ETIAS to Czech Republic
Positioned in central Europe, alongside Germany, Poland and Austria, Czech Republic is a growing trading hotspot gaining a rising interest in investors both from fellow European and Overseas Countries alike.
ETIAS to Czech Republic main facts:
Czech Republic will from 2025 enforce requirement to hold a valid ETIAS to incoming travelers from 60 Visa Waiver Countries
ETIAS allows for a combined stay in Czech Republic and fellow ETIAS Nations of maximum 90 out of every 180 days and only for purposes of either tourism, commerce and trade, transit or medical treatment
ETIAS application to be put forward electronically only
ETIAS holders coming to Europe must have at least 3 months of residual validity on their passport since the day they are scheduled to leave from Europe.
Czech Republic and European Institutions
Positioned in central Europe, alongside Germany, Poland and Austria, Czech Republic is a growing trading hotspot gaining a rising interest in investors both from fellow European and Overseas Countries alike.
The history and identity of Czech Republic as a nation date back centuries ago but its current independence was only achieved in 1993 after the dissolution of what formerly was the Czechoslovakian Republic taking place as a result of the breaking up of the USSR happening two years prior.
As an independent country Czech Republic, or Czechia, became Member of the European Union in 2004 and of the Schengen area in 2008.
Beginning from 2025 Czechia will therefore also become an ETIAS destination, implying that the Visa Waiver will then be required in order to access its territory, from air or land borders, for many visitors coming from outside the Schengen Area.
For a detailed overview on the benefits of ETIAS both for European residents and visitor click here.ETIAS application to Czech Republic
As for other 33 destination countries the application for ETIAS to Czech Republic requires the candidate to electronically input a short set of data to be forwarded. Such data include:
- Full name and surname
- Surname at birth
- Date and place of birth
- Birth Country
- Passport number
- Passport’s authority and place of issue
- Passport’s issue and expiry date
- Valid e-mail address
- First country of intended stay in ETIAS Area
- Background check questions
Once submitted all the information in the form the security cross checking protocol will be ignited, and the European Authorities will make an evaluation on each candidate in usually less than 72 hours.
ETIAS is, as a matter of fact, a security pre-clearance that European authorities will give to eligible applicants that, based on a background check, do not represent any kind of threat to the hosting nations. Once issued the ETIAS Visa Waiver to Czechia is valid for 3 years and allows for multiple entries in the Republic itself and in all the thirty Schengen Area Nations and de facto members.
When available ETIAS approval will be sent directly to each petitioner’s personal e-mail, and it hence is important for each applicant to input a valid and working e-mail account when they fill out the required form.
Minors too are required to have a valid ETIAS to enter Czech Republic and are therefore asked to fill the application form through the support of a parent or legal guardian.ETIAS terms of use
Although it is necessary for short term tourism, business, transit and medical treatment trips, ETIAS Visa Waiver itself does not automatically imply that the Visa Waiver rights holder will be allowed to enter the Czech Republic or EU/Schengen Borders since the decision making on this topic is always and only responsibility of the Border Control Officers.
As a matter of fact, Visa Waiver visitors coming to EU/Schengen Area, regardless of the mean of transportation used and of the country of origin of the journey, might be required to provide further documents like:- return ticket to origin country
- onwards ticket to a non-ETIAS Member Country
- proof of sufficient funds
To avoid problems during the Border Control Procedures it is of paramount importance that all data inputted in the ETIAS Application form are correct and truthful.
Although ETIAS is not fit for long term study programs in the Czech Republic, the Visa Waiver can be used for short training programs (such as language classes, cooking classes and company organized training courses) if the combined stay in ETIAS Area will not surpass the threshold of ninety days within 6 months.
It also is to be highlighted that Visa Waiver citizens already holding a valid Schengen Visa or Residence Permit issued by one of the ETIAS Area Country (with the exception of national visas and permits of stay issued by Cyprus) will not need to apply for ETIAS.