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Czech Republic · Family visit visa

Czech Republic visa guide

Czech Republic Family & Friends Visit Visa

A Schengen short-stay (type C) visa to visit relatives or friends in the Czech Republic for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Family / Friends Visit

₹4,999all-in · GST included

Visa refused? Our consultancy fee is refunded under the Refund Policy. Embassy and VFS fees are never ours to refund. How the refund works

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What’s included

  • Complete application filing
  • Invitation letter — we draft, host signs
  • Ties-to-India cover letter
  • Tracking until decision

Your file is ready to submit within 3 working days of us receiving your complete documents.

Government and VFS fees are paid to them at cost: the embassy visa fee is €90 per adult, set uniformly by the EU for all 29 Schengen states.

What you pay, line by line
Our fee
₹4,999
All-in, GST included. Paid to us.
Embassy visa fee
€90 per adult
Set uniformly by the EU for all 29 Schengen states. Paid to the embassy at cost.
VFS / appointment charge
Varies by centre
Paid to VFS (or the appointment partner) at cost.

Nothing is added to our fee. The number on the page is the number.

Licence No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC‑3/20245.0 · 112 Google reviewsPatiala office, Nabha Road

Processing
Up to 15 calendar days after the file reaches the embassy
Support
Your own consultant

Your journey with Lifeset

Czech Republic visitor visa, from first message to passport back.

  1. 1Day 0Tell us your planWhatsApp or a call. A consultant asks the right questions and says plainly whether a Czech Republic visitor visa is realistic for you.
  2. 2Same dayYour tailored checklistA document list for your case, not a generic one. You collect; we answer every "which one?" on WhatsApp.
  3. 3As documents arriveReview and refusal checkEvery paper is checked. Gaps in funds, ties or travel history are flagged and fixed before anything is submitted.
  4. 4Within 3 working daysFile ready, appointment bookedForms and cover letter done; your the visa centre appointment is booked, subject to the slots the centre has open.
  5. 5Appointment dayBiometrics and submissionYou attend the visa centre with a file assembled in the order the officer reads it.
  6. 6DecisionDecision receivedWe track the file to the decision. Approved: your passport comes back with the visa. Refused: our professional fee comes back under the Refund Policy and we plan the reapplication.

Side by side

Three ways to file your Czech Republic family & friends visit visa. Here is what each one includes.

  • Government licence you can verify

    Licence No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024, District Magistrate Patiala

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • One fixed, all-in fee quoted upfront

    GST included; embassy and centre fees at cost

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Professional fee back if refused

    Under the published Refund Policy

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Refusal-trigger check before filing

    Funds, ties and history checked against the refusal reasons we see most

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Cover letter written for your case

    Not a template

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Appointment or interview booked for you

    VFS, BLS or consulate, at your nearest centre

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Named consultant on WhatsApp till decision

    The person who reads your file is the one who answers

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • GST invoice from a registered Pvt Ltd

    Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd · GSTIN 03AAOCP3999C1Z5

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

“Varies” means it depends on the agent; ask for their licence number and refund terms in writing. The full, sourced comparison

Czech Republic Family & Friends Visit Visa — overview

Start here

A Czech family and friends visit visa is a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for staying with relatives or friends in the Czech Republic, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You apply at any VFS Global centre in India, including Chandigarh, Jalandhar and New Delhi, and the Consular Section of the Czech Embassy in New Delhi decides, normally within 15 calendar days of receiving the file.

If your host is sponsoring you or putting you up, the embassy wants the original of an official invitation verified by the Alien Police Service in the Czech Republic; a private letter does not replace it. The embassy also wants bank statements and tax returns from both you and your sponsor.

Do Indians need a visa to visit family in the Czech Republic, and which one?

Yes. Parents visiting a son who studies at Charles University, a sister going to a wedding in Brno, or a friend spending three weeks in Prague: each needs a Schengen short-stay visa, type C, in the "Visiting Family/Friend" category. VFS describes it as the visa for visiting a family member or friend for a stay of less than 90 days, and the 90 days count across the whole Schengen area within any 180-day period.

