Where to apply

For both, the first visa and the residence permit, you must apply outside the Czech Republic, typically at the Czech Embassy or Consulate in your home country (or assigned to your country). See the list of Czech diplomatic missions at the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Be aware of the territorial consular competence rule: in brief, you can apply for a visa or residence permit only through the Czech Embassy or Consulate of a country where you are a citizen or a country where you have had continuous long-term residency for at least two years or a country that issued your passport. However, certain countries have an exempt from the territorial competence rule.

If you plan to apply in a country other than the country of your citizenship, always check the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or with the particular Czech Embassy or Consulate, as the rules of territorial competence may be subject to change over time.

It is not possible for first time applicants to apply for a long-term visa or residence permit from the Czech Republic! Even if you have the right to a short-term stay without a visa, you must still apply according to the territorial consular competence as mentioned above.

An extension (if you continue to study during the following academic year) can be done in the Czech Republic by applying for a new residence permit (if you arrived with a long-term visa) or by applying for an extension (if you arrived with a residence permit) for the next period of your studies.