The requirement to hold a valid ETIAS travel authorisation will apply to nationals of third countries whose citizens do not require a visa to enter the Schengen Area and who travel under the visa-free regime.

This requirement does not apply to citizens of the Czech Republic, other European Union Member States, the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland. Furthermore, individuals holding a valid residence permit issued by one of these countries (except Cyprus and Ireland), as well as holders of valid Schengen visas, are not required to obtain an ETIAS travel authorisation.

Applications for a travel authorisation may be submitted exclusively online via the ETIAS system through the official European Union portal. Applications are typically processed automatically within minutes; however, in cases requiring manual review, processing may take longer. Further details regarding the registration process will be published before the system becomes operational.

The travel authorisation will be valid for three years from the date of issue or until the expiration of the travel document used in the application, whichever comes first. During the validity period of the authorisation, travellers may visit the Schengen Area multiple times. However, the length of stay under the visa-free regime may not exceed 90 days within any 180-day period. Travellers can use the Schengen calculator to monitor the duration of their stay.

The official ETIAS application portal is not yet operational. Travellers are strongly advised to avoid websites currently offering to submit ETIAS applications for a fee, as such websites are fraudulent. Up-to-date information regarding ETIAS is available on the official European Union portal at travel-europe.europa.eu.

Particular attention should be paid to individuals who, in addition to Czech citizenship or citizenship of another EU Member State, an EEA country, or Switzerland, also hold citizenship of a third visa-exempt country. Individuals with dual citizenship should be aware that, once ETIAS is operational and when travelling to the Schengen Area, they must use a valid travel document issued by the Czech Republic, another EU Member State, an EEA country, or Switzerland.

Czech citizens who hold dual citizenship are therefore strongly advised to check the validity of their Czech travel documents well in advance of travel. If a passport or another travel document is invalid or is due to expire shortly, an application for a new document should be submitted. Applications may be lodged in the Czech Republic or at a respective Czech diplomatic or consular mission abroad; specific information on how to apply for a travel document is also available on their websites.

 

Original press release date: October 22, 2026