The Consular Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi decides. The Czech system then splits family visits into two routes, and choosing between them shapes the whole file:

  • Unofficial invitation. A free-style letter from your host. It proves the purpose of the trip and nothing more; you prove your own accommodation and money.
  • Official invitation. A form verified by the Alien Police, in which your host undertakes to provide accommodation, money or both. The embassy's checklist requires it whenever you are sponsored.

Czech family visit visa: the key facts

Visa
Schengen type C, visiting family or friends
Longest stay
90 days in any 180-day period
If the host sponsors or houses youThe original goes in the file
Official invitation verified by the Alien Police
Money proof
Your bank statement and ITRs plus the sponsor's
Decided by
Consular Section, Czech Embassy, New Delhi
After arrivalHotels do it for their guests
Register your stay within 3 working days

Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi, Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and VFS Global, checked 14 Oct 2026

Where do applicants from Punjab apply?

At any VFS Global centre in India; the embassy says residents of India may use any of them. Chandigarh and Jalandhar are the nearest for Punjab, both open Monday to Friday, and New Delhi is the third option. Guwahati joins the list for Czech applications on 26 October 2026.

The embassy says new appointment slots are released on the second Monday of each month for the following month. Our Czech appointment availability page shows how dates are moving.

Family groups need to know who must attend. Adults apply in person and give fingerprints. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says children under 12 give no fingerprints and need not visit the centre, while children aged 12 to 15 must come with a parent or legal guardian, who files their application. Files lodged outside Delhi take up to 2 working days to reach the embassy, and the decision clock starts on arrival.

Which documents depend on your situation?

The common checklist is printed lower on this page. For a family visit, the embassy adds three things from the host's side: an invitation with their address, contact details and the intended period of your stay; evidence of their legal residence, such as a copy of their passport, national ID card or residence permit; and a certificate proving the family relationship if you are visiting relatives.

Then it depends on who pays and where you sleep:

  • You pay and stay in a hotel

    What changes
    A free-style invitation is enough for the purpose; show hotel bookings and your own money

  • Your host sponsors you or puts you up

    What changes
    The original of an official invitation verified by the Alien Police Service, on the Czech national form

  • Someone who is not travelling pays, such as a son or a parent

    What changes
    Their written consent certified by a notary, and their bank statement and ITRs alongside yours

  • Retired parents

    What changes
    Pension statements for the last three months and proof of regular income from property or a business

  • Students

    What changes
    Proof of enrolment and a copy of the student ID card

  • Married, but the passport does not show it

    What changes
    The marriage certificate, with a ration card copy where applicable

On money, the checklist is explicit that sponsorship adds to your evidence rather than replacing it. Every applicant submits an original bank statement for the last three months, stamped and signed by the bank, and Indian ITR acknowledgements for the last two assessment years, and the sponsor's statement and ITRs where there is a sponsor. VFS's page adds that a sponsor's notarised affidavit should come with their bank statement and a signed ID copy, such as a PAN card.

How much is the Czech family visit visa fee for Indians?

Each applicant pays the Schengen visa fee: €90 for an adult, €45 for a child aged 6 to 11, nothing under 6. VFS listed these as ₹9,800 and ₹4,900 on 14 October 2026, and its service charge of ₹2,180 per application is paid when the appointment is booked. Parents travelling together therefore pay twice. The visa fee is not refunded on refusal, and the service charge is non-refundable. Family members of Czech or EU citizens who qualify pay no visa fee. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page.

How long does it take, and when should you apply?

Up to 15 calendar days after the file reaches the embassy, according to the embassy, and up to 45 when further scrutiny is needed; VFS's page speaks of 30 or 60 days where documents fall short. For applications backed by an official invitation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says visas are generally decided within 3 to 5 days.

