Hungarian residence permit

Hungary offers residence permits to foreign citizens, including non-EU nationals, who wish to work, study or live in the country. Acquiring a Hungarian residence permit comes with many advantages, for example, traveling visa-free in the Schengen area and being eligible for Hungarian state health insurance. Learn more about getting a Hungarian residence permit!

1. Who needs a Hungarian residence permit?

Every non-Hungarian citizen who stays in Hungary for more than 90 days is required to acquire a Hungarian residence permit except for EU and EEA nationals.

If the stay of EU and EEA nationals surpasses 90 days, then Address Card and Registration Card are needed.

Hungary is a full member of the European Union, and the residence permit issued by the Hungarian authorities is valid for the entire Schengen Area. It signifies a zone of 29 European countries that have officially abolished all passports and all other types of border control at their mutual borders.

The 26 Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

2. What are the benefits of acquiring a Hungarian residence permit?

Acquiring a Hungarian residence permit comes with several benefits. The advantages are as follows:

• Visa-free traveling in the Schengen Area: Are you looking for a quick, safe, and cost-efficient way to acquire an EU residence permit? Would you like to travel to 26 European countries without the hassles of obtaining different travel documents? Anyone with a Hungary residence permit has the right to travel in the Schengen area visa-free.
• Access to Hungarian state health insurance: Anyone with a temporary or permanent Hungarian residence permit is entitled to receive medical care in public health care institutions. In most cases, medical care in Hungary is free of charge.
• Low living costs: Hungary’s price level index for final household consumption expenditure is 33.7% lower than the EU27 average. Hungarian living and business cost a favorable compared to Western European countries.
• Central European location: Hungary is located in the Central European region and has two major airports along with a highly developed highway network.
• Prestigious universities: Are you looking for affordable, high-quality higher education opportunities? Hungarian is a popular destination among international students because of the low tuition fee, excellent education quality, and diverse scholarship options.

3. What types of residency permits are available in Hungary?

Hungary issues different types of residency permits and licenses based on individual circumstances. The most important Hungarian residence permits include:

• Residence permit for employment
• Residence permit for Guest Investors (Golden Visa)
• Residence permit for Guest Self-Employed (business visa via company formation)
• Residence permit for family unification
• Residence permit for research
• Residence permit to study
• Residence permit for voluntary and social activities
• Resident permit for medical treatments
• Visas for seasonal workers

4. Can I get a residence permit based on my Hungarian investment?

Hungary has a dedicated Golden VISA or Guest Investor program which provides residence permits for all foreign investors on equal terms in one of the following cases.

• Obtaining investment units issued by a real estate fund registered with the National Bank of Hungary in a value of at least EUR 250 000.
• The acquisition of property worth at least EUR 500 000 in residential immovable property situated within Hungary territory.
• Making a monetary donation of at least EUR 1 000 000 to a higher education institution maintained by a public interest asset management foundation.

The foreign applicant becomes eligible for the residence permit in Hungary for 10 years in the case of completion of one of the above investments. This residence permit is a business immigration opportunity that is offered to the foreign investor. The investments would generate revenue for the investor as rental fee or the yield of the investment fund.

The investments shall be kept by the investor for at least 5 years. This Golden Visa is very popular among foreign investors because there is no requirement to stay in Hungary. The family members, but only the minor children and wife of the investor are also eligible for the Residence Permit for the same period. The Guest Investor Residence Permit can be renewed for further 10 years after its expiration. If the Guest Investor Residence Permit holders spend 3 years continuously in Hungary, they will be eligible for Permanent Residence Permit.

Required steps for the Golden VISA procedure:

1. Submission of the Guest Investor Visa application
2. Getting the Guest Investor Visa for 6 months.
3. Traveling to Hungary within 6 months.
4. Completion of the investment within 3 months from the date of the first entry to Hungary.
5. Getting the Guest Investor Residence Permit for 10 years (including family members).
6. Renewal of the Guest Investor Residence Permit permit for additional 10 years.

5. Hungarian residence permit processing time: How long will it take to process my application?

You shall submit your application to the Hungarian Consulate in your country of residence. Hungarian residence permit processing time is quite fast compared to some other EU members. The entire process takes 21 days as per the Hungarian immigration law. However due to the huge number of the submitted applications, sometimes it takes 60 days to get the final approval from the Immigration Office.

6. Which documents do I need to submit to apply for a residence permit in Hungary?

The following documents must be submitted to apply for residency in Hungary.

• Passport (It must be valid for at least 90 days after returning from Hungary.)
• Permit application form
• Passport size photo
• Evidence of the sufficient amount of funds (eg. bank statement)
• Proof of health insurance
• Declaration about investment in the case of Guest Investor Visa.

Keep in mind that different types of Hungarian residence permits require additional documents. These additional documents may include

• Birth certificate
• Deed of Adoption
• Confirmation of family ties to an EEA citizen
• Marriage certificate

8. What is the procedure for renewing my Hungarian residence permit?

At least a month before the expiry of the Hungarian residence permit, the renewal application must be submitted to the Immigration Office. Please note that the number of your stay in the Schengen Zone will be checked by the competent authority upon renewal (exemption for Guest Investors).

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