Czech RepublicVisits and short stays

Czech Republic airport transit visa (type A)

Airport transit visa (type A)

In short

Czechia requires citizens of 30 countries, among them Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia and Türkiye, to hold an airport transit visa even when they only change planes in the international zone of a Czech airport. It is issued for one or two transits, for up to six months, and does not allow you to leave the airport.

checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Only the time needed in the international transit area; no entry into Czechia.
Validity
One or two entries, valid for at most six months.
Fee
€90Same fee scale as the Schengen visa (the Czech table lists types C and A together); any service-provider fee is extra.
Processing time
15 calendar days as a rule; up to 45 days when a case needs closer examination.
Work
No.
Where to apply
The Czech embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the external service provider it uses.

Who needs it

Citizens or passport holders of 30 countries need this visa for a connection at any international airport in Czechia. The list includes, for example, Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Syria and Türkiye.

Exemptions

You do not need it if you hold a valid Schengen visa, a Czech long-term visa or residence permit, a residence permit of Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino or the United States, or a visa for an EEA state, Canada, Japan or the United States. Family members of EU citizens, diplomatic passport holders and ICAO crew members are also exempt.

Documents

The Czech MFA asks for a passport, an application form, a photo and fingerprints, together with your onward ticket and, where needed, the visa for your final destination. Travel medical insurance is not required for an airport transit visa under the Visa Code.

Required documents

Identity

  • Completed and signed Schengen application form and one recent photo

Travel

  • Passport issued in the last 10 years, valid at least three months beyond departure, with two blank pages
  • Confirmed onward flight ticket showing the connection in Czechia
  • Visa or residence permit for the final destination, if that country requires one

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Other

  • Further supporting documents if the mission asks for them

How to apply

The transit visa is a Schengen-type visa, so it is lodged through the same channels as other short-stay visas: the Czech embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or its external service provider, at least 15 days before the flight. If you will leave the airport or change airports, apply for a regular type C visa instead.

  1. Check whether your connection is in a Czech airport and whether you hold an exempting visa or permit.
  2. Book an appointment with the Czech mission responsible for your place of residence, or its service provider, at least 15 days before the flight.
  3. Submit form, photo, passport and tickets, give fingerprints and pay EUR 90 plus any service fee.
  4. Collect the visa and stay airside during the connection.

Forms

Frequently asked questions

I have a valid Schengen visa from another country. Do I still need a Czech transit visa?

No. Holders of a valid Schengen visa are exempt from the Czech airport transit visa requirement.

Does a US visa exempt me when flying through Prague?

Yes. A valid visa for the United States, Canada, Japan or an EEA state, or a residence permit of Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino or the United States, exempts you.

Can I leave the airport during a long layover?

Not with an airport transit visa. Leaving the international area requires a Schengen visa of type C.

How long is the airport transit visa valid?

It is issued for one or two transits and for a maximum of six months.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Czech Republic

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
  • Self-employed and freelancer visa Maximum stay: Up to one year; extendable or convertible into a long-term residence permit for business in Czechia.
  • Investor visa Maximum stay: Issued for up to two years; renewable in Czechia.

Study and training

Work

  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: Up to nine months, no extension.
  • Work visa Maximum stay: For the length of the contract, at most two years per card; renewable in Czechia.
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: Depends on the permit obtained (employee card up to two years, Blue Card up to three).
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: Contract length plus three months, at most three years; renewable.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Duration of the transfer: at most three years for managers and specialists, one year for trainees.
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Long-term seasonal visa: at most nine months in total, extensions included.
  • Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: Long-term visa for up to one year, then a long-term residence permit for the same purpose in Czechia.

Family

  • Family reunification visa Maximum stay: Same validity as the sponsor’s permit, at least one year; two years if the sponsor holds permanent residence.
  • Spouse and partner visa Maximum stay: Residence card for the expected length of the EU citizen’s stay, at most five years.

Residence

  • Permanent residence Maximum stay: Permanent; the residence card itself is renewed periodically.

Faster processing

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Processing time: Time limits follow the amended Asylum Act and the EU Asylum Procedure Regulation applicable since 12 June 2026; manifestly unfounded claims go through an accelerated procedure.

Czech Republic visa guide