Is there an expiration date on your Hungarian social security card? If yes, make sure to get a new TAJ card before it expires so you remain eligible for healthcare services in Hungary.
The social security ID card, or TAJ card in Hungarian (pronounced /tay/), is a document that indicates your Hungarian social security number (or TAJ number). Based on this, healthcare service providers can identify you and look up your health-related data and healthcare history. You will use this number when you go to see your family doctor, when you pick up prescription medicines from a pharmacy, or when you receive any public healthcare service. Most importantly, the administrator will check your number in a national database, and you can receive the service if your status is active.
The TAJ number is not subject to change, it will always stay the same whether or not your insurance status is active. However, the first TAJ card you receive when you move to Hungary as an expat most probably has an expiration date, which is usually also the expiration date of your residence permit. If you stay on, you can get a new card, similarly to how you can renew all your Hungarian documents, and eventually you can get a “permanent” card without an expiration date.
Please note: even if you have a permanent TAJ card, you can lose eligibility for healthcare services if you do not match the criteria anymore (e.g. if you quit your job and stop paying social security contribution).
You can check whether your social security status is active at the portal of NEAK, the National Health Insurance Fund at https://ugyfelkapu.neak.gov.hu/. After you log in with your Ügyfélkapu access to electronic administration, go to the top menu item on the left and select “Biztosítási jogviszony” (Insurance status). You will be given a list of all the previous methods for paying social security – normally this means all your previous employers in Hungary.
The last two columns of the table are the start and end dates of your insurance. If you are currently insured, the last line will only have a start date but not an end date.
Please note: the database lists only your social security status, not the status of the card. If your card is expiring soon or is already expired, get a new one as soon as possible.
You can get a new TAJ card in Budapest at the customer service office of NEAK (near Göncz Árpád városközpont), at your local government office (“kormányablak”), or even online with your Ügyfélkapu access (“Applying for Hungarian social security number for foreign persons”). If you go to a government office, your new card is issued on the spot; if you submit your request electronically, it will be mailed to you within 2 weeks.
You will need the following documents:
Your TAJ card is just like any other official document: keep an eye out on its expiration date and renew it in time. The validity of the TAJ card and your social security number do not go hand in hand, but you need both to remain eligible for public healthcare services in Hungary. There is a chance that your social security ID card is expiring at the same time your residence permit, so your residency renewal is a good time to check on your TAJ card too. Consult your employer about the next steps.
Helpers Hungary provides administrative assistance to people living, working, and doing business in Hungary, focusing on supporting businesses and foreign business owners. Registration for social security can be part of the residency or work permit application or renewal, with which we are happy to help.
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