Czech Republic Digital Nomad Visa Guide

The digital nomad visa in the Czech Republic is now available for freelancers and remote workers in IT and marketing. If you're working online and want to live legally in the Czech Republic while invoicing international clients, this visa might be exactly what you're looking for.

If you are not an IT or Marketing Specialist, please check Zivno visa information here.

Below is everything you need to know: requirements, steps, conditions, and documents. Full and raw guide, no fluff.

Advantages of the Digital Nomad Visa in the Czech Republic

• The Czech Republic is located in the EU and the Schengen zone.

• The country offers vibrant festivals, concerts, and an exciting life rhythm.

• Taxes are one of the strongest reasons to consider this visa. If you get the Czech trade license and work as a freelancer under the 60/40 method, your taxes are among the lowest in the EU for digital nomads. That means you legally deduct 60% of your income as an expense, without having business expenses, and you only pay income tax on the remaining 40%.

Who Can Apply for the Czech Digital Nomad Visa?

To qualify for the Czech digital nomad visa, you must be a citizen of one of the following countries:

• Australia

• Brasil

• Canada

• Israel

• Japan

• Mexico

• New Zealand

• Republic of Korea

• Singapore

• Taiwan

• United Kingdom

• United States

Only citizens of these countries can apply to the Czech Republic’s digital nomad visa program.

You must earn at least 69,836 CZK/month (around 3,200 USD) from freelancing. This is 1.5x the Czech average salary in 2026.

You need an active cooperation contract or affidavit from your client that confirms:

• The work is IT or Marketing-related

• The cooperation period is defined (1 year recommended)

• Your fee or salary is a minimum of 69,836 CZK/month

You can download the Template of the Affidavit from the client here

You should not hold, and must not have held, any Czech visa during the last 12 months.

IT professionals:

You must be a qualified IT:

• Developer

• Software engineer

• Project manager

And you should provide as proof of qualification:

• University degree in IT, or

• At least 3 years of experience in the IT field (proven by previous contracts, job contracts or certificates)

The 3 years of experience proof must clearly show:

• Type of freelance job you did

• Duration

• Name of company/client

Note: You can also submit supporting certificates — Udemy, bootcamps, or other online certifications — especially if you don’t have a degree.

Marketing professionals:

To apply under the marketing category, your freelance work must fall under one or more of the following areas:

• SEO

• Digital marketing

• Influencer marketing

• Social media management

• Copywriting

• Content marketing

• Market research

• Event marketing

• Media marketing

• Brand marketing

You must have a university diploma in Marketing to qualify.

Criminal Clearance Report

One of the most important documents for registering a trade license and obtaining a Czech visa is a criminal clearance report from your home country. You can use the same document for both trade license registration and visa application. The document should be:

• Officially translated into Czech

• Depending on the country, it might need apostille legalization

• If your country issues this document digitally, it should include QR codes for verification

For registering the trade license, the criminal clearance report shouldn’t be older than 90 days. For the Czech visa application, it shouldn’t be older than 180 days.

Scanned copies are not accepted. You should always provide the original document with wet stamps if your country doesn’t issue digital documents with QR verification.

You can find the list of countries and their specific requirements below

UK Citizens

You should arrange a criminal clearance from Acro and arrange apostille legalization with stamps. Also, it should be translated into the Czech language, and you need to provide an original document.

US Citizens

You can provide an affidavit instead of a criminal clearance report. If you live outside the US, you can legalize your affidavit at any US embassy. If you live in the USA, you can have your affidavit authorized by a local notary. You can download the affidavit, which you should fill out before authorization.

You can download the template of the affidavit here.

Other Nationalities

The citizens of other countries should arrange the criminal clearance report and apostille legalization. It should also be officially translated into Czech.

If you live outside of your home country, you can contact your embassy and check if they can provide a criminal clearance report and apostille legalization

Steps to Get the Czech Digital Nomad Visa

Here are the full steps to get your digital nomad visa in the Czech Republic — from getting your trade license to arriving and registering after approval.

Apply for a Czech trade license at any Trade License office in the Czech Republic. The activities for the trade license should be clearly either marketing activities or IT activities. The trade license will be valid for 180 days without a business registration number.

This means you should submit your digital nomad visa to the registration office within 180 days, and activate your business number ( IČO) and extend the validation of your trade license with the validation of your visa.

Note: You can’t invoice or work without activating your trade license, and you must activate your trade license after your visa is approved

To apply for the Digital Nomad visa registration, email the Czech Ministry of Trade at digitalnomad@mpo.gov.cz. You should send the following documents:

1. Application form

2. Scan of the trade license

3. An active cooperation contract in IT or marketing or an affidavit from the client, including:

   • Confirmation that the cooperation or order is related to IT or marketing work.

   • Confirmation of the period of cooperation (suggested for 1 year, matching the visa period).

   • Minimum monthly salary/fee of 69,836 CZK (approximately 3,200 USD).

4. IT or marketing qualification documents

IT Professionals:

• You should be an experienced developer, project manager, or software engineer with a university degree in IT or at least 3 years of experience in the IT field.

• If you don’t have a university diploma, you must provide documentation proving 3 years of experience in the IT field (through previous cooperation contracts, work contracts, etc.). These contracts must clearly list the type of freelance job, period of cooperation, and the name of the organization.

Note: You can also provide additional documents like Udemy course certificates, Bootcamp certificates, or any other course certificates that support your qualifications.

Marketing Professionals:

• You should be an experienced marketing specialist in fields such as SEO, digital marketing, influencer marketing, social media, copywriting, content marketing, market research, event marketing, media marketing, or brand marketing.

• Qualification can be proven with a university diploma in marketing.

Important Information About the Application Form

• For the residential address, enter the address where you are currently located. This will help the Ministry of Trade choose the correct embassy for you.

• For visa type, select "Visa up to 90 days – business purpose."

• Clearly confirm the embassy where you would like to apply for the visa. You must apply at that embassy in person or pick up your visa there.

Note: If you qualify for the Digital Nomad Visa, you can apply for a Czech visa at any Czech embassy. If you're already in the Czech Republic, you can apply for a digital nomad visa at the Czech Embassy in Dresden.

• Double-check your email address as the embassy will contact you multiple times.

If your application meets the conditions, the Ministry of Trade will confirm your successful registration in the program and will inform the Ministry of the Interior (immigration office) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Czech embassies).

Note: Successful registration for the program does not mean that your visa has been approved yet. You should continue with the visa application process.

After the Ministry of Trade informs the embassy, you’ll need to bring the following documents for your visa interview:

• Passport (valid for at least 180 days)

• 2 passport-size photos (3.5 x 4.5 cm, white background)

• Completed visa application form

• Original Czech trade license

• Proof of accommodation

• Visa application fee (depends on citizenship)

• Proof of funds: Bank Certificate with a balance of over 156,500 CZK (approx. 7,500 USD)

• Confirmation from the Ministry of Trade about your registration in the Digital Nomad program

• Criminal clearance report (apostilled and translated, or affidavit for US citizens)

• If applicable, a criminal clearance report from other countries where you’ve lived for 6+ months in the past 3 years.

Please, check if your documents need apostille legalization in the Czech Republic.

Supporting documents:

• Cooperation contract in IT or marketing, or affidavit from the client confirming:

  • Work is related to IT or marketing

  • Cooperation period (recommended for 1 year)

  • Minimum salary of 69,836 CZK (approx. 3,200 USD)

• IT or marketing qualification documents

• Additional supporting documents (e.g., Udemy or Bootcamp certificates)

The deadline for Czech Digital Nomad visa approval is 45 days from the date of the application. After your visa is successfully approved, the embassy will contact you for visa collection. Some embassies allow for visa collection by post, but you should confirm this with them.

Health Insurance: You must provide proof of a full-year health insurance policy before collecting your visa. The health insurance must be comprehensive.  If you need help, we can arrange the insurance for you online.

Important Information:

Citizens of the USA, UK, Israel, and Japan must have public health insurance. It means you shouldn't buy a commercial health insurance contract for the full year. You should fill out the affidavit provided by the Czech embassy and register for public health insurance after arriving in the Czech Republic.

The embassy might still ask you to get private health insurance for the first two months, just to make sure you're covered until you get registered for the public health insurance.

