On 27 June, an amendment to the laws related to the armed conflict on the territory of Ukraine and the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine - collectively referred to in the media as "Lex Ukraine II" - was published in the Collection of Laws and comes into force.

The amendment responds to practical experience and the need to supplement the measures of the original law, which was approved in March 2022. It is an important tool for the Ministry of Interior in that it forbids the prolonging of the state of emergency. The amendment secures humanitarian provisions to refugees from Ukraine, regulates the procedure for granting temporary protection, and allows the government to regulate the submission of applications for residency permits by Russian and Belarusian citizens outside an emergency situation.

The most important changes include:

Procedure for granting temporary protection and status of holders

• Applicants for temporary protection who do not have housing arranged by the regional assistance centre will now have to prove that they have secured accommodation.
• A decision on temporary protection can be issued within 60 days from the date of application. Changes of residence in the Czech Republic must be reported to the Ministry of the Interior within 3 working days. 
• If the holder of temporary protection does not stay at their declared address for more than 15 days, their reported residence in the Ministry of Interior's information system may be cancelled.
• An application for temporary protection will not be accepted if an application for temporary or international protection has been made in another EU Member State or if one of these forms of protection has been granted. The amendment explicitly stipulates that temporary protection cannot be granted to citizens from EU countries - including refugees who have, for example, Hungarian citizenship in addition to Ukrainian citizenship.

Health insurance

• The state will cover health insurance for refugees, except for children and the elderly, for a maximum of 150 days. Thereafter, such a person must pay for health insurance themselves, be employed or be registered with the labour office as a jobseeker.
• Students between 18 and 26 years of age who are studying at secondary and higher education institutions in Ukraine are considered dependent children for the purposes of health insurance. Therefore, they do not have to pay insurance premiums.

Humanitarian support

• Refugees receive a humanitarian allowance of CZK 5 000 for the purchase of basic necessities to start life in the Czech Republic, for the month in which they obtained a protection visa. They can receive it for another five months if they prove they need the benefit.
• People who have been provided with free accommodation, food and basic hygiene products will not receive the humanitarian allowance.

Visas for citizens of Russia and Belarus

• Citizens of Russia and Belarus will not be able to apply for Czech residence permits at Czech embassies - previously submitted applications will be rejected. The government will make exceptions to this for persons whose stay will be in the interest of the Czech Republic, for family members of Czech and EU citizens or for those already residing in the Czech Republic.

Sources: Sbírka zákonů (2022); Právní prostor (2022).