From today, the Czech Consulate General in Dresden will no longer accept standard Employee Card or Business Visa submissions, a move insiders are calling the “zero-quota” policy. Exceptions apply only to U.S., U.K., Canadian and other ‘preferred’ nationals as well as participants in government talent programmes. The measure forces most third-country applicants who reside in Germany to file from their home countries, potentially adding weeks to project timelines.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the step is temporary and designed to redirect consular capacity toward humanitarian and family-reunification cases. Yet relocation advisers see economic motives: Germany has become a popular base for IT contractors who shuttle to Czech client sites, and Prague wishes to ensure that local labour-market needs are prioritised. According to Newland Chase, appointment slots in Dresden had reached a 15-month wait by late 2025.
![Dresden Consulate Imposes ‘Zero-Quota’ on Czech Employee Card and Business Visa Filings]()
For companies and travellers suddenly rerouting their visa plans, VisaHQ can simplify the process: its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) tracks current consular policies, identifies alternative posts with available appointments, and offers document pre-screening to boost approval odds—saving both time and budget.
Companies that planned to onboard staff through Dresden must now restructure workflows. Options include switching to the newly expanded Digital Nomad visa (quota doubled to 5,000 this year) or using the *in-country* Employee Card conversion route for existing Schengen residents—though this carries risk if the individual’s 90-day stay window expires.
Practical tip: audit ongoing visa-pack preparation for candidates who listed Dresden as their consular post and re-issue invitations directing them to consulates in their country of nationality or residence. Budget for additional travel and translation costs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the step is temporary and designed to redirect consular capacity toward humanitarian and family-reunification cases. Yet relocation advisers see economic motives: Germany has become a popular base for IT contractors who shuttle to Czech client sites, and Prague wishes to ensure that local labour-market needs are prioritised. According to Newland Chase, appointment slots in Dresden had reached a 15-month wait by late 2025.
For companies and travellers suddenly rerouting their visa plans, VisaHQ can simplify the process: its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) tracks current consular policies, identifies alternative posts with available appointments, and offers document pre-screening to boost approval odds—saving both time and budget.
Companies that planned to onboard staff through Dresden must now restructure workflows. Options include switching to the newly expanded Digital Nomad visa (quota doubled to 5,000 this year) or using the *in-country* Employee Card conversion route for existing Schengen residents—though this carries risk if the individual’s 90-day stay window expires.
Practical tip: audit ongoing visa-pack preparation for candidates who listed Dresden as their consular post and re-issue invitations directing them to consulates in their country of nationality or residence. Budget for additional travel and translation costs.
