Matrika — the Czech civil registry office, similar to Ukraine's RAGS (Registry of Acts of Civil Status). It keeps records of births, marriages, and deaths, and issues birth certificates and other documents.
Why this is important for Ukrainian families
- The Matriční úřad (registry office) for the district where a child is born assigns a rodné číslo (personal identification number) to both Czech citizens and foreigners born in the Czech Republic. This office also registers the child in the birth registry and issues a birth certificate with the assigned number.
- This is an important clarification to the general rule: holders of temporary protection and ZDP (long-term residence permit) are not assigned a rodné číslo (§ 7v of Act No. 65/2022 Coll.), but this does not apply to children born in the Czech Republic.
- For a child born in the Czech Republic in a medical facility, the number is assigned automatically — you do not need to ask for it.
Solution if you don't have documents
In special cases, the matrika can allow replacing documents with a sworn statement from the parents. For families who left without Ukrainian documents, this is a practical solution — and you should ask the matrika about it.