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Q&A about the new immigration law in Hungary 6 – New Applications

January 2, 2024 Residence Permit

In the sixth part of our FAQ series on the new Hungarian immigration law and its new regulations for foreigners in Hungary, we write about which types of procedures you can still take care of at the Immigration Office, and what happens to appointments at foreign consulates. Read below to find out.

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Some questions about new applications:

I submitted my application back in December. Do I need to submit a new application according to the new regulations?

No, you don’t need to submit a new application. Every residency application submitted and duly paid for before 1 January 2024 is still processed according to the old regulations (that were in force at the time of submission). If you have not yet submitted your biometric data, you will also be able to do so.

If the Immigration Office is closed for residency applications, what kinds of procedures are still available in January and February 2024?

Every procedure that is not a residency application for third-country nationals is still available. Including:

If your document got damaged or you lost it, you can ask for a new one
The “Immigration Permit” (“bevándorlási kártya”) can still be extended
EU citizens can still apply for a registration card
The family members of EU citizens can still apply for a residency card or its renewal

Moreover, if you have submitted your application electronically by 31 December 2023, you can provide biometric data in person during this period.

I was planning to submit my application at a foreign consulate of Hungary, and I already have an appointment. Can I still proceed?

Consulates were expected to notify individuals with appointments scheduled for January and February 2024 that their appointments have been canceled. As the Hungarian Immigration Office does not accept new submissions in January and February, consulates are not required or entitled to accept or forward documents during this period.

If you have not received information that your appointment is canceled from the consulate where you had an appointment, you should contact them for clarification. Even if the consulate is willing to receive and forward your application package, please be aware that once the package reaches Hungary, the Immigration Office will cancel the procedure.

When can I proceed with my application then?

The Immigration Office is closed in January and February so they can revise the application procedures to meet the requirements of the new immigration law. Once that is done, they are supposed to communicate about the new procedures, which should be available starting from March 2023.

In line with this, it is best to wait until the new procedures are set up according to the new immigration law, then compile your updated application package and get a new appointment.

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.