Special long-term residence in 2026: registration, documents and life after collecting your card

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Do you hold Czech temporary protection and have access to special long-term residence (ZDP) registration in your account on the Information Portal for Foreigners (IPC)? Entering your details is only part of the process. Registration is complete once you book a Ministry of the Interior appointment. Biometrics and collection of your residence card come afterwards.

Information checked on 6 November 2026.

Who can proceed now?

Registration runs from 1 October to 31 December 2026. It is for people who expressed interest on time and meet the assessed conditions. The expression-of-interest period ended on 30 April 2026. The December deadline does not reopen that earlier stage.

The assessment covers residence history, income for 2025, health insurance and other statutory requirements. A household assessment includes more than the working parent. Read the results for every jointly assessed person and the instructions attached to each condition.

From your IPC account to the appointment

Sign in to IPC using electronic identification and open the ZDP section.
Check your personal details and complete registration, including the appointment booking. The person who created the joint household registers its members.
Choose a date all jointly registered people can attend, including children. The original appointment can only be changed or replaced once. The procedure depends on whether it is still valid or has already been missed.

Prepare valid travel documents, original documents proving family relationships and any certificates requested in your account, such as evidence of school attendance. Check the full IPC checklist before you travel. The card fee is CZK 2,500, or CZK 1,000 for a child under 15, payable by payment card at the Ministry office.

When does the new residence status start?

You acquire ZDP when you collect the residence card, rather than when you register or provide biometrics. You must keep valid temporary protection continuously until then. Also check your registered address and passport validity. The Ministry checks some conditions again before issuing the card.

The permit is issued for five years. Show your new residence document to your employer after collection so their records can be updated. ZDP gives free access to the Czech labour market; the change to this status does not itself require an employee card.

Clarify health insurance before collecting the card

Insurance rules change with ZDP. Adult employees generally participate in public health insurance through employment. IPC explains that adult self-employed people and adults who do not work need comprehensive health insurance. Any separate statutory basis for public insurance needs to be assessed individually.

For children under 18 with ZDP, public health insurance contributions are paid by their legal representative. Do not assume the temporary protection arrangements continue. Describe each family member's circumstances to the insurer and check continuity of cover and payment arrangements.

What if registration is unavailable?

If a condition is marked red and you believe the underlying records are wrong, follow IPC's instructions for contacting the authority responsible for those data. Correcting an inaccurate record differs from meeting a condition after its historical assessment period.

Failure to obtain ZDP does not by itself end valid temporary protection. Check its own expiry and renewal requirements. The Ministry has announced renewal to 31 March 2028 through online registration and an in-person visit; the announcement alone does not extend your document. Read our separate guide: No ZDP in 2026: what happens to temporary protection?

A practical step when looking for work

Have your current residence document ready when discussing a new job. Before signing, ask about pay, shifts and the workplace. Whether a particular job creates public insurance coverage also matters. Browse current Jobscentr vacancies and compare the terms.