You can enter Czech Republic from Slovakia, Poland, Austria or Germany by car or train.
You can check the interactive map of waiting time at the countries that border with Ukraine here .

Czech hotline for general immigration questions (+420) 974 801 801 and visit www.mpsv.cz to get general information on the help provided in Czech Republic.

You can enter Czech Republic with any of the following documents:

• A biometric passport.
• Passport of the old sample, if its validity period has not yet expired (in accordance with paragraph 2 of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 07.05.2014 No. 152 ).
• Ukrainian ID. According to the DPSU, currently only citizens of Ukraine evacuating from occupied territories or territories where hostilities are taking place can leave Ukraine with an internal passport, the list of which is approved in accordance with the Order of the Ministry on Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine of April 25, 2022 No. 75 . Citizens from other territories must have a biometric passport to travel abroad.
• Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents must have a birth certificate. Children have the right to cross the border with one parent (without the official permission of the other parent). If the child is traveling with acquaintances or relatives, she/he needs to have a travel permit from one of the parents, certified by a notary.

In order to prove family/marital status, birth certificates and a marriage certificate are required.

The telephone number of the DPSU hotline ("Trust" Service) is 1598. You can use it for questions of a consultative nature within the competence of the State Border Service of Ukraine.

For more information about the documents with which you can cross the border, and about the categories of citizens who are allowed to travel outside Ukraine, see here .

Ukrainians staying in the Czech Republic can issue a foreign passport at the Consulates of Ukraine. However, currently the number of people willing to receive the document is quite large, so the procedure may take a long time. Sometimes even the term of its production may be longer than the period of extension of temporary protection.

Also, please note that the laws of the Czech Republic oblige foreigners to report any changes to their personal data. Therefore, when you receive a foreign passport, you must notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic. To do this, contact the Office of Migration Policy (OAMP) at your place of residence. If you did not have time to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic about issuing a new passport, then when filling out the online form, indicate that you do not have a passport.

"Passport Service" has become available in Czech Republic

The State Migration Service, together with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opened new division of DP "Dokument" in Czech Republic (Prague).

As reported on the website of DP "Dokument", mobile and technical complexes - specially equipped white minibuses with the "Passport service" symbol - have been put into operation in Prague.

Visitor service is provided from Monday to Saturday, inclusive, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. by electronic and "live" queue. In Prague, mobile complexes are located at: Namesti Republiky 658/8, 110 00, Stare Mesto, Praha 1 (site behind OC Kotva).

Here, Ukrainians can get the following services:

• issuing an ID card or foreign passport (including replacing a lost or stolen one);
• exchange of an ID card or foreign passport (expiration, change of information, unfitness for use);
• exchange of a 1994 model passport for an ID card (upon request or in case of unfitness);
• simultaneous issuance of a foreign passport and an ID card;
• driver's license exchange.

Payment for services in mobile complexes is made on the spot using the online service (cash payment is not available). To do this, you need to have a smartphone and a bank card or its details. Website & address .

Ukrainian citizens must do the following upon entry:

• arranging for health insurance (for at least the weeks of stay); and
• registering with the Czech Police (Department of Residence of Foreigners of the Foreign Police Department ) within 30 days of entering the Czech Republic.

More information to be found here .

We recommend visiting the center for assistance to displaced persons in Prague after arrival. Every Ukrainian can get advice or help here:

• a psychologist;
• lawyer;
• doctor;
• an employment consultant.

In addition, there is a space for young people and children, and there is also an opportunity to take the necessary things.

The help center is open at the following address: Novákových street 1954/20a, Praha 8-Libeň district near the metro station "V Palmovka".

Working hours: Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

You can reach other cities by:

Free trains operated by České dráhy ;

• doprava.plnu.cz/for-refugees is an app matching car drivers with people fleeing to Czech Republic;
• Public transport in Czech Republic is also free for Ukrainian citizens.

On December 15, FlixBus launched a new flight from Ukraine to the Czech Republic (Poltava-Prague). You can book a ticket on the official website of the company .

