Travelling in the EU / Schengen

 Česky

Travelling around the Schengen Area exempt from visa requirements

Third country nationals exempt from visa requirements may stay in the territory of Schengen states for the maximum length of time stipulated for short-term stays. A short-term stay is a stay with a maximum duration of 90 days in any 180-day period, which means a period of 180 days immediately preceding each day of stay (note: the length of stay is dictated by entry and exit stamps entered in the relevant travel document at the border crossing point).

WARNING: The fact that a certain third country national has made an application for a visa or residence permit does not entitle him/her to exceed the aforementioned time limit.

For the purposes of short-term stays, one must differentiate between states that apply a common visa policy, i.e. all member states of the Schengen Area as well as Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus, and states that do not apply such common visa policy, i.e. the United Kingdom and Ireland. States that apply a common visa policy recognise a common list of third countries with visa requirement and a list of third countries that are exempt from this requirement. For current information on the possibilities of entry to and stay in Ireland, please contact the relevant authorities of Ireland directly.

In order to prove their identity when travelling in the Schengen Area outside the territory of the Czech Republic, third country nationals staying in the Czech Republic on a residence permit or long-term visa must also have both their valid travel document and their valid biometric residence card with them at all times. The residence card is not a travel document.

WARNING: Residence permits issued by Andorra, San Marino or the Vatican do not entitle the holder to entry to other Schengen states. Conversely, residence permits issued by Monaco entitle the holder to entry to other Schengen states.
 

Combination of long-term and short-term stay

Third country national may stay in the territory of the Czech Republic without a visa for a period not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period on condition that they hold a valid travel document and a residence card issued by another Schengen state, or long-term visa issued by another Schengen state. In the same way, a third country national may stay in the territory of other Schengen states for a period not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period on condition that he/she holds a valid travel document and a residence card or long-term visa issued by the Czech Republic.

Before expiry of a long-term visa / residence card the holder must leave the Schengen Area; this does not apply to third country nationals who are exempt from the requirement to hold a short-term visa. After their long-term visa or residence card expires, such persons may begin their short-term, visa-free stay within the Schengen Area for a max. period of 90 days in any 180-day period and only afterwards they must leave the Schengen Area.  

Department for Asylum and Migration Policy, June 30th, 2023

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