Cultural exam required for Hungarian permanent residency

You can find the below information in Hungarian in the official info sheet here.

Do you need to take a cultural exam?

You only need to take the cultural exam if you are a third-country national newly applying for permanent residency in Hungary starting from 2025 (through either National Residence Card or the EU Residence Card). You do not need to take the cultural exam if:

• You are not a third-country national
• You already had permanent residency under the old immigration law (in force until the end of 2023)
• You have submitted your permanent residency application still in 2024

Apart from the above, there have been no exemptions announced for now, neither for age nor for any other condition.

You will be able to submit your permanent residency application only once you have received your certificate.

Pass a written exam

The cultural exam required for Hungarian permanent residency is a written exam where you have 60 minutes to answer 12 questions about Hungarian and European culture and traditions. The language of the exam is Hungarian, and you need to achieve at least 50% + 1 point, which in this case means at least 16 points out of the total 30.

You will be required to prove your knowledge of the below topics by answering 2 questions on each.

• National holidays and emblems of Hungary (coat of arms, flag, crown, national anthem)
• The most important events of Hungarian history (foundation, the revolution of 1848-49, the Trianon Treaty, the revolution of 1956, the change of regime in 1990)
• Prominent personalities of European and Hungarian music and literature
• Essential institutions of Hungary (parliament, president, government)
• Civil rights and responsibilities
• Everyday life in Europe and Hungary

For this purpose, you can find some official learning material here (in Hungarian).

Make an appointment for the exam

You can apply for the cultural exam by filling in the form available at the website of the Budapest municipal government office, which organizes the exams at 1138 Budapest, Váci út 174. For now, there is no news of the exam becoming available at other locations.

Once ready, return the form to the municipality by email or regular mail, together with a copy of your travel document and the confirmation showing that you have paid the exam fee, which is currently HUF 20,000 (ca. EUR 50).

The exams are organized based on the number of applicants. You will be notified of your appointment 15 working days in advance. It has not yet been communicated if the exam will take place on working days or on Saturdays, so make sure you will be able to take the day off from work if necessary.

The exam will take place between 9 and 10 a.m. You will be asked to arrive around 8:30 a.m. so there is time to check if you are on the list and have your ID documents on you. Results will be announced around noon. If you pass, you will receive your certificate at this time.

If you fail, try again

In case you do not pass the cultural exam, you can try again two more times. However, if you fail three times in a row, you will not be allowed to try again.

You will also fail the exam if you do not show up, unless you have a valid reason for missing the exam. In this case, you must provide written and officially recognized proof of your absence until the end of the second working day after the exam. Then you can make a new appointment without receiving a failing mark.

About Helpers Hungary

We at Helpers provide all kinds of administrative assistance to foreigners living, working, and doing business in Hungary. Our goal is to make navigating Hungarian administration easier for you, whether you are setting up a business or applying for residency.

Since the cultural exam has just been introduced, we will keep an eye on the developments, and update this article as necessary. Watch this space for more information, or follow us on Facebook to never miss an update.