How to Obtain Residence Permit in Hungary

A residence permit in Hungary is a status for those seeking stable life and new prospects in Europe. A residence permit allows legal residence in the country, access to public services, and use of all advantages of living in a European Union member state. There are various pathways to obtain temporary residence in Hungary, such as study, work, business establishment, family reunification, and remote work activities.

A clear advantage of residing in Hungary with a residence permit is the ability to move freely within the EU and Schengen Area, making the country attractive for people who frequently travel and/or conduct business in Europe. After 8 years of residence in the country, Hungarian citizenship can be obtained.

Is It Worth Obtaining Hungarian Residence Permit

Obtaining Hungarian residence permit opens numerous opportunities that make this decision attractive:

Remote Application Possibility

Document submission for Hungarian residence permit can be conducted remotely through the Enter Hungary platform. You create an account, upload all data electronically, and follow step-by-step instructions for correct application completion. The platform allows tracking of processing status and quick implementation of necessary corrections.

Fast Application Processing

Processing times for Hungarian residence applications average 30-60 days. Thanks to clearly structured procedures and digitalization, applications are processed efficiently with minimal delays.

Simple Status Renewal Process

When maintaining the original conditions for residence permit acquisition, the renewal process typically does not require additional procedures.

Long-term Residence Possibility

Temporary resident status can become the first step toward obtaining permanent residence and Hungarian citizenship, allowing full utilization of EU citizen rights.

However, with a residence permit, staying outside Hungary for more than six consecutive months may lead to resident status cancellation. Also, possession of Hungarian residence permit does not provide rights in other EU territories, which is available with permanent residence or citizenship. To obtain Hungarian passport, 8 years of country residence is required, but other relocation methods with full rights exist.

Methods of Obtaining Hungarian Residence Permit

Basic grounds for Hungarian residence permit include employment, study, business conduct, and family reunification. Other options exist, such as long-term medical treatment, participation in research programs, job seeking, and digital nomadism.

To obtain Hungarian residence permit, you must meet mandatory requirements applicable to all categories:

• Legal age.
• No entry ban to Schengen Area territory.
• Medical insurance policy possession.
• No criminal record.
• Proof of financial capability.

Below we will examine in detail the main features of legal residence in Hungary under different grounds.

Hungarian Work Residence Permit

For work residence permit in Hungary, you need to conclude an employment contract with a local company confirming stable income sufficient for residence. If your position requires professional skills, a qualification certificate with certified translation into Hungarian is also required. The employer must confirm that the position could not be filled by Hungarian or other EU citizens, justifying the attraction of foreign specialist for employment duties.

Hungarian Study Residence Permit

Student residence permit in Hungary is possible upon enrollment in an accredited educational institution for full-course study in bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral programs, or preparatory courses officially recognized in the country.

For residence permit opening, you need to prepare mandatory documents such as official enrollment certificate from Hungarian institution, proof of financial capability in the form of bank account statement. If study will be conducted in Hungarian, a certificate confirming successful language examination passage is required. You also need to prepare a document confirming tuition payment and academic record issued by educational institution (school, for example).

Hungarian Family Reunification Residence Permit

Right to family reunification residence permit is granted to partners and close relatives of Hungarian citizens and foreigners holding temporary or permanent residence in the country. The main condition is presence of documentarily confirmed family ties. You need to prepare marriage/birth certificate or other documents indicating official relationships between you and the inviting person. The latter may be your:

• Spouse.
• Son/daughter, including adopted or foster child under your care.
• Child dependent on partner.

The inviting person must have housing in Hungary that meets necessary standards for entire family residence and confirm ability to support invited dependents (if any).

Hungarian Entrepreneurship Residence Permit

If you wish to obtain residence permit through entrepreneurship, you must register business in Hungary and confirm its economic significance. The main requirement is legal company activity that provides employment for local employees and generates stable income. For application submission, you need to provide:

• Business plan describing company goals and structure.
• Financial reports confirming business stability and resource availability for further development.
• Company registration certificate in Hungary.
• Reports proving employment of local citizen employees.

Hungarian Investment Residence Permit

For investment residence permit acquisition, you can choose one of the options. The most accessible is investment in Hungarian funds from 250,000 EUR. If you choose residential real estate acquisition, the minimum investment amount from 2025 will be 500,000 EUR. There is also possibility of charitable donation from 1,000,000 EUR, which goes to Hungarian university support. For residence permit request, you will need to prepare a document confirming your fund investment.

Hungarian Long-term Medical Treatment Residence Permit

Hungary residence permit for long-term treatment is available to foreign citizens requiring long-term medical assistance in the country. To process the status, a conclusion from licensed Hungarian clinic confirming necessity of prolonged therapy is required. The document must justify why procedures are impossible or difficult to conduct in your country of residence and contain details about planned medical program, timeframes, and treatment prognosis. Residence permit can be extended if updated data about therapy continuation necessity is provided.

Remote Worker Program Residence Permit

Hungary offers remote workers and freelancers the opportunity to obtain special residence permit through White Card. This ground allows legalization of residence for those working remotely for international companies. Basic condition for digital nomad residence permit opening is confirmation of stable foreign income that should cover living expenses. You also need to provide employment contract with foreign employer and proof of financial independence.

