Czech Republic Digital Nomad Visa

Nadia Dardón

Freelance writer

Last update 5 December, 2023

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Czech Republic Quick Facts

Czech Republic is a landlocked country located in Central Europe. It is historically known as Bohemia, and it shares borders with Austria, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia.

Czech Republic is a beautiful country with charming landscapes, medieval villages, and castles that look like they were pulled out of a fairytale. If you love history, art, architecture, outdoor activities, nightlife, food, lakes, and beer, the country might be the best choice for you!

Capital Prague

Form of Government Unitary multiparty republic

Population 10.6 million

Climate Typical European continental

Language Czech

Currency Czech Koruna (Czech Crown)

2 people in Czech Republic!

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Living in Czech Republic as a digital nomad

The Czech Republic is an attractive destination for foreigners looking for a new country to establish themselves. Not only does the country deliver great value for money and a strategic location for those looking to travel seamlessly around Europe, but it also has one of the most thriving social scenes on the continent.

Attractions and best places to visit

The Czech Republic looks like it’s right out of a fantasy novel. There are many magical places to see around the country with interesting history. The country has more castles than any other country in Europe with over 2000!. Each of these castles tells a different story and reflects a unique aspect of Czech history.

In order to explore everything the Czech Republic has to offer, make sure to leave plenty of time in your itinerary. Every visitor will be heading to Prague, and for good reason!

As the capital city of the country, Prague is one of the most stunning places in all of Europe. The city is full of magical architecture. You’ll find Baroque palaces, Gothic cathedrals, Cubist and Art Nouveau buildings, and many more examples of design! Make sure to visit Prague’s Dancing House, which is home to the iconic 600-year-old astronomical clock. Prague is also home to over 100 museums, so you’ll always have plenty of places to visit.

Český Krumlov is another town you must visit. It’s a more quaint and intimate version of Prague. The streets are made of cobblestones, and there are many artsy shops hidden all around for you to discover. Plus, the castle of Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Monument. This city is also home to the only Baroque theatre in the country and it still maintains all its original mechanical stage pieces and decorations.

If you’re looking for something outside of the city and close to nature, then you must visit Bohemian Switzerland National Park. It is one of the most beautiful natural destinations in the Czech Republic. You’ll find sandstone mountains, rock labyrinths, and deep valleys. Plus, it is home to Pravčická brána, the biggest sandstone rock arch in Europe which is 16 meters tall and almost 27 meters wide.

Digital nomad hotspots

Prague is definitely the hub for digital nomads living in the Czech Republic. It is one of the best cities for remote workers because the Wi-Fi speed is fast, and the local transportation is highly functional. Plus, Prague is the perfect place to explore the country’s culture and history.

Cost of Living

The Czech Republic is relatively affordable, though not the cheapest place in Central Europe. You can find a studio apartment for $835/month. A bigger apartment costs around $1,217/month. A basic lunch menu costs $8.

Prague has one of the best public transport systems in Europe. They have metro, trams, buses, and many other modes of transport which are all interlinked. Plus, they are straightforward to figure out. You can purchase short- or long-term passes. A 24hr pass costs $4, and a 3-day pass costs $13. They also have long-term passes if you’re staying for at least 10 days, which costs around $30.

Digital nomad essentials

Prague is known for having fast-speed Wi-Fi, with an average of 20Mbps. A lot of coffee shops and restaurants have free Wi-Fi. You’ll even find Wi-Fi in some buses and metro stations!

Purchasing a SIM card is easy. We recommend you get one from Vodafone. They offer pay-as-you-go data plans that start at $11.

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Visa Overview

There isn’t a visa specifically designed for digital nomads or remote workers in the Czech Republic. However, there are a few visa types and a trade permit that will allow you to work while visiting the country.

Usually known as the “Zivno visa”, a Czech trade license will allow you to do business in the Czech republic by taking advantage of the Trade Licensing Act when combined with a long-term business visa.

This digital nomad visa for Czech Republic is intended for foreigners who are planning to stay in the country for a period longer than 3 months and up to 1 year while conducting business from the country.

