Over 56,000 Ukrainians in the Czech Republic have expressed their desire to obtain a special permit for long-term ZDP residency, which allows them to legally stay in the country for several years and eventually apply for permanent residency. This is reported by Czechia Online citing data from the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
How many Ukrainians are applying for ZDP in the Czech Republic
According to the Czech Ministry of the Interior, about 56,500 people have shown interest in the special long-term residency program ZDP.
This concerns the program Zvláštní dlouhodobý pobyt, which allows Ukrainians to transition from temporary protection status to a more stable form of legal residency.
The granted status allows them to live in the Czech Republic for at least five years and opens up the prospect of obtaining permanent residency.
What conditions does the Czech Republic impose
Despite high interest, not all Ukrainians will be able to obtain the permit due to strict financial criteria.
The main requirements of the program are:
- Minimum annual income – 440,000 crowns gross;
- An additional 110,000 crowns for each family member.
Last year, around 82,000 Ukrainians showed interest in the program, but only about 16,000 were able to meet all the conditions.
The material also points out the political context. Despite the previous harsh rhetoric of the ANO party towards Ukrainian refugees, the current government continues the legalization program initiated by Petr Fiala's cabinet.
Meanwhile, the number of Ukrainians under temporary protection in the Czech Republic continues to grow. Currently, over 384,000 Ukrainian refugees officially reside in the country, compared to about 371,000 a year ago.
For many Ukrainians, the Czech Republic is gradually becoming a country for long-term residency and future planning.
It should be noted that the Czech Republic is preparing changes to the residency rules for Ukrainians under temporary protection. These changes involve tightening control over compliance with the residency rules and the possibility of transitioning to long-term residency.