The Czech Interior Ministry flipped the switch at midnight on 1 January 2026 on the most sweeping overhaul of its immigration framework since EU accession. The long-awaited Act on the Stay of Foreigners abolishes more than 70 patch-work amendments and introduces a single, end-to-end online workflow anchored in a secure “Foreigner Account”. Any third-country national who has activated a Czech electronic identity (e-ID) can now lodge applications, upload labour contracts, pay fees, report address changes and request renewals without printing a single sheet of paper. Only one in-person biometric visit to a client centre is still required.
For employers the change is a potential game-changer. HR teams that once waited weeks for hard-copy letters can now track case status in real time, while the portal automatically flags expiring documents three months in advance. Multinationals that participated in a December soft-launch reported a 40 percent drop in document rejects thanks to built-in data validation. The ministry has already migrated more than two million active files to a state-run cloud platform that shares data with Labour-Office and Police systems in near real time, allowing officers to spot double filings and sham contracts earlier.
![Czech Republic Switches On Fully-Digital Immigration System Under New Residence Law]()
Companies and individual assignees who want an extra layer of certainty during this transition can lean on VisaHQ, whose Czech service desk is already tuned to the new digital workflow. The firm’s intuitive online checklist, document pre-validation and concierge filing service (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) help applicants sidestep common pitfalls and get filings right the first time—saving both time and money.
Digitalisation comes with guard-rails. Privacy advocates secured a commitment from the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NUKIB) to run monthly penetration tests, and the April 2026 release will deliver an English interface plus API hooks for accredited relocation vendors. Meanwhile, legacy paper applications filed before 31 December will continue under the old rules but can be ported into the new account once a decision is issued.
Practical take-aways for mobility managers: make activation of the Czech e-ID a Day-One onboarding item; update assignment letters to reference the Foreigner Account; and brief assignees that plastic residence cards remain the only acceptable ID at border checks—PDF copies will not suffice. In the medium term, Prague hopes the new model will burnish its credentials as Central Europe’s tech hub and lure more high-skilled talent away from Berlin and Vienna.
For employers the change is a potential game-changer. HR teams that once waited weeks for hard-copy letters can now track case status in real time, while the portal automatically flags expiring documents three months in advance. Multinationals that participated in a December soft-launch reported a 40 percent drop in document rejects thanks to built-in data validation. The ministry has already migrated more than two million active files to a state-run cloud platform that shares data with Labour-Office and Police systems in near real time, allowing officers to spot double filings and sham contracts earlier.
Companies and individual assignees who want an extra layer of certainty during this transition can lean on VisaHQ, whose Czech service desk is already tuned to the new digital workflow. The firm’s intuitive online checklist, document pre-validation and concierge filing service (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) help applicants sidestep common pitfalls and get filings right the first time—saving both time and money.
Digitalisation comes with guard-rails. Privacy advocates secured a commitment from the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NUKIB) to run monthly penetration tests, and the April 2026 release will deliver an English interface plus API hooks for accredited relocation vendors. Meanwhile, legacy paper applications filed before 31 December will continue under the old rules but can be ported into the new account once a decision is issued.
Practical take-aways for mobility managers: make activation of the Czech e-ID a Day-One onboarding item; update assignment letters to reference the Foreigner Account; and brief assignees that plastic residence cards remain the only acceptable ID at border checks—PDF copies will not suffice. In the medium term, Prague hopes the new model will burnish its credentials as Central Europe’s tech hub and lure more high-skilled talent away from Berlin and Vienna.
