Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of emergency has been extended until 22 January 2021. The current restrictions come along with it. What these restrictions affecting the entry to the Czech Republic are, becomes perhaps one of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind.
Travel to the Czech Republic Only for Essential Reasons
First of all, you need to know that if your place of residence is in the territory of the Czech Republic, or if you’re a holder of a valid long-term visa, a long-term, temporary, or permanent residence permit issued by the Czech Republic, you will have no problem entering the country. Otherwise, you need to have an essential purpose, such as travelling to work or for business purposes, essential family travel, travelling to healthcare facilities, etc.
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Red, Orange, or Green?
Besides an essential purpose, you need to know from which risk zone you’re coming from. Since January 18, the Czech Republic has updated the traffic-light map, again.
(this map is updated on January 20, 2021)
If you’re coming from the orange or green zone, there’s no specific obligation related to your arrival in the country. However, if you’re coming from the red zone, there are two things you must do.
- First, fill the Public Health Passenger Locator Form before your arrival.
- Second, submit a PCR test result to the regional hygienic station.
The test can be done in two ways:
- Undergo the test in the Czech Republic within 5 days of entry and submit the test result within the next 7 days to the locally relevant hygiene station.
- Undergo a PCR test in an EU country. The test needs to be undergone less than 72 hours before the entry.
More FAQ
Q: What if I don’t undergo any test anywhere?
A: If you do not submit the RT-PCR test result to the hygiene station within 7 days from your entry to the Czech territory, a necessary quarantine measure shall be ordered to you.
Q: Are all these restrictions applied also to kids?
A: This does not apply to persons below the age of 5.
Q: Can I transit across the Czech Republic?
A: You don’t have the obligations to fill the form and submit a PCR test result if you transit up to 12 hours through the Czech Republic. But you need to have proof of transit.
Q: I’m going to the red zone just for a one-day trip. Do I need to undergo a test to come back to the country?
A: Yes, if you stay for more than 12 hours. If your stay in the red country exceeds 12 hours in the last 14 days, you have the obligation to fill the form and submit a PCR test result.
Q: if I was tested positive for coronavirus within the past 90 days, do I still need to undergo another test to enter the country?
A: Yes, you need either to undergo a test in the Czech Republic within 5 days after your arrival or a test result no older than 72 hours.
Q: I went across the border but there was no border control. Is it necessary to follow the obligations?
A: The border control or residence check may not cover everyone who crossed the border but the obligations are necessary to follow.
Q: I think my purpose to enter the country is really essential, do I need to get any certificate from anyone to prove it?
A: All the essential purposes are listed on the MOI website. Except for the listed purposes, all other purposes are considered non-essential. There’s no way that you can convince the border control that an unlisted purpose is essential.
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Considering the current situation under the coronavirus pandemic, holding a residence permit is still the safest option in 2021 to return to the Czech Republic without any problem.
Source of the information: mvcr.cz
Source of the featured image: unsplash.com
Hello Li,
Is the Public Health Passenger Locator Form available as a downloadable PDF with the ability to engage the form to fill it out and print it for carrying across the Czech border?
I ask because at the time of re-entry into Czechia I will not have the ability to go online to fill out this form and send it via the link available. I cannot fill it out in its entirety before my trip because I am uncertain of a good portion of the questioning.
Hi Dwight,
I tried to look it up but, unfortunately, it seems there is only the online form available. However, on the website they stated that in case of any inquiries you can send an e-mail to prijezdovyformular@mzccr.cz – perhaps they would be able to provide you with a PDF version of the form (if it is possible, of course).
Anna
Hi Dwight,
Anna was right. unfortunately, it is not possible to download the form because after you submit the form online, your data will be sent to the public health authorities so that they know about your arrival. Besides sending them email, you could fill in the form even before your trip if you already booked the ticket for the return journey.
17 February 2021
I was able to download a PDF form from a German site which can then be filled out, printed, and carried with you.
Here is what I found on this German website: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus/2317268
Digital entry registration
Travelers who have visited a risk area, high incidence area, or virus variant area in the last ten days before entering Germany must register at http://www.einreiseanmeldung.de before arriving in Germany and carry proof of registration with them upon entry.
This obligation always applies to those entering the country who have previously stayed in virus variant areas. Certain exceptions apply for previous stays in other risk areas and high incidence areas. In particular, those who have only passed through a risk area and have not had a stopover there are exempt.
If in exceptional cases, it is not possible to complete a digital entry registration, travelers must instead fill out a substitute registration on paper.
The download described above is in German. Here is a link for the same form in English, the link for this English PDF is near the bottom of this page: https://www.dw.com/en/traveling-germany-coronavirus/a-54124541
Hi Dwight,
Thank you very much for this info, it’s greatly appreciated! I’ll forward it to my colleagues and ask them, whether we shouldn’t include it in some article about the restrictions on travelling.
Kind regards,
Anna