Information relating to the visa
Information applying for a residence visa
The residence visa entitles the holder for one or several entries into Hungary and for stays with a definite purpose for more than 90 days, but not longer than for one year. The residence visa may be granted for several purposes, such as: official, work, earning income, study, medication, visit, family reunion, etc. The residence visa may be granted if the foreigner has:
a valid passport
the necessary conditions for the continuation of the journey or return home
sufficient material backing, the quantity of which is determined by law. This should cover residence and living costs for the complete period of his stay, besides the costs of his return.
confirmation that he has a medical insurance for full medical services or can pay the costs of his medication
never been expelled or prohibited to enter and stay in Hungary; his or her entry does not endanger the public safety of the Hungarian Republic, its national security and health interests.
Where to get the residence visa?
The visa application must be submitted in person at the local Hungarian foreign representation where the applicant permanently or usually lives. The visa application can be submitted at other Hungarian foreign representations in exceptional cases confirmed by documents. For example:
the foreigner’s health condition
if a member of his or her family lives in Hungary
if the return to the permanent or usual residence place would be abnormally expensive
if the foreigner’s absence from work because of handing the visa application would cause a loss to the employer
if his or her absence because of submitting the visa application would cause a inevitable loss in earning.
The visa application of family members, in the case of traveling together, may be submitted by a grown-up member of the family. The honorary Hungarian consulate offices are not authorized to issue visas and may only receive the visa application. In the case of an exceptional condition, the residence visa application may be submitted at the local regional management (customer service) of the Interior Ministry’s Immigration and Citizenship Office, on condition that the foreigner stays legally on the territory of the Hungarian Republic. The necessity of medical treatment or family reunion may be considered as an exceptional condition.
What is required to submit a residence visa application?
The visa application must be presented on a printed form with a valid passport (the validity of which must exceed the visa’s validity by 6 months at least) and one photograph.
Depending on why the foreigner wants to live in Hungary, the purpose of stay can be confirmed especially by the following:
employment can be confirmed by a valid work permit issued by the labour authorities; if the work does not require a work permit employment must be proved by a legal contract
if entry is necessitated by income earning, the necessary licenses for the income earning activity in the Hungarian Republic should be procured, such as an individual entrepreneurial card, a primary producer’s card, in the case of self-employment qualifications certificates
if entry is required for post-graduate studies, an admission certificate from the receiving educational institution should be obtained
if entry for medical treatment is required, the certificate of the medical institution which provides the medical treatment abroad should be presented
if the applicant accompanies his or her infant child, or in case he or she is incapable of attending, another family member may go as long as the family relationship may be proved by the marriage certificate or its photocopy, the birth or the adoption certificate or their photocopies, or by other documents suitable for proving the family relationship
if a visit by a valid invitation letter with a clause from the local foreign police authority
for the sake of family reunion, if the marriage certificate or its authentic copy, in case of an infant (or adopted) child by the birth or adoption certificate, or their authentic copies, or by other documents suitable for proving the family relationship, must be submitted
The application must contain the exact address of residence in Hungary. The visa granting authority may demand a proof for the legal document for staying in the specified flat.
Fee of the visa granting procedure: 50,-EUR
When submitting the visa application you must prove by a document that during the entire period of your stay in Hungary you meet one of the following conditions:
you are an insurant according to the law concerning the social insurance provisions, or have got entitled to the services of the Hungarian health insurance by signing a private contract
you have an insurance for work accident, that does not fall within the frame of social insurance, or a private health insurance
you are entitled to the same care as the Hungarian insurants and by the same conditions on the basis of a communal order, international agreement or treaty; if your country has signed a social security agreement with Hungary you can get the verification from your health insurance company, but a copy of your social insurance card is also acceptable (by getting the residence visa you become entitled to the health care without further conditions)
How long does it take to judge your visa application?
The foreign representation sends the visa application for judgment to the Interior Ministry’s Immigration and Citizenship Office, which passes the judgment within 60 days from the date of its delivery. The foreign representation where the visa application was handed is informed about the decision.
It is important to know that after 30 days from your entry you must inform the local authority at the secretary of the municipal council (mayor’s office), or at the local regional management (customer service) of the Interior Ministry’s Immigration and Citizenship Office about your residence place or the change of your residence place. The receipt verifying the registration of the residence place with a clause from the authority must be kept and given to the authorities if requested for checking.
The validity of the visa must be counted from the date of issue, and can’t be extended. You must leave the territory of the Hungarian Republic at the latest on the last day of the validity of the visa. In case you want to prolong your stay in Hungary you can apply for a residence permit at the local regional management (customer service) of the Interior Ministry’s Immigration and Citizenship Office 30 days before the extinguishment of your legal stay.