Currently, the Czech Republic can be reached with a transfer on the Kyiv - Prague route, with a transfer in Przemyśl. Train number 715 starts its journey at 8:30 a.m. in the capital, then goes to Przemyśl (arrival at approximately 7:53 p.m.). From there, at 20:48, the RJ 1000 train goes to the Czech Republic. The final destination is Prague the next morning at 8:55.

Discount on travel for Ukrainian refugees in Prague

Ukrainians who have temporary protection documents are allowed to use the "Person in need of material assistance 2" preferential travel card. This ticket is valid in Prague (tariff zones P, O, B).

Refugees must first contact the Information Center to be assisted in purchasing a ticket. See the link for the addresses of the centers.

Ukrainians or citizens of other visa-free countries can continue to travel to other EU/Schengen countries for up to 90 days in 180 days. If you have been granted temporary protection and you do not hold a valid travel document, the Ministry of the Interior or the Police will issue Travel Identity Card but only after proving that you need to leave the Czech Republic (by plane ticket, bus / train ticket, professional reasons). Local conditions at workplace do not allow the Police or the Ministry of the Interior to issue Travel Identity Cards in other than truly well founded cases. Check out the official government’s page for more information.

Travel options are:

• Trains operated by České dráhy provide free rides to Ukrainians to the neighboring countries.
• Flights operating from Prague airport, Brno Airport, Ostrava Airport, Karlovy Vary Airport, Pardubice Airport.
• Flixbus offers cheap tickets within EU or free tickets for refugees departing Przemyśl, Rzeszów, Suceava and Tulcea.

The main advantage of the FlixBus carrier is a convenient one-ticket transfer system. To book a route with a transfer, you must enter the city where you plan to go during the reservation, and the system will automatically build convenient routes for you.

You can stay in the Czech Republic up to 90 days in any 180-day period visa free.

If you received and extended temporary protection, you will be able to stay in the Czech Republic until September 30, 2023.

You can contact the offices of social-legal protection of children (they are part of the social affairs departments of municipal and regional authorities); contacts are available on the websites of all offices. You can also contact the 24-hour information line of the Ministry of the Interior: +420 974 801 802 or e-mail ukrajina@mvcr.cz. An official leaflet about help provided to Ukrainian children is here .

Currently, there are no Covid-related requirements at the border applicable to people fleeing war in Ukraine.

You should apply for temporary protection at the Regional Assistance Centers of Ukraine if you:

• Arrived to the Czech Republic after February 24.
• If you are a family member of a citizen of Ukraine.
• Entered and stayed in the Czech Republic until February 24 on a visa-free or short-stay Schengen visa, which expires and you can not extend it and can not travel.

In other cases, you should apply for temporary protection in person at the OAMP MV (Ministry of the Interior).

In order to apply for temporary protection you need to fill out a form, have a valid foreign biometric passport and a photo (45 x 35 mm). The application form to be printed and filled out is available here and the electronic version is available here (pdf, 1.6 MB). If you do not provide a valid travel document with the application, the procedure for obtaining temporary protection may be delayed. The Ministry of the Interior cannot guarantee that the application will be reviewed on the spot.

The list of centers is collected at the link . After registration, you will receive temporary protection status for a year, which will allow you to live in the Czech Republic and receive social support.

The Czech Republic does not grant temporary protection to persons who already had such status in another EU country. If you had temporary protection in another country, you will not be able to get it again in the Czech Republic.

In December, the Czech Republic officially extended the term of legal stay for Ukrainians until 2024, but not automatically, but on the condition that documents are reissued.

You should have extended your temporary protection until March 31, 2023. If you have not done so, your temporary protection has expired.

By registering and reserving a specific term, your temporary protection will be extended until September 30, 2023. In this way, you will have enough time to come to our office on the predetermined date to receive the visa sticker.

Pay attention! On the date you chose during online registration, you must personally arrive at the branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The permit renewal process is free.

What is a strpení visa (Vízum strpění) in the Czech Republic?

Strpeni is a special annual visa issued for legal residence and employment in the Czech Republic.

In what cases is the strpeni visa (Vízum strpění) considered temporary protection and requires the need for registration?

• You received a visa at the visa center;
• You have received, are receiving, or have been allowed to receive assistance from the Czech Republic;
• The first 150 days of insurance were free;
• You did not issue an employment permit;
• Your visa is not marked D/VS/91, D/SD/91.

