Visa for a stay longer than 90 days for the purpose of collection of a residence Permit (D/VR)

A long-term visa for the purpose of collection of a residence permit enables third countries citizens to enter the Czech Republic. It is also called an “entry visa” (D/VR) and you need it if:

  • your application for a long-term residence or a permanent residence permit that you submitted at a diplomatic mission was approved,
  • you changed your travel document in the country of origin (in the case of long-term visa holders) and you are returning to the Czech Republic,
  • your long-term residence permit (biometric card) or bridging visa expired while your new application was being processed and you are abroad,
  • you have lost your residence permit (biometric card) or travel document in which you have your visa and you need to return to the Czech Republic.

Where will you receive your D/VR?

Only at the Czech Republic’s diplomatic missions abroad.

What is the time limit for issuing a D/VR visa?

The visa is issued on the spot if possible.

How long is a D/VR visa valid for?

The visa is issued for 6 months. However, you can stay in the Czech Republic with this visa only for a maximum of 60 days.

Example: You were issued a visa valid from January 1st 2023 to June 30th 2023, which means that you can enter the Czech Republic whenever within this time span. However, you can stay in the Czech Republic only for a maximum of 60 days. That is if you arrive on March 1st 2023 you can stay in the country with this visa until April 30th 2023. Within these 60 days, you must complete all the steps necessary so that the administrative proceedings related to your long-term residence permit application come into effect – you must get registered, have your biometric data taken and collect a biometric card.

For collection of which residence permits do you need an entry visa?

You need an entry visa to collect a long-term residence permit (including, for example, an employee card or a blue card) or a permanent residence permit.

What steps do you have to follow if you need an entry visa?

Contact the correspondent diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic. The diplomatic mission’s employees will give you the necessary information and tell you what you need to do.

What happens if the validity of your stay under the entry visa expires before you completed all the steps necessary so that the proceedings related to your residence permit application come into effect?

If you are required to have a visa, you will be issued a departure order and you will have to leave the Czech Republic. Then you can apply for a D/VR visa again at one of the Czech Republic’s missions. A Ministry of the Interior employee will inform you have to do exactly.

If you are not required to have a visa, after your stay under the D/VR visa expires, you may stay in the Czech Republic for another 90 days. However, it is necessary to start solving such a situation as soon as possible with a Ministry of the Interior office, where you will receive information on how to proceed.

In the case that you did not manage to complete all the steps necessary so that the proceedings related to your residence permit application come into effect in the given time limit for reasons beyond your control (e.g. hospitalisation), the validity of your stay under a D/VR visa will be considered extended until such reasons cease to exist. Then you must inform the Ministry of the Interior about your situation and prove the existence of such reasons.

What steps to follow if your application for a long-term residence submitted at a diplomatic mission was approved?

If the application is approved, come to the diplomatic mission in order to collect your entry visa – visa for a stay longer than 90 days for the purpose of collecting a residence permit (D/VR). A diplomatic mission’s employee will contact you beforehand in order to schedule an appointment with you. You do not need a D/VR visa if you can enter the Czech Republic in another way, e.g. without a visa with a biometric passport.

Before receiving the visa in your passport, you must provide a proof of travel medical insurance: 

  1. covering emergency and essential care for the first 90 days of your stay in the Czech Republic together with a proof of comprehensive medical insurance for the rest of your stay, or 
  2. directly a proof of comprehensive medical insurance for the entirety of your permitted residence in the Czech Republic, or 
  3. covering the time from the day you enter the Czech Republic until the day you start your employment, when you will begin to be covered by the public health insurance – this applies only if you are going to have employment in the Czech Republic in which your employer will pay for health insurance (most often an employee card). 

The diplomatic mission can also ask you to provide a proof of payment for the insurance. A proof of travel medical insurance is not required in cases stipulated by law (e.g. if your medical insurance is provided under an international agreement).

You must get registered at a Ministry of the Interior office within 3 days from the day you arrived in the Czech Republic. Without having been registered at a Ministry of the Interior office first, you cannot start your employment.