The application process does not require you to hire a lawyer or to have a proxy, but it certainly is not as straightforward as the application for other countries. However, if you do your homework correctly, you may be able to complete the process with the help of a lawyer.

Getting a Zivno visa will allow you to work as a freelancer in the country, conduct your business out of the country, live in the country for up to a month, be in control of your visa as you are not sponsored, and enjoy lower tax rates for business conducted in the country.

The application process for the Zivno visa will also require an in-person interview and the physical submission of the application documentation, so you will need to visit your local embassy/consulate.

Who Can Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa for Czech Republic

The Zivno visa can be applied for by any foreign national who is not a citizen of a country currently a member of the European Union. As the Czech Republic is a member state of the European Union, citizens from a member state can work in the country under the same regulations established by the EU.

The Zivno visa is offered to those looking to move to the country while working as a freelancer for clients in and out of the country. If you are reading this, you probably are a digital nomad and as such, would need to apply for it.

While there are a lot of digital nomads who travel under different visa categories and work in the country, these rules prevent them from acquiring new clients in the country and could cause trouble if they decide to stay for a longer period. Not to mention that you would be breaking local laws if you aren’t living and working in the country under the appropriate visa.

Anyone looking to apply for a digital nomad visa for Czech Republic should have the necessary financial resources to live in the country and demonstrate liquidity by having at least 50 times the Czech subsistence minimum in a personal bank account at the time of the application.

The Zivno visa does not have any kind of restriction based on nationality, which means citizens from any country can apply as long as they are not from the EU (in which case no visa is needed).

However, certain aspects of the visa requirements vary depending on the nationality of the person who is applying for the visa. These two changes come in the documentation required by the government in regards to Criminal History Background/Affidavit and a Medical report.

In the case of the Criminal History Background/Affidavit, the requirement will vary depending on the countries where the applicant lived for 6 months or longer during the last 3 years, and if they are a United States citizen or not.

How to Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa for Czech Republic

The application for the Zivno visa for the Czech Republic can be more bureaucratic than in other countries, which is why many foreigners choose to hire an expert to assist them through the process.

However, it isn’t required by the Czech government as it is possible to complete it by yourself if you pay attention to the details and changes that might take place.

An important thing to keep in mind before gathering the documentation and starting your application is that all documents you provide (except for your travel document) should be in Czech or translated to Czech by a professional translator and officially verified.

In addition to the translation, additional copies of all documents are required. This means you will have to submit one set of the originals or notarized copies and one set of copies (including the application and 2 data pages of your passport).

You also need to be wary of submitting an incomplete application, as it would be returned to you and considered inadmissible.

The application process for this digital nomad visa for Czech Republic is also a lengthy one in terms of how long it can take the Czech government to process it, taking up to 90 days most of the time with the possibility of 120 days in exceptional cases.

To apply for the long-stay business visa, you will be required to have your trade license already approved. As so, acquiring it should have priority over the visa application itself, but we will go into more details when we talk about the application timeline

Documents required to apply for the digital nomad visa for Czech Republic

Things start getting tricky when talking about the requirements for the Zivno visa application, as you will be required to confirm the purpose of stay through a Trade license (živnostenské oprávnění), which in turn requires you to demonstrate you have a long-stay visa or residence permit.

Although this sounds bad, it isn’t. What is usually not mentioned is that the trade license can still be applied for and obtained, although it will not be valid until the moment you obtain a long-stay visa.

The requirements for the trade license application are:

• A criminal record or equivalent document issued by the country you are a citizen of. If your country does not issue such a document, you will be required to submit a solemn declaration of a clear criminal record and notarize it. Any of these options should not be older than 3 months.

• Documents proving your professional qualifications if you are applying for technical trades, bound trades, and/or concession trades.

• If you are planning on using a space different from your residence as an office, you will be required to demonstrate that you have legal grounds to do so.

• A document showing you paid the administrative fee.

• A residential address in the country.

The requirements for the long-stay business visa application are not surprising, as they are basically the same as visa applications for other countries:

• Filled application form. It can be found here.

