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Information For Foreigners

Our website is primarily available in Czech. If you do not understand Czech, you can use the translation feature built into your web browser.

Instructions:

 

Why Contact Us?

For more than 35 years, we have been supporting people living with HIV in the Czech Republic. We provide counselling to clients from the Czech Republic and abroad, helping them navigate the healthcare system, ensure continuity of HIV treatment, and obtain the support they need.

 

Do You Need Any HIV-Related Help?

If you are living with HIV and are currently in the Czech Republic, we are here to help.

The Czech AIDS Help Society (ČSAP) has been supporting people living with HIV since 1989. We provide guidance on navigating the Czech healthcare system, ensuring continuity of HIV treatment, social counselling, and psychological support.

If you are unsure where to turn or how to deal with your situation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.  We will be happy to help you find the best solution.

You can find detailed information about living with HIV, treatment, health insurance, and practicalities of life in the Czech Republic on the Living Positively website (English).

 

How Can We Help?

We can assist you with:

  • ensuring continuity of HIV treatment (ART),
  • navigating the Czech healthcare system,
  • information about health insurance,
  • contacting specialised HIV treatment centres,
  • social counselling,
  • psychological support,
  • information about other healthcare and social services.

If you are running out of your antiretroviral medication (ART), contact us as soon as possible. We will help you find the right solution to avoid interrupting your treatment.

 

Is Urgent Medical Care Guaranteed in the Czech Republic?

Yes. Anyone requiring urgent medical care in the Czech Republic is entitled to receive it, regardless of whether they have health insurance.

However, you may subsequently be required to pay for the care you receive. The extent to which healthcare costs are covered depends on the type of health insurance you have and the conditions that apply to it.

What matters, for example, is

  • whether you are insured in another EU Member State and an EHIC or GHIC covers your healthcare
  • whether the Czech Republic has a bilateral healthcare agreement with your country,
  • what type of private travel insurance you have.

If you are unsure how your healthcare will be covered, we recommend contacting your health insurance provider or getting in touch with us.

Urgent medical care is guaranteed to everyone in the Czech Republic, regardless of whether they have health insurance.

Access to any further healthcare depends on the type and scope of your insurance and may involve additional costs.

 

Planning a Long-Term Stay in the Czech Republic?

If you are moving to the Czech Republic for work, to study, or for another reason, we recommend finding out before you arrive whether you will be eligible for public health insurance.

 

HIV, Foreigners and Health Insurance in the Czech Republic

Health insurance is mandatory in the Czech Republic. The type of health insurance you are eligible for and how you obtain it depend on your residence status and other circumstances.

Public health insurance covers the full cost of HIV treatment, including regular check-ups and necessary laboratory tests.

If you live in the Czech Republic, we recommend checking as soon as possible whether you are eligible for public health insurance. If you are, make sure you are enrolled without unnecessary delay.

If you are not eligible for public health insurance, you will generally need to take out private health insurance. However, it is important to know that private health insurance does not cover HIV treatment in most cases.

The most common way to obtain public health insurance is through employment with a Czech employer. The conditions may vary depending on the type of employment. You need to have an employment contract or, for certain types of agreements, meet a minimum monthly income threshold.

Detailed information is available on the VZP (General Health Insurance Company of the Czech Republic) website (English).

If you have temporary protection, information about public health insurance is available on the City of Prague website (Czech).

Before starting a job, we recommend checking whether your employer will pay your health insurance contributions. After starting work, it is also advisable to check this directly with your health insurance provider.

 

Our Services

-> STI Testing

We offer free and anonymous testing (Czech) for sexually transmitted infections (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C), available to foreigners as well.

Testing is available at 12 CheckPoint centres across the Czech Republic. No appointment is necessary.

-> STI Clinic

At our Prague centre, the House of Light (Dům světla), we run an STI clinic for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted infections in a safe and respectful environment.

In addition to urgent care (if you develop symptoms following a potential exposure), we also offer:

  • preventive check-ups (including testing for other sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia),
  • vaccinations against hepatitis A and B, HPV (human papillomavirus), meningococcal disease (group B), and tick-borne encephalitis.

For more information, visit our STI Clinic webpage (Czech).

You can book an appointment online via Bookle.cz (also available in English).

You must have public health insurance, or you can pay for the care yourself as a self-paying patient.

-> HIV Certificate

Some countries may require proof of HIV status when you apply for a work visa, student visa, or long-term residence permit.

You can also obtain a certificate confirming a negative test result for other sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

At our Prague office (Czech), we issue certificates in both Czech and English.

This service is not anonymous and is subject to a fee (currently CZK 350). If you need a certificate covering multiple infections, the fee is charged separately for each infection.

For more information, click here (Czech).

-> Condoms and Lubricants

Free condoms and lubricants (as part of our prevention package) are available at our prevention events, through our outreach workers, and at selected partner venues such as some gay clubs and saunas.

They are also available at our Prague office. After entering the building, walk past the reception area to find them (condoms and lubricant in a prevention package).

Condoms are also widely available at pharmacies, drugstores and supermarkets throughout the Czech Republic.

-> PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)

PrEP is a highly effective method of preventing HIV and is also available in the Czech Republic.

If you have only recently been diagnosed with HIV or have not yet achieved a sustained undetectable viral load, we recommend using condoms during sexual activity. In some situations, it may also be appropriate for your HIV-negative partner to take PrEP.

Learn more about PrEP here (Czech).

-> Psychological Support

Living with HIV can be a significant psychological burden.

If you need support, please get in touch with us at kontakt@aids-pomoc.cz.

We will help you find an English-speaking therapist or other suitable professional support.