ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:  A passport is required to be valid for 3 months beyond a visitor’s intended stay.  Visas are not required for U.S. citizens for tourist, short study or business visits of up to 90 days.  Visas are required for U.S. citizens for longer stays and for any gainful activity. The Embassy of the Czech Republic’s website at http://www.mzv.cz/washington provides for the most current visa information.  The Czech Government requires that you have proof of finances to pay for your stay and for you to have travel/health insurance and is requiring proof of medical insurance for travelers to the Czech Republic.  Minimum coverage of the insurance has to be at least $35,000.

According to the Czech Government, a health insurance card or an internationally recognized credit card with health insurance included will generally be accepted as proof of insurance to enter the Republic.

The health insurance requirement does not apply to those who have visas permitting them to work.

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: 
Prague has good Western –style medical clinics with English-speaking doctors and dentists.  However, staff members at the majority of Czech medical facilities do not speak English.  Doctors and hospitals often expect cash payment for health services, though some facilities do accept credit cards, Hospitalization in the Czech Republic is much more liberal that in the United States; conditions that would be treated on an outpatient basis in the United States are often treated on an inpatient basis in the Czech Republic.  Ambulance services are not on a par with U.S. standards.  Response time can sometimes be slow, and different ambulances are dispatched depending on the perceived severity of the patient’s condition.  Many ambulance companies expect payment at the time of delivery.  Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and//or medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars or more.  Please note that because euthanasia is not permitted under Czech law, U.S. living wills providing for no exceptional interventions to prolong life cannot be honored in the Czech Republic.

People traveling from April-October who plan to participate in camping or hiking in long grass or woodlands run the risk of both tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease.  All travelers should take precautions to prevent tick bites.  There is a vaccine for the former, but not for Lyme disease. 

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747)

MEDICAL INSURANCE:  The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living in the Czech Republic are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy of Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the Czech Republic.  Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.  By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.  The U.S. Embassy in Prague is located at Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague, Czech Republic; telephone (420) 257 530 663; for after-hours emergencies only, telephone (420 257 532 716; Consular Section’s fax (420) 257 534 028; webpage: www.usembassy.cz