Czech Republic

According to the EU Temporary Protection Directive, the Czech Republic has granted temporary protection to those displaced from Ukraine due to the country's crisis.
Ukrainians and their family members who arrived in the Czech Republic after 24 February 2022 can apply for temporary protection at the Regional Centres for help and Assistance to Ukraine (KACPU).
Along with the application, you must submit:

• a completed form,
• a valid passport,
• a document certifying that up until 24 February 2022 you resided in Ukraine, and that you left the country in consequence of its invasion by the Russian Federation's armed forces (for example, information in your passport, confirmation of humanitarian entry, or any other document in your name proving your residence in Ukraine),
• a confirmation of accommodation if not arranged by a crisis management authority,
• and a photograph in the format 45 x 35 mm.

The status of Temporary protection is granted (special long-term visa with the code D / VS / U - a special visa for citizens of Ukraine) until 3 March 2023, with a possible extension.

As a person granted temporary protection, you will be able to stay in the Czech Republic for up to 1 year (although according to the Lex Ukraine Act, you can stay until 31 March 2023 at the latest), you will have access to the public health insurance system during 150 days, access to education, free access to the labour market, and you will have right to additional assistance, such as accommodation.

To receive social benefits, you need to register with the Labour Office. The first payment is CZK 5,000 (204 euros) per person, and it can be received in the same month as the issuance of Temporary protection. Next, if you still have no income (or your income does not allow you to provide for your basic needs, i.e. food, clothing, medicine, hygiene needs, etc.), you can apply to receive the same amount. In total, you can receive 6 such payments (once a month for the following 5 months - notice that you need to re-apply each time). Each month, the Labour Office reviews your application and your situation and makes a decision on benefits. Applications can also be submitte for underage children.

After 6 months of payments, if you have still not found a job and income, you can apply for a material need allowance, about 4000 CZK (164 euros) per month.

For those who rent accommodation (self-funded), there are additional subsidies in the amount of 3,000 CZK (123 euros) per month. Benefits are paid to a Czech bank account of the landlord.

You can also apply for social assistance for disabled, pensioners, and families with children.

If you have temporary protection, you are immediately enrolled in the public health insurance system for 180 days from the date you received it. When this period expires, you must obtain your own health insurance. Children and those over the age of 65 have no time limit: their insurance is valid for the duration of their temporary protection status in the Czech Republic.
In the Czech Republic, you will receive comprehensive medical insurance that is identical to that received by locals and covers practically all necessities (medical examinations, vaccinations, physical therapy, etc.). Childbirth and post-natal care are also covered under insurance.

You will only have to pay for the services of a dentist, although insurance will cover tooth extraction, x-rays, the cheapest anaesthetic, and fillings. If you have no income, the state pays for your health insurance, and when you start working these expenses are covered by your employer.

After receiving insurance, you must schedule an appointment with a primary care physician (GP), a dentist, and a gynaecologist (if applicable). These doctors will act as your point of contact with the insurance company. What you need to know is that each insurance company has its own reception points and specialists. If you make an appointment with a specialist who works for another insurance company, you will be responsible for the entire cost of the visit.

Emergency medical assistance is provided regardless of who insured you, and for Ukrainians it can also be obtained from the Refugee Assistance Centres (KACPU).
The initiative of Czech Medical Specialists for Accelerated Medical Assistance to Refugees – list of doctors willing to receive patients free of charge: http://lekariproukrajinu.cz.

Following registration at the refugee reception centre, resettlement is carried out on the same day (regardless of your preferences) in gyms, hostels, hotels, and campsites. The offer can be declined, but the right to state-subsidised housing will no longer be available. Authorities can settle you in any area of the country. If the housing conditions are extremely poor, you can file a complaint with the registration centre, and they will move you, if possible. Such housing is available for periods ranging from one month to two years.

Alternatively, it is possible to check relevant Facebook groups or search for housing offers on various aggregator websites.

You can also find a host family: many local residents are now offering rooms in their houses or flats and receiving a subsidy of 3,000 CZK per person (maximum 12,000 per family) from the state for six months . Conditions may vary.

EL*C has created a lesbian hosting network of individuals who have made their flats and spare rooms available to Ukrainian refugees. Please notice that EL*C can provide you with a temporary solution (up to a few months). Contact the relocation team at: +48 571 944 400 and info@lesbiangenius.org.

Preschool education is provided in kindergartens and is generally meant for children aged 3 to 6 years old. The final year of kindergarten before primary school is compulsory in the Czech Republic.
In general, you select a kindergarten based on your residence. If you are unsure how to proceed, please contact the municipal office, or, in the case of Prague, the municipality of the city district. Your local kindergarten, which also has an application form in Ukrainian, will assist you with the admissions application. You must show your ID as well as the child's ID (you can use a visa or other document). It is also necessary to provide a vaccination certificate from a paediatrician in the Czech Republic (with the exception of children who receive compulsory preschool education).
Kindergartens charge a fee for education and meals. The tuition fee does not apply to compulsory preschool education. If you experience difficulties in paying your fees, the school will advise you on how to solve the situation.

