At 00:01 on 1 January, the Czech Interior Ministry quietly activated the Foreigners Information System (FIS), the technological cornerstone of the new Act on the Stay of Foreigners—the country’s first complete rewrite of immigration rules since EU accession. The system replaces more than 70 patch-work amendments with a single, end-to-end online workflow anchored in a secure “Foreigner Account” linked to a Czech electronic identity (e-ID). ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/cz/czech-interior-ministry-goes-live-with-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
From employee-card applications to change-of-address notifications, every core step can now be completed online; only one in-person visit remains for fingerprints and a biometric photo. Early adopters, including major automotive and tech employers, report average processing times dropping from eight–ten weeks to under six and courier costs falling by 40 percent. Automated reminders three months before permit expiry aim to eliminate costly lapses in work authorisation. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/cz/czech-interior-ministry-goes-live-with-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
![Czech Interior Ministry flips the switch on fully-digital immigration platform]()
For foreign employees and HR managers who would rather not navigate the new portal alone, VisaHQ can oversee every digital step—from activating a Foreigner Account to scheduling the lone biometrics visit—and synchronise its own alerts with the ministry’s to keep applications on track. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/.
The digital leap also tightens compliance. Each log-in is time-stamped and tied to the applicant’s e-ID, making it harder for unlicensed fixers to impersonate foreign nationals. Employers acting as “guarantors” must register in the portal and receive electronic alerts if assignees miss document deadlines. The ministry can now audit uploads centrally and return incomplete filings electronically rather than by post, shaving days off correction cycles. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/cz/czech-interior-ministry-goes-live-with-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
For mobility teams the change is both opportunity and challenge. HR must ensure foreign staff activate their e-IDs at CzechPoint offices, move internal approval flows online so contracts and diplomas are ready for immediate upload, and update privacy notices—data submitted to FIS will be stored on government servers for ten years. Heavy traffic on 9 January briefly slowed the portal; officials advise filing outside the 09:00–11:00 peak until extra server capacity beds in. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/cz/czech-interior-ministry-goes-live-with-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
From employee-card applications to change-of-address notifications, every core step can now be completed online; only one in-person visit remains for fingerprints and a biometric photo. Early adopters, including major automotive and tech employers, report average processing times dropping from eight–ten weeks to under six and courier costs falling by 40 percent. Automated reminders three months before permit expiry aim to eliminate costly lapses in work authorisation. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/cz/czech-interior-ministry-goes-live-with-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
For foreign employees and HR managers who would rather not navigate the new portal alone, VisaHQ can oversee every digital step—from activating a Foreigner Account to scheduling the lone biometrics visit—and synchronise its own alerts with the ministry’s to keep applications on track. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/.
The digital leap also tightens compliance. Each log-in is time-stamped and tied to the applicant’s e-ID, making it harder for unlicensed fixers to impersonate foreign nationals. Employers acting as “guarantors” must register in the portal and receive electronic alerts if assignees miss document deadlines. The ministry can now audit uploads centrally and return incomplete filings electronically rather than by post, shaving days off correction cycles. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/cz/czech-interior-ministry-goes-live-with-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
For mobility teams the change is both opportunity and challenge. HR must ensure foreign staff activate their e-IDs at CzechPoint offices, move internal approval flows online so contracts and diplomas are ready for immediate upload, and update privacy notices—data submitted to FIS will be stored on government servers for ten years. Heavy traffic on 9 January briefly slowed the portal; officials advise filing outside the 09:00–11:00 peak until extra server capacity beds in. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/cz/czech-interior-ministry-goes-live-with-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
