The Czech Republic has begun to deny some Ukrainians temporary protection: who are the new rules affecting?

The Czech Republic has recorded the first cases of refusals to provide temporary protection to Ukrainian citizens subject to military service. The reason was the lack of confirmation of military service or legal grounds for exemption from it.

The new requirements are effective from August 5, 2026 and primarily concern Ukrainians who only apply for temporary protection. The Czech publication Novinky.cz reports on the first cases of application of the new rules with reference to the Czech Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Who can be denied temporary protection

The new requirements apply primarily to citizens of Ukraine who are subject to military service and:

apply for temporary protection in the Czech Republic for the first time;

apply again after termination of the previous status;

apply for protection for family cohabitation.

Such applicants need to confirm the fulfillment of military service to Ukraine or the presence of legal grounds for exemption from it.

What documents will be checked

To confirm the necessary information, the Czech authorities will check Ukrainian military registration documents.

The Czech Ministry of Internal Affairs notes that preference will be given to documents containing relevant information about the performance of military service. A Ukrainian electronic military registration document can also be used to confirm the data.

If the applicant cannot confirm the fulfillment of the relevant requirements or a legal basis for exemption from military service, he may be denied temporary protection.

Will Ukrainians already in the Czech Republic lose their status

It is important that the innovation does not mean an automatic loss of temporary protection for Ukrainians who already have it.

According to the data provided, when extending the current status, it is not necessary to confirm the performance of military service.

Thus, the changes apply primarily to new applications, and not to almost 400 thousand Ukrainians already in the Czech Republic under temporary protection.

Temporary protection extended until 2028

The new requirements are associated with changes at the European Union level. At the same time, the temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainians has been extended until March 2028.

The Czech Republic was among the countries that advocated tightening the rules for new applicants. The Czech authorities explained this position, in particular, by the need to reduce the number of new arrivals and reduce the burden on the country’s social and medical systems.

Currently, according to official data, almost 400 thousand Ukrainian citizens with temporary protection live in the Czech Republic.

At the same time, Ukrainians who are only planning to apply for temporary protection in the Czech Republic should check the current requirements in advance and prepare the necessary military registration documents.