Business in the Czech Republic

Foreign legal entities are allowed to conduct trade activities, including acquisition of real estate, under the same conditions and to the same extent as Czech entrepreneurs. They may become founders or co-founders of a company, or may join an existing Czech company. Foreign companies may operate in the Czech Republic, either by establishing a branch office registered in the Czech Republic or by establishing a Czech company.There are four different legal forms of companies; the most common are limited liability companies (s.r.o.) and joint-stock companies (a.s.). The business name of the company shall be unique. You can find more information on setting up a business in the Czech Republic here.

Visa issues are another hot topic for foreign investors. The conditions applying to a foreign citizen's entry to the Czech Republic and their residence in the country are set by Act No. 326/1999 Coll., on residence of foreign citizens in the Czech Republic, as amended. For detailed, but reader-friendly information on both short and long-term visa and work permits for citizens of EU as well as non-EU countries click here.

In attached files you can find general information covering other areas of interest, e.g. taxation and customs systems. Once your final decision to start up business in the Czech Republic has been made, there are a lot of specific issues your company has to deal with. Investors are then recommended to contact the Association for Foreign Investment. Thanks to comprehensive knowledge of the Czech investment environment, consultancy companies associated within the AFI are able to provide a broad range of professional services in all phases of investment projects.

• Legal Consulting
• Real Estate Consulting
• Environmental Advisory
• Financial Advisory Services & Corporate Financing
• Auditing
• Tax Advisory and Services
• Management Recruitment
• Human-Resources Consulting and Recruitment
• Quality Control
• Architecture and Project Preparation
• Project & Construction Management
• Appraisal of Companies and Assets
• Management Advisory Services
• Industrial Advisory
• Public Relations & Media Management
• Strategic Marketing
• Information Technology Support
• Re-engineering – Improvement of Company Processes

There are other institutions which you might find useful for doing business in the Czech Republic. Check out a list of useful contacts.