Visa Renewals

As a current student, you likely have one of the two types of legal stay in Czechia:
1) Long-term study visa
2) Long-term residence permit for study purposes

You can apply for renewal of either of those permit types here in Prague. Both applications have to be filed at the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) offices according to your place of residence or at the special MOI office designated for university students only.

If you are a citizen of a country which is exempt from a tourist visa requirement, you can stay for another 90 days on the territory of the Czech Republic or any other Schengen country after the current visa expires. The list of countries whose citizens this regulation applies to is available at Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Otherwise, make sure to apply before your current visa/permit expires! If it does, you will have to reapply from the beginning in your country of origin. 

If your previous visa expires and your new visa is not ready yet, you will be able to still legally remain in Czechia without issues, based on the "pending application".

In case you need to travel out of the country while your new visa application is processed, ask for a "bridging label" during your application appointment. The Ministry officer will give you a passport label to indicate your application is in process and you will be able to return to Czechia without issues. 

The application for residence permit must be submitted in person at the MOI.

You will need: 

• Completed Application Form
• A valid travel document (generally your passport)
• A document confirming the purpose of your stay in Czechia (Confirmation of your student status supplied by the International Office)
• Proof of Accommodation (for students staying in the dormitory this document can be supplied by Accommodation Offices upon request. Students living in private housing must submit an official form Proof of accommodation form which needs to be filled in and signed by the landlord of the apartment in which they live. Landlord’s signature must be certified.)
• Evidence of sufficient funds (For details please visit the Ministry of the Interior website.)
• Evidence of comprehensive health insurance -  Insurance must be provided by an insurance company that is authorized to provide its services in the Czech Republic. The following documents will be required: insurance agreement, including details of the insurance that has been arranged (either as part of the basic insurance agreement, or as a separate document), plus proof that the insurance has been paid (your receipt).
• 1 passport photograph
• You will also be asked to pay an administrative fee by card (currently 2500 CZK)

If your residence permit is granted, you will be issued with a residence card carrying biometric data (face depiction and fingerprints).

You will be invited by the Ministry of Interior to provide biometric data at one of its branches within three days after the permit is granted. When the card is ready for pick up, you will get a notification to collect it.
There is a fee for issuing the residency card. You can read more about the fee and the biometric data here.

You can check the status of your residence permit application online at the Ministry of Interior website.

The application for residence permit extension can be submitted either in person or by post - read the conditions of post submission here.

You will need:

• Completed Application Form
• A valid travel document (generally your passport)
• 1 passport photograph
• A document confirming the purpose of your stay in the Czech Republic (Confirmation of your student status supplied by the International Office)
• Evidence of sufficient funds to cover your stay in the Czech Republic, e.g. a bank statement, or any other document demonstrating your financial situation (for example the Decision from the Ministry of Education regarding awarding the scholarship). 
• Proof of accommodation in the Czech Republic, for students staying in the dormitory this document can be supplied by the Accommodation office. Students living in private housing must submit an official form Proof of accommodation form which needs to be filled in and signed by the landlord of the apartment in which they live. Landlord’s signature must be certified.
• Evidence of comprehensive health care insurance coverage; a document on having paid the insurance premium may be requested. Insurance must be provided by an insurance company that is authorized to provide its services in the Czech Republic.
• You will also be asked to pay an administrative fee by card (currently 2500 CZK) or bank transfer if posting.

MOI OPENING HOURS

On this website, you can find the available MOI offices in Prague including their opening hours and reservation portals to make an appointment. 

Prior telephone reservation is necessary in order to get an appointment (+420 974 820 680). You can also email to pobyty.hladkov@mvcr.cz or make a reservation on this website: https://frs.gov.cz/en/

All the important information regarding visas, residency and legal obligations of foreigners in the Czech Republic can be found on the official web portal of The Czech Ministry of the Interior. The portal provides information about how to extend a residence, report changes, it allows to book an appointment at the Ministry of the Interior and has special “Forms and Documents” section with the printable version of various documents.