March 2, 2022
News
The war raging in Ukraine and the flight of hundreds of thousands of people across the country's borders have sparked a huge wave of solidarity in the Czech Republic. Many people are contacting us with questions about how they can help or whether they need help for themselves or their friends and relatives in Ukraine. We have therefore prepared a list of answers to the 6 most frequent questions
1. I want to help people in Ukraine
The most effective form of help is sending a donation to our collection account 55660022/0800, variable symbol 104. You can also donate online or by using a QR code. We will use the proceeds of this collection directly to help people affected by the war in Ukraine to provide basic necessities of life such as food, water, shelter and psychosocial support.
2. I want to help people who come from Ukraine to the Czech Republic
The most effective form of help is sending a donation. A special collection has been set up to help Ukrainians coming to the Czech Republic as a result of the war. You can donate online.
The proceeds of the collection will help those who have fled the conflict in Ukraine to the Czech Republic to provide psychosocial support, information, accommodation and other basic needs.
Primary assistance to all the needy arrivals is currently being provided by the state, which has released huge capacities for assistance. When the newcomers are on their own feet, they will need our help, just like those who are now coming to their relatives and friends. The degree of solidarity among the people is overwhelming. Diocesan charities are collecting offers of help, and supply now far exceeds demand, for which we are very grateful! You can offer your help, for example, to the Diocesan Charity of Pilsen or the Diocesan Charity of Brno.
You can also offer your help on the Help Ukraine platform, see the next point for more information.
3. I want to offer material help or accommodation. What is needed and who can I contact?
There are many offers of material assistance or help with accommodation. The first emergency accommodation for those in need is primarily provided by the state and is intended for those who have no facilities upon arrival in the Czech Republic. Many newcomers go to stay with relatives and friends. The offer of assistance will therefore be needed especially in the long term. In order to link supply and demand effectively, a joint platform of NGOs Help Ukraine has been created where you can offer your help. We are mainly looking for long-term accommodation with normal rent.
4. I want to get involved as a volunteer
We are not currently looking for volunteers to help abroad. If you want to volunteer in the Czech Republic, please register on this platform. We especially need those who speak Ukrainian and/or Russian and are able to accompany incoming Ukrainians to the authorities or doctor's appointments, help with language lessons, help children with schoolwork, etc. We will also use the help of translators and interpreters from/into Ukrainian/Russian or those who can help newcomers find work.
The Ministry of Interior also has a database of volunteers.
5. Who can come to the Czech Republic and what documents do they need? What should a person who has arrived from Ukraine do?
In response to the ongoing conflict, citizens of Ukraine can come to the Czech Republic with a biometric or ordinary passport. If they do not have a passport, they can apply for one in the Czech Republic. The Ukrainian government has announced a general mobilization of all men aged 18-60 and the border guards are not allowing men of this age to cross the border at this time.
Most new arrivals from Ukraine do not need to apply for asylum in the Czech Republic, but can apply for a special type of long-term visa upon arrival in the Czech Republic, a so-called visa for the purpose of tolerating their stay in the territory, which is issued on request at the branches of the Asylum and Migration Policy Department of the Ministry of the Interior.
For up-to-date information, the Ministry of the Interior has set up a special website in both Czech and Ukrainian. Here they can also find information on how to extend their stay on Czech territory, how to apply for a work visa or how to help family members to come to the Czech Republic. There is also a Ministry of the Interior hotline +420 974 801 802, which is now open 24 hours a day.
6. Where to go for advice and assistance?
Charity Czech Republic operates a free and anonymous information line in both Czech and Ukrainian. Callers can get information on how to deal with a specific situation, contacts to follow-up services in the Czech Republic, interpretation and, last but not least, psychosocial support. Our operators are professionally trained in crisis intervention and are ready to help anyone who contacts them.
Helpline number: +420 731 432 431
The hotline has expanded its operation since Friday 25 February and is now available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9-13, 14-18 hours and on Tuesdays and Saturdays 9-12, 14-17 hours.
The non-stop information line is also operated by the Ministry of the Interior +420 974 801 802
