Czechia digital nomad visa

Requirements

• Citizenship of an eligible country (includes the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan)
• Work in IT or a comparable in-demand field, as an employee of a foreign company or a freelancer
• Income/funds around 1.5 times the Czech average gross salary — verify the current figure
• University degree or relevant professional experience
• Accommodation in Czechia, health insurance, and clean criminal record

How to apply

1. Check eligibility (nationality + profession) against the official programme criteria
2. Apply to the programme for inclusion; freelancers may also need the trade license (živnostenské oprávnění)
3. Submit the long-stay visa application at the Czech embassy with the programme confirmation
4. Enter Czechia, register with the foreign police, and renew via a long-term residence permit if staying on

Renewal and long-term stay

• Renewable: yes
• Path to permanent residency: yes, after 5 years of residence
• Path to citizenship: yes, after 10 years

One year first, then renewable as a two-year residence permit. Unlike most nomad visas this one sits on the živno (trade licence) track, so the time does count toward the five years needed for permanent residency and ten for citizenship. The catch is at the door, not the exit: the programme is open only to citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK and the US.

Applying: where and how

• Apply from outside the country: yes — apply before you travel
• Where you file: at an embassy or consulate
• Income requirement as published: €33,000 per year

Tax

• You become tax resident: after 183 days in the country
• Foreign income taxed locally: yes — taxed once you become tax resident
• Special nomad or expat tax regime: no — ordinary resident rates apply

No nomad-specific tax break — the Digital Nomad Programme is an immigration fast-track, not a tax scheme. Over 183 days in a year, or establishing a permanent home here, makes you a Czech tax resident on worldwide income under progressive rates. If you are on the živno track you will also be dealing with Czech social and health contributions as a self-employed person, which people routinely forget to budget for.

This summarises published rules, not your situation, and it is not tax advice. Two things it can't tell you: your home country may tax you anyway — US citizens are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live — and day-count is only the most common trigger for tax residency, not the only one. Having a permanent home, a family or your centre of economic interests in a country can make you resident well before the day count does. Get advice before you move.

Moving abroad means more than the visa — sort your travel insurance (many visa applications require proof of coverage), set up borderless banking, and land with data working.

First nomad visa? Our digital nomad visa guide explains how qualifying, applying, and taxes work across every country.