Information applying for a short term visa
Where to get the visa?
The visa application must be handed in person in the local Hungarian foreign representation where the applicant permanently or usual lives. The visa application can be handed in other Hungarian foreign representations in case of exceptional reasonable conditions that are confirmed by documents. The exceptional conditions can be such as:
The visa application of the family members, in case of traveling together, can be handed by a grown-up member of the family too. The honorary Hungarian consulate offices are not authorized to give visa, just to take the visa application.
What is necessary for handing the visa application?
The visa application can be presented on a printed form which needs:
At the visa application you must state that which type of visa do you apply for. According to this the visa can be:
By what can be confirmed the purpose of the entry and the stay?
In case of an official journey by a diplomatic note or other request, by the notice from the organizer of an outstanding international political, scientific, economical, cultural or sport program, by the official notice of the sender country.
In case of a tourist journey by the confirmation of the travel agency, or in case of individual journey by the receipt of the pre-paid booking of accommodation.
In case of a business journey by the invitation letter from the Hungarian business partner with a clause from the alien office authority, and documents confirming the existing commercial relations.
In case the entry is for study, or for other academic, post-graduation by the admission certificate from the receiving educational institution, or by the receipt of the registration
In case the entry is for medical treatment by the certificate from the receiving medical institution which states that the backing of the expectable costs of the medical treatment is available.
In case of a visit by a valid invitation letter with a clause from the local alien office authority.
By what can the necessary material backing for the entry and the stay be confirmed?
How can the existence of the health insurance be confirmed?
At handing the visa application you must confirm by document that:
How can the existence of the necessary conditions for the continuation of the journey, or the return be confirmed?
It can be confirmed by presenting the valid passport or the residence permit issued by the foreign authority that he can return to the country of departure after his stay.
The existence of the material backing of the journey can be considered to be guaranteed by presenting the ticket, or a certificate of the existence of the adequate financial means.
The visa application for an airport transit visa, transit visa, and short-term entry visa will be judged by the competent visa granting authority within 30 days from the date of delivery.
If you wish to enter for a less than 90 days’ period and the purpose of your entry is not work or income earning you may inquire in the Hungarian foreign representation about the possibility of an entry without visa or with an identity card.
It is important to know the visa can be used within its validity, there is no possibility for its prolongation. The visa for repeated entries entitles for one-time or repeated entries within six months, in case it’s not interrupted it entitles for a 90 days’ stay at most from the day of the entry, in case of interruption it entitles for an all together 90 days’ stay at most within 6 months from the day of the first entry.
You must leave the territory of the Hungarian Republic not later than the date of expiry of the staying time stated in the visa.
Information on applying for a residence visa for work
Foreigners can work in Hungary – with few exceptions – only with a valid work permit, and a valid residence visa for work or a residence permit. The work permit must be obtained by your employer in Hungary.
The foreigner must obtain the residence visa for work, or the residence permit even if his work does not demand a work permit.
If you started a company in Hungary and apply for the residence visa for work as the manager, or member of the supervisory board, you must also confirm that your activity would bring economic benefits for the Hungarian Republic, or it represents scientific or cultural values. You don’t need a special work visa if you have a residence visa issued for family reunion or a residence permit. If you have a residence visa issued for university studies or a residence permit you don’t need to obtain a special residence visa for work to work during the time of your education.
Where can you obtain the residence visa for work?
The visa application must be handed in person in the local Hungarian foreign representation where the applicant permanently or usual lives. The visa application can be handed in other Hungarian foreign representations in case of exceptional reasonable conditions that are confirmed by documents, for example;
What is necessary for handing a residence visa application for work?
The visa application must be presented on a printed form, for which you need:
When handing the visa application you must prove by document that during the entire period of your staying in Hungary you meet one of the following conditions:
By getting the residence visa you would become entitled to the health care without further conditions.
The foreign representation sends the visa application for judgment to the Interior Ministry’s Immigration and Citizenship Office, which passes the judgment within 60 days from the date of its delivery. You will be informed about the decision by the foreign representation where your visa application was handed.
The type “D” residence visa for work can be granted for one-year residence, but its validity may not exceed the validity date of the work permit.
It is important to know that after 30 days from your entry you must inform the local authority at the secretary of the municipal council (mayor’s office), or at the local regional management (customer service) of the Interior Ministry’s Immigration and Citizenship Office about your residence place or the change of your residence place.