Timing depends on your host as much as on you. An official invitation has to be verified by the Alien Police in the Czech Republic and mailed to you as an original before your appointment. After that:

  • Apply no earlier than six months before the trip.
  • Make sure the file reaches the embassy at least 15 days before you travel.
  • The embassy strongly recommends applying at least 3 weeks before departure.

Why do Czech family visit visas get refused for Indian applicants?

Czech refusals use the EU's standard form with numbered reasons. Family files from Punjab usually stumble here.

A host's letter where an official invitation was needed (reason 3)

If your host is paying for you or putting you up, the checklist wants the original of an official invitation verified by the Alien Police Service. A private letter of support does not prove accommodation or money in the way the embassy requires.

Only the sponsor's money in the file (reasons 3 and 13)

The checklist asks every applicant for their own original statement and ITRs as well as the sponsor's. A small account is acceptable; a missing one leaves your own position in India unexplained.

Relationship and residence left unproven (reasons 2 and 10)

A family visit needs a certificate proving the relationship, and the host's legal residence must be shown with a passport, ID card or residence permit copy. Without them, the stated purpose cannot be checked.

Insurance that will not pay for an older parent (reason 16)

Only policies from the approved list of Indian insurers are accepted. VFS warns that policy terms cannot limit cover below the €30,000 minimum because of age, so check the age conditions before buying for a parent.

A late host and a rushed file

If the official invitation arrives late, the file may reach the embassy less than 15 days before travel, and missing papers can only be emailed within 3 working days of submission. Start the host's side first.

The meaning of each numbered reason is on our Schengen refusal reasons page. An appeal is possible within 15 days of receiving the refusal form, in writing at the embassy, with a fee of €80.

Tips for a stronger file

  • Names and passport numbers. Your cover letter must list everyone travelling with you by name and passport number, plus the purpose, duration, transport and accommodation.
  • Copies. The biodata page and last page of each passport, and entry and exit stamps from earlier Schengen trips.
  • Two photos. High definition, colour, white background, face covering at least 80 per cent of the frame.
  • Order and paper. Present documents in the order of the checklist, with photocopies on A4.
  • Plans change? The ministry says visa holders must tell the consulate about changes to accommodation, flights or itinerary; not doing so can lead to the visa being annulled or revoked.
  • Self-employed parents. Company registration, GST registration, the business bank statement and a barcode-verifiable ITR.

What does your host in the Czech Republic have to do?

Your host's part depends on the route you choose.

  1. Decide on the type of invitation

    If you will pay your own way, a free-style letter giving your name, date of birth, passport number and the purpose, length and place of the visit is enough, sent as an original by post or a scanned copy by email.

  2. For sponsorship or accommodation, get the official form verified

    The Alien Police Inspectorate office for the host's place of permanent residence provides and verifies the official invitation form, in which the host undertakes accommodation, financial means or both.

  3. Post the original to India

    The host mails the original verified form to you, and you attach it to the application. Add a copy of the host's passport, ID card or residence permit.

  4. Register your stay after arrival

    Foreign nationals older than 15 must register their place of stay with the Alien Police within 3 working days of arriving. Hotels do this for guests; when you stay in your host's home, you must do it yourselves.

Is the visa free if your relative is a Czech or EU citizen?

Possibly. The embassy says family members of EU citizens may apply directly at the embassy after booking an appointment by email, and that applying through a VFS centre is permitted only after the embassy's prior approval. Czech law applies the same rules to family members of Czech citizens. The visa is free of charge.

The definition is narrower than many families expect. It covers a spouse, a child under 21, and a dependent relative in the ascending or descending line. A parent is covered when supporting an EU citizen under 21 with whom they live, or when dependent. You need proof of the citizen's identity and of the family relationship, and proof that you will accompany or follow them to the Czech Republic. Without that proof, the standard procedure on this page applies. For trips without a host, see the Czech tourist visa guide; the Czech Republic country page covers the rest.

Official sources

Documents you need

15 items

  • Application form

    Completely filled in and signed by you, presented with the other documents in the checklist's order.

  • Passport

    Issued within the last 10 years, at least two empty pages; valid three months beyond return per the embassy, six months per VFS.

