Quick Overview: Applying for a Passport in 2026
- You can apply for a passport at any municipal office with extended jurisdiction; in Prague, you can apply at the offices of city districts 1 through 22.
- Standard processing takes up to 30 days and costs 600 Kč; for children under 15, the fee is 100 Kč.
- A passport issued within five business days costs 3,000 CZK; for children, the fee is 1,000 CZK.
- A passport issued within 24 business hours costs 6,000 CZK; for children, the fee is 2,000 CZK, and it can only be picked up at the Ministry of the Interior.
- A child’s passport is valid for five years; a passport for individuals aged 15 and older is valid for ten years. The validity cannot be extended.
Have you encountered an unusual problem while applying for a passport, had your application rejected by the authorities, or do you need to resolve the legal consequences of a stolen document? Describe your situation to us, and our lawyers will advise you on how to proceed.
Who can apply for a passport, and when is it required?
Any citizen of the Czech Republic can obtain a passport, regardless of age—including a newborn who is traveling with their parents on vacation. A child’s passport is issued by their legal guardian. According to the Travel Documents Act, you must apply for a passport in person, because the office takes your photo when you submit the application and, depending on your age, also takes your fingerprints. For a child under 15 years of age, the application is submitted by their legal guardian, but the child must accompany the guardian to the office so that an official can take their photo. Applicants 15 years of age or older submit the application themselves.
A passport is required for all travel outside the European Union —for example, to the U.S., the United Kingdom, Turkey, Thailand, or Egypt. While a valid national ID card is sufficient for most EU and Schengen countries, some non-EU countries (such as Serbia or Albania) may still require a passport. Therefore, check the entry requirements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before traveling.
If you’re planning to travel and don’t have a passport, start the application process well in advance. Under normal circumstances, it takes up to 30 days to obtain a passport. And if you find out at the last minute that your passport has expired, brace yourself and be prepared to pay extra for an expedited passport.
In practice, officials often check only the date listed in the passport. However, some countries require that the passport remain valid for another three or six months after your planned departure from the country. Therefore, a formally valid passport may not be sufficient for a specific trip. Always verify the required remaining validity period and the number of blank pages as well.
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How and where can you apply for a passport?
You can apply for a passport at any municipal office with extended jurisdiction (e.g., the city hall in a district capital). In Prague, you apply at the office of the relevant city district. By law, the passport is issued by the office where you submit your application. Therefore, it is not necessary to apply only at your place of permanent residence.
If you live abroad, you can submit your application at a Czech diplomatic mission (consulate or embassy). Honorary consulates are an exception; they do not accept passport applications.
To apply for a passport, you will need:
- a valid form of identification (e.g., an ID card),
- proof of citizenship, if it cannot be verified electronically,
- for children under 15, consent from a legal guardian,
- in justified cases, civil registry documents (e.g., a birth certificate).
Photos and signatures are now taken directly at the office, so you do not need to bring a photo with you (except when applying for a passport without biometric data). An official will take your photo, collect your fingerprints, and capture your digital signature. This completes your application.
How much does a passport cost, and who is eligible for a discount?
Passport fees vary depending on the applicant’s age and the processing speed. The current administrative fee rates, as set forth in the Ministry of the Interior’s decree, are:
| Deadline for Issuance |
Persons under 15 years of age |
Persons 15 years of age and older |
| Within 30 days |
100 CZK |
600 Kč |
| Within 5 business days |
1,000 CZK |
3,000 Kč |
| Within 24 hours on a business day |
2,000 CZK |
6,000 CZK |
For a passport issued within 24 hours or within five business days, the fee may be split between the office where you submit your application and the Ministry of the Interior, where you will pick up your passport. However, the total amount remains the same.
If you pick up a standard passport at a municipal office with extended jurisdiction other than the one where you submitted your application, you will pay an additional 100 Kč.
How long does it take to process a passport?
Standard passport processing takes up to 30 days from the date the application is submitted. If you apply at an embassy or consulate, the processing time is extended to up to 120 days. Therefore, if you know you’ll want to travel to a country outside the EU, it’s always a good idea to apply for a passport well in advance.
However, if you’re pressed for time (for example, if you have to go on an unexpected business trip or want to take advantage of a travel agency’s super last-minute deal), you have two options:
- Passport within 5 business days: You can submit your application at a municipal office with extended jurisdiction or at the Ministry of the Interior. You will then pick up your passport at the office where you submitted the application, or at the Ministry of the Interior if you chose that option.
