Student Long Term Visa

Required documents:

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Please read carefully the list of required documents, as incomplete applications cannot be accepted and will be returned to you.
• According to the Law of the Czech Republic, all documents (except the proof of sufficient financial means) must be presented in Czech Language (see the list of known translators)!
• Please submit originals and copies of all supporting documents! All documents must be presented as an original or as a notarized copy.
• All documents (except travel document) cannot be older than 180 days.
• The Consulate shall not assume any responsibility for lost documentation.

1.Completed application form

The form “Application for a Long-term Visa” must be filled out completely with a ball point pen or on a typewriter. Do not use red ink or pencil to complete the application.
Please do not forget -to sign the application in the place indicated at the bottom of the fifth page – to include your phone number and e-mail address for future communication

2.Two recent identical photographs

(passport size, professional, OF A GOOD QUALITY – NOT PRINTED OUT FROM PC!)

• One photograph must be glued on the original application form (in the frame in the right upper corner of the application) and the second photograph should be glued on the copy of the application.

3.Passport

• You must submit your original passport. Its validity must exceed your intended stay by at least 3 months (after the visa expires) and the passport must have been issued within the last 10 years.
• We recommend to submit a copy of the data page of the passport (the page with your personal data and photo) as well.
• Do not forget to sign your passport!
• Notes:
  Please make sure that your passport has at least two blank pages (for affixing visa and for administrative purposes)

4.Document confirming the purpose of the stay

• The original or notarized copy of confirmation of enrollment into studies issued by a Czech University or school (Acceptance Letter). This document must be in the Czech language.

5.Proof of accommodation

• A document issued by a Czech University or school verifying the accommodation for the duration of your studies, or
• A rental/lease agreement, sub-letting contract, accommodation agreement or an agreement with similar content, or
• an original accommodation statement from the owner of an apartment/house stating his/her ability and willingness to provide applicant ́s accommodation for the time of stay (signature must be notarized by a Czech notary),
• in the case of a sublet – the original or a notarized copy of the lease contract and an affidavit signed by the owner confirming the sublet (signature must be notarized by a Czech notary)

Important notes

• The original or a notarized copy of any of the mentioned documents must be submitted together with your application.
• The documents confirming your accommodation must be in the Czech language.
• A document confirming the accommodation cannot be a part of the acceptance letter. It has to be submitted separately.

6.Document confirming sufficient financial resources

Funds to cover the stay in the Czech Republic may be proven by one of following possibilities:

• a notarized copy of the front side of an internationally recognized debit card in your name with the validity throughout your stay in the Czech Republic (please conceal the debit card number on the copy) + original or notarized copy of a corresponding bank checking account statement in your name with approximately3 000,- USD balance for one semester. Remember, only checking bank accounts are acceptable; credit accounts are not acceptable! Make sure that your name on the notarized copy of your debit card and on your bank account statement is clearly visible!
• an original letter from the bank confirming the fact that you will be able to use your funds during your stay in the Czech Republic with a verified translation into the Czech language with approximately 3 000,- USD balance for one semester + a notarized copy of the front side of an internationally recognized debit card in your name
• another document confirming that you can use the financial funds during a stay in the Czech Republic (e.g.an original letter from the family member confirming the financial support during your stay in the Czech Republic signed by a person who will support you /notarized signature with a verified translation into the Czech language/ plus bank checking account statement with approximately 3000 USD for one semester) +a notarized copy of the front side of your internationally accepted debit card that is linked to family member account
• a financial guarantee of the US or Czech University which proves that the student’s stay in the Czech Republic will be secured by providing financial means amounting to the existential minimum for 1 month of the expected stay, or a document that all of the costs associated with his/her stay will be covered by the recipient organization + a notarized copy of an internationally recognized debit card in your name (please conceal the debit card number on the copy).The letter from the US University must be translated into the Czech language. Proof of funds submitted in this manner cannot be used for an application for along-term visa for the “other” purposes.
• Requirements for financial means during your stay: It is necessary to prove the availability of funds that are 15 times the amount of the existential minimum (currently it is set at 2200 CZK) for the first month and double the amount of the existential minimum for every month afterwards, thus, for instance, for a stay from 1 January – 30 June it would be (15×2200) + (5x2x2200) = 33 000 + 22 000 = 55 000 CZK(approximately 3 000,- USD for one semester, the amount in US dollars depends on the exchange rateCZK/USD). Please note that the existential minimum is established by the Czech law and can be changed every year.

7.Criminal History Background/ Affidavit :

“Embassy of the Czech Republic in accordance with § 31 (3) para. a) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll. on the Residence permit of the Foreign Nationals in the Czech Republic, asks all applicants for long-term visas and long-term residence permit, who will submit applications at this embassy, to also submit together with the application a document similar to an extract from a criminal record issued by the Department of State of which the applicant is a national and the same document issued by the Department of States where the applicant has been continuously residing for more than 6 months in the past 3 years, or a solemn declaration/affidavit if that State does not issue such a document.”

