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OVERVIEW: New travel rules valid from 19 April 2021

Due to the unfavourable development of the pandemic and concerns about the spread of new coronavirus mutations, new rules for travel to the Czech Republic and for the return of Czech nationals will come into force on Monday, 19 April 2021.
What categories have foreign countries newly been divided into based on the risk of infection?

 

The new protective measure of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic distinguishes between five categories of countries:

  • low-risk countries (green)
  • medium-risk countries (orange)
  • high-risk countries (red)
  • very-high-risk countries (dark red)
  • extreme-risk countries (black)

The so-called traffic light system for travel has fixed criteria and is therefore automatic and predictable. The Czech Republic is proceeding in accordance with EU recommendations. At the same time, the division of countries into individual categories will continue to be regularly updated.

What are the conditions for returning to the Czech Republic from individual categories of countries?

  • LOW RISK (green): Travellers can come to the Czech Republic from these countries without any restrictions.
  • MEDIUM RISK (orange): Before traveling to the Czech Republic, foreigners traveling from these countries must fill in an arrival form and undergo an antigen or PCR test, administered no more than 24 hours (antigen) or 72 hours (PCR) before the beginning of the trip and have a written confirmation of the result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival. / Czech citizens, their family members, EU citizens with a certificate of temporary residence and foreigners with a permanent residence permit must fill in an arrival form before entering the Czech Republic and, if arriving by public transport, undergo an antigen or PCR test, administered no more than 24 hours (antigen) or 72 hours (PCR) before the beginning of the trip and have a written confirmation of the result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival. / Czech citizens, their family members, EU citizens with a certificate of temporary residence and foreigners with a permanent residence permit entering the Czech Republic by private transport must undergo an antigen or PCR test no later than 5 days after arrival. Before entering the Czech Republic, they must fill in an arrival form. Self-isolation is required until confirmation of a negative test result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival.
  • HIGH RISK (red): Before traveling to the Czech Republic, foreigners traveling from these countries must fill in an arrival form and undergo an antigen or PCR test, administered no more than 24 hours (antigen) or 72 hours (PCR) before the beginning of the trip and have a written confirmation of the result. Subsequently, they must undergo a second PCR test (antigen is not sufficient) administered in the Czech Republic, no later than 5 days after arrival. Self-isolation is required until confirmation of a negative test result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival. / Czech citizens, their family members, EU citizens with a certificate of temporary residence and foreigners with a permanent residence permit must fill in an arrival form before entering the Czech Republic and, if arriving by public transport, undergo an antigen or PCR test, administered no more than 24 hours (antigen) or 72 hours (PCR) before the beginning of the trip and have a written confirmation of the result. Subsequently, they must undergo a second PCR test (antigen is not sufficient) administered in the Czech Republic, no later than 5 days after arrival. Self-isolation is required until confirmation of a negative test result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival. / Czech citizens, their family members, EU citizens with a certificate of temporary residence and foreigners with a permanent residence permit entering the Czech Republic by private transport must undergo a PCR test (antigen is not sufficient) administered in the Czech Republic, no later than 5 days after arrival. Before entering the Czech Republic, they must fill in an arrival form. Self-isolation is required until confirmation of a negative test result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival.
  • VERY HIGH RISK (dark red): Before traveling to the Czech Republic, foreigners traveling from these countries must fill in an arrival form and undergo a PCR test (antigen is not sufficient), administered no more than 72 hours before the beginning of the trip and have a written confirmation of the result. Subsequently, they must submit a second PCR test (antigen is not sufficient) administered in the Czech Republic, which can be administered no earlier than the 5th day and no later than the 14th day after entry. Self-isolation is required until confirmation of a negative test result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival. / Czech citizens, their family members, EU citizens with a certificate of temporary residence and foreigners with a permanent residence permit must fill in an arrival form before entering the Czech Republic and undergo an antigen or PCR test, administered no more than 24 hours (antigen) or 72 hours (PCR) before the beginning of the trip and have a written confirmation of the result. Subsequently, they must submit a second PCR test (antigen is not sufficient) administered in the Czech Republic, which can be administered no earlier than the 5th day and no later than the 14th day after entry. Self-isolation is required until confirmation of a negative test result. It is also mandatory to wear an FFP2 (KN95, N95, P2, DS) respirator everywhere outside the home for 14 days after arrival.
  • EXTREME RISK (black): All citizens of the Czech Republic and foreigners residing in the Czech Republic are prohibited from entering countries with an extreme risk of contracting COVID-19 caused by new mutations of the virus. This does not apply to citizens of these countries and to journeys which, due to their nature, cannot be postponed and which have been notified in advance to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Those who violate the prohibition risk being fined under the Public Health Protection Act.

