INFORMATION ON SCHENGEN VISA[1]

Visa free entry depends on the citizenship of the applicant. Citizens of many countries do not need a visa to visit Hungary for stays up to 90 days. For further details please check the Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

A visa is only a preliminary permission for entry, which does not authorize its bearer automatically to enter the Schengen area.. Please note as well that you do not have any right to get visa.

To apply for a Schengen VISA an appointment is required at the Consulate General. Please note that you can only schedule an appointment on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during business hours.

Main types of Schengen VISA

Airport transit visa (A): authorizes the bearer to enter the international zone of the airport and to remain there until the time of the departure of the flight to the destination country. Only nationals of the following states are obliged to apply for an airport transit visa when transiting Hungary: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka.

Short stay visa (C): authorizes the bearer to a single, double or multiple entries and, in case of an uninterrupted stay, to a stay of maximum 90 days, while in case of an interrupted stay, to a stay of altogether maximum 90 days within the 6 months counted from the date of the first entry.

Visa Fees

Fees may vary depending on the Euro-US Dollar exchange rate. Please always check them often.

Visas issued for free of charge:

1. children under six years;

2. school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training;

3. researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research;

4. representatives of non-profit organisations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organised by non-profit organisations.

5. bearers of diplomatic passport

Which Member State is competent for examining and deciding on an application?

The Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for a uniform visa shall be:

(a) the Member State whose territory constitutes the sole destination of the visit(s);

(b) if the visit includes more than one destination, the Member State whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit(s) in terms of the length or purpose of stay; or

(c) if no main destination can be determined, the Member State whose external border the applicant intends to cross in order to enter the territory of the Member States.

The Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for a uniform visa for the purpose of transit shall be:

(a) in the case of transit through only one Member State, the Member State concerned; or

(b) in the case of transit through several Member States, the Member State whose external border the applicant intends to cross to start the transit.

The Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for an airport transit visa shall be:

(a) in the case of a single airport transit, the Member State on whose territory the transit airport is situated; or

(b) in the case of double or multiple airport transit, the Member State on whose territory the first transit airport is situated.

Which consulate of the competent Member States will decide?

Generally an application shall be examined and decided on by the consulate of the competent Member State in whose jurisdiction the applicant legally resides.

Admissibility

The consulate shall verify whether:

· the application has been lodged no more than three months before the start of the intended visit

· the applicant presents an application form filled out completly and signed as well

· the applicant presents a travel document which:

- validity extends at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States or, in the case of several visits, after the last intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States.

- contains at least two blank pages;

- it has been issued within the previous 10 years.

· the applicant presents a photograph in accordance with the standards set out in Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 or, where the VIS is operational pursuant to Article 48 of the VIS Regulation, in accordance with the standards set out in Article 13 of this Regulation; EN 15.9.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 243/7

· the biometric data of the applicant have been collected, and

· the visa fee has been collected.

Other documents needed to get the Schengen VISA

When applying for a uniform visa, the applicant shall present:

(a) documents indicating the purpose of the journey;

(b) documents in relation to accommodation, or proof of sufficient means to cover his accommodation;

(c) documents indicating that the applicant possesses sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to his country of origin or residence, or for the transit to a third country into which he is certain to be admitted, or that he is in a position to acquire such means lawfully, in accordance with Article 5(1)(c) and (3) of the Schengen Borders Code;

(d) information enabling an assessment of the applicant’s intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.

When applying for an airport transit visa, the applicant shall present:

(a) documents in relation to the onward journey to the final destination after the intended airport transit;

(b) information enabling an assessment of the applicant’s intention not to enter the territory of the Member States.

Applicants for a uniform visa for one or two entries shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance to cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death, during their stay(s) on the territory of the Member States.

Applicants for a uniform visa for more than two entries (multiple entries) shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance covering the period of their first intended visit.

In addition, such applicants shall sign the statement, set out in the application form, declaring that they are aware of the need to be in possession of travel medical insurance for subsequent stays.

The insurance shall be valid throughout the territory of the Member States and cover the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit. The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30 000 (USD 50 000)

Please note that the Consulate has the right to ask for any further documents as well.

The time limit for examining visa applications

Verification of entry conditions and risk assessment

In the examination of an application for a uniform visa, it shall be ascertained whether the applicant fulfils the entry conditions set out in Article 5(1)(a), (c), (d) and (e) of the Schengen Borders Code, and particular consideration shall be given to assessing whether the applicant presents a risk of illegal immigration or a risk to the security of the Member States and whether the applicant intends to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.

A visa shall be refused:

(a) If the applicant:

(i) presents a travel document which is false, counterfeit or forged;

(ii) does not provide justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay;

(iii) does not provide proof of sufficient means of subsistence, both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to his country of origin or residence, or for the transit to a third country into which he is certain to be admitted, or is not in a position to acquire such means lawfully;

(iv) has already stayed for three months during the current six-month period on the territory of the Member States on the basis of a uniform visa or a visa with limited territorial validity;

(v) is a person for whom an alert has been issued in the SIS for the purpose of refusing entry;

(vi) is considered to be a threat to public policy, internal security or public health as defined in Article 2(19) of the Schengen Borders Code or to the international relations of any of the Member States, in particular where an alert has been issued in Member States’ national databases for the purpose of refusing entry on the same grounds; or

(vii) does not provide proof of holding adequate and valid travel medical insurance, where applicable;

(b) if there are reasonable doubts as to the authenticity of the supporting documents submitted by the applicant or the veracity of their contents, the reliability of the statements made by the applicant or his intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.

Right to appeal

Applicants who have been refused a visa shall have the right to appeal personally within eight days counted from the announcement of the refusal. The appeal will be decided by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary within 15 days.