facility for health treatment

3. Proof of funds
1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and end balance dated within the last week on the visa application submission date showing a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under a.

4. Proof of travel (airplane, train, boat, coach, (hired) car)

1. Confirmed return travel tickets: mentioning applicant’s name and travel dates to & from the Schengen Area
2. When travelling by car: car registration, car insurance, return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel mentioning the car’s registration number) and driver’s driving licence. If applicant is not the driver, then driver’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming joint travel with applicant and travel dates need to be provided too.

When travel tickets have been paid through travel agency, then a receipt, an invoice or a payment confirmation is also required.

5. Proof of accommodation
   1. confirmed accommodation (hotel, hostel, camping,…) reservation mentioning applicant’s name, travel dates and accommodation address details.

   If the applicant’s name is not mentioned on the accommodation reservation, then a joint travel confirmation letter, signed and dated by the person whose name is on the reservation, must also be provided along with a photocopy of that same person’s passport/ID card + passport signature page, if signature is not on passport’s bio page.

   When accommodation is reserved for a group, then a list with the names of the group members will also be required; alternatively the group members their names may also be mentioned on the travel ticket

   2. Staying with friends or relatives in the Czech Republic:

Applicant must provide an original signed invitation letter, photocopy of both sides of the inviting person´s ID ("občanský průkaz" in Czech) or copy passport’s bio page and copy of Czech residence permit, if your host is not Czech.

The invitation letter needs to provide exact dates the applicant is going to be staying with the invitee and the address where they will be staying.

A formal obligation can be obtained by your host at the regional office of the Czech Immigration Authority in the Czech Republic. It may replace some required supporting documents as financial funds and proof of accommodation.

Applicants visiting more than 1 Schengen State also need to provide a complete Travel Plan (see here) clearly showing the dates of stay in the various Schengen States + addresses of stay during that same period.

6. Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)

   UK registered travel insurance – clearly showing the applicant’s name - has to be valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen Area and must cover the entire period of the applicant’s intended stay in the Schengen Area; minimum coverage for medical emergency and repatriation must be 30.000 €.

3. MINORS (every applicant who hasn’t reached the age of 18 years when submitting a Schengen visa application)

In addition to ALL abovementioned documents, every minor also needs to provide the following documents as part of A. Standard Documentation:

1. Birth certificate
   
   Unabridged birth certificate showing biological parents their names; if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK is also required
2. Consent of both parents
   
   Both biological parents need to give their written consent (signed & dated) for the minor to travel
3. Parents passports (copy)
4. Proof of sole custody (in case of a single parent): when parents are divorced or one of the parents has deceased, then the same has to be demonstrated by court order (original to be seen) or death certificate (original to be seen)
5. Proof of legal guardianship (in case a guardian has been appointed by the parents): the guardianship letter and the guardian’s passport’s Bio page and signature page, if signature is not on Bio page

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (see Schedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (seeSchedule an Appointment).

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Applicants, who intend to travel for the purpose of study or scientific research can apply for Study or Professional Training.

Invitation letter needs to confirm clearly the purpose of travel, if not, applicant will need to apply as Tourist.

Admissibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be admissible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, Conference Visa, Medical Visa, Study or Professional Training or Cultural/Sports Visa

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

For Minors, please click here.

1. STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)
2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

2. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Proof of current occupation
   1. Employer letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s employment) and last 3 months payslips
   2. Student letter (original): recent, signed, UK university/college/school letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)
   3. Self- employment letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s self-employment) obtained from:
      1. last tax return correctly showing applicant’s details: name, address, Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number; if first tax return has yet to be filed a letter from HMRC containing the Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number needs to be provided.
      2. Company director: Directors´ service contract; Certificate of Incorporation and Letter from Accountant need to be provided when owning the company.
   4. Unemployed/retired
      1. Receiving Benefits: recent original letter obtained from local Jobcentre or Pension Service
      2. Not receiving Benefits: applicant’s cover letter explaining his/her financial situation
      3. Housewife/man (only applicable to married couples): applicant may be sponsored by his/her spouse/registered partner; in these cases the following needs to be provided:
      1. marriage certificate (original + copy): when this document was issued outside the EU and is not in English or Czech, then it should be translated by a certified translator in the UK
      2. spouse/registered partner’s passport (original + copy)
      3. spouse/registered partner’s proof of occupation (as in B.1.a, b or c)
      4. spouse/registered partner’s proof of funds
      5. spouse/registered partner’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming sponsorship
2. Proof of Invitation for Study or Professional training

