Decree No. 215 / 2017 Coll.
Government regulations on the provision of visa exemptions and visa exemptions
Valid
Regulation
Effective from 18.07.2017
Text versions:
23.10.2025
18.07.2017
215
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
of 10 July 2017
laying down exemptions from the visa requirement and exemption from the visa requirement
The Government orders pursuant to § 181 of Act No. 326 / 1999 Coll., on the residence of foreigners in the Czech Republic and on the amendment of certain laws, as amended by Act No. 428 / 2005 Coll.:
This Regulation provides for exemptions from the visa requirement and exemptions from the visa requirement following the directly applicable European Union1.
Holders of valid diplomatic passports shall not be subject to the visa requirement for stays on the territory of the Czech Republic whose total length does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period,
(a) where such passport is issued by a country listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018 / 1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 establishing a list of third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders, as well as a list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as amended, although its holder is not a national of that country; or
(b) provide for an international treaty which is part of the legal order.
(1) Holders of valid United Nations travel documents "Laissez-Passer" issued under the United Nations Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, approved by the United Nations General Assembly on 13 February 1946, and under the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of International Professional Organisations, approved by the United Nations General Assembly on 21 November 1947, are not subject to the visa requirement for stays on the territory of the Czech Republic whose total duration does not exceed 90 days during any 180-day period. Holders of such travel documents, accredited to the United Nations representative offices in the Czech Republic, may travel and reside in the Czech Republic for the duration of their professional secondment without visas.
(2) Holders of valid travel documents issued by St. Stolc shall not be subject to the visa requirement for stays on the territory of the Czech Republic whose total length shall not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. Holders of such travel documents issued by Saint Stolc, who are members of a diplomatic mission, may travel and reside in the territory of the Czech Republic for the duration of their secondment without visas; the same rules apply to family members living with such persons in the common household if they also hold travel documents issued by the Holy See.
(3) Holders of valid diplomatic passports of the Supreme Order of Maltese Knights are not subject to the visa requirement for stays on the territory of the Czech Republic whose total length does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. Holders of valid diplomatic passports of the Supreme Order of Maltese Knights who are members of a diplomatic mission may travel and reside in the Czech Republic for the duration of their secondment without visas; the same rules apply to family members living with such persons in the common household if they also hold valid diplomatic passports of the Supreme Order of Maltese Knights.
(4) Holders of valid diplomatic or official passports of Japan and New Zealand who are members of a diplomatic mission may travel and reside in the territory of the Czech Republic without a visa during their secondment; the same rules apply to family members living with such persons in the common household, provided they also hold valid diplomatic or official passports of those countries.
(5) Holders of valid diplomatic passports of the Principality of Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia / FYROM, the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro, who are members of a diplomatic mission, may travel and reside in the territory of the Czech Republic for the duration of their secondment without visas; the same rules shall apply to family members living with such persons in the common household if they also hold valid diplomatic passports from those countries.
(1) Nationals of the countries listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018 / 1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as amended, are subject to the visa requirement for stays on the territory of the Czech Republic whose total duration does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period, if the purpose of their stay is to pursue a gainful activity.
(2) For the purposes of exemption from the visa requirement, the activity shall not be considered as a professional activity:
(a) an executive artist, a pedagogical worker, an academic university worker, a scientific, research or development worker who is a participant in a scientific meeting, a pupil or a student under 26 years of age, an athlete or a person who provides or supplies goods or services in the Czech Republic or carries out assembly on the basis of a commercial contract, where appropriate performing warranty and repair work; the pursuit of this activity on the territory of the Czech Republic may not exceed 7 consecutive calendar days or a total of 30 days in a calendar year,
(b) a member of the rescue team providing assistance under the Interstate Agreement on Mutual Assistance in the Removal of Accidents and Natural Disaster, and in cases of humanitarian aid;
(c) an employee in international transport, if he is posted to work in the Czech Republic by his foreign employer,
(d) persons accredited in the field of media;
(e) military or civilian personnel of the armed forces of the State (2);
(f) spiritual churches and religious societies registered in the Czech Republic,
(g) a stranger who is posted to the territory of the Czech Republic by his foreign employer on the basis of a contract with a Czech legal or natural person, solely for the purpose of deepening the skills and qualifications of that alien needed to perform his work with that foreign employer outside the Czech Republic; or
(h) persons travelling exclusively for business purposes in the Czech Republic.
