Residence permit in Hungary

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The new Hungarian immigration law (issued in 2024) offers a variety of options for foreigners wishing to live, work or do business in Hungary. While this presents great opportunities for foreign nationals, it is also important to work with professionals who can navigate you towards the best option.

Established in 2005, HELPERS is Hungary’s leading provider of comprehensive business and immigration services, supporting both international and local businesses. Our expert team provides up-to-date guidance on various types of residence permits and offers comprehensive support tailored to each client’s unique situation.

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Employing foreign nationals

For employers
We offer customizable packages to suit your relocation needs. Our service fees start at EUR 1,300* with discounts available for bulk orders.

Hungary offers several types of residency for employment depending on the candidate’s nationality position and qualifications:
- Residence permit for the purpose of employment
- Hungarian Card
- EU Blue Card
- National Card
- Intra-corporate Transfer
To find the best option for the employee as well as the employer, visit our work permit page or contact us.
Work Permit
Business Immigration

For business owners
As of 2024 there are multiple permit types available for business owners. Based on your nationality, qualifications and activity, our consultants will help you find the best option you are eligible for.
- Guest self-employed residence permit
- National Card
- Hungarian Card
- EU Blue Card
In addition, we also offer some of these residency solutions in packages. Click here to find out more about residency through business ownership (business immigration).
Business Immigration
Additional services
Our expert team provides comprehensive information and assistance, taking into account the client’s individual needs and questions.

Our consultation fee is EUR 150 per hour*

We can also provide assistance with additional permit types, whether for EU or non-EU citizens staying in Hungary:
- Registration card and address card for EU citizens
- Guest investor residence permit
- Family unification
- Permanent residency (National and EU residence cards)
For further information, please contact us or scroll down for our price list.
Contact us

*Please note: The indicated prices are net prices. 27% VAT will be added when applicable.

It is important to stay up-to-date about recent changes to Hungarian immigration regulations, which took effect in January 2024. These new rules introduce updated residency categories and modified eligibility criteria.

To learn more about the new residency types and how they may affect you, please read our blog post.

Blog post about residency types

If you’re moving to Hungary for work or business, or simply looking for a safe and inexpensive way to acquire an EU residence permit, Hungary is a great choice, with several options available to clients of all nationalities and backgrounds. You can get a temporary or permanent residence permit though employment, starting a business in Hungary, family status, and so on. To find the best option for you and your family, please schedule a consultation!

Why Hungary?

low living and business costs
low taxes (9% corporate tax, 15% dividend tax)
beautiful, centrally located country in Europe
great public safety and friendly climate
easy business setup and immigration solutions
visa-free travel in Europe with Hungarian residency
company formation and residency available to all nationalities
good international schools and English-speaking universities

Residence permit options

With almost 20 years’ experience, Helpers is the leading provider of full-service business and immigration solutions in Hungary. We offer all types of residency from work visas and business immigration to family and student visas, investment immigration and many more. With hundreds of satisfied clients, we are confident that we can get you the working visa, permanent resident card, student visa or whatever other type of document you are looking for.

Residency for employment (Residence permit for the purpose of employment, Hungarian Card, EU Blue Card, ICT, National Card): starting from EUR 1,300* (with bulk discounts available)

Residency for business owners (guest self-employed, Hungarian Card, EU Blue Card, National Card): starting from EUR 1,300* (packages available with company formation)

Registration card and address card for EEA nationals: EUR 1,000*

Residence permit and address card for non-EU family member of EU citizen: EUR 1,000*

Family unification: EUR 1,000*

White Card: EUR 1,000*

National Residence Card: EUR 1,500*

*Please note: The indicated prices are net prices. 27% VAT will be added when applicable.

