Czechia visa and entry requirements

How your entry route is decided

Two things decide it: your nationality and your travel document.

• EU / EEA and Swiss citizens - freedom of movement, on a valid national identity card or passport. No time limit for tourism, but a registration duty applies to stays over 30 days.
• Visa-exempt third-country nationals - visa-free Schengen entry, maximum 90 days in any 180-day period, on a biometric passport issued within the last 10 years and valid at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.
• EES checks - the Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 at every air, land and sea crossing across all 29 Schengen states, replacing passport stamping. Your facial image and fingerprints are captured at the first border check, and the system detects overstays automatically.
• Visa-required third-country nationals - a short-stay Schengen visa (type C), with proof of the purpose of travel, a return ticket, proof of accommodation, funds, and travel health insurance covering at least EUR 30,000.
• Russian Federation, a specific restriction - since 3 July 2024 Czechia does not recognise non-biometric Russian passports, and entry or a visa issued on one is refused.

Entry formalities that apply to everyone

• No arrival form. Czechia requires no paper or digital arrival form and no health declaration; entry registration for non-European citizens happens automatically through the EES at the border.
• Cash - declare in writing to Czech Customs any import or export of cash, securities or precious metals worth EUR 10,000 or more, or the equivalent in CZK or another currency.
• Tobacco (air travel) - 200 cigarettes, OR 100 cigarillos, OR 50 cigars, OR 250 grams of smoking tobacco.
• Alcohol - 1 litre of spirits above 22% ABV, OR 2 litres of intermediate products or sparkling wine, plus up to 4 litres of still wine and up to 16 litres of beer.
• Other goods - duty and VAT exemption up to EUR 430 per person, or EUR 200 for travellers under 15.
• Registration of stay - under Section 93(1) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll., every third-country national must report their place of stay to the Foreign Police within 3 working days of entry. In commercial accommodation - hotel, hostel, guesthouse, official short-term rental - the provider does it for you; staying privately with friends or family, you go in person with your passport and a registration form.

What actually matters in practice

• Non-biometric Russian passports are refused without exception - the document has been legally invalid for entry to Czechia since 3 July 2024.
• Carry your insurance document. The Foreign Police ask for proof of travel health insurance during spot checks in the city and at the airport, and being unable to produce it can mean an on-the-spot fine.
• Count Schengen days properly. The 90/180 rule is rolling: any day spent in any Schengen state within the previous 180 days counts. Travellers on r/Prague also report that border control at Václav Havel Airport is strict about proof of accommodation and a return ticket for arrivals from higher-risk countries.