The certificate of a past infection is now issued based on a positive antigene test result as well, provided the test had been carried out by a medical professional and due to COVID-19 symptoms noted previously.
Certificates are issued as:
- certificate of vaccination
- negative test result certificate
- certificate of having survived a Covid-19 infection in the past
- certificate about contraindications
Since the lifting of the O-N(-T) rules, certificates serve as a proof when needed, e.g. when traveling. Detailed information on particular countries' entry rules can be found in the Traveller's Hub, powered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Czech only).
Your certificate presents your name, surname and date of birth. It serves as a proof (regardless whether printed out on paper or downloaded into the phone/tablet PC internal storage or your Tečka app) when entering an establishment, crossing the state border, during an optional check, etc.
Certificates are since June 1, 2021, issued pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2021/953 and are called "Digital EU COVID Certificate". Should you come across the terms "Covid pas", "Covid Pass", "Digital Green Certificate" or "Digitální zelený certifikát", these terms all denote the same - a certificate issued since June 1, 2021. Such a certificate already complies with the conditions imposed by the EU, certificates issued prior to June 1, 2021, are not valid anymore. For more information on how to download your new certificate see below.
Sample certificate (valid from June 1, 2021, onwards, in Czech only)
Webpage about the Digital EU COVID Certificate
1. Certificate of having survived a Covid-19 infection in the past
issued no longer than 180 days after your first positive PCR or (if the person having been tested has noted any COVID-19 symptoms and the testing has been carried out by a medical professional) antigene test result. The certificate will be generated 10 days since the sampling. These 10 days count hourly, i.e. the actual timespan is equivalent to 24 hours multiplied by 10. Thus, certificates of past disease are available on days 10 to 180 after the first positive PCR test.
If the person does not note any COVID-19 symptoms, no certificate will be generated upon a negative antigene test result.
2. A negative test result certificate, which can be both:
- Certificate of having undergone an antigene test
- Certificate of having undergone a PCR test
Especially in the case of a certificate of a negative PCR test, its generating may take longer, mainly due to possible time delays in the registration of the test result by the laboratory. Additionally, the evaluation of the test by the laboratory usually takes several hours. Therefore, if you do not find a certificate of the performed test on the portal, we recommend that you contact the laboratory that evaluated your test to find out whether the result was properly sent to the Information System of Infectious Diseases (Informační systém infekčních nemocí - ISIN). The result has not necessarily to be sent to the ISIN the same time the text message with the test result reaches the person having been tested.
3. Vaccination Certificate
Certificates are available after the first, second and booster dose of vaccine. The certificate is considered valid (when checked via the QR code it lights up green) 14 days after the Janssen vaccine dose or the second dose of any vaccine being administered in a two-dose vaccination scheme. The certificate after the booster dose becomes valid (i.e. lights up green) immediately. If you have been administered the second dose, only the certificate for the second dose is visible.
On December 21, 2021, the European Commission has per amendment to the Regulation stipulated a shortening of the validity of the certificates issued within the basis vaccination scheme (EU Digital COVID Certificate: Commission adopts binding nine-month period of recognition of vaccination certificates). They will remain valid for 270 days since the second (or, in case of the Janssen vaccine, first) dose. This measure does not apply to certificates issued after a booster dose. Please check the validity of your certificate on the MFA website, as not all countries of the world stick to the aforementioned document.
4. Certificate about Contraindications
Currently (since the lifting of the O-N(-T) rules) this type of certificate is not issued. It usually was not accepted abroad.
This type of certificate can be issued only to persons whose practitioner has saved to the ISIN system an information stating that they, due to possible medical issues (mostly an allergy to any of the vaccine components), cannot get vaccinated against COVID-19. It cannot be used itself separately as proof of having met the O-N(-T) requirements - this is the role of the certificate about a negative PCR test result. Should a person's Tečka (Dot) app not contain a certificate about contraindication (visible as yet another certificate) together with a negative PCR test result, the test result will be accepted only to the extent that vaccination is not contraindicated in him/her.
