The Czech Republic is one of the countries with strict rules when it comes to the entry of foreigners vis-a-vis COVID-19. Unlike countries like Portugal or Spain, which have eased their rules a bit, Czechia continues to require vaccines and negative tests. However, there are a few helpful exceptions as well as rules for Czech nationals that have eased in the past few weeks.
Easing of restrictions for Czech nationals
The easing of restrictions for the entry of the Czech Republic is applied only to Czech nationals. The so-called “traffic light” system no longer applies to Czechs who return to the country. This means that, regardless of how bad the spreading of COVID-19 is in a given country at a given time, a Czech national can return home.
However, this has certain conditions. Czech citizens are still obliged to produce a valid vaccination certificate or a recovery certificate. Vaccination lasts 270 days after the first jab, and indefinitely after the second one. The recovery certificate is only valid for 180 days after recovering from the sickness. If Czech nationals are unvaccinated, they must have a negative PCR or antigen test upon entry. Finally, Czech nationals can enter the country even if they test positive before arrival. While it’s not a large change, it greatly simplifies the current rules for Czech nationals and makes the traffic light system more of a suggestion for them.
Entry rules for foreigners
Czechia still maintains strict rules for foreigners that come to the Czech Republic. While many of the requirements are the same for European Union citizens as they are for Czechs, if you are a non-EU citizen, you will have additional requirements to meet.
As a non-EU citizen, you must make sure that your vaccination certificate or your recovery certificate are issued by the appropriate authorities, or that you have a written confirmation issued by the Czech Ministry of Health website. Also, if you are an unvaccinated non-EU citizen, you will need to take a test both before entry and right after arrival. The second test must be a PCR test.
Ukraine and COVID-19 rules for entry
A special case entry has been announced for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The Czech government sees all the above rules, whether vaccination, tests, or recovery certificates, as not applying to any Ukrainian, Czech, or EU citizens who are fleeing the armed conflict. Additionally, any citizens of any other country can transit through the Czech Republic without the above restrictions for up to 48 hours.
People who want to apply for the exception from these rules need to present to the Czech police, any health protection authority, or to the Ministry of Interior a set of documents. These include travel documents, documents on the mode of travel taken to the Czech Republic, documents which will show one’s permanent residence in Ukraine, or being an EU citizen/non-EU citizen and having temporary residence in Ukraine. With these documents, the above COVID-19 restrictions for entry do not apply.
