From January 1, 2024, all foreigners under 18 years of age who have a valid long-term residence permit, will automatically become participants in the Public Health Insurance System. This applies to all types of long-term residence, regardless of the purpose of the stay.
From January 1, 2024, all foreigners under 18 years of age who have a valid long-term residence permit, will automatically become participants in the Public Health Insurance System. This applies to all types of long-term residence, regardless of the purpose of the stay.
This change does not apply to foreigners under 18 years of age, who:
- are granted a long-term visa, or
- are granted a temporary residence permit as an EU citizen‘s family member.
Participation in the Public Health Insurance System is mandatory by law. You do not have the option of choosing private health insurance.
However, anyone can choose the Health Insurance Company which s/he wishes to be insured with. For an overview of Health Insurance Companies, see the table below. Exceptions are children born in the Czech Republic.
Who covers the expenses connected with the Public Health Insurance of persons under 18 years of age?
The expenses are always covered by the minor‘s legal representative, trustee or guardian.
From when do persons under 18 years of age become participants in the Public Health Insurance System?
The participation in the Public Health Insurance System commences automatically from the day, when the person takes over his or her first long-term residence card. That is a biometric ID data card (the specimen of this ID card is available at this link).
Until when is person participant in the Public Health Insurance System?
The person is participant in the Public Health Insurance System until the age of 18 or until the expiration of his/her long-term residence permit.
After reaching the age of 18 it is obligatory to register for Comprehensive Private Health Insurance.
What to do if by January 1, 2024 a person under 18 years of age has already been living in the Czech Republic on the basis of a valid long-term residence permit or under so called Fiction of Residence.
a) The person has a non-valid, or has not concluded a private comprehensive medical insurance of a foreign national by January 1, 2024.
Within a maximum of 8 calendar days, it is necessary to contact a Public Health Insurance Company in the Czech Republic and sign up to / enter the Public Health Insurance System. If the person under 18 years of age has not been registered by that time-limit with a Public Health Insurance Company and his/her premium has not been paid, an increasing debt arises to his/her legal representative.
b) The person under 18 years of age still has a valid private health insurance by January 1, 2024.
In such a case, the person becomes a participant in the Public Health Insurance System on the day after the termination day of his/her private comprehensive health insurance as a foreign national.
At least 8 calendar days before the date of expiry of the person‘s private health insurance, it is necessary to contact a Public Health Insurance Company in the Czech Republic. If the person under 18 years of age has not been registered by that time-limit with a Public Health Insurance Company and his/her premium has not been paid, an increasing debt arises to his/her legal representative.
Situation after the Birth of a Child in the Czech Republic
Child Born to a Mother, Who Has Been Issued with a Long-term Residence Permit
From January 1, 2024, such a child remains a participant in the Public Health Insurance System for the entire period during of the pending application for a long-term residence permit.
However, an Application for a Residence Permit must be filed within 60 days from the birth of the child.
The child’s legal representative, trustee or guardian is obliged to pay the premium. S/he is also obliged to fulfill the duty of registering the child with a Health Insurance Company of his/her own choice, within 8 calendar days of the birth of the child (for more information, see the above table).
Notification: If you are granted a long-term residence permit and your child is born, for example, in September 2023, your child will automatically become a participant in the Public Health Insurance System until the end of the calendar month, in which the child attains 60 days. However, this insurance will not be effective until December 31, 2023. Therefore, you are obliged to sign the child up to the Private Comprehensive Health Insurance for Foreigners under the rules of the insurance company. The child will become a Public Health Insurance participant again after the expiration of the Private Comprehensive Health Insurance for Foreigners. For further steps, see the instructions above.
At Least One of the Parents of the Child Born in the Czech Republic Has a Valid Permanent Residence Permit in the Czech Republic
The child is covered by Public Health Insurance until the end of the month in which s/he reaches 60 days of age.
The child remains a Public Health Insurance participant for the entire period during which proceedings on the application for a long-term residence permit are running.
However, an Application for a Residence Permit must be filed within 60 days of the birth of the child.
The child’s legal representative, trustee or guardian is also obliged to register the child with a Health Insurance Company of his/her choice, within 8 calendar days of the birth of the child (for more information, see the above table).