Visa Services

Greetings from the Consul General
David A. Beam

The United States Welcomes Czech Visitors

I am privileged to be in the Czech Republic and honored to serve as Consul General of the United States.  From the time of Tomas Masaryk and Woodrow Wilson, the United States and the Czech Republic have built enduring ties on a strong foundation of shared ideals. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to foster those bonds of friendship between American and Czech citizens.

November 17, 2008 was a historic day for our countries, as the Czech Republic joined the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.  Since that time, tens of thousands of Czech citizens visiting the U.S. for short-term business or tourism have traveled without visas. With its diverse cultures, rich history and spectacular landscapes, the United States has much to offer visitors.  Additionally, almost 2000 Czech students are studying in the United States this year and another 2400 participated in the annual Summer Work and Travel Program. 

Those visitors who qualify for the Visa Waiver Program must enroll in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before traveling.  Information on ESTA registration can be found by clicking on the Visa Waiver Program link to the left. 

My staff and I are dedicated to facilitating Czech citizens’ travel to the United States.  Those Czechs seeking to study, to work, to participate in specialized exchange programs and journalists are among those who still require U.S. visas.  For them, we constantly work to ensure the visa application process is fair and transparent: highly trained U.S. diplomats competent in the Czech language interview every applicant and our Czech colleagues work tirelessly to ensure the process goes smoothly.   

You can find complete instructions for the application process by clicking on the Non-Immigrant Visa link on the left of this page.  If you have questions, please see the FAQs or send us an e-mail in the contact box to the right.  Please know that getting an appointment for a visa interview is free.  There are web sites that imitate our site and charge applicants for helping them. Any website that requests a fee for a visa interview appointment is not affiliated with the Embassy.

What do we ask of Czech visitors to the U.S.?  We ask that you enjoy your visit, and see as much as you can.  We also ask, of course, that you comply with the terms of your entry into the United States.   For those traveling on the Visa Waiver Program, you must depart the United States within 90 days of entering.  Please remember to leave your form I-94 when you depart the U.S. so there is an official record of your departure.  Finally, when you come back home to the Czech Republic, we hope you will encourage your friends and family to visit the United States, too!

David A. Beam
Consul General of the United States