The Czech Ministry of the Interior (MOI) has announced an unplanned technology outage that will shut both its nationwide Client Centre helplines and its largest in-person office in Prague-Chodov for the whole of Friday, 10 July 2026. According to the official Information Portal for Foreigners, telephone lines +420 974 801 801/802 will be out of service from 08:00 to 16:00, and no personal appointments will be honoured at the Chodov branch. The disruption could affect hundreds of foreign nationals who rely on the hotlines to book biometric appointments, obtain application reference numbers or file urgent inquiries about temporary-protection extensions. It also means that the Chodov office—normally processing up to 1 200 clients per day—will not issue residence-permit stickers, receive documents or record changes of address. MOI says the shutdown is needed to migrate servers to a new data centre ahead of the autumn roll-out of its e-Migration portal. All services should resume on Monday, 13 July.
![Ministry of Interior Client Centre and Prague-Chodov Office Closed for One Day]()
If the outage leaves you scrambling for alternative channels, remember that VisaHQ can step in with end-to-end assistance for Czech visas and residence matters. Their digital tools let you initiate applications, track status and get expert guidance without relying on the MOI phone lines—see for details.
Applicants with deadlines falling on 10 July will automatically have them extended to the next business day under Section 24(2) of the Administrative Procedure Code. Practical tips: • Employers with foreign staff should reschedule medical-exam bookings and notary appointments that depend on receiving biometrics today. • Students awaiting temporary-residence cards should carry their filing confirmation and a copy of the MOI outage notice when travelling domestically. • Time-sensitive filings (for example, 90-day notification of residence) can be sent by registered post to preserve the statutory deadline. While only a single-day closure, the event highlights the fragility of the analogue reservation system. Mobility managers should monitor the MOI portal for further maintenance windows as the ministry finalises its migration to fully digital workflows later this year.
If the outage leaves you scrambling for alternative channels, remember that VisaHQ can step in with end-to-end assistance for Czech visas and residence matters. Their digital tools let you initiate applications, track status and get expert guidance without relying on the MOI phone lines—see for details.
Applicants with deadlines falling on 10 July will automatically have them extended to the next business day under Section 24(2) of the Administrative Procedure Code. Practical tips: • Employers with foreign staff should reschedule medical-exam bookings and notary appointments that depend on receiving biometrics today. • Students awaiting temporary-residence cards should carry their filing confirmation and a copy of the MOI outage notice when travelling domestically. • Time-sensitive filings (for example, 90-day notification of residence) can be sent by registered post to preserve the statutory deadline. While only a single-day closure, the event highlights the fragility of the analogue reservation system. Mobility managers should monitor the MOI portal for further maintenance windows as the ministry finalises its migration to fully digital workflows later this year.
