Czechia’s Ministry for Regional Development has confirmed that the forthcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet—due to be rolled out nationally by 2027—will be open not only to Czech and other EU citizens but also to third-country nationals who hold a valid Czech residence permit.
The Digital Identity Wallet is a flagship EU project that will allow individuals to store and share official documents such as passports, driving licences, professional qualifications and e-signatures on a smartphone. Because Czechia already issues e-IDs to its citizens, work has begun on adapting the existing “Digitální identita občana” platform so that it meets the technical specifications adopted by the EU Council in November 2025. A pilot involving 5,000 users—half of them non-EU nationals on employee-card, blue-card and intra-company-transfer permits—will start this spring.
For global-mobility managers the change is significant. Once fully operational, foreign assignees will be able to open a Czech bank account, sign a rental lease or register a vehicle remotely, without having to present a plastic residence card in person. Companies will also be able to onboard new hires and sign labour contracts entirely online, reducing lead times and courier costs.
![Czechia confirms EU Digital Identity Wallet will cover legally-resident foreigners]()
VisaHQ’s Prague-based team is already helping both EU and non-EU residents navigate the shift from physical residence cards to the new digital wallet. Through our online portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) employers can arrange consultations, monitor permit renewals and ensure that assignees secure an eIDAS-ready identity quickly and compliantly.
The Ministry stresses that use of the wallet will be voluntary, but warns that some public services—such as filing tax returns or booking an appointment at the foreign-police—will gradually migrate to the new ecosystem. Employers are therefore being advised to brief assignees on how to obtain an eIDAS-compliant digital identity in good time.
Privacy groups have welcomed a clause that forbids service providers from demanding more data than strictly necessary. Nevertheless, relocation firms expect a period of dual systems where both physical cards and the wallet will coexist; they recommend carrying the biometric card when travelling until transport carriers finish updating their scanners.
The Digital Identity Wallet is a flagship EU project that will allow individuals to store and share official documents such as passports, driving licences, professional qualifications and e-signatures on a smartphone. Because Czechia already issues e-IDs to its citizens, work has begun on adapting the existing “Digitální identita občana” platform so that it meets the technical specifications adopted by the EU Council in November 2025. A pilot involving 5,000 users—half of them non-EU nationals on employee-card, blue-card and intra-company-transfer permits—will start this spring.
For global-mobility managers the change is significant. Once fully operational, foreign assignees will be able to open a Czech bank account, sign a rental lease or register a vehicle remotely, without having to present a plastic residence card in person. Companies will also be able to onboard new hires and sign labour contracts entirely online, reducing lead times and courier costs.
VisaHQ’s Prague-based team is already helping both EU and non-EU residents navigate the shift from physical residence cards to the new digital wallet. Through our online portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) employers can arrange consultations, monitor permit renewals and ensure that assignees secure an eIDAS-ready identity quickly and compliantly.
The Ministry stresses that use of the wallet will be voluntary, but warns that some public services—such as filing tax returns or booking an appointment at the foreign-police—will gradually migrate to the new ecosystem. Employers are therefore being advised to brief assignees on how to obtain an eIDAS-compliant digital identity in good time.
Privacy groups have welcomed a clause that forbids service providers from demanding more data than strictly necessary. Nevertheless, relocation firms expect a period of dual systems where both physical cards and the wallet will coexist; they recommend carrying the biometric card when travelling until transport carriers finish updating their scanners.
