New rules for medical travel insurance in the Czech Republic

These are the following changes:

1) extension of insurance coverage from the scope of necessary and urgent health care to the scope of comprehensive health care,

2) exclusively Pojišťovna VZP a.s. will be entitled to arrange travel health insurance in the scope of comprehensive health care for a period of five years (starting from 2 August 2021 to 2 August 2026),

3) this obligation does not apply to those foreigners who either participate at the Czech public medical insurance system or get the costs of their healthcare paid under an international agreement,or who hold valid EHIC and GHIC cards as well as to EU citizens and their closest relatives

If a foreigner has applied for a long-term visa or residence permit before 1 August 2021 inclusive, he may enter the territory of the Czech Republic with travel health insurance to the scope of necessary and urgent health care valid for the entire stay and agreed with an insurance company other than VZP a.s. (applicant submits this insurance contract to the Embassy before the visa is issued), however, applicant is obliged to arrange travel health insurance within the scope of of comprehensive health care with Pojišťovna VZP a.s . no later than 90 days from the date of entering the Czech Republic.

If the foreigner submitted an application for a long-term visa or residence permit on August 2, 2021 or later, then before the visa is issued, he / she submits to the Embassy:

• a document proving medical travel insurance in the scope of necessary and urgent healthcare (provided by any insurance company entitled to provide a medical travel insurance policy in accordance with Section § 180j (2) of the Act No. 326/1999 Coll., on the Residence of Foreigners in the Czech Republic) for the initial 90 days of their stay, and for the remaining period of stay comprehensive medical insurance concluded only with Pojišťovna VZP a.s. or

• directly a document proving comprehensive medical travel insurance with Pojišťovna VZP a.s. for the entire period of stay. Contract proving the same type of insurance with a company other than Pojišťovna VZP a.s. may only be submitted if the visa applicant concluded a comprehensive medical insurance policy by signing a relevant contract on 1 August 2021 at latest.