COVID-19: What You Should Know before You Come

Conditions of entry into the Czech Republic

When planning a visit to the Czech Republic, it is important where you come from. The individual countries are divided by colour according to the degree of risk of infection ("traffic lights" system). If you are traveling from a country that is not part of the European Union, then contact your embassy in the Czech Republic and check whether you are authorized to enter the country. Since November 22nd, Germany, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Andorra will now be in the dark red category. Romania, the Canary Islands and Madeira will be moved to the red category. The orange category will expand to include Spain.
 
The Vatican City State belongs to the category of countries with a low risk of infection (green category). From non-European countries or parts thereof, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Hong Kong, Jordan, Colombia, Korea, Canada, Qatar, Kuwait, Macao, Namibia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Peru, United Arab Emirates, Rwanda, Uruguay Eastern Republic or Taiwan.
 
Another category is countries with a medium risk of infection (orange category). This category of countries includes Spain, Malta, France, Italy, Monaco and Portugal, incl. Azores.

When returning from the countries of the green, orange, red and dark red categories, it is necessary to fill in the arrival form. Before entering the territory of the Czech Republic or no later than 5 days after entry, it is mandatory to undergo an antigen or RT-PCR test.
 
The traffic light system also includes the category of countries with a high risk of infection (red category). Finland, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Madeira, Norway, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland and the Canary and Balearic Islands currently fall into this category. The same rules apply for returning from countries in the red category as for returning from the dark red category.
 
The countries with a very high risk of infection (dark red) include Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Austria, Greece, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sloveniaand other third countries outside the EU. Persons returning from the red and dark red categories must fill in the arrival form before returning to the Czech Republic and at the same time undergo an antigen or PCR test before returning if they use public transport to return. These persons are also obliged to undergo a PCR test upon their return to the Czech Republic, no earlier than the 5th day and no later than the 14th day after entering the territory of the Czech Republic. In the case of a trip to the Czech Republic by individual transport, it is not necessary to have a test before the start of the trip, but it is obligatory to undergo a PCR test no earlier than day 5 and no later than day 14 after entering the territory of the Czech Republic.

TESTING
From November 1, free testing for covid will end. Tests will be free only for:
- children and adolescents under 18,
- vaccinated persons,
- persons who have started vaccinations,
- persons who cannot be vaccinated due to contraindications.
Tests prescribed by a doctor or hygienist will also be reimbursed.
The validity of the negative PCR test is shortened to 3 days, the negative antigen test is valid for 24 hours.

Since November 22nd, an protective measure of the Ministry of Health comes into force, on the basis of which it will be possible to prove oneself in leisure activities only by vaccination or confirmation of past illness in the last 180 days. This will end the recognition of antigenic and, with some exceptions, PCR tests.
 
From 22 November, antigenic and PCR tests will no longer be part of the O-N-T System: Vaccination – Past Illness – Test and it will not be possible to prove them in places where the O-N-T System: Vaccination - Past Illness – Test is required, such as restaurants, accommodation facilities, service establishments (hairdressers, cosmetics, etc.), indoor sports grounds, swimming pools, various mass events.
 
The exception applies to children under the age of 12, who, as before, will not have to prove themselves at all. The tests will continue to be available to young people aged 12 to 18 or people who cannot be vaccinated due to health reasons. However, the doctor must enter the reason for the contraindication of vaccination in the Information System of Infectious Diseases (ISIN). Furthermore, it will be possible to prove the test, for example, when entering spa care, accommodation in university dormitories or in elections to the administrative bodies of legal entities. PCR tests and antigen tests, but exclusively collected by healthcare professionals, will also be recognized for visits to hospitals or social services facilities, including the presence of the father at birth.
 
From October 27, 2021, an updated protective measure came into force, which regulates the entry of persons into the Czech Republic. For example, the conditions for the entry of children in the age group 0–12 have been relaxed, for which no epidemiological rules are already laid down. Newly, after arrivals from countries with a high and very high risk, the obligation of self-isolation is abolished in the period after entering the Czech Republic until the test result is received (unless an exception from the testing obligation is applied). During this time, however, the persons concerned are obliged to use the FFP2 respirator or its equivalent.

From Monday 23 August 2021, vaccination to third-country nationals who have completed vaccination from a non-EU country with a substance approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or an equivalent vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use is also recognized. These persons must also have a verifiable certificate issued, which is published in the list of certificates on the website of the Ministry of Health. It can also be a vaccination from countries for which an implementing act has been concluded and they issue a certificate according to the EU covid regulation. Complete conditions for returning to the Czech Republic from abroad during the covid-19 pandemic can be found here.

As of 9 July 2021 the Ministry of Health updated the Protective Measure regarding the conditions of entry into the Czech Republic. The condition for travels from countries with a low and a medium risk and countries with a high and a very high risk are unified.

Persons travelling from the country with a low and medium risk are obliged to fill in the arrival form (the exception have children under the age of 6) and undergo an antigen or PCR test before or within 5 days after arrival. Travellers from the countries with a high and a very high risk are obliged to fill in the arrival form (the exception have children under the age of 6), have to submit negative PCR test before arrival (when travelling by public transport) and undergo a RT-PCR test 5th day after the arrival at the earliest.

The exception from testing

(but not filling in the arrival form) is applied to:

• Persons who had COVID-19 in the last 180 days (it is necessary to have a written medical certificate from EU+ country where the isolation was completed or a digital EU certificate on it).
• Persons fully vaccinated in the EU+ countries after at least 14 days from the application of the last dose (it is necessary to have a national certificate or a digital EU certificate).
• Czech citizens and EU+ citizens fully vaccinated in a third country with the EMA approved vaccination after at least 14 days from the application of the last dose (it is necessary to have a certificate whose sample is published on the Ministry of Health´s website).

Rules for testing:

Testing before arrival to the Czech Republic:
1) PCR not longer than 48 hours before starting the travel
2) antigen not longer than 24 hours

Testing after arrival to the Czech Republic - within 5 days after arrival from countries with low and medium risk and 5th day after the arrival from a country with high or very high risk at the earliest. During thist time, however, the persons concerned are obliged to use the FFP2 respiraor or its equivalent.

From 1^st July, the EU Digital COVID certificate for vaccination, testing or covering from COVID-19 will be used exclusively when traveling within the EU. Fully vaccinated citizens of the Czech Republic will have their rules relaxed when traveling throughout the EU.

Detailed information can be found here.

List of low, medium and high risk countries can be found HERE - PDF

For Czech citizens there is an application čTečka (E-reader), where they can save their vaccination certificate, tests or certificate of covering from COVID-19.

 

• A common list of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, including those of which their test results are mutually recognised, and a common standardised set of data to be included in COVID-19 test result certificates.
• National Certificates Types
• Step-by-step guide on quarantine measures

In case you need to contact an embassy or a consulate of your country while in the Czech Republic, please see the List of Foreign Missions to the Czech Repulic.