Health insurance for minors with long-term residence permits in the Czech Republic (compulsory participation in the public health insurance system from 1st January 2024)
On the basis of the amendment to the Act No. 326/1999 Coll. on the Residence of Foreigners and other related acts, with effect from 1st January 2024, persons under the age of 18 who have a valid permit for a long-term residence in the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to as a "child") will be obliged to participate in the public health insurance system.
The registration of a minor for insurance and other related notification obligations shall be performed on behalf of the child by his/her legal representative, guardian or custodian (hereinafter referred to as the "child's representative").
How can I register my child with the ZP MV ČR?
If you are the child's representative (only one of the representatives submits the application, i.e. in the case of parents either only the mother or only the father), you can apply for the child's ZP MV CR insurance in the following ways:
- use our online ZP MV CR registration form "I am not insured in the Czech Republic" and within the Application Form - indicate the option "I am not covered by health insurance in the Czech Republic" as the reason for insurance in the Czech Republic;
- visit our nearest client centre, a list of more than 90 client centres across the Czech Republic can be found here;
- send an insurance enquiry to our email address.
When should I register my child with the ZP MV ČR?
After the effective date of the amendment, the 1st January 2024, you, as a child's representative, may encounter two situations that will determine the decisive date when you can register your child with the ZP MV ČR, namely:
- if the child was a permitted long-term resident of the Czech Republic prior to 1 January 2024, register the child for public health insurance on the day after the date of termination of private (commercial) health insurance (which might be any time during 2024); please notify the ZP MV ČR of this fact as soon as possible so that we can make all necessary arrangements;
- if the child will be granted a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic after 1 January 2024, please register the child with the ZP MV ČR on the date the long-term residence permit becomes effective; please notify the ZP MV ČR as soon as possible to ensure that we have everything we need.
Which documents do I have to provide to the ZP MV ČR and what other obligations do I have on behalf of the child?
Please provide the following documents/attachments as part of the application for the ZP MV ČR:
- the child's long-term residence permit;
- the child's birth certificate (or another document replacing the birth certificate);
- proof of identity of the legal representative, guardian or custodian;
- if you are registering the child after the end of private (commercial) health insurance, provide a document proving the end of this insurance.
The public health insurance starts (the child's compulsory participation in the public health insurance system) on the date of the legal validity of the long-term residence permit or the day after the date of termination of private (commercial) health insurance and ends on the expiry of the long-term residence permit in the territory of the Czech Republic or on the date of the child's attainment of the age of majority (age 18), if earlier.
The child's legal representative, guardian or custodian is the payer of the insurance premium for the child. The amount of the premium is set by law, i.e. the amount is the same for all children registered for public health insurance on the basis of long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic. The monthly premium is 13.5 % of the minimum wage for the calendar year.
