From this year on, a new requirement is added for residence permit holders in Hungary: a minimum stay requirement. In order fulfil it, you may need to prove that you have not spent more than 90 days outside of Hungary out of any given 180 days.
Minimum stay is a new requirement, introduced only this year. Up until now, the immigration office did not check how much time you spent in and out of Hungary in case of temporary residence renewal. While the new regulation is live starting from this year, we are still in a “grace period”, meaning that administrators at the Immigration Office do not inspect fulfilment too rigorously – at least for now.
However, please keep in mind, especially if your residency renewal is due soon, that you are required to actually stay about half of your time in Hungary. This is defined in spending no more than 90 days in any given 180 days outside of Hungary, so you cannot be away for longer than 3 months in half a year’s time.
This new minimum stay requirement affects you if you hold temporary residency in Hungary, typically issued for the purpose of gainful activity (for company owners) and to family members of such residency holders, for the purpose of employment and for “other purposes”. However, if you hold a residence permit received for study purposes or as part of your work permit, you are probably spending enough time in Hungary. If you hold a permanent residence permit, the change does not affect you.
Your already existing residence permit stays valid until its time of expiry. You can use it the same way you have been using it until now, and you can continue to use it until expiry.
When the time for residency renewal arrives, administrators at the Immigration Office may check how much time you have spent away from Hungary – as part of the standard procedure under the new regulation. They will check this by requesting a full passport copy and a declaration on the number of days you have actually spent within the country.
If they find that you have spent more than 90 days away from Hungary, your residency renewal might be refused.
Contact us
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can easily move to the EU and gain visa-free access to the Schengen zone. Become a resident or a citizen of Hungary, which is a member of the European Union, and take advantage of your new privileges.
Read More
When you submit forms or create contracts in Hungary, witness signatures might be required on it. But how does that work, and who can be a witness?
Read More
© 2004 – 2019