- Passport within 24 hours on a business day: You can submit your application at a municipal office with extended jurisdiction or at the Ministry of the Interior, but you can only pick up the finished passport at the Ministry of the Interior.
This express passport cannot be processed at an embassy abroad.
When you pick up your passport, the technical functionality of the chip containing your biometric data will be verified. If the chip is damaged, your passport will be replaced free of charge. The office may send you a text message or email notifying you that your passport is ready for pickup, provided you included your contact information in the application.
Tip for article
Tip: Many of us still remember that we used to be required to carry our ID cards at all times, which is why we never go out without them. However, that hasn’t been the case for many years now. Read on to find out when and to whom you must present your ID card.
How long is a passport valid, and when do you need to renew it?
The validity of a passport depends on the applicant’s age— passports for children under 15 are issued for 5 years, while those for older individuals are issued for 10 years. This period cannot be extended in any way, and once it expires, you must apply for a new passport.
However, you must also renew your passport in other situations. For example, if you change your last name, your passport will become invalid three months after the change. A common complication after marriage is not the three-month deadline itself, but a discrepancy between the name on the airline ticket and the name in the travel document. If you booked your trip before changing your last name, check the carrier’s terms and conditions before applying for a new passport. Changing your name on a flight ticket may incur a fee or may not be possible at all.
You must also replace your passport in the event of a significant change in appearance, such as after plastic surgery, a radical change in hairstyle, weight loss, or—for men—after growing or shaving a beard.
Replacement is also necessary if your passport is damaged, illegible, or if you’ve lost it, had it stolen, or managed to destroy it.
What to Do If Your Passport Is Lost or Damaged?
Have you lost your passport? Don’t panic. The first step is to immediately report the loss to your local municipal office or the police. By law, your passport becomes invalid at that moment.
If you lose your passport or it is stolen while abroad, report the incident to the local police and request a written confirmation. Then contact the nearest diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic and report the loss or theft there as well.
If you do not have another valid travel document, the diplomatic mission may issue you a travel document in justified cases. This document is intended for a single trip with limited territorial and temporal validity, typically for your return to the Czech Republic. It is therefore not a full replacement for your passport for continuing your vacation or further travel.
Losing your passport is no laughing matter. That’s why we recommend always keeping at least a backup copy—either online or in a physical location separate from the original. This will make it easier to obtain a new document while abroad.
What to do if the authorities refuse to issue a passport?
The issuance of a passport may be denied in cases specified by law, such as following certain decisions by a court or law enforcement authorities. The authorities must justify their decision and inform you of your right to appeal.
If you do not understand the reasons for the denial or believe that the authorities acted improperly, have a lawyer review the decision. The deadline for filing an appeal may be short, so do not delay taking action unnecessarily.
Summary
Summary
In 2026, you can apply for a passport at any municipal office with extended jurisdiction or at an authorized diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic abroad. Standard processing takes up to 30 days and costs 600 CZK; for children under 15, the fee is 100 CZK. For an additional fee, you can also receive your passport within five business days or within 24 hours on a business day. Passports are issued for five years to children under 15 and for ten years to individuals 15 and older; their validity cannot be extended. If you lose your passport, report the incident immediately to the relevant authority or the police. If you are abroad, also contact a Czech diplomatic mission, which can issue you a travel document to return to the Czech Republic. Before each trip, check not only your passport’s expiration date but also the entry requirements of your destination country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to apply for a passport at my place of permanent residence?
You don’t have to. You can submit your application at any municipal office with extended jurisdiction; in Prague, you can do so at the offices of city districts 1 through 22.
Can someone else file a passport application on my behalf based on a power of attorney?
Generally not. The applicant must appear in person to have their photo taken and provide biometric data. For children under 15, the application must be submitted by a legal guardian, but the child must be present at the office.
Does a small child also need their own passport?
Yes. Every child must have their own travel document. Children can no longer be listed in a parent’s passport.
How long does a passport need to be valid when traveling abroad?
It depends on the destination country. Some countries require that the passport remain valid for another three or six months after the planned return. Check the current requirements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before traveling.
Can I travel with a passport that I reported lost and later found?
No. Once you report your passport lost, it is no longer valid. You must turn in the found passport and may not use it again.