   Invitation letter to visit educational or scientific institution

3. Proof of funds
1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and end balance dated within the last week on the visa application submission date showing a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under a.

4. Proof of travel (airplane, train, boat, coach, (hired) car)

1. Confirmed return travel tickets: mentioning applicant’s name and travel dates to & from the Schengen Area
2. When travelling by car: car registration, car insurance, return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel mentioning the car’s registration number) and driver’s driving licence. If applicant is not the driver, then driver’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming joint travel with applicant and travel dates need to be provided too.

When travel tickets have been paid through travel agency, then a receipt, an invoice or a payment confirmation is also required.

5. Proof of accommodation

   1. confirmed accommodation (hotel, hostel, camping,…) reservation mentioning applicant’s name, travel dates and accommodation address details.

   If the applicant’s name is not mentioned on the accommodation reservation, then a joint travel confirmation letter, signed and dated by the person whose name is on the reservation, must also be provided along with a photocopy of that same person’s passport/ID card + passport signature page, if signature is not on passport’s bio page.

   When accommodation is reserved for a group, then a list with the names of the group members will also be required; alternatively the group members their names may also be mentioned on the travel ticket

   2. Staying with friends or relatives in the Czech Republic:

   Applicant must provide an original signed invitation letter, photocopy of both sides of the inviting person´s ID ("občanský průkaz" in Czech) or copy passport’s bio page and copy of Czech residence permit ,if your host is not Czech.

   The invitation letter needs to provide exact dates the applicant is going to be staying with the invitee and the address where they will be staying.

   A formal obligation can be obtained by your host at the regional office of the Czech Immigration Authority in the Czech Republic. It may replace some required supporting documents as financial funds and proof of accommodation.

Applicants visiting more than 1 Schengen State also need to provide a complete Travel Plan (see here) clearly showing the dates of stay in the various Schengen States + addresses of stay during that same period.

6. Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)

   UK registered travel insurance – clearly showing the applicant’s name - has to be valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen Area and must cover the entire period of the applicant’s intended stay in the Schengen Area; minimum coverage for medical emergency and repatriation must be 30.000 €.

3. MINORS (every applicant who hasn’t reached the age of 18 years when submitting a Schengen visa application)

In addition to ALL abovementioned documents, every minor also needs to provide the following documents as part of A. Standard Documentation:

1. Birth certificate
   
   Unabridged birth certificate showing biological parents their names; if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK is also required
2. Consent of both parents
   
   Both biological parents need to give their written consent (signed & dated) for the minor to travel
3. Parents passports (copy)
4. Proof of sole custody (in case of a single parent): when parents are divorced or one of the parents has deceased, then the same has to be demonstrated by court order (original to be seen) or death certificate (original to be seen)
5. Proof of legal guardianship (in case a guardian has been appointed by the parents): the guardianship letter and the guardian’s passport’s Bio page and signature page, if signature is not on Bio page

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (see Schedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (see Schedule an Appointment).

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online (see Schedule an Appointment) by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Applicants, who intend to travel to attend a cultural or sports event can apply for Cultural/Sports Visa.

Invitation letter needs to confirm clearly the purpose of travel, if not, applicant will need to apply as Tourist.

Admissibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be admissible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, Conference Visa, Medical Visa, Study or Professional Training or Cultural/Sports Visa

Visa Fees

Please Note: The visa fee and the service charge may change on the first day of every month. Both depend on the exchange rate issued on the last working day of the previous month by the European Central Bank.

There is a VFS service charge of EUR 26.20 per visa application in addition to the visa fee payable by all applicants.

Please Note: The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

• 1 children under six years;
• 2 school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training (e.g. The Erasmus Program etc.);
• researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (21);
• representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports,
• cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

For detailed fee exemptions, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic by email: [email protected].

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/documents, if desired by the Mission.

Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application.

Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.

Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) and THE NEWS SECTION FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.

For Minors, please click here.

1. STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Visa application form (original) (see here)
2. Passport (original)

   Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area.
   
   Extended passport may still be valid, but when older than 10 years the passport is no longer acceptable; in that case applicant first needs to apply for a new passport.

   Photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and/or issued in the last 3 years, if applicable.

3. UK Residence permit

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card and/or digital proof of immigration status issued by UK Home Office (share code), must be valid for at least 1 month beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area; C type visitor visa (see here) is not acceptable.

4. Photograph (original) (see here)

2. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION

1. Proof of current occupation
   1. Employer letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s employment) and last 3 months payslips
   2. Student letter (original): recent, signed, UK university/college/school letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)
   3. Self- employment letter (original): recent, signed, headed letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s self-employment) obtained from:
      1. last tax return correctly showing applicant’s details: name, address, Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number; if first tax return has yet to be filed a letter from HMRC containing the Unique Taxpayer Reference and National Insurance Number needs to be provided.
      2. solicitor: when applicant’s company has been registered by a solicitor
      3. bank manager: when applicant’s company has a business bank account
      4. Companies House: Certificate of Incorporation received upon registering business: if applicant’s name is not mentioned on certificate, then additional proof demonstrating connection applicant – company should be provided
      5. Company director: Directors´ service contract; Certificate of Incorporation and Letter from Accountant need to be provided when owning the company.
   4. Unemployed/retired
      1. Receiving Benefits: recent original letter obtained from local Jobcentre or Pension Service
      2. Not receiving Benefits: applicant’s cover letter explaining his/her financial situation
      3. Housewife/man (only applicable to married couples): applicant may be sponsored by his/her spouse/registered partner; in these cases the following needs to be provided:
      1. marriage certificate (original + copy): when this document was issued outside the EU and is not in English or Czech, then it should be translated by a certified translator in the UK
      2. spouse/registered partner’s passport (original + copy)
      3. spouse/registered partner’s proof of occupation (as in B.1.a, b or c)
      4. spouse/registered partner’s proof of funds
      5. spouse/registered partner’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming sponsorship

2. Proof of Invitation/Registration to Conference/Seminar/Workshop/Sport event
   
   

   Invitation letter or registration confirmation to attend conference/seminar/workshop or Sport event

3. Proof of funds
1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and end balance dated within the last week on the visa application submission date showing a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under a.

4. Proof of travel (airplane, train, boat, coach, (hired) car)

1. Confirmed return travel tickets: mentioning applicant’s name and travel dates to & from the Schengen Area
2. When travelling by car: car registration, car insurance, return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel mentioning the car’s registration number) and driver’s driving licence. If applicant is not the driver, then driver’s cover letter (signed & dated) confirming joint travel with applicant and travel dates need to be provided too.

When travel tickets have been paid through travel agency, then a receipt, an invoice or a payment confirmation is also required.

5. Proof of accommodation
   1. confirmed accommodation (hotel, hostel, camping,…) reservation mentioning applicant’s name, travel dates and accommodation address details.

   If the applicant’s name is not mentioned on the accommodation reservation, then a joint travel confirmation letter, signed and dated by the person whose name is on the reservation, must also be provided along with a photocopy of that same person’s passport/ID card + passport signature page, if signature is not on passport’s bio page.

