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Questions and answers about the new immigration law in Hungary 1

Last updated on 17 January 2024.

Our experts at Helpers Hungary are doing their best to explore the changes to the Hungarian immigration law that comes into force in 2024, and their implications for foreigners living, working, and doing business in Hungary. In this series of articles, we are answering frequently asked questions on the topic.

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Some questions about who will be affected:

Who is the new immigration law relevant to?

The new immigration law is most relevant to third-country nationals who live or want to live in Hungary. It details the conditions of Hungarian residency, which will be different depending on the basis of the residency application and the available permit types.

Several new categories have been added. The most important criteria include the professional qualifications of the applicant, while the most important limitation is whether the category available to applicants allows for family unification.

I have recently submitted my residency application. Will it be affected?

Residency applications that have already been submitted (and the fees for which have been duly paid) by the end of 2023 will still be considered in accordance with the old law – the law that was in force when the application was submitted.

UPDATE: Mind you, according to our latest experience with the immigration office, it seems that applications submitted by the end of 2023 are currently on hold, probably until March 2024, even though they are still valid and will be processed in accordance with the old law.

I am an EU citizen. Will I be affected?

No, you will not be affected. All EEA nationals enjoy the privilege of unrestricted movement and residency, and this does not change with the introduction of the new law. Moreover, while the Immigration Office will not accept new residency applications in January and February 2024, EEA registration requests can still be submitted in this period.

I am planning to apply for Hungarian citizenship, what kind of changes should I expect?

Hungarian citizenship applications are governed by a different law, which remains unchanged. As a result, this latest change to the Hungarian immigration law does not have any effect on your citizenship application. You may proceed as planned.

What is the current status of this new immigration law? How “final” is it?

The new immigration law was accepted by the Hungarian Parliament on 12 December 2023. It is scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2024, so for now the “old” immigration law is still in force. The law still needs to be signed by the President of Hungary (Ms. Katalin Novák), and this is expected to happen around the 25^th or 26^th of December, after which it will be published in the Official Bulletin (Magyar Közlöny). In any case, the current version is definitive, and modifications may be made only with the majority approval of the Parliament.

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.