According to the recent amendments, a new term called "vulnerable person" has been introduced in Lex Ukrajina V. This group of individuals is now eligible to receive free insurance, housing, and additional financial assistance. Starting from July 1, you need to confirm your status as a vulnerable person to access these benefits. Here's how to do it and what documents you need to provide.
If you already have social housing, it's important to mention your vulnerable person status when applying for financial assistance, as these two systems are connected.
Vulnerable Groups:
- Children under 18 years old
- Students under 26 years old
- Individuals caring for a child under 6 years old
- Pregnant women
- Persons over 65 years old
- Persons with disabilities and their caregivers
The requirements for each group:
1. Age, student status, and pregnancy:
- Pregnant women need to provide either an electronic pregnancy certificate (těhotenský průkaz) or a doctor's certificate (potvrzení od lékaře).
- Students must provide electronic proof of enrollment (valid only for Czech university studies).
- Age verification is automatic, such as children under 18 or persons over 65.
2. People with disabilities:
- From July 1, individuals with a Ukrainian disability certificate (přiznání průkazu OZP) can upload it electronically to confirm their vulnerable person status.
- If someone doesn't have a disability certificate but has a disability, they can apply for an assessment at the district social security office (ČSSZ) where they reside. The application can be submitted online. A confirmation from a Czech doctor regarding the specific disability is required. Afterward, the confirmation needs to be sent to the social security office, which will issue a certificate.
It's important to note that individuals in these vulnerable groups won't have the same status as Czech citizens or those with permanent residence, but they can receive increased financial assistance and continue to live in social housing free of charge.
What if someone doesn't have a family doctor?
In that case, it's necessary to find a doctor in the Czech Republic since a doctor's certificate from Ukraine isn't sufficient.
When applying for assistance, the following information should be included:
- Children under 18: No additional information needs to be provided in the application as the system will identify them automatically.
- Students aged 19 to 26 in the Czech Republic (not applicable to those studying in Ukraine): Attach a confirmation of study or a decision on enrollment in a secondary school/university.
- Persons caring for a child under 6: Indicate in the application that you are caring for a child under 6 years old and provide the child's details.
- Pregnant women: Submit a pregnancy certificate or a doctor's confirmation.
- Persons over 65: No additional information needs to be provided in the application as the system will identify them automatically.
- Persons with disabilities: If you have a document from Ukraine, upload it to the application. If not, apply for a health assessment at the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ).
- Persons caring for people with disabilities: In the application, indicate that you are caring for a person with a disability and enter their details.
If you need more information about registration process, contact us through our social media channels or call our free Refugee Info Czechia call-center.