   When accommodation is reserved for a group, then a list with the names of the group members will also be required; alternatively the group members their names may also be mentioned on the travel ticket

   2. Staying with friends or relatives in the Czech Republic:

   Applicant must provide an original signed invitation letter, photocopy of both sides of the inviting person´s ID ("občanský průkaz" in Czech) or copy passport’s bio page and copy of Czech residence permit ,if your host is not Czech.

   The invitation letter needs to provide exact dates the applicant is going to be staying with the invitee and the address where they will be staying.

   A formal obligation can be obtained by your host at the regional office of the Czech Immigration Authority in the Czech Republic. It may replace some required supporting documents as financial funds and proof of accommodation.

Applicants visiting more than 1 Schengen State also need to provide a complete Travel Plan (see here) clearly showing the dates of stay in the various Schengen States + addresses of stay during that same period.

4. Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)

   UK registered travel insurance – clearly showing the applicant’s name - has to be valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen Area and must cover the entire period of the applicant’s intended stay in the Schengen Area; minimum coverage for medical emergency and repatriation must be 30.000 €.

3. MINORS (every applicant who hasn’t reached the age of 18 years when submitting a Schengen visa application)

In addition to ALL abovementioned documents, every minor also needs to provide the following documents as part of A. Standard Documentation:

1. Birth certificate
   
   Unabridged birth certificate showing biological parents their names; if not in English or Czech, then translation by a certified translator in the UK is also required
2. Consent of both parents
   
   Both biological parents need to give their written consent (signed & dated) for the minor to travel
3. Parents passports (copy)
4. Proof of sole custody (in case of a single parent): when parents are divorced or one of the parents has deceased, then the same has to be demonstrated by court order (original to be seen) or death certificate (original to be seen)
5. Proof of legal guardianship (in case a guardian has been appointed by the parents): the guardianship letter and the guardian’s passport’s Bio page and signature page, if signature is not on Bio page

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, meeting the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus
• Full face: non-smiling, no sunglasses, no hat/cap or any head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of his/her religious belief or ethnic background
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print)
• Photograph attached (glued) to the Visa Application Form

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements (see examples here), then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

Every applicant can submit his/her Schengen visa application up to 6 months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.

The minimum processing time of a visa application is 2 weeks, so applicants are advised to leave enough time - between the appointment date and travel date - for the Mission to process their visa application; no guarantees can be given on the visa application’s return date as delays may occur.

For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks.

In order to avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is paramount that the visa application is complete and its documents submitted are as per the Mission’s requirements (see Documents Required for the different visa categories).

Applicants also need to be aware that, especially during busy season around Easter, Summer holidays (July and September ) and Christmas, the appointments (see Schedule an Appointment) are being booked very quickly as the Mission only processes a fixed amount of visa applications on a daily basis.

Furthermore applicants need to consider that VFS/Mission’s closures and holidays (see Public Holidays/Closures) may extend the visa application processing time.

Therefore VFS recommends all applicants:

1. to book their appointment as soon as they know they’ll be travelling
2. to ensure that their visa application’s documentation meets the Mission’s requirements
3. to leave enough processing time for the Mission

The Mission may always request for additional information/documents or invite applicants for an interview during the visa application process and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.

Application Form

For Czech Republic every applicant needs to provide a signed printout from a Schengen visa application form (VAF).

Therefore each applicant first needs to download and print the Schengen visa application form as follows:

1. Click Schengen Visa Application form (PDF format in English)
2. Select File in Menu bar
3. Select Print and confirm Printing

or alternatively:

1. Right click Schengen Visa Application form
2. Select Print target and confirm Printing

Once the Schengen visa application form has been printed, then applicant needs to finish the remaining steps:

1. Duly complete the printed visa application form (as per the passport’s details)
2. Sign the completed visa application form in the designated places (no.37 and right under the disclaimer at the end of the VAF)
3. Bring the signed visa application form with the supporting documents on his/her appointment day (see Schedule an Appointment).