Czech Republic drops foreign criminal record rule for 2 visa programs

Czech Republic cuts criminal-record paperwork June 1

Czech Republic dropped a key documentation requirement for highly qualified foreign workers on June 1, 2026, easing one of the most cumbersome steps in the application process. Applicants under the Key and Scientific Personnel Programme and the Highly Qualified Employee Programme no longer need to submit criminal-record extracts from every country where they lived more than six months in the past three years.

A signed declaration of honour now covers those foreign stays. A criminal-record extract from the applicant's home country is still mandatory and Czech authorities reserve the right to request foreign extracts in individual cases.

The same date brought a second change: Indonesian workers in the Labour Migration Project from Indonesia can switch employers after six months of holding their employee card. Previously they were tied to a single employer for the full validity of the card.

Who benefits from the changes

Non-EU professionals applying under the two highly qualified programmes gain the most, particularly those who've moved between several countries for work in recent years. Roles classified as CZ-ISCO 1-3, including managers, specialists and technical professionals, fall under the scope.

Indonesian project participants typically work in technical and manufacturing roles such as welders, electricians, CNC operators and chip manufacturing staff. The new six-month mobility rule aligns their conditions with other economic migration tracks.

The Digital Nomad Programme, launched under Government Resolution No. 475 in June 2023 for IT professionals from nine countries including the US, UK, Canada, Japan and Australia, isn't affected by these changes. Standard Schengen tourist rules (90 days in 180) also remain unchanged.

How to apply under the eased rules

Applications for the Key and Scientific Personnel and Highly Qualified Employee programmes can be filed at Czech embassies, with family members included in the same application. Processing under Key and Scientific Personnel is targeted at 30 days when conditions are met.

Both programmes are quota-based, with monthly caps that close to new applicants once filled. For overlapping categories like the EU Blue Card, the embassy application fee remains 5,000 CZK (about $215), with a minimum salary threshold of 1.5 times the Czech average gross annual wage.

Foreign-language documents still require certified Czech translations and generally must be less than 180 days old.

Read our full Czech Republic guide for the complete picture or browse more visa updates.