When Vízum strpění is not considered temporary protection and the visa is automatically extended?

• To apply for a visa, you filled out an application, paid a stamp duty (300 crowns), attached a photo and provided a document confirming why you cannot leave the Czech Republic at the moment;
• Your visa is marked D/VS/91, D/SD/91;
• You received an employment permit;
• You paid for the insurance yourself.

You should receive protection immediately. Before you receive it, you are considered a tourist. Urgent assistance is provided regardless of status but the scope of support is limited. Official information can be read at mvcr.cz .

You will get a visa sticker in your travel document. If you have been granted temporary protection and you do not hold a valid travel document, the Ministry of the Interior or the Police will issue Travel Identity Card but only after proving that you need to leave the Czech Republic (by plane ticket, bus / train ticket), under condition that travelling is necessary for professional reasons or another urgent reason. A travel identity card shall not be issued for the purpose of travel to Ukraine. Local conditions at the Police and Ministry of the Interior offices allow issuing Travel Identity Cards only in truly well founded cases.

Temporary protection does not expire if you leave to Ukraine, unless you permanently leave the Czech Repuiblic.

If you leave the Czech Republic for a long period of time, the temporary protection is not cancelled. However, trips lasting more than 10 working days may result in the loss of the right to:

• state humanitarian housing;
• provision of humanitarian aid;
• place in the school your child attends.

If you are traveling for a longer period of time, we recommend that you consult your health insurance company.

Yes, you can travel around the country and within the Schengen area with the visa sticker, however only for a maximum period of 90 days wihin 180 days.

In the current situation, asylum procedure is not an optimal solution. It is faster and more efficient to request temporary protection which will give you free access to the labour market. However, every foreign national has the right to apply for asylum.

The main differences from the temporary protection are the following:

Temporary protection:

• It is a new addition to the international protection (asylum).
• Fast access to the residency rights, housing, social welfare assistance, medical care, legal assistance and safe placement for unaccompanied children and teenagers, access to education for children and teenagers, access to the job market.

Asylum:

• Under EU law, you can apply for international protection (asylum) in the first safe country you enter.
• It is a complex procedure and it will take time until your case will be reviewed.
• You can access the job market after 6 months if no final decision has yet been taken on the case.
• You are prohibited for 6 months to cross the border of the host state while your application is being considered

You can also apply for "family reunification" if a family member already resides legally in the EU.

Official information at mvcr.cz .

You can apply for residence (temporary protection status) at the Regional Centers for help and Assistance to Ukraine (KACPU) More information is available at mvcr.cz . In order to apply you would need to submit a completed application form, valid passport, and photograph 45 x 35 mm.

You should receive temporary protection (residence) immediately upon arrival.

If you can verify your identity with a Ukrainian ID card, you can still apply for temporary protection. If you do not have any proof of identity, please contact the Embassy of Ukraine or the Consulate in the Czech Republic to confirm your citizenship. Official information at mvcr.cz .

The laws of the Czech Republic state that in order to extend the status of temporary protection, it is necessary to have a foreign passport, but in case of its absence, a Ukrainian can obtain a permit on the basis of a Ukrainian document. To do this, when filling out the online form, you need to indicate that you do not have a passport.

Where can Ukrainians get a foreign passport in the Czech Republic?

Ukrainians staying in the Czech Republic can issue a foreign passport at the Consulates of Ukraine. However, currently the number of people willing to receive the document is quite large, so the procedure may take a long time. Sometimes even the term of its production may be longer than the period of extension of temporary protection.

Also, please note that the laws of the Czech Republic oblige foreigners to report any changes to their personal data. Therefore, when you receive a foreign passport, you must notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic. To do this, contact the Office of Migration Policy (OAMP) at your place of residence. If you did not have time to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic about issuing a new passport, then when filling out the online form, indicate that you do not have a passport.

The State Migration Service, together with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opened new division of DP "Dokument" in Czech Republic (Prague).

As reported on the website of DP "Dokument", mobile and technical complexes - specially equipped white minibuses with the "Passport service" symbol - have been put into operation in Prague.