Once you arrive in the Czech Republic, you must:

1. Register with the Foreign Police within 3 days (in Prague, you can do this at the Foreign Police Office).

   • Bring the following:

     • Completed registration form with your Czech address

     • Proof of health insurance.

     • Passport with visa.

2. Activate your trade license.

3. Register your tax number and social number.

4. Register for health insurance (if applicable for citizens from the USA, UK, Israel, and Japan).

5. Begin paying contribution deposits and file VAT and tax declarations as required.

You can find information about your first-year obligations while freelancing in the Czech Republic here

After You Get the Czech Digital Nomad Visa: Activate Your Trade License

Getting your Czech Digital Nomad Visa is not the final step if you applied as a freelancer.

After your visa is approved and you move to the Czech Republic, you must complete your Czech trade license registration and the registrations connected with your self-employment.

Your Digital Nomad Visa does not automatically activate your trade license.

This matters for three separate reasons: you need an active trade authorization to operate your Czech business, you need to complete your social security, health insurance and tax obligations, and you need to continue fulfilling the business purpose for which your visa was granted.

When you first apply for your Czech trade license, you don’t yet have the Czech long-term visa required to complete the process.

At the same time, you need proof of your planned Czech business for your Digital Nomad Visa application.

This is why the Trade Licensing Office first issues an extract that you can use for your residence application.

The extract is part of the pre-visa process. Receiving it does not mean that your right to operate the trade has already arisen.

Once your Digital Nomad Visa is approved, you need to finish the trade license process after arriving in the Czech Republic.

Getting the visa and activating your Czech business are two separate steps.

What do you need to do after arriving in the Czech Republic?

There is a specific order to follow.

After your application is approved, the Czech embassy places the long-term visa in your passport.

You can now enter the Czech Republic under your approved visa.

Your trade license process, however, is not finished yet.

After entering the Czech Republic on your long-term visa, you must report your place of residence within 3 working days from your arrival.

For most Digital Nomad Visa holders, this registration is completed with the Foreign Police.

There is an exception if your accommodation provider, such as a hotel or another accommodation establishment, has already completed the statutory arrival registration for you.

Do not confuse this registration with activation of your trade license. This is your immigration registration after arrival.

After your arrival and Czech address have been registered, complete the trade license process with the Trade Licensing Office.

You need to provide proof that your Czech long-term visa was granted.

Under the Czech Trade Licensing Act, your right to operate the trade arises on the day you provide the required proof of your long-term visa or long-term residence permit to the Trade Licensing Office.

This is the step that turns the pre-visa trade license process into your actual right to operate the Czech trade.

Once you start your Czech self-employed activity, the trade license is not your only obligation.

You also need to resolve the applicable registrations with Czech Social Security, health insurance and the Czech tax authorities.

Depending on your situation, you then need to start paying the required contributions and comply with your Czech tax and reporting obligations.

The trade license has two important legal deadlines

The Czech Trade Licensing Act sets clear deadlines for completing the pre-visa trade license process.

You must provide proof that your long-term visa or long-term residence permit was granted no later than 6 months from delivery of the preliminary trade license extract.

The 6-month period therefore starts before your visa is approved.

It starts when the preliminary extract issued for your residence application is delivered to you.

There is also a post-arrival deadline.

You must provide the required proof of residence authorization to the Trade Licensing Office within 3 working days from reporting your place of residence in the Czech Republic.

This is why you should complete the post-arrival process immediately rather than treating the trade license as something that can be resolved months later.

If you do not provide the required document within the statutory deadline, the Trade Licensing Office decides that the conditions for the trade authorization to arise were not fulfilled and records this in the Trade Licensing Register.

The 6-month period is therefore not the expiry date of an already active trade license.

The legal issue is more fundamental: your right to operate the trade did not arise because the required process was never completed.

What happens if you don’t activate your trade license?

Missing this step creates several separate problems.

Receiving your Digital Nomad Visa does not automatically activate your Czech trade license.

The preliminary extract issued before the visa is used for your residence application. Your right to operate the trade arises only after you complete the required post-visa step with the Trade Licensing Office.