How to get the certificate?
Any type of the certificate is, after it has been issued, available at the Citizen's Vaccination Portal ocko.uzis.cz, or directly via the Tečka app (https://covid.gov.cz/en/situations/vaccination/validation-applications-ctecka-and-tecka).
Certificates issued prior to June 1, 2021, are not valid anymore. Please download a new one from the vaccination portal (ocko.uzis.cz). Thanks to the connection to the ISIN, it will appear there automatically as soon as one of the certificates becomes relevant to you.
You can log into the portal
1. by entering the ID card number and birth number. (A text message is sent to you with a code, which you will need to access the portal) and then you can download your certificate. The condition is to state your mobile phone number in the request or just before getting vaccinated. If you do not receive a one-time code or need to change your registered phone number or e-mail, you can contact the toll-free line 1221. This is only a temporary option, available till the end of the year.
2. via an Citizen's Identity solution (in Czech only) (e.g. NIA, MojeID, BankID, a Czech ID card with a chip, etc.), verification via bank identity is possible only for persons who are verified via the population register (ROB),
3. You can apply for a certificate directly at the vaccination point (on request only). This is the best option for children and foreigners not possessing a Czech ID card. Please pay attention when entering your data - it is important to enter the same ones upon each appointment.
How long does it take to issue certificates?
Vaccination certificates (first and second dose) are usually issued within a few minutes after vaccination (after a record of vaccination is ready in the ISIN OČKO system) at the vaccination point. However, within the validation app will it light up green only 14 days after the Janssen vaccine dose or the second dose of any vaccine being administered in a two-dose vaccination scheme. This does not apply to the certificate issued after the booster dose, such a certificate will light up green immediately.
The certificate of the performed POC antigen test is issued on the same day (day of sample collection).
The certificate of the PCR test is issued after the examination in the laboratory and the delivery of the result to the central system. Laboratory tests can take up to 48 hours after collection. It is not guaranteed that the text message with the result, sent directly by the laboratory, is sent at the same time as the results to the central system. After receiving the text message with the result, it may take several hours (up to half a day) to issue the certificate.
The certificate of a past disease is available on the 10th day (starting from the day the sampling has been carried out).
What to do if the certificate cannot get downloaded or your login to the ocko.uzis.cz portal fails?
The most frequent reason is a typo when entering your name, ignored case sensitivity, another of your multiple e-mail addresses entered, bad punctuation, etc.). Please note that you can find your certificate only using the data you entered upon your registration (or let enter on the spot).
Oftentimes this causes problems in certificates supposed to get issued for children - e.g. when a child gets tested accompanied by one of its parents, this parent lets his/her own phone number get stored in the ISIN and the other parent wants to get the certificate, etc.) In certificates for foreigners, e.g. a bad name-surname sequence may be the cause.
If you cannot login to the ocko.uzis.cz portal or find your certificate there, you can contact the 1221 hotline.
List of registration support hotlines for seniors
How to prove yourself using the certificate
There are several options:
- using a printout of the certificate on paper
- using the Tečka app
- using the certificate in electronic form, downloaded from the Vaccination Portal (uzis.cz)
- using an image of the QR code from the certificate, stored on your device
The most simple option is using the čTečka and Tečka apps. The čTečka app can detect whether a QR code from a certificate (regardless of whether downloaded into the Tečka app or, for instance, as part of a printed out certificate) is indeed genuine and not forged. Detailed instructions on how to use the apps can be found at ockodoc.cz.
The complete instructions, including previews, a sample certificate and the most frequently asked questions, can be found in the manual valid from June 1st, 2021.
If you are unable to download your certificate (most frequent reasons are errors when entering your data - a typo in your name, ignoring case sensitivity, entering another of your multiple e-mail addresses, bad punctuation, etc.), you can contact the 1221 hotline. You can spare your time by checking if the data the vaccination point personnel enters to the ISIN are correct and memorizing them.