Visitor service is provided from Monday to Saturday, inclusive, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. by electronic and "live" queue. In Prague, mobile complexes are located at: Namesti Republiky 658/8, 110 00, Stare Mesto, Praha 1 (site behind OC Kotva).

Here, Ukrainians can get the following services:

• issuing an ID card or foreign passport (including replacing a lost or stolen one);
• simultaneous issuance of a foreign passport and an ID card.

Payment for services in mobile complexes is made on the spot using the online service (cash payment is not available). To do this, you need to have a smartphone and a bank card or its details.

You can register the birth of a child only at the consulate. There, the determination of his origin and the assignment of his surname, first name, and patronymic are carried out.

The application for registration must be submitted immediately, but no later than one month after the birth of the child, and in the case of a stillborn child - no later than three days.

The registration process takes place at the place of birth or at the place of residence of the child's parents or one of them (with a written application). At the same time, in case of illness, death of the parents or for other reasons it is impossible to register the birth - the application can be submitted by relatives or other persons authorized by the representative of the health care institution in which the child was born or is currently.

What is required for registration?

• a document from a medical institution about the birth of a child, passports certifying the identity of the parents;
• application (written or addressed orally) to enter information about the father.

Registration is free, and based on its results, parents are issued a birth certificate.

How to return to the homeland with a child born in the Czech Republic?

In order for Ukrainians to return home with a child born in the Czech Republic, they must have with them:

• a document certifying his identity;
• a child's birth certificate issued by a consular institution.

Is the status of a citizen of Ukraine preserved during the birth of a child in the Czech Republic?

A newborn Ukrainian in the Czech Republic retains the status of a citizen of Ukraine. Data on citizenship and nationality in the act record of birth and certificate are not filled in, which is why a corresponding entry is made in the column "For marks".

In addition, a person whose parents or one of his parents were citizens of Ukraine at the time of his birth is a citizen of Ukraine. The place of birth of the baby does not affect the possibility of him acquiring Ukrainian citizenship.

There are several steps involved in the process of body repatriation from abroad to Ukraine:

1. Notify the authorities.

The first step of body repatriation from abroad to Ukraine is to contact the local authorities in Czech Republic, so you can register the death. Ukrainian embassy should also be able to help you in the process of registering the death abroad.

2. Arrange the correct documents.

You’ll need to have all the right paperwork before you can repatriate your loved one home from abroad to Ukraine. If you are repatriating a body to Ukraine for burial or cremation, the documents you will need include:

• Death Certificate.
• Certificate or Affidavit from the local health authorities stating that the cause of death of the individual to be shipped to Ukraine was not a communicable disease or infections.
• A Document about the absence of any excessive objects inside the casket or urn with the ashes.
• The Certificate of Cremation issued be the Funeral home or Cremation office.

All the mentioned documents should be authenticated, legalized and translated into Ukrainian by the certified translator. The originals of abovementioned documents and notarized translations, must accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The passport of the deceased person should be sent to the Embassy of Ukraine along with a notarized and authenticated copy of the Certificate of Death, and a translation from Czech to Ukrainian. The Embassy is to make correspondent procedures with the passport and can forward it back if it is required to accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The Embassy is to be informed of the date, time, and the place of delivery of the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine. Only the next of kin relatives of the deceased, or persons correspondingly authorized by them, can receive the casket or urn.

3. Transport the deceased to Ukraine.

The casket containing the body, or urn with ashes, must be sealed by the Funeral Home. There are no strict requirements with respect to the urn with ashes; however, the body should be transported in a metal casket, made of zinc-plated steel or tinplate not more than 0,4 thick.

For the air cargo transportation, it is necessary to specify a cemetery in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian Funeral Home which will take care of the casket, or the urn with ashes, in Ukraine. Both are a subject of private choice by the relatives or friends of the deceased person. Source .

There are many shops that offer such services. Look for printer shops and copy centers nearby your area on Google Maps.

Free translations of legal documents are available at orangetree.cz .

Previously, mobile operators Vodafone , T-mobile and O2 distributed free SIM cards to Ukrainian refugees. At the moment, the promotion has expired, so you will have to buy SIM cards yourself in stores.