Returning to Ukraine

For temporary visits to Ukraine, you do not lose your temporary protection in Czechia. A holder of temporary protection in Czechia can travel inside the Schengen area for up to 90 days. Holders of temporary protection in Czechia can also return to Ukraine and come back freely.

⚠️ There is no time limitation stated on the duration of your stay in Ukraine, however, longer stays abroad may affect other areas of your stay in Czechia. For instance, if you are absent for more than 10 working days, you may lose your entitlement to free accommodation (if you are staying in a humanitarian accommodation). A longer absence can also affect the provision of humanitarian benefits or a place at the school their child attends.

If you are taking longer trips, you should consult your health insurance company: if you are absent longer than 6 months, you can ask for a pause in the obligatory payments, which is not possible if you are absent less than 6 months.

❗️Important❗️
In case of a permanent return to Ukraine, you should cancel temporary protection before you leave. You will no longer be subject to the obligations arising from your stay in Czechia, such as paying utilities or health insurance.

If you plan to travel to Ukraine with no intention of returning to Czechia, holding temporary protection status, you must inform the authorities before leaving — otherwise, you may be required to comply with obligations related to your stay in the territory of Czechia.

• If you have a biometric passport, contact the Regional Assistance Center for Ukraine.
• If you do not have a biometric passport, you need to come to the officeof the Ministry of Interior.

It is also possible to revoke temporary protection at any embassy of the Czech Republic. In Ukraine, you can contact the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Kyiv or the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Lviv.

👉 Find step-by-step information on what you need to do before leaving Czechia permanently on the website of Naši Ukrajinci.

When planning your return to Ukraine permanently, there are a few steps to consider:

1. Informing the Health Insurance Company.
   You must notify your health insurance company of the termination of temporary protection. It is possible to do so in person, by e-mail, or via an online form. In this case, it is necessary to attach a document confirming the expiration of the visa, as well as return the insurance card. Check the most appropriate method of notifying them with your health insurance company or on the website of the Ministry of Health. Don’t forget before leaving to check with your health insurance company if you have a debt in order to settle it, otherwise there might be a penalty fee.
2. Informing Labour Office (Urad prace), if you are registered at Urad prace as an employee seeker or you receive any benefits.
3. Closing bank accounts.
   While closing a bank account is not mandatory, consider it if you don’t plan to use Czech banking services. In some banks, there may be associated fees, which can vary depending on the type of account and its servicing tariff. Czech banks typically offer several methods for closing an account: personal visits, online procedures, registered letters, or telephone requests.
4. Dealing with tax issues.
   For more information about tax-related issues, consult official sources, such as Financial Authority “Finanční správa“.
5. Terminating your contracts with mobile serviceor internet providers in Czechia.
6. Terminating your rental contract.
7. Terminating your employment contract.

For more information, please refer to I’m leaving the Czech Republic.

Yes, you can travel back to Ukraine and later return to Czechia if:

• You hold a valid visaor a residence permit allowing you to re-enter Czechia (during the validity of those documents); or
• You are entitled to a visa-free movementuntil the exhaustion of the maximum period of the visa-free movement (90 days within 180 days with a biometric passport); or
• You hold a valid electronic visa document.

Is it allowed to enter Ukraine without an international passport?

Ukrainian citizens can enter Ukraine with one of the following documents:

• Passport of a citizen of Ukraine for travel abroad (International passport)
• Diplomatic passport of Ukraine
• Service passport of Ukraine
• Seaman’s identity card
• Crew member’s certificate

The internal passport (ID card) is not included in this list. Therefore, it cannot be used to return to Ukraine. Instead, it is necessary to issue either an international passport or a certificate for returning to Ukraine. The conditions and deadlines for the production of these documents vary.

A certificate for returning to Ukraine grants the right to enter Ukraine. This document is issued by diplomatic missions or consular institutions of Ukraine abroad. A certificate for returning to Ukraine is issued by a foreign diplomatic institution (embassy/consulate of Ukraine abroad) on the day of application. The production of this document is usually a paid service.

 

I do not have any identification documents – can I enter Ukraine?

If you or your relatives plan to return to Ukraine, but do not have a valid passport (the passport has expired, lost your passport or arrived in Czech Republic only with an internal passport or birth certificate), then you need to obtain a document from the consulate of Ukraine that will allow you to cross the border. To do this, you need to contact the nearest consular office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and issue a certificate of return to Ukraine (the so-called “white passport”). For information on Ukrainian embassy/consulates in the Czech Republic: https://czechia.mfa.gov.ua/. Ukrainian Embassy in Czechia: Charlese de Gaulla 916/29 160 00 Praha 6-Bubeneč, Czechia. Website: https://czechia.mfa.gov.ua/ Email: [email protected] Phone: +420 227020200 +420 227020212

According to the current legal framework, if you leave Ukraine after 24 February 2022 you can apply for temporary protection in Czechia or another EU country. If you have already obtained temporary protection status in czechia, you have a right to apply for temporary protection again. If you apply and are granted temporary protection in another EU country, the Czech authorities may not grant you temporary protection status in Czechia.

For information on temporary protection in Czechia, please visit this section on our website or the Ministry of Interior website. If you would like to receive specific information and legal counseling by a lawyer (free of charge) you can also contact UNHCR’s partner Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU) at +420 730 158 779 or +420 739 413 983 or by e-mail at [email protected].  You should contact OPU to schedule an appointment at one of their offices in Prague, Brno, Hradec Kralove, Plzen, or Ostrava. If you would like UNHCR to refer you to OPU, you can write to UNHCR at [email protected].

You should notify the school that you would like to cancel your child’s enrolment (see step 3 on I’m leaving the Czech Republic).

❗️Important❗️
If your child was attending school in Czechia, it is recommended to ask the school for an official document acknowledging your child’s studies and educational achievements. It will facilitate the recognition of your child’s education back in Ukraine. More information on what information the document should include can be found on the webpage of the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science.

Children must follow the same entry and exit rules as adults. When returning to Ukraine, they need a passport or another document with a photo to confirm their identity. If they don’t have these, a birth certificate will be enough.

 

If you are not a citizen of Ukraine and you are staying in Czechia under temporary protection, you can return to Ukraine using your residence permit in Ukraine. If your residence permit in Ukraine has expired, you should extend this document by contacting the Consulate of Ukraine in Czechia. Otherwise, to enter Ukraine, you will need to obtain a visa at the Ukrainian consulate.

The Ministry of Interior has announced a pilot programme to assist a number of people who decide to return voluntarily to Ukraine. More information is available here.

As the Ministry of Interior announced, the pilot programme will be implemented initially between June and November 2024 (6 months). The project targets 430 Ukrainian refugees (temporary protection holders, applicants, and/or persons already granted international protection). Return assistance will be provided in the form of bus tickets and/or transport by ambulance (for serious medical cases) to Ukraine from the place of residence in Czechia to the nearest place of residence in Ukraine.

According to the announcement, the individual will be able to apply only once for reimbursement of the costs of travelling back to Ukraine. If someone wishes to re-apply for a residence permit in Czechia in the following 12 months, he/she will have to pay half of the costs.

✉️ For an application for assisted return, write an e-mail to [email protected]

☎️ For more information, call the Ministry of Interior helpline + 420 974 801 802.

If you have questions or need support when returning to Ukraine, please visit the UNHCR Ukraine Help website for information on services available in Ukraine.