Internationals With Expired Visas Can Legally Stay in Czech Republic Until July 17

Internationals whose visas or residence permits have expired,  amid the Coronavirus, will be allowed to stay in the Czech Republic until July 17, the Foreign Ministry announced in a statement.

According to the statement, foreign nationals who remained in the Czech Republic legally when the country declared a state of emergency, on March 12, are allowed to stay until May 17 when the state of emergency will come to an end, even if the Schengen Visa or Czech Visa or residence permit expired, “After the end of the state of emergency, foreign nationals will not be sanctioned for staying in the Czech Republic without a valid visa or residence permit for another 60 days (up to July 17, 2020). At this time, they do not even have to deal with the expired validity of the stay at the offices of the Ministry of the Interior or the Police of the Czech Republic,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement reads.

Anyway, internationals are obliged to leave the Czech Republic during these 60 days. The legality of foreign nationals’ stay is certified during border controls by a special stamp in their passport, at the time of returning to their home nations.

Amid Coronavirus outbreak, the Czech government decided to extend its border controls for another month, while at the same time expanding the list of places through which it will be possible to cross internal borders.

Czech government announced that border checks at the common borders with Austria and Germany as well as all internal flights will be prolonged until June 13, in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code, Article 25.

The Czech Republic had first introduced its border checks on March 13, in the country’s efforts to stop the spread of Coronavirus pandemic (COVID), alongside with other countries as Malta and Slovakia.