At 00:01 on 1 January the Czech Interior Ministry quietly activated the Foreigners Information System (FIS), the technological heart of the country’s new Act on the Stay of Foreigners—the first full rewrite of Czech immigration rules since EU accession. All third-country nationals must now create a secure on-line “Foreigner Account” linked to their Czech electronic identity (e-ID) and can complete every stage of a residence-permit, employee-card or family-reunification case digitally. Only one in-person visit for fingerprints and a biometric photograph remains. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-11/cz/czech-interior-ministry-flips-the-switch-on-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
Early adopters—including automotive OEMs and tech multinationals—report processing times shrinking from eight–ten weeks to under six and courier costs falling by 40 %. Automated reminders three months before permit expiry aim to eliminate costly lapses in work authorisation, and the ministry can now return incomplete filings electronically rather than by post, shaving days off correction cycles. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-11/cz/czech-interior-ministry-flips-the-switch-on-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
If you’d like expert guidance setting up Foreigner Accounts or ensuring your documentation is FIS-ready, VisaHQ’s Czech Republic team can coordinate the entire process—from e-ID activation appointments to electronic uploads—while tracking upcoming expiries for you. Explore the service options at https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/.
![Czech Interior Ministry flips the switch on fully digital immigration platform]()
For employers the change is a game-changer but also a compliance test. HR teams must ensure foreign staff activate their e-ID at CzechPoint offices, move internal approval workflows onto digital rails so that labour contracts and diplomas are ready for instant upload, and update privacy notices—data submitted through FIS is 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 window until extra server capacity settles in. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-11/cz/czech-interior-ministry-flips-the-switch-on-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
The new law also strengthens the role of corporate “guarantors”. Employers must register in FIS and will receive automatic alerts if their assignees miss deadlines or if employment contracts are terminated. Each login is time-stamped and tied to the user’s e-ID, making it harder for unlicensed agents to impersonate applicants, and giving the ministry new audit capabilities. Data validation tools have already cut document rejection rates by 40 % during the December soft-launch. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-11/cz/czech-interior-ministry-flips-the-switch-on-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
Practical next steps include running internal FIS simulations, adding e-ID activation to arrival checklists, and budgeting for staff training. Companies that outsource filing should verify that providers have role-based access and data-processing agreements in place. With the EU mandating faster permit processing under its Talent & Skills package, Czechia’s digital leap positions it as a regional front-runner—but only organisations that digitise their own mobility workflows will reap the full efficiency dividend.
Early adopters—including automotive OEMs and tech multinationals—report processing times shrinking from eight–ten weeks to under six and courier costs falling by 40 %. Automated reminders three months before permit expiry aim to eliminate costly lapses in work authorisation, and the ministry can now return incomplete filings electronically rather than by post, shaving days off correction cycles. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-11/cz/czech-interior-ministry-flips-the-switch-on-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
If you’d like expert guidance setting up Foreigner Accounts or ensuring your documentation is FIS-ready, VisaHQ’s Czech Republic team can coordinate the entire process—from e-ID activation appointments to electronic uploads—while tracking upcoming expiries for you. Explore the service options at https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/.
For employers the change is a game-changer but also a compliance test. HR teams must ensure foreign staff activate their e-ID at CzechPoint offices, move internal approval workflows onto digital rails so that labour contracts and diplomas are ready for instant upload, and update privacy notices—data submitted through FIS is 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 window until extra server capacity settles in. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-11/cz/czech-interior-ministry-flips-the-switch-on-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
The new law also strengthens the role of corporate “guarantors”. Employers must register in FIS and will receive automatic alerts if their assignees miss deadlines or if employment contracts are terminated. Each login is time-stamped and tied to the user’s e-ID, making it harder for unlicensed agents to impersonate applicants, and giving the ministry new audit capabilities. Data validation tools have already cut document rejection rates by 40 % during the December soft-launch. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-11/cz/czech-interior-ministry-flips-the-switch-on-fully-digital-immigration-platform/))
Practical next steps include running internal FIS simulations, adding e-ID activation to arrival checklists, and budgeting for staff training. Companies that outsource filing should verify that providers have role-based access and data-processing agreements in place. With the EU mandating faster permit processing under its Talent & Skills package, Czechia’s digital leap positions it as a regional front-runner—but only organisations that digitise their own mobility workflows will reap the full efficiency dividend.
