Czech RepublicBusiness and self-employment

Czech Republic business visa (Schengen type C)

Schengen visa (type C) for business

In short

Meetings, negotiations, contract signings and trade fairs in Czechia are covered by a Schengen visa for business. The file combines the standard documents with an invitation from the Czech company, a letter from your employer and company bank statements; paid work in Czechia is not allowed on this visa.

checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
Validity
Single or multiple entry, as the consulate decides; the 90/180-day limit applies to every visa.
Fee
€90Standard adult Schengen fee; EUR 45 for children aged 6–11, free under 6. Paid at submission; an external service provider may charge its own service fee on top. Not refunded after a refusal.
Funds required
CZK 1,565 per dayCzech minimum for stays of up to 30 days. For 31–90 days you need CZK 46,950 plus CZK 6,260 for each full month; applicants under 18 need half. Proof can be a bank statement with an international card, a prepaid voucher or invoice, a police-verified invitation, a stipend or a grant.
Processing time
15 calendar days as a rule; up to 45 days when a case needs closer examination.
Work
No. Paid work needs a separate Schengen visa for employment backed by a Labour Office permit, or a long-term permit.
Where to apply
The Czech embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the external service provider it uses.

What counts as a business trip

The Czech MFA lists business meetings and negotiations, concluding contracts, placing orders and attending trade fairs. Work for a Czech employer, installation or assembly work and acting as a company officer in Czechia fall under the separate Schengen visa for employment, which requires a Labour Office permit or a trade licence or company register extract.

Business documents

On top of the standard documents you add an invitation from the Czech company stating purpose and length of the visit, a letter from your own employer describing the trip and who pays for it, and company bank statements for the last three months. For a fair, the entry ticket or exhibitor registration is enough as proof of purpose.

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
  • Flight or other transport reservation and, for touring, a travel itinerary

Money

  • Bank statement for the last three months showing regular income, plus salary slips for three months or a pension booklet
  • Company bank statements for the last three months

Work

  • Invitation from the Czech company with purpose and dates of the visit
  • Letter from your employer stating position, purpose of trip and who covers the costs
  • Employees: employer letter with start date, position and leave, plus proof of employment and social insurance registration

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen states with at least EUR 30,000 cover for the whole trip

Other

  • Proof of accommodation such as a hotel booking or an invitation covering lodging

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Work

  • Trade fair entry card or exhibitor registration
  • Company owners: company registration, trade register extract and tax documents; farmers: proof of agricultural activity

Funds

The Czech minimum of CZK 1,565 per day applies to trips of up to 30 days, CZK 46,950 plus CZK 6,260 per full month to longer trips. If the company covers costs, its bank statement and the employer letter stating this serve as proof.

Refusal and appeal

A refusal comes on a standard form listing the reasons. You can ask for a review in writing at the consulate that refused the visa within 15 days of receiving the form; the review fee is EUR 80 and new documents cannot be added. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs decides within 60 days, and after a confirmed refusal you may turn to the competent Czech court within 30 days.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Check which Czech embassy or consulate is responsible for your place of legal residence and whether it uses an external service provider.
  2. Book an appointment as that mission instructs, no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before the trip.
  3. Fill in the Schengen form and gather the documents on the mission’s list plus the Czech invitation and company letters.
  4. Attend in person, give fingerprints (not required under 12) and pay EUR 90 plus any service fee.
  5. Wait for the decision, normally within 15 calendar days.
  6. Collect the passport; at the border register in the EES and, outside a hotel, register your address with the Foreign Police within three working days.

Forms

Frequently asked questions

Can I install machinery for a Czech client on a business visa?

No. Installation, assembly and other work in Czechia need the Schengen visa for employment, normally backed by a Labour Office employment permit unless a legal exception applies.

Do I need an original invitation from the Czech partner?

A signed letter on company letterhead is accepted and can be sent as a scan. A police-verified invitation is optional and mainly useful when the host also covers accommodation or costs.

Can I get a multiple-entry business visa straight away?

Consulates may issue multiple-entry visas when the travel need is well documented and earlier visas were used lawfully. For Turkish citizens applying in Türkiye, a 2025 EU cascade sets fixed steps from six months up to five years.

Who pays when the Czech partner covers my hotel?

Show the partner’s confirmation of what it pays, together with your own or your employer’s statements for the remaining costs. Funds must reach the Czech minimum in total.

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

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