Czech authorities have introduced a new type of residence permit for refugees from Ukraine. This type of residence permit is intended for those who wish to stay in the Czech Republic for a longer period. Learn more about the conditions and benefits of this status

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Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic will be able to apply for a special permit for long-term residence in the country as early as the beginning of 2025. This should be done when registering for an extension of protection.

Czech Republic approves long-term residence permit for Ukrainians

According to the updates, temporary protection for Ukrainians in the Czech Republic has been extended for another year - until March 2026. It is emphasized that the procedure for visa extension will remain the same as before: first, electronic registration, then a personal visit to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which must be made after the new year.

But now Ukrainians will also be offered a long-term residence permit (ZDP/dlouhodobý pobyt). This special type of residence permit will be issued for 5 years and will provide free access to the labor market. Applications will be processed under a simplified procedure that differs from the one followed by other foreigners.

At the same time, refugees will not have to submit any new documents (except for the presentation of a foreign passport), as the Czech Ministry of the Interior will independently obtain all the necessary data from the registers of the relevant ministries -

finance, social protection and insurance.

Long-term residence in the Czech Republic (ZDP): who is eligible and how to obtain it

"Long-term residence does not replace temporary protection, but it offers an alternative for those who want to live in the Czech Republic for a long time and meet the conditions that a foreigner must usually fulfill in order to obtain a standard residence permit," said Czech Deputy Prime Minister Vlastimil Valek.

In order to apply for this type of residence permit, you must meet several main criteria: have an official job, not depend on public assistance, have no criminal record, and meet some other conditions.

Conditions for obtaining a residence permit in the Czech Republic for Ukrainians:

- Continuous residence in the Czech Republic with temporary protection for 2 years;
- Valid passport;
- Employment and economic self-sufficiency of all household members, including the absence of humanitarian aid;
- Registered place of residence;
- School attendance of children of the appropriate age (6-14 years);
- The expressed interest in permanent residence of all family members.

"If only the parents have expressed interest, but their minor children have not, it will be impossible to obtain a ZPD. For a joint expression of interest, both minor children and other family members, if they are legally entitled to do so and live in the same household, must express interest in long-term residence," the website of the Ministry of the Interior in the Czech Republic says.

Valek noted that refugees will be able to check whether they meet these conditions, and added that there is no question of mass issuance of long-term residence permits. Only a few tens of thousands of refugees are expected to receive such permits.

If at the time of registration refugees do not meet certain conditions for obtaining a ZDP, but are ready to fulfill them within a year, then such persons must express their interest in permanent residence at the time of registration to extend temporary protection. Such an expression of interest will be valid for 1 year.

When does the registration for long-term residence in the Czech Republic start?

Registration for long-term residence will start approximately in the middle of 2025. It is important to note that the entire family must apply for a special permit, and to fully transition to permanent residence in the Czech Republic, you will need to live in the country for 5 years. But! In the case of temporary protection, a year is counted as six months.

That is, if a person has lived in the Czech Republic for two years on a temporary protection visa, he or she will have 1 year of experience for permanent residence, and only after switching to a residence permit will the experience be counted year by year.

What are the benefits of long-term residence in the Czech Republic?

Citizens of Ukraine who receive a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic will have the following rights and opportunities

- obtain a 5-year (standard) residence status for foreigners;
- free access to the Czech labor market (even without language skills);

Also, persons with a special long-term residence permit will be entitled to apply for
- Residence permit for the purpose of family cohabitation;
- Residence permit for study purposes;
- Residence permit for the purpose of scientific research;
- Obtaining a so-called "blue card";
- After 5 years of continuous residence in the territory of the Czech Republic, persons with ZDP will be eligible to apply for permanent residence.

Important! In addition to the opportunities, possession of a ZDP also imposes certain obligations and restrictions:

- Each issued ZDP card requires its holder to pay an administrative fee of 2,500 CZK (~4,350 UAH), for persons under 15 years of age - 1,000 CZK (~1,740 UAH)
- Pay compulsory health insurance for yourself and your children (under 18);

Earlier we wrote about the cases when health insurance abroad is mandatory.

- Persons with a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic are not entitled to social benefits of a non-insurance nature (one-time housing allowance, emergency emergency assistance, childcare assistance, child benefits, etc;)
- Also, persons with ZDP are not entitled to a personal identification number in the Czech Republic.

Please note! It will not be possible to switch from a strpení visa to a special type of residence permit. In addition, the period of stay on this visa is not counted towards the length of service for permanent residence.

We remind you! Ukrainians who are unable to return home or move to another country but are not eligible for temporary protection in the Czech Republic can use an alternative option. Read more about what the country offers in our previous article.