Primary education is provided at schools for children aged 6 and up. Education is compulsory for 9 years.
School is usually chosen based on where you live. If you are unsure how to proceed, please contact the municipal office or the municipality of the city district in Prague. A local school will assist you with the admission application, and application forms are also available in Ukrainian. You must show your ID as well as the child's ID (you can use a visa or other document). School education is free, and your child will receive textbooks from the school. Lunch is served in the school canteen and is paid for by the child's legal guardian. Younger children (up to roughly 10 years old) can also attend day-care facilities after classes. If you are having difficulty paying for lunch or a day-care group, the school will help you solve the matter. The school will also inform you of your child's progress, and it will provide the opportunity of free Czech language learning and additional help.

Secondary education is carried out in secondary schools, and applicants who have completed compulsory school education or have received basic education can be accepted. If a Ukrainian citizen does not have a certificate of previous education, this can be replaced by a statement under oath (affidavit). Applicants from abroad must confirm their right of residence, which is done by presenting a visa sticker in a foreign passport or a record of temporary protection. A Ukrainian citizen who is studying in grade 9 or above can submit an application for enrolment in a higher grade. The headmaster of the secondary school decides in which grade the student will be enrolled after examining the documents on the student's previous education.

Higher Education
You can find more information about studying at Czech universities on the website: https://www.studyin.cz/.

Refugees who arrived in the Czech Republic due to Russian aggression in Ukraine have access to free travel on international trains upon the presentation of a Ukrainian passport. Other trains can also be used for free within 5 days after receiving confirmation of temporary protection.

To obtain discounts on Prague public transport, refugees have to purchase a special coupon for people in material need within five days of obtaining their temporary protection. The cost of the coupon will be CZK 165 (6,72 EUR) monthly or CZK 444 (18,08 EUR) quarterly.

The temporary protection status entitles you to work in the Czech Republic, you do not need to apply for additional permits. The status (in the form of a visa or a separate document) is issued on the spot, upon application. You can start working even before obtaining it. It is not necessary to register with the Labour Department, employers themselves can submit information about the employment of a Ukrainian.

After applying at a temporary protection centre, you need to contact the employment centres at your place of residence and they will advise you on the specifics of the Czech employment market.
Alternatively, you can search for a job yourself. For example, on the website of the Ministry of Labour or on the largest job search portal in the Czech Republic (ads are collected here specifically for refugees, you can set up all the necessary filters).

Same-sex marriage is not legal because marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman under Section 655 of the Civil Code. There are no additional marriage restrictions specific to trans people. Same-sex couples can legally enter into registered partnerships under the Act on Registered Partnerships. These partnerships have limited rights compared to marriages, lacking such rights as common ownership of property and survivor pension in the case of a partner’s death.

In 2016, the Constitutional Court ruled people in registered partnerships could adopt. However, only one partner can be the adoptive parent. In June 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of both partners in a same-sex couple being recognised as legal parents of a child they had through surrogacy abroad. But, as of now, joint and stepchild adoption by same-sex couples remains illegal.

Trans people can change their legal gender on all identification documents, including their birth certificate, under Section 72 of the Act on Registry, Names and Surnames. Trans people can also request a new social security number (which changes depending on gender) under the same law. Legal gender can only be changed to male or female. There is no option to change the legal gender to a third gender. Legal gender change is subject to being 18 years old, obtaining medical approval and surgery, and, in the case of a married person, compulsory divorce.

LGBT+ organisations

Prague Pride
Email: help@praguepride.com

• General orientation and consultation for LGBTIQ+ people
• Transportation to Slovakia and Czechia and assistance at your location
• Hormones and follow-up medical care for trans*/non-binary people in need
• Emergency accommodation for trans/queer people in safe housing

Trans*Parent (Organisation for the support and advancement of the rights of trans* people in the Czech Republic)
Website: http://www.jsmetransparent.cz/
Email: help@transparentprague.cz
Post on support for Ukrainian trans*person: https://www.facebook.com/transparentCZ/posts/2826612867634187

Queer Space Network (Prague based LGBTQ+ organisation):
Website: https://www.queerspaces.net/refugee-help
Instagram: http://instagram.com/queerspacesnetwork
Email: contact@queerspaces.net

Non-LGBT+ organisations helping Ukrainians

Organisation for aid to refugees
Help with shelter and accommodation, information support
Emergency hotline for refugees from Ukraine: +420 228 229 942
Kovářská 4, Praha 9, 190 00

https://www.pomahejukrajine.cz/
Centralised platform to help Ukrainians (NOT VERIFIED)

Animals entering without a valid rabies vaccine/rabies titer test will be placed under a 10-day quarantine (under constant supervision by the owner). Within three days of entry, pets need to be checked by a veterinarian (and microchipped if needed). Between 5–10 days of entry, pets need to be vaccinated against rabies vaccine if their vaccination status is not up to date.
Several veterinarian clinics and VSF-CZ (Veterinarians without borders) offer free basic veterinary care for pets of Ukrainian refugees.