Click here to contact us

Reviews

What our clients say

Flip y

I started Hungary golden visa process couple of months back.From my very first email to the moment all my residency requirements were completed, working with this team was a seamless experience. They responded quickly, explained every step clearly, and always told me exactly what documents I needed and when. The process can feel overwhelming, but they kept everything organized and made it stress-free. They were patient with all my questions, honest about timelines, and handled every issue. I never felt lost or left waiting for answers. A special thank you to Tala and Dorka, whose professionalism, dedication, and support made all the difference. I would highly recommend them to anyone going through a Golden visa process. Five stars, without hesitation!
Kogan K

I highly recommend Helpers Hungary for their efficiency and professionalism. They helped me set up my company and open a corporate bank account smoothly. The entire process of company registration took only 5 days! I would especially like to thank Dr. Norbert, our lawyer, for his high level of professionalism and kind attitude. He was extremely patient, explained everything clearly, and was simply a pleasure to work with. Big thanks also to Katya, who was incredibly sweet, welcoming, and provided wonderful support during our meetings. I am also very grateful to Emilia for her prompt and patient replies to all my emails. This is a very serious, reliable, and efficient agency. One important thing to keep in mind: Despite the fact that the company has a Russian version of their website, do not expect support or accompaniment in Russian during the actual process. We were under the impression that a Russian-speaking staff member would assist us at the meetings, but that was not the case. Russian was only used during the very initial stage of correspondence. Everything else is strictly in English. Overall, we are very satisfied with the results and grateful for their help. If you are comfortable communicating in English, this is an excellent choice!
Rob H

I first would like to say that I am old school, I believe that if you want something done right, you do it yourself. However, I could not possibly navigate the complexities of obtaining Hungarian citizenship on my own, this is where I placed my complete trust in Helpers Hungary. Benedek, Renata and Reka are the experts that handled my case flawlessly, from start to finish every question and concern I had was promptly and professionally addressed. If you want the best, you need Helpers Hungary, I can’t recommend them enough, I am so glad they handled my case and they definitely will be handling my children’s journey for their Hungarian citizenship too.
Stephen r. N

Anna and her team at Helpers Hungary went out if their way to help us navigate the visa process here. It was amazing. From not existing in the system despite receiving 2 letters overseas to vote for the previous government to our lost marriage registration to securing our 5 year permit, Helpers was responsive, helpful and easy to work with. S & W
John K

I reached out to Helpers Hungary in March of 2024 to find out if I was eligible to become a Hungarian Citizen through Hungary’s egyszerűsített honosítás (simplified naturalization) program. A few months earlier I had started researching my family tree and recently discovered I had living relatives in Hungary that I did not know about and thought this would be a nice way to honor my mother’s side of the family; also the possibility of having an EU passport was a very nice side benefit. I found out I was eligible and went though the initial consultation where I asked a ton of questions and found out they were able to help with everything from translating English-language birth certificates into Hungarian, finding my grandmother’s Hungarian birth certificate, filling out the cumbersome application forms and even recommending Hungarian Language Solutions for learning how to speak Hungarian. My grandparents, while born and raised in Hungary, spoke German so I never heard any Hungarian other than “paprika” and “palacsinta”. I had my interview at the Hungarian Consulate in New York in July 2025 and received my Hungarian Citizenship in March 2026. Learning the language is difficult enough and having Helpers Hungary focusing on most of the “grunt work”, allowed me to quickly focus on learning Hungarian.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Why immigrate to 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.

Do I need a residence permit to move to Hungary?

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.

Which residence permit should I choose?

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.

How long does my passport need to be valid when applying for a resident permit?

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.

Will I be able to renew my residence permit?

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.

Am I eligible for residency if I buy property in Hungary?

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.

As director, do I have to live in Hungary full-time in order to maintain my residency?

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.

How many directors can I have in my company? Can they all get residency in Hungary?

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.

Can I bring my family members to Hungary?

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.

What is a family visa?

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 I move to Hungary for a job or business, will my spouse be able to work legally here?

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.

Is healthcare really free in Hungary?

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.

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