Visapoint goes offline as Czech Republic prepares for new registration system

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The Czech Republic’s Visapoint system, which foreign nationals had used to book appointments to submit applications for visas and residence permits, has been shut down.

What does the change mean? Czech authorities plan to launch a new registration system Dec. 1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that all available appointments between now and Nov. 30 had been booked before the Visapoint system was taken down at the beginning of the month. Existing appointments will be honored. Details on the new system are expected to be available later this month.

• Implementation time frame: Ongoing. Visapoint was shut down Nov. 1 and a new registration system is set to be implemented Dec. 1.
• Visas/permits affected: Visas and residence permits.
• Who is affected: People submitting visa or residence permit applications in offices where the Visapoint system was used.
• Impact on processing times: The change from Visapoint to a new system could cause delays.
• Business impact: Businesses may need to adjust start dates and timelines, depending on how serious delays become.

BAL Analysis: Authorities have said they will provide additional details on how the new registration system will work on Nov. 24. BAL will continue to follow developments and alert clients when additional information becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in the Czech Republic. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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