Thousands of Ukrainians change a temporary protection registration to a more flexible residency category. It’s called “special long-term residence permit”. Among other things, this change relates to a piece of news around health insurance payments. Therefore, we provide more details.
What this article covers:
What is temporary protection and how it could help
How the standards for special long-term residence permit look like
Who has to pay travel health insurance for foreigners under the special long-term residence regime
Temporary Protection as an EU Tool For Help. Not Only for Ukrainians
Temporary protection is a mechanism that allows the European Union to collectively assist displaced persons. The EU’s framework directive on this issue entered in 2001 into force. Consequently, officials trigger the mechanism in exceptional circumstances. There is no doubt that Russia’s aggression in Ukraine is that case. The temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees has started in March 2022. The extension holds until the beginning of March 2027. In 2025, there were approximately 375,000 people with active temporary protection registration residing in the Czech Republic. Overall, the European Union has already secured safe place and an accommodation for more than four million inhabitants of Ukraine.
People with temporary protection have the rights and possibilities that make their difficult life situation easier. These includes:
- social and medical assistance
- free access to the labour market
- right to free basic education at public schools
- access to housing for families
Those with temporary protection should apply for residence permit in the country. Moreover, the Council of the European Union has called member states to provide this possibility.
From Temporary Protection to Special Long-Term Residence Permit
For this reason, the Czech Republic has offered a special long-term residence permit to temporary protection holders. It was workable thanks to the amendment of the law (labelled Lex Ukraine law). The Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic registered 80,000 applicants as a result of. 15,000 of them have fulfilled specific requirements and criteria. The registration finished by the end of 2025.
Special long-term residence is granted for 5 years. Then it is possible to obtain permanent residence. However, if people with temporary protection haven’t met the conditions for granting special long-term residence or haven’t applied for it, it doesn’t mean they would lose their temporary protection. In this case, they are still protected.
Students, Pensioners or Self-Employed Persons. Special Long-Term Residence Permit Requires Comprehensive Health Insurance
Adult holders of special long-term residence permit (those over 18 years) need health insurance. For example, if they are employed, they are covered by public health insurance (consequently they pay health insurance contributions jointly with employer). But there are specific population groups under the special long-term residence and they have to pay commercial health insurance. Specifically, comprehensive health insurance. This is obligated for:
- self-employed persons
- unemployed people
- people over 65
- students aged 18 to 26
Children under the age of 18 are part of the public health system. Thus, their parents or their legal guardians pay the insurance.
Several insurance companies provide comprehensive health insurance for foreigners in the Czech Republic. Besides, some of them design offers in premium plan, which is in similar scope to public health insurance. Find out more in our user-friendly health insurance platform. We tailored it to visa applicants, workers, and students.
