Hungarian Citizenship: Application Process and Benefits

Obtaining Hungarian citizenship grants holders, the right of indefinite residence in the country, enables visa-free travel to 174 countries worldwide, and provides access to legal employment and entrepreneurial activities within the EU territory. This legal status can be acquired by birth, inherited from parents and direct ancestors, or requested through the standard naturalization procedure.

The rules for obtaining a Hungarian passport and the list of requirements for applicants are regulated by the Citizenship Act of 1993. The standard procedure requires 8 years of residence in the country based on employment, company registration and entrepreneurial activities, studies at a local university, or family reunification.

What Hungarian Citizenship Provides

Obtaining Hungarian citizen status provides foreigners with the following advantages:

• Indefinite Residence.
  After successful naturalization or repatriation (restoration of citizenship through ancestry), applicants can remain in the country permanently. They also have the opportunity to leave the country for unlimited periods without risk of losing their constitutional rights in Hungary.
• Family Reunification.
  Hungarian passport holders can arrange residence permits for foreign spouses and minor children. Citizens can also transfer their status to biological or adopted children.
• Visa-Free Travel.
  Possession of a local passport allows entry to 174 countries without the need to obtain prior authorization from consulates. Hungarians can also benefit from simplified relocation to EU countries without obtaining a residence permit.
• Access to European Education.
  Hungarian passport holders, as EU citizens, can enroll in universities within member states and apply for scholarships and educational grants.
• Employment Opportunities.
  After naturalization and repatriation, applicants gain the right to apply for open positions in local companies, register their own businesses, and conduct entrepreneurial activities in any EU country.
• Access to Banking Services.
  Hungarian passport holders can apply for mortgages under conditions established for native residents. In 2024, the average annual housing loan rate is 6.8%.

Who Can Apply for Hungarian Citizenship

Foreign nationals who pose no threat to public safety and national security, possess knowledge of the state language, and meet criminal record requirements can become Hungarian citizens. Applicants must provide a complete document package and fulfill the citizenship law requirements when submitting an application through one of the methods prescribed by the regulatory act. Purchasing a passport through direct financial contributions or real estate acquisition is not possible. There are no active citizenship-by-investment programs in the country.

The following categories of applicants have the right to apply for a Hungarian passport:

• Children of native Hungarians and naturalized persons in the country.
• Spouses of citizens of the state.
• Descendants of persons who previously held Hungarian citizenship.
• Foreign nationals after 8 years of permanent residence in the state.
• Refugees after 3 years of continuous residence in the country.

Foreign citizens in 2025 can utilize active simplified migration programs in Romania, Poland, and Bulgaria to obtain an EU passport without mandatory long-term residence in a European state. Discuss the prospect of obtaining second citizenship with specialized migration professionals.

Methods of Obtaining Hungarian Citizenship

The specific method for obtaining citizenship can be selected based on current relocation circumstances, presence of ethnic roots in the applicant’s ancestry, and factors that reduce the mandatory residence requirement (such as refugee status or marriage to a Hungarian citizen). Foreign nationals should study the provisions of local legislation with latest amendments in advance and carefully plan their immigration to the European state with subsequent EU passport acquisition. Several citizenship methods are available depending on specific conditions and applicant categories.

Birth

Hungarian citizenship is transmitted to children from their parents or guardians. Status is also granted to newborns found in the country’s territory when parents’ identity cannot be established. If a child is born in Hungary and the parents are stateless, the child acquires status through jus soli (right of soil).

Repatriation

Applicants who previously lost their status in the state have the right to restore it by filing the appropriate application. Basic knowledge of the local language must also be confirmed. Ethnic Hungarians who lost citizenship due to the division of former state territory can also apply for status restoration. This requires providing documents confirming the foreign national’s ancestry. Birth certificates of direct-line relatives tracing back to Hungarian roots who lost their citizenship between 1947 and 1957 will be required.

Naturalization

Foreign nationals can obtain Hungarian citizenship after 8 years of residence in the state territory. Status can be acquired by applicants with no criminal record and no open criminal cases. Foreign nationals must prove housing availability in the country, self-sufficiency capability, and knowledge of the state language and basic constitutional provisions. Exemptions from the examination include persons who received secondary or higher education in Hungary, pensioners over 60 years old, minor children, and persons with limited legal capacity.