US citizens

US citizens 15 years and older are required to submit a Criminal History Background/ Affidavit confirming that they have never been indicted and sentenced for a felony of any kind.
If the visa application is submitted by mail, a Notary Public must verify the signature on the affidavit; if the application is submitted in person, the affidavit can be signed in front of a consular officer. The affidavit form must state full name including a middle name, if applicable.
If the applicant lived in any other country besides the USA for 6 months or longer in the past three years, an Excerpt from a Criminal History Record issued by that country must be also submitted with the required legalization/apostille along with a certified Czech translation of both documents.
Children under the age of 15 are not required to submit the affidavit or Criminal History Record

Non US citizens

Non-US nationals are required to submit:
a) An Excerpt from a Criminal History Record issued by the official authority of the country of their nationality. The Excerpt from the Criminal History Record must be appropriately certified (Apostille or super-legalization)and both documents, the Criminal Record and the Apostille, must be submitted with a certified Czech translation;
AND
b)The US Criminal History Record issued by the US official authority (it means either from the FBI or from the state authority) with the appropriate certification (Apostille) along with a certified Czech translation of the entire document.
The applicant must also submit an Excerpt from Criminal History Record issued by the State in which the applicant has been staying continuously for more than 6 months in the past three years. An Excerpt from Criminal History Record issued by that country must also be submitted with the required legalization/ apostille along with a certified Czech translation.
Children under the age of 15 are not required to submit an Affidavit or a Criminal History Record.

8.Travel medical insurance

Prior to affixing a long-term visa  proof of travel medical insurance shall be presented. Proof of medical travel insurance is understood to be a document in which the relevant insurance company declares/confirms:

• The period of insurance (insurance must cover the entire stay in the Czech Republic)
• The extent of the insurance (the insurance policy must cover the costs that the foreign national is obliged to cover for the period of his/her stay in the Czech Republic in the event of providing necessary and urgent health care including the costs associated with transport or, in the case of his/her death, those associated with transferring his/her physical remains to the state that issued the travel document or to another state in which he/she has a residence permit)
• The amount of the insurance benefit (the agreed insurance benefit limit for one insurance event must be at least EUR 60 000, that being without an insurance retention on the amount of the given costs).

The insurance policy must not exclude coverage for injuries and damage caused by the applicant ́s intentional acts, injuries and damage caused by fault or contributory fault on the part of the applicant, and injuries and damage caused by the consumption of alcohol, narcotic and psychotropic substances by the applicant. If it concerns insurance obtained in the USA, along with the proof of travel medical insurance, the foreign national always submits an official translation of the insurance policy and its general terms and conditions into the Czech language. This proves the medical travel insurance policy has been taken out, above all its extent, the limit of coverage being EUR 60 000 and that insurance is taken out without retention and, upon request, a document on paying the insurance premium for an insurance policy for the entire period of the requested stay in the Czech Republic.

9.Visa application fee

• Please note that a visa fee is assessed for visa application (please see long-term visa for stay over 90 days in Visa Fees) . The fee must be paid either in cash or by money order made payable to the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York. We do not accept personal checks or credit/debit cards. As the visa fee may change on monthly basis due to the current exchange rate, we recommend checking the current fee at the Consular and Visa Fees.

10.Post delivery

If the applicant would like to send the passport back after the visa process, he/she needs to:

• Enclose a prepaid self-addressed US Postal Service Express Mail envelope (for a price of regular express postage stamp. FEDEXor UPS envelopes are NOT accepted.
• Secure a tracking number of your envelope for the future tracking.
• Enclose a written request to have your passport returned.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

• All visas must be approved by the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic prior to the Czech Consulate being able to issue same. No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore final travel plans or the purchase of non refundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued.
• Please submit originals and copies of all documents!
• The visa for a stay over 90 days is granted for maximum length of 1 year.
• While lodging the application, an interview with the applicant can be conducted. A written record of the interview can be a part of the application. A record will be written down in Czech language and will be signed by the applicant and the officer of the Consulate who will conduct the interview. In case you do not understand Czech you can bring an interpreter with you to translate the written record.
• Student visas can only be issued by the same Embassy and Consulate General where the application for it was submitted. Hence, you cannot apply for a visa in the US and pick it up in Europe or the Czech Republic. The Czech Consulate General strongly recommends that applicants do not travel to the Czech Republic to begin their study programs without valid visas.
• In case the visa has been refused, you have the right of appeal. The appeal should be addressed to the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic that made the decision about the application within 15 days after receiving the information about the refusal of the application.
• The Consular Section of the Consulate General of the Czech Republic does not provide translations of documents submitted within the visa application.
• The Consular Section of the Consulate General of the Czech Republic provides verification of signatures on documents