Czech Consulate Chicago – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Czech Republic Schengen Visa

The Czech Republic is located in Central Europe and many people flock there every year to enjoy the plethora of things to see and do. Cities, like Prague and Brno, are fabulous to visit if you want to uncover some of the historical aspects of the country or simply to wander the streets to see the fabulous architecture and old quarters. Further afield, you’ve got regions such as Bohemia and Moravia for beautiful forests and mountains or just to enjoy the slower pace of life. In this article learn more about how to apply for Czech Republic visa at the Czech consulate in Chicago, Illinois, Czech Republic visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Czech visa application center, flight itinerary for Czech Republic visa, hotel bookings for Czech visa, Schengen travel insurance for Czech Republic visa application, and Czech Visa Application Process at the Chicago consulate.

Czech Republic Schengen Visa

A grand total of 623,255 Czech Republic Schengen visa applications were received worldwide. 27,936 of them were not issued. The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago received 264 applications and they approved 100% of them.

Applying for a Schengen Visa from the United States

If you are a US citizen, you do NOT need a Schengen visa to be able to visit the Czech Republic as long as the duration does not exceed 90 days. If you are not a US citizen, regardless of the duration of your trip, you DO need a visa. However, in order to apply from the US, you need to be living in the US on a permanent basis. If you hold a B1/B2 visa, you can only apply for an Airport Transit visa and you must do this in the country where you were born.

Applying for a Czech Republic visa in the US is easy, but you must apply at the correct visa mission. If you live in the following areas, you can apply from the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago:

1. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin

If you live in any other area, check the consulate’s website to find out which visa office you should apply to.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Czech Republic Consulate in Chicago 

There are 2 types of visas offered at the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago. The one you need to apply for will depend on the duration of your trip:

1. Short-term (Schengen) visa – up to a maximum of 90 days
2. Long-term (National) visa – over 90 days
3. Airport Transit visa – for transiting through the international area of an airport in the Czech Republic

There are different categories of visa depending on your reason for traveling to the Czech Republic:

Short-term (Schengen) visas:

1. Tourism
2. Medical treatment
3. Business trip
4. Attending a seminar/conference
5. Visiting family or friends
6. Artistic, cultural, sport and educational activities
7. Study
8. Scientific research
9. Employment/seasonal employment (up to 90 days)

Long-term National visas:

1. Study
2. Business
3. Family and dependent
4. Other purposes
5. Scientific and research
6. Work

Visas are usually issued as:

1. Single entry – Maximum of 1 entry
2. Multiple entry – Unlimited entries

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago

The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago has different processing times for each type of visa:

1. Short-term Schengen visa – 15 to 30 days
2. Long-term National visa – 60 to 120 days

With regard to long-term visas, it depends on the type of visa you are applying for as to how long it will take to process.

For short-term Schengen visas, it’s recommended that you apply at least 15 days before your trip, and 3-4 months before your trip for long-term National visas. If you apply too late, these may not be enough time for your visa to be processed in time for your intended departure date, so keep that in mind when you apply.

Here are a few steps to make applying for your Czech Republic visa easy:

Step 1: Make an appointment

You must make an appointment in advance in order to submit your application to the consulate in Chicago. All you need to do is contact them:

1. Tel: 312-861-1037 ext.113
2. Email: consulate_chicago@mzv.cz

Step 2: Complete your application form

Step 2 is to complete your application form and you can find this on the Czech consulate in Chicago’s website. Click on: “Visa and consular”:

Then, click on the type of visa you are applying for:

For short-stay Schengen visas, scroll down to “Application form, country code index” and click on the link:

On the next page, you’ll find the link for the application form. Click on that and you’ll be able to download the form, so you can complete it:

For long-term National visas, click on the type of visa you want to apply for:

And you’ll find the application form on that particular page:

Step 3: Prepare the required documents

Before you start to prepare your supporting documents, take time to find out the requirements for your type of visa. If you fail to provide everything that is needed, the consulate will reject your application and this is not the outcome you want.

If you fail to comply with these requirements, the consulate will not accept your application and/or they will reject it.

1. Requirements for short-term (Schengen) visa
2. Requirements for long-term visa

You should also prepare photocopies of your documents as the consulate requires these too.