Marriage

Spouses of Hungarian citizens have the right to obtain equivalent status in the state on a simplified basis. Foreign nationals can obtain local citizenship after 10 years of marriage from the wedding date. Residence in the country or valid residence permit is not mandatory. Spouses of Hungarians with common children have the right to naturalize after 5 years of marriage. Marriage to a citizen requires learning the state language and constitutional fundamentals.

Refugee Status

Foreign nationals who received asylum in accordance with Geneva Convention provisions have the right to expedited naturalization. This category of applicants must legally reside in the country for 3 years, confirm language knowledge and legal norms, and provide proof of housing and means of self-support during their stay in Hungary.

How to Obtain Hungarian Citizenship

Document Collection for Citizenship

The application dossier includes a standard document package plus confirmation of citizenship grounds (proof of 8-year residence or birth certificates of direct-line relatives). Applications must be submitted in person. For minors, legal representatives (parents or guardians) must be present along with their written notarized consent.

The general document list for application includes:

• Identity Document. Valid foreign passport with copy must be provided.
• Application Form. The citizenship request form can be downloaded from the official government portal website. The form must be completed by hand and signed.
• Photographs. Two color front-facing photos not older than 6 months must be attached. Required photo size: 35 x 45 mm.
• Birth Certificate. Document must be translated into Hungarian and certified with apostille.
• Proof of Financial Self-Sufficiency. Copies of salary receipts, employment contract, or tax authority statement containing applicant’s average income data must be provided.
• Proof of Housing. Property ownership certificate or rental agreement in Hungarian is required.
• Certificate of Successful Examination. Citizenship test completion data or exemption confirmation (such as Hungarian university diploma) must be attached.
• Criminal Record Certificate. Extracts from the Ministry of Interior registry must be requested from all countries where the applicant resided for more than 6 months. Documents must be apostilled.
• Civil Status Confirmation (optional). Marriage, divorce, or spouse death certificates, as well as children’s birth data may be required.

Application Costs and Timeline

The naturalization application procedure does not require fees or administrative charges. The citizenship certificate costs EUR 7.7. However, fulfilling the 8-year residence requirement requires obtaining a visa, residence permit, and permanent residence permit. These documents require payment of established fees.

Long-term immigration visa costs EUR 110. Residence permit application requires a fee of EUR 60-100. Permanent residence status costs EUR 38. Foreign travel identity document production costs EUR 36. The internal Hungarian passport appears as a plastic card and is issued free of charge.

Dual Citizenship in Hungary

Dual citizenship status provides for mutual recognition of citizen rights and obligations toward two states. Hungary has not concluded such agreements. However, obtaining a second passport is possible by applying for naturalization or repatriation. Each country will consider the applicant only as its own citizen.

Hungarian legislation does not require sending notifications upon successful procedure completion. However, some countries require reporting second citizenship acquisition to responsible Ministry of Interior authorities.

Reasons for Citizenship Denial

Hungarian state authorities may reject citizenship applications in cases of providing forged documents or false information. Past deportation and migration regime violations by foreign nationals also constitute grounds for refusal. If an applicant entered Hungary without a visa and stayed illegally, this may result in fines and rejection of naturalization or repatriation requests.

According to reviews from immigrants who obtained citizenship, beginning the new status acquisition procedure in a European state is advisable with legal assistance. Specialists will verify the possibility of obtaining a second passport through expedited procedures, explain relocation advantages and disadvantages, document costs, and provide complete process support. A competent approach to application submission and dossier preparation in accordance with migration legislation requirements guarantees successful citizenship acquisition.

How to Quickly Obtain Full Hungarian Citizen Rights

The naturalization procedure includes phased visa and resident status processing, as well as residence permit renewal upon expiration. Overall, the process is quite lengthy and requires fulfilling the established 8-year residence requirement. Candidates must also learn the local language. Meanwhile, EU passport holders obtain all native resident rights after simple registration at the municipality where they reside. EU citizenship allows crossing member state borders without prior entry authorization, enrolling in local universities competitively, and employment on native resident terms throughout the Eurozone.

Many foreign nationals have the opportunity to obtain an EU passport in one of the European Union countries. In 2025, such programs are available in Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland. The process takes from 12 months. Eligibility verification for simplified EU citizenship programs can be completed by contacting migration specialists.