Advances in technology, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19, have lead to an increasing number of people adhering to the digital nomad lifestyle. There are many benefits to becoming a digital nomad: flexible working hours, freedom of choice when it comes to selecting the projects you’d like to work on and, most importantly, the ability to work from virtually any place in the world. In a recent post, we interviewed one of our members who told us about his life as a digital nomad and highlighted some of these advantages.
However, being a digital nomad can be a headache when you have to deal with visas and other permits to be able to stay in a foreign country for a longer period. But here’s the good news: there are a few countries that have introduced Digital Nomad Visas which allow freelancers and remote workers to stay in their territories for several months. And the Czech Republic is one of them! In this post, we’ll explain how to apply for a Digital Nomad Visa in the Czech Republic.
Last update: December 2023
What is a Digital Nomad Visa?
In a nutshell, digital nomad visas lie somewhere between work visas and tourist visas. While work visas are usually difficult to obtain, the application process for a digital nomad visa is often simpler. And, as opposed to tourist visas, which are typically valid for no more than 90 days, visas for digital nomads allow longer stays. Another difference with tourist visas is that holders of digital nomad visas are allowed to work, as long as they do it remotely and independently.
That said, it is technically also possible to work when you’re on a tourist visa on the condition that you do so independently and remotely and are not employed by a local company. So if you don’t intend to stay in a country for longer than 3 months, a tourist visa could be more than enough. So we recommend digital nomad visas for those individuals who wish to stay in a territory for longer than what a regular tourist visa would allow.
Each country has their own requirements to be eligible for digital nomad visas, but here we will only address the case of the Czech Republic.
Who can apply for the digital nomad program? Requirements
A new Digital Nomad Visa program was launched in July 2023 with the purpose of attracting highly skilled IT professionals to the Czech Republic.
Citizenship
The digital nomad program is currently only available to workers from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK and the US.
Type of Employment and Field of Work
To qualify for the program, digital nomads must either be an employee of a foreign company or be a freelancer. Employees and freelancers need to show they have appropriate education in a STEM field or have at least 3 years of experience in the IT field.
Income Requirements
They must also have an income of at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary announced by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. This sum changes every year, so we recommend checking official sources to stay up to date (you can refer to this document).
How do you apply to the digital nomad program in the Czech Republic?
The application process is slightly different depending on whether you’re an employee of a foreign company or a freelancer.
Employees must work for a foreign company with at least 50 employees and work for the company using telecommunication means from the Czech Republic. A complete step-to-step guide and list of the required documents can be found at the bottom of this page.
A freelancer must be self-employed and go through the additional step of obtaining a Czech business license. Applications for a license need to be submitted at a Trade Licensing Office. In general, freelancers need to show they have the capacity to run a business and a clean criminal record. A guide and link to the application form can be found here. Only after the freelancer receives an invitation to document a visa/residence in the Czech Republic can they start the application process. A complete step-to-step guide and list of the required documents can be found at the bottom of this page.
Regardless of whether you’re an employee or a freelancer, after submitting the application form (which can also at the bottom of this page) and assuming the conditions for inclusion in the program are met, the employee/freelancer shall apply for a residence permit at the embassy of the Czech Republic, where an interview will also be conducted.
How long does it take to get the visa approved?
Once the application is submitted in full, the Ministry of the Interior shall process the application within 45 days from the date of submission. This is provided that all the required documents are duly completed and submitted.
What’s next after the visa is approved?
Once you’re finally done with all the bureaucracy, it’s time to pack your bags and get ready to start a new life in the Czech Republic! But don’t forget to report your new place of residence to the Police of the Czech Republic within 3 working days from the date of your arrival in the country.
10 reasons to live in Prague as a digital nomad
While the Czech Republic has many interesting cities, Prague is usually the first choice for digital nomads and expats. Here are some of the reasons why:
- Prague’s old town seems as if it was taken out of a fairy tale, but less touristy neighbourhoods are also very charming and offer a wide range of leisure activities.
- Living in Prague is quite cheap. According to Nomad List, digital nomads’ expenses amount to roughly $2,000/month, in contrast with Paris or London’s $4,000/month!!!
- It’s one of the safest cities to live in Europe.
- There’s lots of fun stuff to do and every weekend there’s a different festival or event taking place in Prague!
- You can survive even if you don’t speak a word of Czech. The number of expats living in Prague has rocketed in the past few decades and Czechs are getting more used to speaking English these days.
- The Czech Republic has a good reputation for its amazing beer (which is also very cheap!).
- Since it’s very centrally located, you can easily travel around Europe from Prague – whether it is by bus, train or plane.
- Hiking lovers will find endless possibilities around Prague.
- It’s one of the most pet-friendly cities across Europe!
- You can work from Locus Workspace, a coworking space with members from more than 20 different nationalities. You’ll certainly build some valuable connections who will make your settling down in the city much easier!
Living and working in Prague for a month as a digital nomad
If you’d like to experience the city before embarking on the adventure of applying for your digital nomad visa, we recommend taking a look at Nomad Month programs. Nomad Month organizes work retreats in Prague for digital nomads and remote workers. You’ll get to experience the city like a local while traveling with a diverse community from around the globe. Accommodation and coworking space is provided by Nomad Month, so you can forget the hassle of doing all that research yourself.
We hope this post answered all your questions on how to become a digital nomad in the Czech Republic. But, most importantly, we hope that we encouraged you to give it a shot and come work & live in Prague or any other Czech city. Remember that there’s a community of digital nomads waiting for you at Locus Workspace!
