One week ago, the Czech Republic reported the issuance of 257,111 special visas to Ukrainians with asylum permits. The country's Interior Ministry expects to double this number in the near future. Our fellow citizens need to make a living there, in particular through simplified access to the labor market and other opportunities, the issue of cooperation with the Czech banking system - opening accounts and obtaining plastic cards - is becoming very important. In addition, you need to get financial assistance from the state.

Below - more about all this.

Dozens of banks operate effectively in the country, with many advantageous offers for their private clients, convenient work schedule, aggregated with all modern online services and created a wide network of ATMs. Here, on the official website of the Czech National Bank, if you click on "Provést", you will see a complete list of banks available in the country - both national and international.

Special offers from Czech banks

With regard to Ukrainians, given the critical situation and the willingness of financial institutions in the Czech Republic to help them, the simplified conditions for opening bank accounts have been adopted, and there are several proposals for specific financial bonuses.

Czech spořitelna

Documents. Passport with a visa of tolerance (must be 18+ years old), or any identity card.

Account opening procedure. The account is opened in the branch (or online - here is the instruction. You can not wait for the delivery of plastic (5-7 working days), and immediately create a virtual payment card (George banking).

Financial assistance. Assistance of 3,000 Czech crowns will be transferred to the account immediately. There is another phrase on the site: "If you receive at least 2,500 crowns a month in this account, the bank will add 500 crowns to them every month for six months."

Terms. It is best to open a Plus account: in addition two payment cards for free (you can use the account in foreign currency free of charge), digital banking George, you can open a deposit of 1.5% up to 200,000 crowns, access to Google Pay / Apple Pay / Garmin Pay / Fitbit Pay, and how many virtual cards you want for payments. For all payments to Ukrainian and Czech banks (electronic) - no fees, incoming - as well. As well as cash withdrawals at ATMs, including from Ukrainian cards. There is a discount program and cashback. Depositing euros and dollars in branches to this account is free. Issuing a foreign currency account is also free.

A special offer for Ukrainians who came to the Czech Republic long before the war and are still here: you can close the program of savings on construction, repaying all debt without penalties, as well as get a deferral of loans for 6 months (mortgage, loan Stavební spořitelna ČS, leasing from CS).

Contacts. Branches and ATMs.

The bank's website has a form for feedback in Ukrainian and answers to frequently asked questions.

ČSOB (Československá obchodní banka)

Documents. Passport and all. If not: Ukrainian passport + visa from the registration center - "green document" or "red document" - border registration for "waiting on the territory".

Account opening procedure. To open an account, come to any branch of the institution. You must have a Czech phone number and be over 18 years old.

Financial assistance. 2,500 crowns of aid are put into the account in the national currency.

Terms. A payment card is opened for the account within 3 days. You can add one currency in dollars or euros: it is free to deposit cash, and there will be no fixed monthly usage fee. BUT foreign currency in USD - only after obtaining a long-term or permanent residence permit. You can start using your account without waiting for the issuance of plastic - with the help of a virtual payment card (instructions here). No cash withdrawal fee is charged.

Contacts. Hotline (in Ukrainian): 800 200 290. Detailed information on the bank's website in Ukrainian: map of branches and ATMs.

Air Bank

Documents. Passport or our ID card (visa or residence permit is not required).

Account opening procedure. Instructions for opening an account and working with Internet banking:.

Financial assistance. No data available.

Terms. You can count on the return of most of the commissions paid from March to the end of 2022, as well as a two-month deferral of loan repayment - to all, and discuss other preferences individually.

Organized support for clients from Ukraine in their native language.

Contacts. Map of branches and ATMs. Bank website with all conditions and contacts.

Fio bank

Documents. Any identity card.

Account opening procedure. The express mode of delivery of plastic without the commission is offered. The commission for payments to Ukrainian accounts by the end of May has been abolished.

Financial assistance. No data available.

Terms. On the site - see lower.

Contacts. Bank website.

Raiffeisenbank

Documents. Passport or identity card of the asylum seeker (18+ years).

Account opening procedure. In the department. You do not need to physically wait to receive the plastic - you can use the account immediately with Google Pay / Apple Pay.

Financial assistance. Enrollment in the open aid account is 2,500 kroons.

Terms. The account is opened free of charge (crowns or euros) and this one number is by default multi-currency one with free service (up to 19 currencies). All payments to Ukrainian bank accounts are free of charge. One incoming foreign payment - also without commission. Account usage fees - canceled. There is mobile banking and Internet banking in Ukrainian. Cash withdrawal for Ukrainians is free both in the Czech Republic and abroad.

Contacts. Bank's website in Ukrainian. Map of ATMs and branches. Ukrainian hotline (Mon-Fri, 8:30 - 17:00): +420 246 017 881.

CREDITAS Bank

Documents. Passport / identity card / driver's license and "tolerance visa" ("víza Strpění"). If you have not been issued such a visa (while you are without a visa, for example, or you have a valid work visa, residence permit, etc.), you must present two documents: a passport and identity card, or passport and driver's license.

Account opening procedure. In the department. You will need to provide your email.

Financial assistance. One-time assistance on the account - 1000 crowns (more details here)

Terms. Account opening and maintenance fees have been canceled. The Mastercard Virtual card for immediate payment on the Internet or its digitalization for Google Pay / Apple Pay / Garmin Pay is immediately issued - it can be used to withdraw cash at ATMs not only in the Czech Republic, but also abroad. The commission is not charged for payments to Ukraine.

Contacts. Offers from the bank and contacts (in Ukrainian). List of branches: https://www.creditas.cz/kontakty/ (click on the desired city of residence). There are online translators in the branches. Information line in Ukrainian (Mon-Fri, 08:00 - 17:00): +420 213 213 670. Round-the-clock support in Czech: 800 888 009.

Oberbank

Documents. Passport and residence permit.

Account opening procedure. On the site - see lower.

Financial assistance. No data available.

Terms. See Online.

Contacts. Bank's website with contacts of branches and ATMs: https://www.oberbank.cz. 

Banks of Russian origin and the corresponding participation of financing (for example, UniCredit Bank) in this material were not considered for obvious reasons.

Financial assistance from the Czech Republic

When applying for the above-mentioned "tolerance visa" (temporary protection in the Czech Republic for our refugees), you are entitled to a one-time assistance of 5,000 Czech crowns approved by the Parliament of the Czech Republic. To do this, you need to write an application - everything will be told in the Refugee Reception Centers. If you do not get a job for the next 5 months, you will be able to submit a similar application each month and receive the same amounts.

To expedite the payment of benefits, get an account as soon as possible according to the instructions above in the selected bank accounts.