What to do when your passport expires in Hungary
If you hold a Hungarian residence permit, you must keep both it and your passport on you at all times. You should keep an eye on when your passport expires, and extend it before you apply for a residency renewal. You don’t need to report this to the Immigration Office.
If you hold a Hungarian residence permit, you must keep both it and your passport on you at all times. You should keep an eye on when your passport expires, and extend it before you apply for a residency renewal. You don’t need to report this to the Immigration Office.
Your residency and your passport in Hungary
If you live in Hungary based on a residence permit, your passport should not be expiring before your residence permit. This is because residence permits are usually issued with an expiry date at most 3 months before the expiry date of your passport. Only permanent residence permits are different, because they are issued for 10 years regardless of passport expiry.
Extending your passport while in Hungary will come up only if you are planning to extend your residency.
Extend your passport before your residence permit
If you want to stay on in Hungary, check when your passport is expiring well before you want to apply for an extension to your Hungarian residence permit. Your residence permit can only be extended to a date 3 months before your passport expires, so make sure your passport is valid for longer than the date until which you want to extend your residency.
To extend your passport:
- Contact your consulate in Hungary (here is a list of consulates and embassies in Hungary)
- Consider how much time it takes to extend your passport
- Apply well in advance
Depending on how your country and your consulate handles passport extensions, they might take your existing passport and replace it with a temporary document. Do not plan trips outside of Hungary while your passport is being renewed because you might be held up at the border.
No need to report to the Immigration Office
Passport renewal and the change of your passport number are not listed among the reporting obligations indicated on the website of OIF. As such, you do not have to report that you have extended your passport. When you submit your next residency application (whether it is for an extension, a new permit, or permanent residency), make sure to submit your new passport number.
Residency renewal with Helpers Hungary
Helpers Hungary offers assistance with residency applications, which includes residency renewal too. If you need help, consult one of our experts and take advantage of 20 years of experience and a committed team.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You are not allowed to stay in Hungary or travel without a valid passport. You should visit your consulate as soon as possible and get a new passport. You can find a list of consulates and embassies operating in Hungary here.
You should renew your passport before you apply for your new residence permit (unless it is a permanent residence permit). Residency renewals typically need to be submitted at least a month before expiry (depending on the type of permit), so your new passport should be ready by then. The time needed for passport extension varies by country, but you should expect to take at least a few weeks.
If you think your passport was stolen, you will need to report that to the local police. You will get a copy of your report, and you might need to show that when you are requesting a new passport. If you lose your residence permit along your passport, you will need a new residence permit too.
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