VZP, Maxima, Slavia, Uniqa Health Insurance
for 3rd-Country Nationals in Czech Republic
Different types of health insurance depending on profession
There are differences in health insurance depending on profession, see below table:| minimum required type of insurance | 3rd-Country Nationals on FIRST visa (Visa-free entry, short-term C-Visa, 1st long-term D-Visa) |
|---|---|
| Visa-free entry, tourist visa, C-Visa, application for D-Visa |
emergency health insurance |
| Trade License | emergency health insurance |
| Employee | public health insurance as EU-Citizen, monthly payments by employer and employee |
| Director of sro, unemployed, otherwise not working |
emergency health insurance | children, non-working spouse (unless married to EU) |
emergency health insurance (or insured through EU spouse) |
| minimum required type of insurance | 3rd-Country Nationals on extended visa / residence permit (usually long-term D-Visa after 1 year) |
|---|---|
| extending a Visa ** | 'Complex Care' health insurance |
| Trade License ** | 'Complex Care' health insurance |
| Employee | public health insurance as EU-Citizen, monthly payments by employer and employee |
| Director of sro ***, unemployed, otherwise not working ** |
'Complex Care' health insurance | children, non-working spouse (unless married to EU) |
'Complex Care' health insurance (or insured through EU spouse) |
In all cases (except for employees and some bi-lateral health agreements) the costs of the health insurance do not depend on the income, but on age, gender and risk-category.
** Trade License owners from Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Japan do NOT pay 'Complex Care' health insurance, but monthly public health insurance like EU-Citizens.
*** Directors are ALSO required to pay public health contributions from the director's renumeration (the obligated 'salary')
Change in health insurance requirements for Visa purposes for 3rd-Country Nationals from 1.1.2011
From 1.1.2011 the legislation for visas and foreigner's stay in Czech Republic has become much more strict, and also the ministry of interior is taking over this task from the Foreign Police. We will soon publish a document with the most important changes, because there are many changes in effect.Before 1.1.2011 an emergency insurance of 5.000 CZK / year was enough for any and all visa purposes Unfortunately since 1.1.2011 one of the consequences is that for a long-term visa / residence permit extension a so-called 'Complex Care' medical insurance is required, which of course, costs considerably more then the emergency insurance (except for employment visas and residence permits).
For a tourist Visa, a C-Visa or the first application of a D-Visa the 5.000 CZK emergency insurance is still accepted at the embassies.
BUT for a visa-extension costs for 'Complex Care' health insurance range from 1.000 CZK till 20.000 CZK per MONTH depending on age, gender and risk-category.
Since proof of health insurance for the entire duration of the visa needs to be provided, it means that for a one-year visa extension this insurance fee of 10.000s of CZK needs to be paid at once in advance (!). A visa-renewal for a family may therefore cost 100.000 CZK in health insurance alone (!).
No change in health insurance requirements for EU-Citizens from 1.1.2011
Although for 3rd-Country Nationals the rules have become much more strict from 1.1.2011, for EU citizens nothing has changed concerning health insurance requirements (they were already required to pay 10.000s of CZK per year in health charges, albeit in monthly parts, not all at once).Health Insurance for 3rd-Country Nationals applying for a visa
Currently, the embassies still accept the 5.000 CZK emergency insurance for a visa-free entry, tourist Visa, a short-term C-Visa or the first application of a long-term D-Visa, but we fear that soon even for the first D-Visa the 'Complex Care' health insurance will be required. It is not to be expected that for a visa-free entry such a requirement will be issued, although it is Czech Republic (and you can expect about anything)Health Insurance for 3rd-Country Nationals extending a visa
For any visa extension with purpose of stay business, family, non-specified purpose (but not for work visas) a 3rd-Country National is required to have a 'Complex Care' health insurance.Health Insurance for Citizens from Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Japan
Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Japan have a bi-lateral agreement with Czech Republic concerning health insurance, and therefore those citizens pay monthly health charges if they are on a trade license, just like EU Citizens, instead of the 'Complex Care' health insurance.Health Insurance for 3rd-Country Nationals with a residence permit
Holders of a permanent residence permit are treated as EU-Citizens and should pay accordingly the monthly social- and health contributions to the public health insurance.Holders of temporary residence permit (based on mariage to an EU-Citizen) pay in the first year the emergency health insurance, and after that the 'Complex Care' health insurance. Although enjoying the same rights as EU-Citizens, for health insurance companies they remain 3rd-Country Nationals for insurance purposes.