• Visa fee to be paid in cash or money order.

• 2 recent passport-size photos.

• Original passport.

• Proof of sufficient financial resources higher than 111,000 Czech Koruna (about $5200 at this time). This can be a letter from your bank confirming the availability of your funds during the trip or a bank statement held in your name. Any of these needs to be an original or notarized copy.

• Document confirming the purpose of stay: This would be the trade license you should already have before applying for this visa.

• Document confirming accommodation. You can provide an original statement from your host, a copy of the lease contract, or ownership documentation of the property if it is in your name.

• Criminal History Background/ Affidavit. This requirement will vary depending on your nationality.

• Medical health/travel insurance. This requirement will vary depending on your nationality. (For updated information on this requirement, make sure to check this page):

How much does it cost for the digital nomad visa for Czech Republic?

The costs of both the visa and the trade license themselves are lower than similar documents issued by other countries. However, the total cost will increase if you choose to get professional assistance to facilitate the process.

Need help applying?

Petra - Czech Immigration Lawyer

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The long-stay business visa has a cost of 2500Kč (about $117) while the trade license costs 1000Kč (about $46). This makes a total cost of about $165, considerably lower than some digital nomad visas out there.

Other costs such as apostilles, criminal record checks, translations, notarization, etc, will depend on the professionals you hire or the fees from the authorities issuing them.

One of the requirements mentioned in this article was the need of having at least $5200 in your bank account. It is important for you to know that this money doesn’t need to be frozen during your trip, but can be freely used once you have acquired the documentation and start applying for the visa.

Paying Taxes on a Czech Republic Digital Nomad Visa

As mentioned in this article, the visa you will obtain is based on a trade license and not a pure digital nomad visa as such. This does also mean you will register yourself in the Czech Republic under this trade license. Consequently, you will become a Czech tax resident. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because the Czech Republic offers different beneficial tax regimes for sole proprietors. In this way, you could lower your tax burden. If you want to find out more about the details and how they apply to you, you can book a call with our tax advisor.

Timeline for Applying

While the documentation itself is not overly complicated to obtain, the Czech Zivno visa application can take a while to finish processing, but it is worth it if you are interested in living in the Czech republic.

As so, you should try to apply with as much time ahead as possible to avoid any possible inconveniences resulting from delays in any of the steps.

This is what the timeline for the whole application process would look like:

1. Make sure you meet the minimum requirements for both the visa and trade license applications.

2. Gather the documentation from your bank, host/landlord, insurance, local authorities, etc.

3. Notarize or apostille all documentation that requires it.

4. Translate all the documentation using a professional translator.

5. Apply for the trade license. Remember it will be inactive until the moment you obtain the long-stay business visa. You can do this in person if you are in the Czech Republic or able to travel, or electronically on this site.

6. Make an appointment in your local embassy or consulate to apply for a long-stay business visa.

7. Wait up to 120 days for the application to be processed.

8. If approved, pick up your visa, buy your tickets and get ready to travel to the Czech republic!

9. Once you arrive, register yourself with the Foreign police within 3 days. Make sure to take your passport and supporting documentation to get stamped.

10. Present yourself at the Trade Licensing Office and have your trade license activated.

Once you arrive in the Czech Republic, you might want to get the help of a Czech speaker when presenting yourself to one of the government officials, as a language might be a barrier that could create an inconvenience for you.

Now that you know what you need and what to expect when applying for the famous “Zivno visa” for the Czech Republic, you should be ready to make a decision based on what you are looking for.

Interested in other visa options in Europe? Check out Latvia and Malta! Or to see all the digital nomad visa options available to you input your details into our Visa Wizard!

Author

Nadia Dardón

Freelance writer

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Nadia Dardón is a freelance writer from Guatemala. In early 2022 she embarked as a digital nomad, traveling through Europe, focusing mostly on the literary history of each country. She has worked fully remotely for the past four years as a reader, writer, and content creator with experience creating pieces for different industries. She also has a personal blog where she writes about her cultural and literary travels.