If you don’t complete it, you should not assume that you have an active Czech trade authorization simply because you have received your visa.

If you started working and invoicing clients without completing the trade license process, the previous period also needs to be checked.

The visa itself does not replace the required Czech trade authorization.

This is particularly important because Czech health insurance rules consider the actual start of self-employment separately from simply obtaining a trade authorization. Activities such as accepting orders, signing contracts and issuing invoices can demonstrate that self-employment has actually started.

If you have already been working, resolving the trade license today does not automatically resolve everything that happened during the previous months.

This is not only a trade license or tax problem. It is also an immigration issue.

A freelancer’s Digital Nomad Visa is based on business activity in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Ministry of the Interior states that a holder of a long-term visa for the purpose of business must fulfil the purpose of the stay for the whole duration of the visa.

If your Czech trade authorization never arises and you do not carry out the business activity on which your visa is based, you are not fulfilling the business purpose of your stay.

Failure to fulfil the purpose of residence can put your residence status at risk and can create a serious problem when you later apply to continue your residence in the Czech Republic.

Can an inactive trade license affect your Digital Nomad Visa extension?

Yes. Your original visa was granted for the purpose of business, and that purpose does not disappear after the visa sticker is placed in your passport.

When you later continue from your long-term business visa to long-term residence for the purpose of business, you still need to demonstrate the business purpose of your stay.

Business residence also involves documents connected with your business and proof of no outstanding debts with the relevant Czech authorities.

If your trade authorization was never completed, you should resolve the problem before preparing your residence extension.

Do not wait until the immigration application to discover that the Czech business on which your original visa was based was never properly activated.

What about social security, health insurance and taxes?

Completing your trade license registration is only one part of the post-arrival process.

Once you actually start your self-employed activity, you also have obligations connected with Czech Social Security, health insurance and taxes.

For example, health insurance rules require an OSVČ to report the start of self-employed activity within 8 days. For health insurance purposes, the actual start of activity can be demonstrated by activities such as invoicing, accepting orders, signing contracts or receiving business payments.

Depending on your individual situation, you may also have monthly contribution obligations, annual social security and health insurance declarations, Czech income tax obligations and VAT-related obligations.

If you started working but never completed these registrations, you can have:

• missing registrations;

• unpaid social security or health insurance contributions;

• missing declarations;

• unpaid taxes;

• penalties or interest;

• outstanding debts with Czech authorities.

These obligations do not disappear because you forgot to register.

If you have already been working for several months, the previous period needs to be checked and corrected where necessary.

Pexpats experience: this is an easy step to miss

We see freelancers who successfully complete the difficult part of the Digital Nomad Visa process, receive their visa, move to the Czech Republic and start working — but never complete the final business registrations after arrival.

The problem is often discovered much later, for example when preparing the first Czech tax declaration or the residence extension.

At that point, simply activating the trade license is not always enough.

We first need to check when the person actually started working, whether invoices were issued, whether the trade authorization arose, which registrations were completed, whether social security or health insurance should have been paid, which tax obligations are missing and whether the unfinished business registration creates an issue for the upcoming residence application.

This is why we recommend checking your Czech business registration immediately after completing the Digital Nomad Visa process.

How can you check if your Czech trade license is active?

You can check your Czech business registration online using your full name or IČO.

For an English-language check, use the Pexpats Business Search. It allows you to search Czech business records in English and check your IČO, registered business details and trade license status.

Check your Czech business 

You can also verify your registration directly in the official Czech Trade Licensing Register

What should you check in the business register?

Check that:

• your business can be found;

• your IČO has been issued;

• your trade authorization is active;

• the correct trade activities are registered;

• your business details are correct.

If you already received your Digital Nomad Visa and moved to the Czech Republic but your trade authorization is inactive, interrupted or cannot be found, resolve the situation now.

If you have already been working or invoicing clients, don’t check only the current trade license status. The previous period and your social security, health insurance and tax obligations also need to be reviewed.

If you decide to stay longer in the Czech Republic, you can extend your Digital Nomad visa to a long-term residence permit, which can be valid for up to 2 more years.

Important: Your business registration and trade license depend on your digital nomad visa. When you extend your visa, you must also extend your trade license

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