Health Insurance for 3rd-Country Nationals that are trade license owners
3rd-Country Nationals that are trade license owners will be able to use the emergency insurance during the first visa, but after extension of the visa must have the 'Complex Care' health insurance, unless the country of origin has a bi-lateral health agreement with Czech Repoublic OR the person has been employee in an EU country before (in both cases, monthly health charges in to the public health care system need to be paid, but the 'complex care' insurance can be avoided)When we register your trade license we will also take care of registrations at the czech social- and health insurance.
Health Insurance for 3rd-Country Nationals that are employees
3rd-Country Nationals that are employees will automatically make monthly contributions to the czech public social- and health system (as EU-Citizens) and are not subject to the emergency insurance or 'Complex Care' health insurance requirement.The height of those monthly charges is dependent on the earned income, but the minimum health charges are 1.080 CZK / month. Also the employer pays social- and health charges for the employee. Both employer's and employee's social- and health charges (as well as income tax) are deducted at source, which means that no further charges need to be paid from the net salary that the employee receives on his bank account.
When we register you as employee we will also take care of registrations at the czech social- and health insurance.
Already having some kind of (commercial) health insurance does not mean that the monthly health contributions do not have to be paid. Commercial insurance and state contributions are two different things.
Health Insurance for 3rd-Country Nationals that are not (self) employed - for example directors
In case an 3rd-Country Nationals is not working (unemployed, only taking out dividends as director or otherwise not employed) the situation is the same as for the trade license: for the first stay / visa the emergency health insurance is still acceptable, but for an extended stay or visa extension the 'Complex Care' health insurance becomes obligatory.(Free) insurance for children and spouse of working EU-Citizen
In certain cases it is possible to insure children and spouse on the insurance of the working spouse. There are however a number of conditions:- the working spouse is an EU-Citizen,
- has a job as employee or has a trade license,
- children do not go longer than 4 hours per day to kindergarden,
- children do not go to after-school daycare.
Should the above not apply, then it is possible to take a separate health insurance for children.
In case the second spouse is unemployed, then she / he can also receive insurance like the children. Are the above conditions not met, then the second spouse is obligated to have the 'Complex Care' health insurance is required in case he/she is a 3rd-Country National.
Final remarks:
Why a couple of months extra insurance is a good idea:Visa application / extension processing can take very long, time is lost and the visa (extension) will be cut short to the last day of insurance. Some extra months of insurance prevent this.
For 3rd-Country Nationals who have been employee in the EU or have a permanent residence permit the situation is more complex. Formerly employed in the EU and on a trade license now or holders of a permanent residence permit should be in the public health system, instead of using 'comnplex care' health insurance.
Please write us an email about your situation, so that we can prepare all the paperwork involved with an insurance for you (and your family).
Alexio offer of health insurance by VZP, Maxima, Uniqa and Slavia for EU-Citizens
Alexio offers health insurance at VZP, Maxima, Slavia and Uniqa.On below links you will find pricelists for VZP, Maxima, Slavia and Uniqua
emergency health insurance pricelist
'Complex Care' health insurance pricelist
How to purchase health insurance from Alexio:
Please give us a call at 739 45 96 53 -or better- contact us on this email address: insurance@alexio.czto book a visit to our office on Václavské Námestí / metro exit Můstek.
We will explain what you need for a visa / residence permit, select the right kind of health insurance and help you with the paperwork.
It is also possible to do everything by email, in that case you will receive the insurance papers by mail within a couple of days after payment.