Czech Law on Aliens and Law on Citizenship – Changes brought about by Lex Ukraine and the current jurisprudence of Czech courts

How has the status of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic changed thanks to the February amendment to the law known as “Lex Ukraine”? How has the Supreme Administrative Court dealt with the expulsion of Russian citizens, unlawful in one case and lawful in another?

Czechia Urged to Review Stricter Citizenship Rules for Russians

17 senators proposed that the court cancel part of a law called Lex Ukraine VII. The proposal has been published on the court’s website. According to the senators, the legislation is unfair and doesn’t work well. According to them, the law will mostly hurt people who left Russia to escape repression or avoid joining the war.

Sanction Propagandists — Not Students!

On the one hand, the law extends temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, but on the other hand, it contains discriminatory provisions towards Russians, including those who oppose the regime. According to the new law, all current citizenship applications by Russians over the age of 15 will be frozen indefinitely and considered only after the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Therefore, following its visa ban for students, the Czech Republic approved the bill that forbids those living in the country for a while from obtaining citizenship just by means of their citizenship without any regard for their political position. Many Russians living abroad who actively supported Ukraine after the outbreak of the invasion, politically and financially, may face persecution if they return to Russia.

Czechia Moves to Ban Citizenship Applications for Russian Nationals

Under the bill, pending citizenship applications from Russian citizens would be frozen, with limited exceptions for minors and members of the opposition or civil society. The proposed law also mandates that Russian nationals renounce their Russian citizenship before applying for Czech citizenship. Even then, applications would only be considered after the end of the Russian war against Ukraine.

Czech lawmakers pass legislation effectively barring Russians from obtaining citizenship

The Czech Senate has passed a law that effectively bars Russian nationals from obtaining Czech citizenship, according to Radio Svoboda. The legislation, titled Lex Ukraine, primarily focuses on extending temporary protections for Ukrainian refugees, with provisions targeting citizenship for Russians included as amendments. Under the new law, Radio Svoboda reports, applications for Czech citizenship from Russian nationals will only be considered after the Russia-Ukraine war ends. The law also requires Russian citizens to renounce their Russian citizenship before becoming Czech citizens. All pending citizenship applications from Russians will be frozen.

[Translation] “We are people, not matryoshkas” The Czech Republic, a country with a large Russian-speaking diaspora, is going to ban Russians from obtaining citizenship. Before that, they promised to “keep a close eye on them”

The Czech Republic is considering the Lex Ukrajina bill. It mainly concerns the extension of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, but the final draft includes two amendments that significantly limit the rights of Russians living in the Czech Republic. Now, to obtain Czech citizenship, they will have to renounce their Russian citizenship, which complicates the already very strict rules for issuing a local passport. But even if a Russian citizen is ready to do this, he will not be able to apply for Czech citizenship: the document suspends all current applications from Russians over 15 years old until the end of the law on temporary protection of Ukrainian citizens, which in the new version is indefinite. The document has already passed three readings in the lower house of parliament, the House of Representatives. It is expected that in January it will be adopted by the Senate and signed by the president – activists continue their resistance campaign and are collecting signatures for a petition to ban discrimination.

[Translation] Forget about Czech citizenship, MPs tell Russians

The Chamber of Deputies approved an amendment to the Lex Ukraine law on Wednesday. Along with it, a controversial amendment was passed temporarily suspending the issuance of Czech citizenship to Russians. At first, the additional passage appears to say that the path to Czech citizenship will be open only to Russians who renounce their Russian citizenship. Then the reader comes to paragraph 7y. In it, he suddenly learns that, according to the proposal, all applications from Russians are to be suspended next year.