The Ministry of Health has updated the list of countries according to the degree of coronavirus risk, effective from today, August 23rd. Bulgaria, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Spain, and Switzerland are now in the red category. The orange category is expanded to include Croatia, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, and Germany. Several countries have been removed from the black category of “extreme risk” countries. Photo Credit: Mzcr.cz.
Czech Rep., Aug 23 (BD) – Based on data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Czech Ministry of Health has updated its list of countries according to the degree of coronavirus risk, effective from today, August 23rd. The entry regulations are unified for green and orange groups of countries, and for red and dark red groups.
To enter and stay in the Czech Republic, travellers from all groups of countries, including green countries, are required to present a test and fill in the Passenger Locator Form.
Third-country nationals who do not have Czech residence or a long-term residence permit issued by another EU country are not allowed to enter Czech territory. Exemptions are listed on the Ministry of Health website.
Exemptions apply for citizens and residents of the Czech Republic. When using private individual transport, they are exempt from the requirement to undergo a test before arrival and can choose to take an antigen test instead of PCR when travelling from countries with a very high or extreme risk.
Certain groups are exempt from the obligation to undergo a test or quarantine after arrival, regardless of the country they are travelling from. This includes those who have had Covid-19 in the last 180 days, those fully vaccinated in EU+ countries, and Czech or EU+ citizens vaccinated in a third country with vaccinations approved by EMA. Travellers in these groups must have a written or digital medical certificate with the necessary information in English.
Green
Low-risk countries currently include Albania, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Hungary, Japan, Jordan, Macao, New Zealand, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Vatican City. Travellers from these countries are required to fill in a Public Health Passenger Locator Form before entry and undergo an antigen or PCR test before or no later than 5 days after entry.
Orange
Medium-risk countries include Austria, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, and the Portuguese island region of Madeira. Currently, the orange group of countries is subject to the same entry restrictions as the green group.
Red
Countries considered ‘high risk’ for the transmission of coronavirus include Andorra, Bulgaria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Canary Islands, and the Azores.
Those travelling from red countries must complete the electronic Public Health Passenger Locator Form and present either an antigen test taken no more than 48 hours before the start of the trip or a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before entry to the Czech Republic. They are also required to undergo a test after arrival in the Czech Republic, no earlier than the 5th day and no later than the 14th day after arrival, and self-isolate while waiting for the result.
When travelling by private individual transport, passengers are not required to take a test before the start of the trip but must submit a test no earlier than the 5th day and no later than the 14th day after arrival, and self-isolate while waiting for the result of the test.
Dark Red
All other EU member states and non-EU countries not mentioned above are considered high-risk areas and are subject to the same entry restrictions as red countries.
As of Saturday, July 31st, the conditions for the return of children aged 6 to 12 from countries with a high and very high risk of infection (red and dark red countries) have been changed. Upon arrival, these children only need to complete a PCR test within 5 days. If the result is negative, they do not have to undergo self-isolation. They are also not required to take a test before arrival in the Czech Republic when travelling by public transport.
Third-country nationals who have been fully vaccinated in a non-EU country with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency, or an equivalent vaccine approved by the World Health Organization for emergency use, will now also be recognised, with verifiable certification. This could also be a vaccination from countries which have concluded an implementing act to issue certificates according to EU covid regulations.
Extreme Risk
“Extreme risk” countries include Brazil, Colombia, Mozambique, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, and Tanzania (including Zanzibar and Pemba).
Travel to the Czech Republic from these countries is allowed only for Czech citizens and residents, foreigners with long-term residence, and accredited members of diplomatic missions. They have to undergo a PCR test before arrival and another two once they are in the Czech Republic, the first within 24 hours and the second on the 10th day at the earliest. While waiting for the test results, they are required to self-isolate.
