If you are not entitled to temporary protection, this does not mean you have to leave the Czech Republic. You have other ways to stay legally. You can apply for a tolerance visa which will allow you to "wait" in the Czech Republic until the conflict is over but does not guarantee you any other rights or benefits for living.
| A sufferance visa is a temporary immigration status granted to individuals who do not meet the requirements for entry but are allowed to enter the country under certain circumstances. It is typically issued when someone does not have legal residence on the territory but, for very specific reasons, such as humanitarian grounds or urgent medical needs, cannot be sent to his or her country of origin. It does not confer any rights or benefits beyond allowing the individual to remain in the country temporarily. The duration of a sufferance visa is determined by the authorities and can range from a few days to a few months, depending on the circumstances. |
Limited Rights
You cannot work without a work permit. Also, unlike those with temporary protection, you are not covered by public health insurance. You can neither apply for humanitarian benefits nor will you be provided with any further assistance from the state. However, you are now able to travel on the basis of a tolerance visa. The visa now allows you to re-enter the Czech Republic, so you can travel outside Schengen and cross the border without losing your visa.
Be aware! If you have a visa for tolerance purposes and want to work in the Czech Republic, you must apply for a work permit at the Labor Office.
How to apply for a sufferance visa?
If you do not meet the conditions for temporary protection and cannot return to Ukraine, you can apply for a sufferance visa for a stay of more than 90 days. Apply in person at the OAMP office of the Ministry of Interior (according to your region, you can find the address here), and provide the following documents with your application:
- the application form, which is available free of charge at the MOI Offices (you can see the address here). It needs to be filled in capital letters, in Latin alphabet and in Czech language.
- the passport
- a passport photograph
- stamps in the amount of CZK 300, which you can buy at the post office (this is a visa issuance fee that cannot be paid in cash or by card)
- an affidavit (a written statement of facts made in the presence of a notary) stating that you cannot return to Ukraine (due to the war).
The Ministry of the Interior will grant this visa to a foreigner who is prevented from leaving the Czech Republic by an obstacle beyond his/her control.
The application for this visa is not processed at the spot. The authorities have 30 days to assess your application and if they grant you the visa, they will send you a letter by post. If you fail to submit any of the above-mentioned application requirements or fail to pay the administrative fee, the application will be deemed inadmissible and will be returned to you.
Extension of the sufferance visa
The extension of the long-stay sufferance visa took place automatically on 1 January 2023 and extends until 31 March 2024. The automatic extension will only occur for those visas issued after 24 February 2022 in connection with the armed conflict in Ukraine. If you have this visa, there is no need to worry about anything else or go anywhere. All authorities (health insurance office, employment office or district social security administration) will have the extension information available automatically in the system.
If you still want to have a new sticker affixed to your passport (this is not an obligation, but an option), you must make an appointment with the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy (OAMP) through the standard channels (telephone line or the FRS online booking system).
Under any circumstances, do not make an appointment through the temporary protection extension system, it is not for you!
Sources of information:
Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic
FRS website