Czech Interior Ministry opens registration for five-year “special long-term stay” for eligible Ukrainian refugees
Czech Interior Ministry Opens Registration for New Five-Year ‘Special Long-Term Residence’ Permit
Czech Republic Opens Registration for New Five-Year Special Long-Term Residence Permits for Ukrainian Refugees
Latest News
Prague Airport Launches Immediate Action Plan to Cut EES Queues for Non-Schengen Arrivals
Prague Airport has rolled out an emergency plan to tackle long queues created by the EU’s new Entry/Exit System. Measures range from multilingual assistance teams and extra kiosks to predictive staffing based on traffic heatmaps. Mobility managers should budget extra arrival time until the fixes push kiosk-completion rates from 60 % to the targeted 80 %.
Prague Airport unveils rapid-response action plan to slash EES passport-control queues
Prague Airport’s 1 October action plan tackles long queues triggered by the EU Entry/Exit System. Measures range from multilingual queue management and ‘Red Team’ passenger triage to UX upgrades of self-service kiosks and the fast-tracked installation of new passport booths. Business travellers should expect residual delays through November and ensure flawless kiosk registration to avoid secondary checks.
Pegasus Airlines Completes Take-Over of Czech Airlines and Smartwings, Creating 175-Aircraft Group
Pegasus Airlines has finalised the purchase of Czech Airlines and Smartwings, forming a 175-aircraft group centred on Prague and Istanbul. The merger is expected to boost flight frequencies and expand eastbound connectivity for Czech business travellers, while Smartwings retains its brand under Pegasus’ low-cost, digital model.
EU ministers approve tougher return rules at JHA Council, with implications for Czech removal cases
At the 1 October 2026 JHA Council, EU ministers—including Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan—formally adopted a Regulation that creates a European Return Order and authorises tougher, more coordinated returns of migrants without legal stay. The rules, effective from 2027, will tighten compliance obligations and could lead to longer EU-wide entry bans, making overstay risks more costly for Czech employers.
Czech Interior Minister Joins EU Justice & Home Affairs Council to Push Schengen Information-Sharing Reforms
At today’s EU Justice & Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan is advocating faster data-sharing across the Schengen Area, tougher incentives for migrant readmission, and a coordinated plan to move Ukrainian refugees from temporary to regular residence status. Decisions taken will shape how Czech police use the new EES/ETIAS systems and may soon ease border queues for frequent business travellers.
Czech Consulate in Hong Kong Closes; Visa and Consular Services Shift to Beijing
The Czech Consulate General in Hong Kong shut down on 30 September 2026, with all consular and Schengen-visa services transferred to the Czech Embassy in Beijing. Applicants must now travel to mainland China for biometrics, likely increasing processing times and costs for business travellers and corporate assignees.