Czech RepublicBusiness and self-employment
Czech Republic investor residence permit
Long-term residence permit for the purpose of investment (investor card)
In short
Czechia’s investor card is a long-term residence permit for third-country entrepreneurs, or executives of companies, who make a significant investment: at least CZK 75 million that creates at least 20 new jobs. It is a business-investment route; official pages describe no residence option based on buying property.
Apply on Ministry of Industry and Trade – Investor card checked 23 October 2026
Key facts
- Maximum stay
- Issued for up to two years; renewable in Czechia.
- Fee
- CZK 5,000Consular fee for an application lodged abroad, as stated by the Ministry of the Interior; CZK 2,500 when applying in Czechia.
- Funds required
- CZK 75,000,000Minimum significant investment; it must create at least 20 new jobs held by EU citizens or their family members for at least two years, and up to 60% may be provided as other assets such as technology or know-how.
- Work
- Activities related to the investment.
- Family
- Family members can apply for family reunification permits.
- Path to permanent residence
- Counts towards five years of continuous residence.
- Where to apply
- At the Czech mission responsible for your place of residence, where investment is among the residence permit purposes, or at a Ministry of the Interior office.
What counts as a significant investment
The investor card was introduced on 15 August 2017 with Government Regulation No. 223/2017 Coll., which defines a significant investment. The investment must reach at least CZK 75 million and create at least 20 new jobs filled by EU citizens or their family members, kept for at least two years. Up to 60% of the amount may be contributed as tangible or intangible assets, including technology and know-how.
Business plan and other documents
Besides the usual residence permit documents, the investor submits a business plan; the Ministry of Industry and Trade publishes a template. The plan should show the amount and form of the investment and the jobs it will create. All documents must be in Czech or officially translated.
Required documents
Travel
- Valid passport (original), application form and two photos
Work
- Business plan documenting the investment of at least CZK 75 million and 20 new jobs (MPO template)
- Proof of your role as the investing entrepreneur or as an executive of the investing company
Insurance
- Travel medical insurance in Czech translation, shown when collecting the visa
Other
- Proof of accommodation in Czechia
- Criminal record extract from your country of citizenship (and, where required, from other countries where you recently lived), with apostille and Czech translation
Applying
The investment permit is among the residence permit purposes accepted at Czech missions after registering for an appointment. Applications are capped by Government Regulation No. 220/2019 Coll. The Key and Research Staff Programme can also lead to a residence permit for investment for staff of major investors.
- Plan the investment and job creation, and prepare the business plan on the MPO template.
- Register for an appointment with the Czech mission responsible for your place of residence, choosing investment as the purpose.
- Lodge the green application form in person with Czech-language documents and pay the fee.
- After approval, travel on the collection visa and receive the residence card at the Ministry of the Interior office.
Validity and renewal
The permit is issued for at most two years and is renewed at the Ministry of the Interior office as long as the investment conditions continue to be met.
Refusal and appeal
Appeals against refused long-term visas or residence permits are sent directly to the Ministry of the Interior, Department for Asylum and Migration Policy, within the deadline in the decision, not through the consulate.
Frequently asked questions
Does Czechia have a golden visa for buying property?
No such route is described on official Czech pages. The investor card requires a business investment of at least CZK 75 million with 20 new jobs.
Can part of the investment be technology instead of cash?
Yes. Up to 60% of the required amount can be replaced by other tangible or intangible assets, including technologies and know-how.
Who must fill the 20 jobs?
EU citizens or their family members, and the jobs must exist for at least two years.
Official sources
- MPO – Dlouhodobý pobyt za účelem investování (investor card)
- Ministry of the Interior (IPC) – Long-term residence permit for investment
- Embassy in Ankara – Economic migration programmes and quotas
- Embassy in Ankara – Registration for long-term visas and residence permits
- Consulate General in Istanbul – Long-term visas and permits appointments
- Czech MFA – Visa fee schedule
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.
- Family and friends visit 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.
Study and training
- Student visa Maximum stay: For the length of studies; renewed in Czechia before expiry.
- Language course visa Maximum stay: Up to one year; can be extended in Czechia for up to another year.
- Researcher visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the research project; renewable in Czechia.
- Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Training visa: up to six months.
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
- Fast-track and priority visa services Validity: Programme inclusion is generally valid for one year.
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.