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Entering the Czech Republic, duties, length of stay

  1. Conditions of entry and basic requirements after entry to the Czech Republic
  2. Bilateral visa exemption agreements concluded before joining the Schengen Area

 Česky

Bilateral visa exemption agreements concluded before joining the Schengen Area

The rules for short-term stays (entry, stay, visa requirements, exemption from visa requirements and also procedures and conditions relating to the granting of short-term visas) are, with certain exceptions, stipulated by European legislation. A short-term stay is a stay of a max. duration of 90 days in any 180-day period, which means the period of 180 days immediately preceding each day of stay (note: the length of stay is calculated according to the entry and departure stamps entered into the relevant travel document at the border-crossing point. European legislation also composed a list of those countries whose nationals are not required to hold a visa for a short-term stay in the territory of the member states of the Schengen Area.

You will find more detailed information concerning short-term stays within the Schengen Area here.

Another provision for short-term, visa-free stay in the territory of the Czech Republic is a stay permitted under a bilateral visa exemption agreement. The Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement leaves member states the option to continue to apply bilateral visa exemption agreements concluded by member states before becoming part of the Schengen Area; in the case of the Czech Republic this concerns agreements concluded before 21 December 2007 (these exemptions are sustained only for those third countries that are exempt from holding a visa for short-term stays). Bilateral agreements were concluded between the Czech Republic and a specific third country and application of such agreements therefore applies only for the territory of the Czech Republic.

In practice, the application of such agreements concerns mainly the possibility of remaining in the territory of the Czech Republic even after expiry of the max. length of stay inside the Schengen Area (90/180). The length of this “extra” permission to stay depends on the particular wording of the agreements, as follows (A, B, C):

  1. Maximum 3-month visa-free stay in the territory of the Czech Republic
    A short stay within the Schengen Area is limited to a max. length of 90 days in any 180-day period. Nationals of the third countries listed below may stay in the Czech Republic without a visa for a max. of 3 months in excess of the 90/180 rule. Because this concerns a stay exceeding the max. length of stay permitted in the Schengen Area, the restrictions on the options for coming to or leaving the Czech Republic must be taken into account. Once the max. permitted stay of 90/180 has expired, such third country national must take a direct flight to a destination or transfer airport outside the Schengen Area, or else travel through the territory of a member state which has a valid bilateral visa exemption agreement and still applies this agreement over and above Schengen rules.

    The following third countries fall into this category:

    • Argentina
    • Chile
    • Israel
    • Republic of Korea
    • Costa Rica
    • Malaysia
    • Uruguay

      Example:
      A citizen of the Republic of Korea is in the course of a stay inside the Schengen Area (including the Czech Republic) of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Before expiry of this period, he/she crosses into the Czech Republic in whose territory he/she may remain for a further 3 months without a visa under the existing bilateral visa exemption agreement. However, in the course of those 3 months he/she cannot travel to another Schengen state (because he/she has used up the max. 90/180 period), with the exception of those member states that have a similar bilateral visa exemption agreement and continue to apply it over and above Schengen rules.
  2. Maximum 30-day visa-free stay in the territory of the Czech Republic

    Similar to the situations described in section A), but with a different max. length of stay. Under a bilateral visa exemption agreement between the Czech Republic and Singapore, citizens of Singapore may stay for a max. of 30 days in the territory of the Czech Republic, over and above the Schengen 90/180 rule.

  3. Maximum of 3 months’ stay in a 6-month period in the Schengen Area

    As for a period of stay in the territory of the Czech Republic over and above the Schengen 90/180 rule, the nationals of the third countries below enjoy no advantage under existing bilateral agreements. According to the provisions of these bilateral agreements, the length of time spent in the territories of other member states counts towards the length of spent in the territory of the Czech Republic (the so-called Schengen Clause).

    This category comprises the following third countries:

  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Mexico
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
     

Note on the variously stipulated maximum lengths of stay

The above overview describes several differing maximum lengths of stay (in months or days). The maximum length of stay depends on the text of the agreement which depends on legislation applicable when such agreement was concluded.
 

Bilateral visa exemption agreements for holders of diplomatic, service and special passports

The above overview of bilateral visa exemption agreements between the Czech Republic and third countries describes only agreements concerning holders of ordinary passports. Visa-free entry may apply directly to a certain type of travel document, specifically a diplomatic, service or special passport. The maximum length of stay is stipulated by bilateral agreement. Here you will find an overview of exemptions from visa requirements for short-term stays applying to such special types of travel document (xls, 48 kB).

  


Department for Asylum and Migration Policy, November 30th, 2020

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