In addition, your documents should NOT be older than 180 days. (Except for your passport or travel document)

Required documents for your visa application include:

1. Completed visa application form – can be completed and printed online, but you must NOT sign it until you submit your application at the consulate. The visa official needs to see you sign it
2. Passport or official travel document – must have at least 3 months remaining after your return to the US. Also, it must have 2 blank pages and issued no more than 10 years ago
3. Proof of legal residence in the US – Alien registration card, including stamp in your passport, Advance Parole, or valid US resident visa. Documents should have at least 3 months remaining after the trip to the Czech Republic
4. 1 recent passport photograph. Check the consulate’s website for guidelines regarding acceptable photos. Certain types of visa applications require 2 photos. Check the consulate’s website to see if this applies to you
5. Roundtrip flight or travel reservation and itinerary
6. Hotel bookings and/or travel plans or other proof such as a rental agreement; certificate of the travel agency (for groups)
7. Proof of sufficient funds – 6 x bank statements or pay slips; proof of expenses paid by host etc. $25 per day (under 18 years of age) $50 per day (over 18 years of age)
8. Proof of employment or another status – student card, employment contract, business license and tax return forms, certificate of business registration, pension statements over the last 6 months
9. Birth certificate
10. Proof of purpose of trip/qualifications/participation in events etc.
11. Invitation letter with verified signature, itinerary etc
12. Health/medical facility confirmation
13. Business relations confirmation and a supporting letter from the hosting company
14. Student acceptance letter
15. Work permit issued by the employment office
16. Schengen Travel health insurance – to cover at least €30,000 ($45,000) for evacuation, repatriation, medical care and/or emergency treatment in hospital
17. Criminal history background affidavit

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Submit your application 

There are a few things to remember when you head to the consulate for your appointment:

1. Don’t forget any of your documents – this may result in you having to reschedule and/or a rejected application
2. Dress smartly – turning up dressed too casually could have a negative effect on your application
3. Arrive early – if you are late, you will probably have to make a new appointment and it won’t look good

The visa staff will look at your application and go through your documents. They may ask you more questions about you and/or what you have stated in your application. Simply answer them politely and truthfully. They may ask interview questions like:

1. What do you know about the Czech Republic or the Schengen area?
2. Do you have any children?
3. What do you do in the US?
4. What are your plans in the Czech Republic?
5. Do you intend to leave before the visa expires?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the correct fee for your visa. You can pay by cash only. This fee is non-refundable even if your application gets rejected.

Czech Republic Schengen Visa fees for up to 90 days

Czech Republic Schengen Visa fees for over 90 days

Czech visa fee exceptions

You may also have to provide biometric data, particularly if this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa. If you have previously applied for a visa for the Czech Republic, this data can be reused up to 5 years.

Step 5: Receive your visa

When a decision has been made regarding your application, you have 1 of 2 choices:

1. Collect your passport from the Czech consulate in Chicago – you will need to schedule an appointment in advance by telephone or email
2. Have your passport returned by mail – you need to provide a certified pre-paid USPS Express Mail envelope which will cost $24.70

If your visa application has been approved, you’ll find the visa attached to one of the blank pages inside your passport. If the visa has been rejected, it would have been for a reason such as:

1. There was no employment contract
2. Your passport did not have 3 month remaining after the dates of your trip
3. Certain documents were not notarized
4. There were no documents proving your accommodation in the Czech Republic
5. The purpose of your trip wasn’t clear

Your passport must have 3 months remaining after the dates of your trip. If it doesn’t you must obtain a new one before applying for your visa. You must prove the purpose of your trip and you can do this with the documents you provide as well as answering any questions put to you by the visa staff. You must provide all the necessary documents including proof of accommodation, for example, a hotel booking, and certain items and/or documents, such as signatures on invitation letters, should be notarized.

Contact details for the Czech Republic Consulate in Chicago

Address: 205 N.Michigan Avenue, Suite 1680, Chicago, Il 60601

Email: consulate_chicago@mzv.cz

Tel: +1 312 861 1037
Fax: +1 312 861 1944

Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm; Wednesday, 1.30 pm – 5.00 pm

Conclusion

All in all, an easy procedure for applying for your Czech Republic Schengen visa:

1. Make an appointment
2. Complete your application form
3. Prepare the required documents
4. Submit your application
5. Receive your visa

When you get to the end, you’ll have your visa and you can start preparing for your fabulous journey to the Czech Republic!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

How To Apply for Czech Republic Schengen Visa at Czech Consulate in NYC, New York

Worldwide Visa Requirements