Changes in “Lex Ukraine”: Fresh Info for Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians

#ImmiUpdatesCzechia The set of laws known as “Lex Ukraine” has been amended. Its new version became valid on 28 June. This article sums up the most important information for all those who are in the Czech Republic under temporary protection. We’ll also reveal under what conditions you can relocate to Czechia if you’re Russian or Belarusian.

 

Cizinci s nárokem na dočasnou ochranu nejsou oprávněni žádat o jiné pobytové tituly.

Foreigners entitled to temporary protection cannot apply for other permits.

 

Health insurance under temporary protection

The first important information is that refugees under temporary protection who were automatically provided with health insurance can only count on this insurance for 150 days

This does not apply to you if you are a refugee with temporary protection aged below 18 or over 65, a student of secondary school or university who’s aged below 26 or a full-time employee. All these people automatically participate in public health insurance.

However, If you don’t fall under any of these categories, you need to either:

  • register at the Employment office as unemployed
  • pay for the insurance out of the pocket

You should also make sure to unregister with the insurance company if you decide to return to Ukraine. If you don’t or forget to do this, you might create a debt with the company, which might lead to a visa denial in the future.

 

Other types of applications

The new version of “Lex Ukraine” also amends the possibilities of applying for other kinds of permits aside from temporary protection. If you are entitled to temporary protection or already have temporary protection, you cannot apply for any other permit at Czech embassies abroad. You can’t change your temporary protection to an employee or blue card either.

The only exception concerns long-term residence permit for the purpose of unification, which you can apply for after 6 months of temporary protection.

 

Get our Survival guide for expats

Fill in your email address and get a series of useful tips during upcoming month.

 

Citizens of Russia and Belarus

Are you a citizen of Russia or Belarus? Unfortunately, you still can’t relocate to Czechia at this point. The ban is valid at least until 31 March 2023. You cannot apply for visas or residence permits until then.

The only option for you is to apply for long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification. This means you can tie yourself to family members who already have residency in Czechia.

We’ll keep informing you about the immigration situation in connection to the war in Ukraine here on our blog and in our newsletters. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Photo source: Unsplash.com
Article source: Deloitte, migraceonline

Tereza Walsbergerová

Hello! I'm Tereza and I'm a wordsmith and literature nerd from Brno. Although I was born and raised in the Czech Republic, I know all too well from my time living in Texas what it's like to be a "stranger in a strange land." I am excited to share all kinds of information with y'all!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *