UCT PragueIncoming students Traineeship at UCT Prague Short-Term Visa
 
Short-Term Visa
Short-Term Visa

Short-Term Visa
 
 

If you plan to stay in the Czech Republic for less than 90 days and you are a non-EU citizen, you may need to apply for a short-term (Schengen) visa for study purposes.

Applications are submitted at the Czech Embassy or Consulate in your home country. If you are unsure whether you need a visa, check with the Czech Embassy in your country or your Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

⚠️ Important: Non-EU citizens who already hold residency in another EU country do not need a short-term visa for stays under 90 days.
Who needs to apply?

You must apply if you are a national of a country outside the Schengen Area and from a country without a visa-free agreement with the Schengen Area.

Schengen countries include:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
💡 Note: Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania and the United Kingdom are not part of Schengen.
🌍 Visa Exemption: Check if your country is exempt from visa requirements for the Schengen Area on the Visa Free Regime and Bilateral Agreements webpages.
How long can I stay?

While gathering your documents, remember that a short-term stay is a maximum of 90 days during any 180-day period. This means a period of 180 days immediately preceding each day of stay. The length is calculated strictly according to the entry and exit stamps in your travel document at the border.

📅 Visa Validity (The "Window")

This is the legal period (specified on your visa sticker) during which you are allowed to enter and stay. Example: If your visa is valid from Jan 1st to June 30th, you can enter at any time in this window. Once June 30th passes, the visa can no longer be used for entry.

⏳ Duration of Stay (The "Days")

The actual number of days you are permitted to remain in the country after each entry. Important: The validity of a visa is distinct from the duration of stay. You must adhere to both to avoid immigration issues.

Your stay is also governed by other visa requirements:
  • Number of entries: Check if your visa is for one, two, or multiple entries.
  • Territorial validity: Usually valid for the entire Schengen Area, meaning a visa granted by one Schengen country allows you to enter all others.
⚠️ Critical for Erasmus+ Planning:

The minimum length for an Erasmus traineeship is 60 days. You must plan your dates carefully and ensure you have a sufficient stay period remaining in your passport.

If you cannot fulfill the 60-day minimum within your 90-day limit, your traineeship will be invalid. Non-EU nationals must leave the Schengen Area before exceeding the 90/180 rule and cannot re-enter until they satisfy the stipulated conditions again.

🧮 Tool: We strongly recommend using the official Schengen Calculator to verify your stay and ensure you are not breaking the 90/180 rule.
Booking your appointment & Documents

You must arrange your visa appointment yourself; UCT Prague cannot do this for you. You may request your visa documents once your application procedure is fully finished and confirmed.

📄 Original Documents from UCT Prague:

To apply for a short-term visa, you will need these three physical original documents:

  • Document confirming the purpose of stay
  • Letter of Acceptance
  • Proof of accommodation (ONLY if staying at UCT dormitories)
How to request these documents:

Email incoming@vscht.cz and provide the following:

  • A copy/scan of your passport.
  • The city of the embassy where you will apply.
  • Confirmation of whether you will stay at UCT dormitories.

⚠️ Important: Requirements vary by country. Your primary source of accurate information is always the Embassy's website or the official Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.

General Document Checklist

To ensure your visa application is admissible (can be processed), you must submit it between 6 months and 15 days before your trip. It must contain a valid passport, form, photo, fingerprints, and the fee must be paid.

📋 Required Documents:
📦 Delivery of Documents:

All documents from UCT must be submitted in paper form. Once ready, you have two options:

  • Regular Delivery (Free): Takes 3–4+ weeks depending on the country.
  • DHL Express (Paid by student): Takes less than 1 week. You must create the order on the DHL website.

We strongly recommend DHL. If your visa is not approved on time, UCT Prague reserves the right to cancel the traineeship.

💡 Pro-tip: Contact incoming@vscht.cz only after you receive confirmation that your documents are ready to be sent.
The Visa Appointment

Consulates schedule appointments mostly via email or phone, refer to the official embassy websites for guidance. Schengen visa applications can be submitted 6 months at the earliest and 15 days at the latest ahead of your trip.

📋 Do Not Overlook:
  • Personal Presence: Applications are lodged in person. An interview is held, and fingerprints are collected.
  • Originals: You must submit originals of your passport and supporting documents on purpose of stay (Letter of Acceptance). These will be returned to you; the passport is resubmitted when the visa is issued.
  • Language: Documents must be in Czech or submitted with an official translation.
  • Age of Docs: Supporting documents (except passport and current photo) must not be older than 180 days.
  • Copies: Always prepare a complete set of copies of all your requirements.
⏳ Processing & Validity:

Decisions are usually made within 15 days after the consulate accepts the application. In exceptional cases, this may be extended to 45 days.

Long-term Visa: Issued for the period demonstrated in your confirmation of studies, but no longer than 1 year.

Incomplete Applications: Cannot be processed! The procedure will be suspended until missing documents are added, which prolongs the entire process.

⚠️ Punctuality is Mandatory:

Arrive at the appointment on time! Being late or failing to show up will postpone the process. In some cases, you may not be given another time slot, making it impossible to arrive in the Czech Republic on time for your traineeship.

UCT Prague has no authority with the Czech embassies in other countries. Please pay close attention to the information communicated by the specific Embassy.

🤝 Communication & Support

UCT Prague cannot legally assist with visa appointments or document collection; this is entirely your responsibility. Requirements vary by country, so ensure you follow the specific instructions for your citizenship on the embassy's website.

We cannot communicate with the embassy or the Ministry of the Interior on your behalf. Information regarding your visa status is strictly confidential and cannot be shared with the university.

⏳ Summer Note: We understand that waiting is stressful, but please note that embassies are extremely busy during the summer. You will be contacted directly as soon as your visa is ready for collection.

Family & Friends: UCT Prague provides no assistance or invitation letters for partners, family, or friends. They must follow standard procedures via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

After Arrival & Extension

The Department of International Relations is here to support you. We can provide guidance during your visa application and will gladly help with additional information regarding Foreign Police registration or visa matters once you arrive in Prague.

👮 Foreign Police Registration

Third-country nationals must register their address at the nearest Foreign Police department within 3 working days of arrival, unless this is done by your accommodation provider (e.g., UCT Dormitories).

What to bring: A valid travel document, a completed registration form (available at the office), and your travel insurance certificate (police are entitled to demand this). More information here →

⏳ Visa Extension: Important Note

For trainees, extending a short-term visa is impossible. Once the visa is issued, you cannot change the number of days of your stay. Make sure your traineeship dates are accurate from the start!

Exceptional cases: Schengen visas can only be extended due to force majeure, humanitarian reasons, or serious personal reasons. These are assessed by the Foreign Police, and the total stay can never exceed 90 days.