(3) The visa requirement referred to in paragraph 1 shall not apply to holders of valid diplomatic passports where such passport is issued by a country listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018 / 1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as amended, not involving the holder referred to in § 4a, or provided for by an international agreement which forms part of the legal order.
(4) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall publish on its website an overview of the countries listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018 / 1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as amended, indicating the date from which nationals of that country are subject to the visa requirement referred to in paragraph 1.
Holders of valid diplomatic and service passports of Georgia, including holders who are not nationals of Georgia, shall be subject to the visa requirement for stays on the territory of the Czech Republic whose total duration does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period.
They shall be deleted:
1. Government Decree No. 272 / 2004 Coll., on the unilateral visa waiver in relation to Australia, Canada, the Sultanate of Brunei and the United States of America.
2. Government Regulation No 273 / 2004 Coll., on the unilateral abolition of the visa requirement in respect of the Principality of Andorra, the Republic of Bolivia, the Federative Republic of Venezuela, the Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Guatemala, Japan, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of Nicaragua, New Zealand, the Republic of Paraguay, the Republic of El Salvador, the Republic of San Marino, the Holy See, the High Order of the Maltese Knights, the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of Hong Kong, the Macao People's Republic of China and the holders of the United Nations' Laissez-Passer '.
3. Government Decree No. 421 / 2006 Coll., on the unilateral visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia / FYROM.
4. Government Decree No. 436 / 2006 Coll., on the unilateral visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro.
5. Government Regulation No 156 / 2007 Coll., amending Government Regulation No 273 / 2004 Coll., on the unilateral abolition of the visa requirement in respect of the Principality of Andorra, the Republic of Bolivia, the Republic of Venezuela, the Republic of Bolivia, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Guatemala, Japan, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of Nicaragua, New Zealand, the Republic of Paraguay, the Republic of El Salvador, the Republic of San Marino, the Holy See, the High Order of Maltese Knights, the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, Macao and the holders of the United Nations' Laissez-Passer '.
6. Government Decree No. 224 / 2009 Coll., on the introduction of the visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and service passports of Canada and amending Government Decree No. 272 / 2004 Coll., on the unilateral visa waiver in relation to Australia, Canada, Sultanate Brunei and the United States of America.
7. Government Regulation No. 16 / 2014 Coll., amending Government Regulation No. 272 / 2004 Coll., on the unilateral visa waiver in respect of Australia, Canada, the Sultanate of Brunei and the United States of America, as amended by Government Regulation No. 224 / 2009 Coll., and repealing the visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and service passports of Canada.
Efficacy
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication.
Prime Minister:
Sobotka v. r.
Minister for Foreign Affairs:
PhDr. Zaoralek v. r.
1) Regulation (EU) 2018 / 1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 establishing a list of third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders, as well as of third countries whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as amended.
2) Article 5 of Act No. 310 / 1999 Coll., on the residence of armed forces of other states in the Czech Republic, as amended.
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Regulation Information
| Citation | Decree No 215 / 2017 Coll., on the provision of exemptions from the visa requirement and exemption from the visa requirement |
|---|---|
| Regulation Type | Regulation |
| Author | - |
| Collection | Code of Laws |
| Date of Promulgation | 18.07.2017 |
|---|---|
| Effective from | 18.07.2017 |
| Effective until | - |
| Status | Valid |
The regulation text is for informational purposes only.
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