  • Passport copies

    The biodata page, the last page, and Schengen entry and exit stamps from previous passports.

  • Two photographs

    Recent, high-definition, colour, white background, face covering at least 80 per cent of the frame, to ICAO specifications.

  • Cover letter

    Signed by you: purpose, duration, transport and accommodation, and the names and passport numbers of accompanying persons.

  • Invitation from your host

    With the host's address, contact details and the intended period of your stay.

  • Official invitation, if sponsored or housed

    The original form verified by the Alien Police Service, on the Czech national form for sponsorship or private accommodation.

  • Host's legal residence

    A copy of the host's passport, national ID card or residence permit.

  • Proof of family relationship

    A certificate proving the relationship, if you are visiting relatives.

  • Bank statements

    Your original three-month statement, stamped and signed by the bank, and the sponsor's if applicable.

  • Income tax returns

    ITR acknowledgements for the last two assessment years, yours and the sponsor's if applicable.

  • Sponsor's notarised consent

    If a parent, guardian or anyone else who is not travelling pays for the trip.

  • Proof of occupation

    Employed: payslips, contract, leave approval. Self-employed: company and GST registration, business statement, barcode-verifiable ITR. Retired: pension statements.

  • Travel medical insurance

    From the approved list of Indian insurers, at least €30,000, valid in all Schengen states for the whole trip.

  • Marriage certificate

    If you are married and your passport does not show it, with a ration card copy where applicable.

How the process works

6 steps

Typical processing: Up to 15 calendar days after the file reaches the embassy, extendable; often 3 to 5 days with an official invitation

  1. Step 1

    Decide who pays and where you will stay

    This decides whether a free-style letter is enough or the host needs an official invitation.

  2. Step 2

    Host arranges the invitation

    For sponsorship or accommodation, the Alien Police verifies the official form; the host posts you the original.

  3. Step 3

    Collect both sets of financial papers

    Your bank statement and ITRs, the sponsor's, and the sponsor's notarised consent if they are not travelling.

  4. Step 4

    Book and attend VFS

    Slots open on the second Monday of each month. Adults, and children aged 12 to 15 with a parent, attend.

  5. Step 5

    Wait for the embassy's decision

    Up to 15 calendar days once the file reaches New Delhi; often quicker with an official invitation.

  6. Step 6

    Register your stay on arrival

    Within 3 working days with the Alien Police if you are staying in a private home.

Costs & fees

Transparent

Item

Amount

Schengen visa fee per adult

The €90 fee in rupees; each applicant pays. Not refunded if refused.

₹9,800 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

Schengen visa fee per child aged 6 to 11

The €45 fee in rupees. Children under 6 pay nothing.

₹4,900 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

VFS service charge

Per application, paid when booking, GST included, non-refundable.

₹2,180 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

Family members of Czech or EU citizens

Only for those who qualify under the EU family member rules.

No visa fee

Appeal against a refusal

In writing at the embassy within 15 days; the rupee amount changes monthly.

€80

Government and third-party fees change often — we confirm the exact current amounts for your case before you pay anything.

Official sourcesLast verified

Frequently asked questions

13 answers

  • Only if they are not sponsoring you or giving you accommodation. A free-style letter proves the purpose of the trip and nothing more. If your host is paying or putting you up, the Czech checklist asks for the original of an official invitation verified by the Alien Police Service, the Czech national form, which your host arranges in the Czech Republic and sends to you.

  • Yours and your sponsor's. The checklist says every applicant has to submit their own original bank statement for the last three months, stamped and signed by the bank, and the sponsor's if applicable, and the same for income tax return acknowledgements for the last two assessment years. A small personal account is acceptable; leaving it out is not.

  • His written consent, certified by a public notary. The Czech checklist asks for that whenever the trip is sponsored by a parent, guardian or any other person who is not the traveller. Add his bank statement and ITRs as the sponsor's documents, and VFS's page asks for a signed copy of his national ID, such as a PAN card, with the notarised sponsorship affidavit.

