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Q&A about the new immigration law in Hungary 5 – Student visas

January 2, 2024 Family and Student Visa, Residence Permit

In the fifth part of our FAQ series on the new Hungarian immigration law and its new regulations for foreigners in Hungary, we respond to the most commonly asked questions about student permits. If you are studying in Hungary or planning to do so, this information could be crucial, so read carefully.

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Some questions relevant to students:

I am attending a self-funded training in Hungary with a residence permit for “other purposes”. I heard that this permit type will be abolished. What will happen to my permit?

Your existing residence permit will be valid until its expiry date. Once it expires, however, you will not be able to simply renew it, since your residency category will not exist anymore. Instead, you will need to find another, more specific purpose for your stay, and you will be able to submit a residency application based on that.

I am a student and my family is here with me on family unification. Will they able to stay in Hungary when our residency expires?

While student residency is no longer eligible for family unification under the new immigration law, this does not affect your family members who are already here. They will be able to keep their status in the future as well.

My student residence permit expires in March, after which I was planning to apply for a job seeker residence permit. Can I still do that?

Yes, you can. Applying for job seeker residency will still be an option for students who successfully graduate in Hungary. You will need to apply for the new permit while your student residency is still valid, and you will be able to convert the job seeker permit into either an EU Blue Card, a Hungarian Card, or a guest self-employed residence permit.

If I apply for a job seeker permit next year, and then I get a job offer while the Immigration Office is still processing my permit, what should I do?

Unfortunately, this information is not precisely outlined in the new legal framework. Only when the immigration office resumes work and starts to process new applications will the best course of actions be revealed. Most probably, you will be required to file a new application. For that purpose, keep in mind that the work permit is split into separate categories from next year on, based on your new position and your qualifications for it.

Learn more with Helpers

The Helpers Team has been providing administrative assistance to expats in Hungary, and we work on making life easier for them. Follow our series to gain more insight and get clarifications about the new Hungarian immigration law as we navigate these shifts together.