Vaccine registration for foreigners without social security (TAJ)

Last updated on 21 June 2021.

On 29 April, it was announced that people without a TAJ number can register for vaccination starting from 1 May. Since registration so far has been done through the social security system, based on the social security number (SSN, or TAJ number), the details are yet to be clarified.

On 4 May, Tuesday, registration without an SSN in Hungary seems to be working. The interface has been upgraded to ask whether you have a TAJ number, whether you are a Hungarian citizen, and then you can enter your identification data (you will probably fill in the first field with your residence permit number and the fourth with your passport number) and official address.

Watch this space for more information.

Disclaimer: The below information was provided on phone by the coronavirus hotline in Hungary, in part confirmed in writing before 29 April.

In the past weeks, there has been a lot of confusion about this issue and several people have posted and shared the (mis)information that even if you have no TAJ number, you can register for the vaccine in Hungary with a generic number 900 000 007.

Please DO NOT DO THIS because:

• You will NOT ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE VACCINE (even if technically your vaccine registration goes through) so you will be waiting around instead of taking action (if possible for you – more on this below) to get vaccinated.
• Originally, the vaccine registration center said that using a fake TAJ number to register is a CRIMINAL OFFENSE (and since you are providing your name and address for the registration, this can easily be traced back to you). This has not been confirmed in writing, but it is still a gamble on which you can only lose.
• NEW: It has been announced that starting from 1 May, you will be able to register for vaccination without a TAJ number. Details are yet to be clarified, but hopefully you will not have to wait too much more.

The above number is a generic social security (TAJ) number that can be used for unknown persons or persons with unknown TAJ number for administration purposes by doctors and the authorities (e.g. if someone is picked up by the ambulance without any ID on them). As such, the automated vaccine registration system will recognize it and accept a registration with this number, and if you provide a working email address, you will also start receiving the automated emails about the vaccination program. However, you cannot actually get vaccinated this way because so far there has been two paths to getting the vaccine:

• Some vaccines (e.g. Sinopharm) are administered by your GP; since you cannot have a GP without a TAJ number, you cannot get on any GP’s vaccination list by definition; and
• Other vaccines (e.g. Pfizer or AstraZeneca) are administered at vaccination centers based on lists of eligible persons; since these lists are prepared based on various data (e.g. medical history and risk factors) accessible in the state’s system through your TAJ number / record, you cannot get on these vaccination lists by definition either.

For more information on how the vaccination system works, please read these articles (registering for vaccination and at a GP; vaccines available in Hungary). Bottom line: even though vaccine registration with this generic TAJ number “works” in the sense that your registration will be accepted by the automated system, please don’t do this because you will not receive a vaccine and you can end up in trouble.

Update on 26 March: Now you can also check if your registration has been successful on this link. Let us know on Facebook if it works for you.

Update on 7 April: According to the National Public Health Center, the vaccination of people without TAJ will depend on the availability of vaccines. Watch out for official updates, or follow our blog to learn about the latest news on pandemic-related measures.

So what CAN you do?

• If you have a TAJ number, register and then make sure you have a GP (check in ügyfélkapu and also check with the GP – learn here how).
• If you don’t have a TAJ number but you are eligible, get one. (Click here for ways to do this.)
• Get your paperwork in order if it’s not. (If you are an EU citizen, make sure you have an EU registration card, for example.)
• If there is no way for you to get a TAJ number at this time, check out the options for private vaccination. None are available at the moment but this could change. There was a provider where you could get on a vaccine registration list for HUF 5K; however, this option was at one point cancelled and everyone got back their money.
• Keep an eye on vaccination options in your home country; this may sound like a stretch but you may be able to get vaccinated there.
• Stay safe and healthy!