  • Two recent high-definition colour photographs, no older than six months, on a white background, with the face covering at least 80 per cent of the frame, meeting ICAO specifications. VFS's page asks for one photo stuck on the application form, so carrying two satisfies both.

  • The purpose and duration of the trip, transport and accommodation details, and the names and passport numbers of everyone travelling with you. The passport numbers are a Czech detail that is easy to miss, especially when both parents apply together. Sign the letter and keep the dates identical to the invitation and bookings.

  • The Alien Police Inspectorate office for the host's place of permanent residence provides and verifies the official invitation form. In it, the host undertakes to provide your accommodation, financial means or both. The host then mails the original to you, and you attach it to your visa application at VFS. Start early, because the original must reach India before your appointment.

  • Yes, if you are visiting relatives. The embassy's checklist asks for a certificate proving the existence of the family relationship, an invitation giving the host's address, contact details and the intended period of stay, and evidence of the host's legal residence, such as a copy of their passport, national ID card or residence permit. Friends need the invitation and residence proof only.

  • The checklist asks every applicant for ITR acknowledgements for the last two assessment years, and retired applicants add pension statements for the last three months and proof of regular income from property or a business. If a parent has never filed returns, explain why in the cover letter and lean on the pension, property and the sponsor's documents.

  • It can be. The embassy treats family members of Czech and EU citizens under special rules, and their visa is free of charge. A parent qualifies when dependent on the citizen, or when supporting a citizen under 21 with whom they live. Book an appointment at the embassy by email first; the embassy says applying through VFS is allowed only with its prior approval.

  • Up to 15 calendar days after the file reaches the embassy in New Delhi, extendable to 45 days when more scrutiny is needed; VFS mentions 30 or 60 days where documents fall short. With an official invitation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says visas are generally decided within 3 to 5 days. The file must reach the embassy at least 15 days before travel.

  • Yes. Foreign nationals older than 15 must register their place of stay with the Alien Police Service within 3 working days of arriving in the Czech Republic. Hotels do this for their guests, but when you stay in a relative's home, you must register yourselves, so plan the registration with your host for your first working days in the country.

  • Children under 12 give no fingerprints and, according to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, need not visit the visa centre. Children aged 12 to 15 must attend, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who files their application. A minor travelling with one parent needs the other parent's notarised consent and copies of the parents' passports.

  • You can appeal in writing at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi within 15 days of receiving the refusal form, with a fee of €80; it cannot go through VFS or by email. The embassy's appeal page says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decides within 60 days, while its page for EU family members mentions a 30-day review. Reapplying with the gap fixed is often quicker.

Going it alone vs filing with us

Why it matters

On your own

  • Guessing the document list — one missing or wrongly formatted paper triggers a refusal.
  • Generic cover letters copied from the internet that officers recognise and flag.
  • No read on peak rejection windows or what this visa post is strict about.
  • Government and VFS fees are non-refundable — money lost if you are refused.
  • A refusal stamp follows you and weakens every future visa application.

With Lifeset Overseas

  • An honest case assessment before you spend a rupee on government fees.
  • A file built to the embassy's exact checklist and in the exact order.
  • Weak finances, ties or purpose identified and fixed before submission.
  • Previously refused? We can rescue and rebuild the file.
  • Every case handled by one consultant, end to end.

A refusal isn't the end

Refused before?

A refusal is not a permanent bar — but it only improves if the actual reason is found and answered, and nobody can tell you a second application will succeed. If a Czech Republic visa has been refused, we:

  • Read the actual refusal letter and pinpoint the real gaps.
  • Advise whether to pull the officer's notes (CAIPS / GCMS) for the true reason.
  • Identify which part was weak — funds, employment, purpose or ties.
  • Tell you honestly whether to reapply now or strengthen the file first.

Visa refused? Our consultancy fee is refunded under the Refund Policy. Embassy and VFS fees are never ours to refund. Read the refund policy

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