Czechia tourist visa
Required documents, fees and processing time for a Czechia tourist Schengen visa when you apply from United States.
SCHENGEN · VISA C✈ DOCUMENTS
🇨🇿 Czechia·····✈·····🇺🇸 from United States
To
Czechia
Type
C · TOURISM
Apply at
USA
Centre
VAC
See only what applies to you.Sign in to personalize this checklist — your passport & residence-permit checks, and the caveats that actually apply to you.
Sign in to personalize →Visa required
Action neededTourism — short stay (Type C) · applying from United States.
Documents ready00 / 13
Competent authority
Czech mission covering the applicant's US state of residence: Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, D.C., or the Consulates General in New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago.
Application centre
None (applies directly to the Embassy/Consulate by appointment requested via email, e.g. washington.visa@mzv.gov.cz; in-person biometrics required).
Recommended — commonly expected even when not on the official list
Cover letterA letter of introduction stating who you are and why you are travelling.
Fees
Consular (Type C)
€90
Service fee
$35
Est. total (adult)
$135
Long stay (Type D)
—
The short-stay (Type C) consular fee is harmonised at €90 for adults across all Schengen states; collected in USD · centre: VFS Global.
Fee notes
VFS Global. Czech D ~CZK 2500 (~€100), unverified, null.
Timeline
medium confidenceProcessing
15–45 days
End-to-end
3–8 weeks
Centre
VAC
Appointment wait
Estimated 2-6 weeks depending on post/city and season; in-person biometric/interview requirement adds scheduling friction. Summer and Christmas peak.
Application centre
Mixed: Czech consulates in Washington DC, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles handle applications, with VFS Global providing a US application route/centres for document collection. In-person attendance for fingerprints/interview required. Jurisdiction-by-state.
Timeline notes
Czech consulate pages state decisions usually within 15 days, exceptionally extendable. Mandatory in-person appearance for biometrics/interview is a notable differentiator.
Funds to show
high confidenceThe amount you must be able to prove, per the Schengen Borders Code reference amount. It depends only on the destination — not on your nationality or where you apply.
Per day
CZK 1565
Minimum
CZK 46950
In EUR ≈
€62 / day
stays not exceeding 30 days (per day)
CZK 1565 / day
under-18 third-country nationals (half the amount)
CZK 782.5 / day
Floor
stays exceeding 30 days: CZK 46,950 (15x subsistence minimum) plus CZK 6,260 for each whole month of intended stay
Notes
CZK 1,565/day = 0.5x the statutory subsistence minimum (CZK 3,130, as of 1 Jan 2023) per Section 13 Act 326/1999 + Act 110/2006. Indexed to the subsistence minimum, so can change. Minors under 18 prove half. EUR equivalent approx at ~25.2 CZK/EUR.
Consulates apply discretion and may expect a buffer above this figure — treat it as a floor, not a guarantee.
Funds source ↗⚠ Special cases & caveats
- US citizensVisa-exempt; no short-stay Schengen visa needed for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Non-US-citizen residentsMust hold and show US legal status valid at least 3 months beyond intended departure; must apply at the mission covering their state of residence.
- All applicants aged 12+Must appear in person to give fingerprints (biometric data), unless enrolled in VIS within the last 59 months.
- MinorsBirth certificate and notarised parental/guardian consent required.