Temporary Protection and Long-Term Status in Czechia
Temporary protection in Czechia allows eligible Ukrainian nationals to live and work legally in the country. In 2026, holders who completed the required extension steps can keep this status until 31 March 2027.
A separate option is special long-term residence, known in Czech as zvláštní dlouhodobý pobyt. It is a five-year residence permit intended for economically independent holders of temporary protection who plan to remain in the Czech Republic.
The change is not automatic. Applicants must meet income, residence, insurance and family conditions while keeping temporary protection valid until they collect their biometric residence card.
Temporary protection extension in 2026
Online registration for the 2026 extension ended on 15 March 2026. Successful registration extended temporary protection until 30 September 2026.
By that date, the holder must personally attend the booked Ministry of the Interior office and receive a new visa sticker. This completes the extension until 31 March 2027. The current procedure is published on the official Information Portal for Foreigners.
Anyone who did not register lost the previous protection on 31 March 2026. A new application may be submitted, but it is assessed again and does not restore the continuity of the previous status.
What is special long-term residence?
Special long-term residence is a standard residence status under Czech immigration law. It is valid for five years, provides free access to the labour market and does not require completion of the adaptation and integration course.
It is not permanent residence. For a future permanent residence application, time spent with special long-term residence counts in full, while previous temporary protection counts at one half. These rules are explained in the official overview of special long-term residence.
Who could qualify in 2026?
The expression-of-interest period ran from 1 to 30 April 2026. Adults generally had to hold temporary protection continuously for at least two years as of 1 April 2026.
The principal requirements included:
- annual assessed income for 2025 of at least 440,000 CZK;
- an additional 110,000 CZK for every other jointly registered person;
- no humanitarian benefit received between 1 October 2025 and 31 March 2026;
- continuous health insurance for two years and no insurance debt on 31 March 2026;
- a clean criminal record, valid passport and properly registered accommodation;
- school attendance in Czechia for children aged 6 to 14.
The income threshold refers to the relevant Czech tax base or assessed taxable income, not simply the applicant’s gross salary. Only income taxed in the Czech Republic and belonging to jointly registered temporary-protection holders is normally counted. Detailed conditions are available on the Ministry of the Interior website.
What happens after the assessment?
The Ministry of the Interior checks most conditions through state databases. Applicants can view the assessment result in their account on the Information Portal for Foreigners.
Those who meet the conditions can register for special long-term residence from October until 31 December 2026 and book an appointment at a Ministry office. The appointment includes a final document check and biometric data collection.
The biometric card must be collected within 60 days after biometrics are taken. The complete sequence is described in the official application process.
Why temporary protection must remain valid
A positive assessment does not itself create long-term residence. The new status begins only when the biometric card is collected.
Applicants must therefore obtain the extended temporary-protection sticker by 30 September 2026 and maintain continuous protection until the card is issued. Losing temporary protection before collection means that the residence condition is no longer satisfied.
What changes after receiving the new status?
The administrative fee is 2,500 CZK per card and 1,000 CZK for a child under 15. Employees are generally covered by public health insurance through employment. Self-employed and non-working adults must arrange and pay for comprehensive medical insurance themselves.
Children under 18 participate in public health insurance, but their legal representative must pay the premiums. Holders of special long-term residence are not entitled to non-insurance social benefits such as housing support, parental allowance, child allowance or emergency assistance.
Temporary protection and long-term status in Czechia provide different rights. The five-year permit offers greater residence stability, but it requires economic independence and removes access to several forms of social support.