Residence permit in Hungary

Hungary is part of Europe’s Schengen zone, providing easy and document-free access to numerous European nations. The cost of living in Hungary is much lower than is true in most of Europe, and a business-friendly economic climate has led to a boom, especially in the nation’s major cities. Clean and efficient, modern Hungary is an excellent place to start a business and raise a family.

If you are a citizen of an EEA member state, you do not need a residence permit to move to Hungary, but you need to register your stay in Hungary. If you are a third-country national, you will need a residence permit for a stay over 90 days.

There are several residency options available to third-country nationals in Hungary. Before application, you should consider your plans in Hungary, the job waiting for you, your qualifications, the intended length of your stay, and several other factors. If you need help, ask for our consultation service, and discuss your options with one of our experts.

Your passport must be valid at least 90 days longer than the permit you are applying for; this means that if your passport is close to expiring, you will need to renew it before we submit your residency application, otherwise your permit will only be issued up to the expiry date of your passport.

If you want to extend or renew your residence permit upon expiry, an application for renewal must be submitted at least 45 days before expiry. To make sure you have all the necessary documents ready on time, it makes sense to start working on your renewal at least 3 months before the expiration date of your existing permit.

Unlike in some other countries, in Hungary owning property in itself does not qualify you for residency since in the application process we have to show that you have some regular activity (business, employment or other) in Hungary, so you should be in or travel to Hungary regularly in order to perform this activity. If you wish to invest in property and get residency, the best option is to set up a company for property management and buy the property through this company. Learn more here.

No; it is understood that you are a businessperson and may need to travel a lot, especially if you have businesses elsewhere. However, bear in mind that the company’s activities or the proposals made in the business plan may require you to visit Hungary frequently or to spend significant amounts of time here. Please discuss this with us, in order to avoid jeopardizing your chances of renewal.

Among the managing directors of a Hungarian company, only one can obtain a residence permit without a separate work permit if they actively participate in the company’s operations and possess the necessary qualifications or experience. For additional managing directors, a detailed justification of their presence in Hungary is required, and they may apply for a work permit or another suitable permit if the conditions are met.

Family unification is available only with certain types of residency. Consult our experts to see if you and your family members will be eligible, and to see what other options you have.

People looking for a family visa or a dependent visa often mean a residence permit that allows family members to accompany the main applicant to Hungary. The best-known dependent visa procedure is called “family unification”, where the spouse and the minor (less than 18 years old) children of the applicant can apply for residency based on the residency of the main applicant received.

If your residence permit allows for family unification, your spouse will be able to move to Hungary with you. Family unification does not allow employment, however, so they will be able to work only if they set up a small business of their own, or if they apply for a work permit independently of your permit. Ask for a consultation with one of our experts to see what your options are.

Hungarian state health insurance provides comprehensive coverage in Hungary and basic coverage in the rest of the EU as well. This option is only available to Hungarian residents who pay for social security, so you will be eligible for state healthcare after you get your residency in Hungary. In the meantime, we can recommend you a comprehensive private health insurance plan that is not very expensive. You will also need this for your residency application.