Czechia’s Interior Ministry has turned off its two immigration helplines for the entire holiday period, citing IT maintenance and staff leave. The main client-centre number (974 801 801) went dark on 22 December and will not resume service until 2 January 2026; the dedicated Temporary Protection hotline (974 801 802) will operate only on 29–30 December.
Timing could hardly be worse. January is peak season for renewals of employee cards, blue cards and intra-company-transfer permits, and roughly 400 000 Ukrainian refugees must lodge 2026 documents by 31 March. Immigration lawyers warn that missed statutory deadlines will not be excused simply because telephone support was unavailable, exposing foreign staff to fines or even loss of status.
![Interior Ministry Hotlines Go Silent Until 2 January, Imperilling January Permit Renewals]()
At this juncture, services like VisaHQ can step in to fill the gap; its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) lets employers and assignees generate up-to-date visa checklists, submit applications online and receive real-time status alerts—support that continues even when government helplines are switched off.
During the blackout the ministry is directing urgent queries to two e-mail inboxes and urging applicants to visit regional offices, which remain open on working days. HR teams report heavier foot traffic in Prague’s Bohdalec centre and are booking slots in Brno, Ostrava and Plzeň, where queues are shorter. Companies are also leaning on third-party relocation providers to bridge the advice gap.
Practical steps for employers: 1) gather outstanding documents now; 2) use the online reservation portal to secure early-January appointments; 3) brief employees on alternative contact channels; and 4) maintain relationships with private visa agents who can file applications even when state helplines are silent. The episode is a sharp reminder to diversify support pathways rather than rely solely on government hotlines.
Timing could hardly be worse. January is peak season for renewals of employee cards, blue cards and intra-company-transfer permits, and roughly 400 000 Ukrainian refugees must lodge 2026 documents by 31 March. Immigration lawyers warn that missed statutory deadlines will not be excused simply because telephone support was unavailable, exposing foreign staff to fines or even loss of status.
At this juncture, services like VisaHQ can step in to fill the gap; its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) lets employers and assignees generate up-to-date visa checklists, submit applications online and receive real-time status alerts—support that continues even when government helplines are switched off.
During the blackout the ministry is directing urgent queries to two e-mail inboxes and urging applicants to visit regional offices, which remain open on working days. HR teams report heavier foot traffic in Prague’s Bohdalec centre and are booking slots in Brno, Ostrava and Plzeň, where queues are shorter. Companies are also leaning on third-party relocation providers to bridge the advice gap.
Practical steps for employers: 1) gather outstanding documents now; 2) use the online reservation portal to secure early-January appointments; 3) brief employees on alternative contact channels; and 4) maintain relationships with private visa agents who can file applications even when state helplines are silent. The episode is a sharp reminder to diversify support pathways rather than rely solely on government hotlines.