Notes:

The testing period is calculated from the time the test was taken to the start of the journey. For example, confirmation of a negative PCR test must not be older than 72 hours before departure from the destination.

Foreigners can come to the Czech Republic only on the grounds of essential reasons, not for tourism or visiting friends. The new protective measure is valid until further notice.

Czech citizens, their family members, EU citizens with a certificate of temporary residence and foreigners with a permanent residence permit, whose test showed the presence of coronavirus less than 14 days before the planned entry into the Czech Republic, must travel to and then within the Czech Republic by private transport, if possible. In case of travel by public transport, the carrier must be informed about a possible persistent COVID-19 infection prior to the start of the journey and, regardless of the mode of transport, the traveller must inform the healthcare professionals who administer the coronavirus test and the locally competent regional hygiene station after entering the Czech Republic. Travellers are also obliged to observe the rules of isolation after entering the Czech Republic, for a period of 3 days after symptoms have dissipated, but for at least 14 days from the first positive coronavirus test, unless the regional hygiene station decides otherwise.

Which countries are in which categories?

  • LOW RISK (green): Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Vatican, Iceland.
  • MEDIUM RISK (orange): Finland, Ireland, Malta, Denmark, Portugal, Azores (Portugal), the Balearic Islands (Spain).
  • HIGH RISK (red): Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Austria, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Madeira (Portugal).
  • VERY HIGH RISK (dark red): Dark red countries include all countries not listed in the previous categories.
  • EXTREME RISK (black): Botswana, Brazil, Eswatini (Swaziland), Colombia, South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Peru, Tanzania (including Zanzibar and Pemba), Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In which category are countries that are not members of the EU or the Schengen area?

Countries that are not members of the EU or the Schengen area and are not explicitly listed in another category (Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand) are classified as "dark red".

In which category are the Portuguese and Spanish islands?

Island areas – the Azores (Portugal), Madeira (Portugal) and the Canary Islands (Spain) – are assesed separately based on epidemiological data from the region. You can find current classification above.

Are there any exceptions to the new travel rules?

Exceptions continue to apply to commuters, international transport, and transit through the Czech Republic. Necessary trips abroad without subsequent testing obligations will now be allowed only if they do not exceed 12 hours. You can find all the exceptions in the protective measure of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic.

Do these travel rules also apply to people travelling with tour operators?

Yes, the new travel rules also apply to people travelling with tour operators from 5 February 2021. In this respect, the rules are the same for both individual travellers and those travelling with tour operators.

What conditions apply to trips to foreign countries?

Each country has its own travel rules, just like the Czech Republic. The Czech traffic light system has no bearing on them – it only determines the conditions for travel to the Czech Republic. Information on the conditions for travelling to individual countries can be found in the Signpost (for European countries also in the Traveller's Map).

Who can I contact if I haven't found the answer to my questions here?

If you have specific questions, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs information centre for travel abroad at +420 222 264 222. The staff are ready to answer questions from the public on weekdays from 8:00 – 16:00. If you or a loved one is in an emergency abroad, contact the emergency line of the relevant embassy, which is open 24 hours a day.