Czech RepublicVisits and short stays

Czech Republic family and friends visit visa

Schengen visa (type C) for visiting family or friends

In short

To visit relatives or friends living in Czechia you apply for a Schengen visa with an invitation. A host can have an official invitation verified by the Foreign Police, which can replace your own proof of accommodation, funds and Czech insurance; a free-form letter only proves the purpose.

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.
Family
Visiting a family member who is an EU or Czech citizen: the visa is free and you may apply directly at the mission.
Where to apply
The Czech embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the external service provider it uses.

Two kinds of invitation

An officially verified invitation is a form your host fills in and has stamped by the Foreign Police district office for the host’s place of residence. In it the host undertakes to provide accommodation, money for the stay, or both, and the original is posted to you. Depending on what the host covers, it proves purpose, lodging, funds and insurance for Czechia.

An unofficial invitation is a simple signed letter giving your name, date of birth, passport number and the purpose, length and place of the visit. It proves only why you travel, so you add your own accommodation and money evidence.

What to add to the standard file

Missions ask for an invitation stating the length of stay, the relationship and the host’s ID number, proof of family ties where relevant and proof of sponsorship or accommodation. Birth or marriage certificates showing the relationship strengthen the file, as do the host’s residence permit or Czech ID copy.

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

Work

  • Employees: employer letter with start date, position and leave, plus proof of employment and social insurance registration

Family

  • Invitation from the host: police-verified form or a signed letter with the host’s ID number, relationship and length of stay

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)

Identity

  • Copy of the host’s Czech ID card or residence permit

Work

  • Company owners: company registration, trade register extract and tax documents; farmers: proof of agricultural activity

Study

  • Students: student certificate (other pupils: school certificate)

Family

  • Proof of the relationship, for example birth or marriage certificate
  • Minors travelling alone or with one parent: notarised consent of the other parent or proof of sole custody

Funds and insurance

Without a verified invitation covering costs you prove the Czech minimum yourself: CZK 1,565 per day for up to 30 days, or CZK 46,950 plus CZK 6,260 per full month for longer stays. Even with a verified invitation you still need travel insurance valid for the whole Schengen area if the visa is issued for the entire zone.

Fee waiver for relatives of EU citizens

Spouses, children and dependent parents of EU citizens who are covered by EU free-movement rules pay no visa fee.

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 invitation from your host.
  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

Where does my host get the verified invitation form?

From the Foreign Police (Alien Police Inspectorate) office responsible for the host’s place of residence in Czechia. The office verifies the form, and the host then mails the original to you.

Is a scanned invitation accepted?

A free-form letter may be sent as a scan by e-mail. The officially verified invitation must be submitted as the original form.

Can my relative in Czechia pay for my trip?

Yes. Funds can be shown through a verified invitation in which the host takes on costs, or through other proof of sponsorship. Add your own bank statement anyway to show ties to your country of residence.

I want to stay with my family longer than 90 days. Which permit fits?

A Schengen visa cannot be extended beyond 90 days for this purpose. Longer stays with a relative who lives in Czechia require a family reunification permit or another long-term permit applied for at the mission.

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

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
  • Airport transit visa Maximum stay: Only the time needed in the international transit area; no entry into Czechia.
  • Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Schengen visa: 90 days in 180; long-term visa: up to one year.
  • Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Schengen visa: 90 days in 180; long-term visa for culture or sport: up to one year.

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