Europe

Visas may be required to enter the Czech Republic.  British passports holders, whose nationality is shown as anything other than a British Citizen, must contact your nearest Czech Embassy to determine whether you require a visa for entry to the Czech Republic.

The Schengen agreement enables countries to remove their internal borders and allows people to travel without checks from country to country within the Schengen area.

On 21 December 2007, checks at land borders into the Czech Republic ceased.  Passengers arriving from non-Schengen states (including the UK) will continue to be subject to identity checks at airports after 30 March 2008.

While there are no longer any land border checks, you are advised not to attempt to cross land borders without a valid travel document. British nationals need a valid British passport to travel to the Czech Republic.  It is likely that random identity checks will be made in areas surrounding land borders even following accession to the Schengen agreement.

If you are a short-term visitor to the Czech Republic, the Czech authorities require British passports to be valid for the entire duration of your proposed visit.  You should have a minimum of six months’ validity on the passport when you travel in case of unforeseen emergency such as illness or arrest, which prevents you from leaving on your planned dates.  If your passport is due to expire in less than six months, it is advisable to have your onward travel details with you on arrival to show to the Immigration Office if required to do so.

If arriving by air, remember to double check that you have your passport with you before leaving the aircraft.  The immigration authorities will not normally allow entry to passengers who have mislaid their passport and the British Embassy is unable to issue documentation to enable passengers to enter the Czech Republic.  Your passport should also be in a presentable state.  Holders of passports which are in poor condition have been refused entry to the Czech Republic. 

Children aged 15 and above must have their own passports.  Those travelling on a parent's passport will be refused entry to the Czech Republic.  You are also advised to carry with you a photocopy of the datapage of your passport at all times, for identification purposes.

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Czech Embassy in London.