Business travellers and migration planners working with Turkey-to-Czech transfers face a brief service interruption next week. The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Istanbul announced late on 15 November that its offices will be closed to the public on Monday, 17 November 2025, in observance of the Czech national holiday ‘Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day’.
All in-person appointments for visa submissions, legalisations and passport services scheduled for that date have been automatically cancelled. Applicants must request new slots through the mission’s standard e-mail booking system. With many Czech employers recruiting IT and engineering talent out of Türkiye under the Qualified Worker and Digital Nomad schemes, even a one-day shutdown can cascade into missed start dates if documentation windows are tight.
![Czech Consulate in Istanbul to Close on 17 November – Visa Applicants Advised to Reschedule]()
Mobility managers should verify whether courier-collected passports or ready visas can be picked up on 18 November and communicate the change to assignees. Carriers flying Istanbul–Prague routes may also see a spike in last-minute rebookings as travellers adjust plans.
The consulate’s notice is a reminder that Czech missions worldwide observe domestic public holidays, often with short lead times. Companies should build at least a two-week buffer around Czech national days (1 January, Easter Monday, 1 May, 8 May, 5 July, 6 July, 28 September, 28 October, 17 November and 24-26 December) when scheduling critical visa filings.
Looking ahead, the Istanbul post continues to grapple with high demand for employee-card appointments; December slots reportedly filled within minutes last month. Early 2026 bookings are expected to open in mid-December, so proactive monitoring is essential.
All in-person appointments for visa submissions, legalisations and passport services scheduled for that date have been automatically cancelled. Applicants must request new slots through the mission’s standard e-mail booking system. With many Czech employers recruiting IT and engineering talent out of Türkiye under the Qualified Worker and Digital Nomad schemes, even a one-day shutdown can cascade into missed start dates if documentation windows are tight.
Mobility managers should verify whether courier-collected passports or ready visas can be picked up on 18 November and communicate the change to assignees. Carriers flying Istanbul–Prague routes may also see a spike in last-minute rebookings as travellers adjust plans.
The consulate’s notice is a reminder that Czech missions worldwide observe domestic public holidays, often with short lead times. Companies should build at least a two-week buffer around Czech national days (1 January, Easter Monday, 1 May, 8 May, 5 July, 6 July, 28 September, 28 October, 17 November and 24-26 December) when scheduling critical visa filings.
Looking ahead, the Istanbul post continues to grapple with high demand for employee-card appointments; December slots reportedly filled within minutes last month. Early 2026 bookings are expected to open in mid-December, so proactive monitoring is essential.