However, with remote worker residence permit, you cannot engage in self-employment, investment, employment, or study. The minimum term for this type of residence is one year.

Hungarian EU Blue Card Residence Permit

EU Blue Card is a residence permit designed for highly qualified specialists. Main requirements for status processing include higher education and/or professional skills confirming your competence, as well as employment contract conclusion with Hungarian company guaranteeing sufficient income level.

Internship and Volunteering Residence Permit

Internship and volunteer activities are also included in the list of grounds for Hungarian residence permit acquisition. For internship, a contract conclusion with employer or educational institution is necessary, confirming that you are undergoing practice related to education or professional training. In case of volunteering, you need to provide agreement with registered Hungarian organization confirming participation in official volunteer assistance programs.

Self-employed Persons Residence Permit

Residence permit acquisition based on self-employment is available for those working in freelance, consulting, creative sphere, or providing individual services. It is important to prove that activity provides you with permanent income sufficient for country living. Business plan and documentary confirmation of professional qualification are also necessary.

Official Purposes Residence Permit

Hungarian residence permit for official purposes may be provided if you meet one of the criteria:

• Possess diplomatic privileges according to international law.
• Represent official foreign delegation.
• Conduct journalistic activities.
• Participate in international project in culture, education, or science sphere or in intergovernmental program aimed at education, practice, qualification improvement.
• Hold position in scientific or cultural-educational institution operating in Hungary under international agreements, or plan to participate in such organization activities.

Residence Permit Acquisition Procedure

• Document Collection. Prepare the entire document list, including foreign passport, confirmation of grounds for residence permit claim (for example, employment contract, university enrollment certificate, or medical conclusion), proof of financial capability, insurance, and housing confirmation (owned or rented).
• Application Submission. Residence permit application can be submitted both online and in person at residence location. When completing application remotely, you need to create personal account on Enter Hungary platform, upload all necessary documents electronically, and track application status in real time. If submitting application from abroad, it must be directed through Hungarian consulate in your country. If you are already in Hungary, you can submit application personally to Migration Service.
• State Fees and Administrative Charges Payment. Residence permit processing cost varies depending on permit type and application submission method, averaging around 60-120 EUR. When submitting application online, payment can be made through banking; otherwise, payment by card or cash at request location.
• Application Review Waiting and Decision Receipt. Processing takes an average of 30 to 60 days. During verification, documents may be requested for information clarification – for example, proof of financial welfare or necessity of long-term medical therapy. After application approval, temporary visa is issued, allowing entry to Hungary and completion of residence permit processing. With visa-free entry right, permit is not required.
• Residence Registration. After entering Hungary, you must register your place of residence and obtain tax and social cards, which are mandatory for legal work and ability to use medical services in the country.
• Residence Permit Receipt. After completing residence registration and providing all required documents, contact the state body where you submitted residence permit request to receive resident card confirming your right to legal residence and work in Hungary.

Required Documents

For Hungarian residence permit acquisition, several documents must be prepared:

Completed Application

Residence permit application form (available on Enter Hungary platform) must be completed and submitted through consulate, National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, or online platform.

Foreign Passport

Application submission requires foreign passport and copies of all its pages, including data with visas and border crossing marks.

Proof of Residence Permit Grounds

You must provide document confirming purpose of your stay in Hungary, such as employment contract, university enrollment certificate, medical conclusion, or document proving family ties (in case of reunification).

Financial Guarantees

Bank account statements and certificates or other confirmations that you have sufficient money for residence in Hungary are required. For students and those in the country for medical treatment, sponsor letter is also suitable.

Insurance Policy

For residence permit processing, valid insurance covering all medical service expenses in the country is needed.

Residence Confirmation

For status processing, rental agreement or other confirmations that you have housing in Hungary are necessary.

Residence Permit Acquisition Time and Status Duration

Standard residence permit processing time takes an average of 30-60 days from complete document package submission. This period may slightly increase depending on residence permit type and acquisition grounds.

Residence permit is initially issued for 1 to 2 years in most cases with renewal right. Status renewal period depends on whether the grounds for residence issuance are maintained. For example, for students, residence validity is linked to study periods; for workers – to employment contract relevance; and for those undergoing treatment – to necessary medical therapy period. After residence permit expiration, renewal can be processed in advance, 45-60 days before current status expiration.

Common Refusal Reasons

Residence permit refusal in Hungary may be caused by multiple factors, most of which are related to requirement violations or incorrect document processing. Basic reasons include:

• Required Document Absence. If you for some reason did not provide important documentation, such as income confirmation, housing, or insurance policy, you may be refused residence permit processing.
• Processing Errors. Incorrect application completion, translation errors, or inaccurate data may lead to application rejection.
• Insufficient Financial Means. If you cannot prove your financial welfare, migration services may refuse residence permit.
• Insufficient Stay Purpose Justification. Unconvincing proof that you study, work, or have other grounds for country stay may cause migration service doubts, often leading to negative response.
• Untimely Status Renewal Document Submission. If you did not submit renewal application before residence expiration or could not confirm circumstance constancy, this may become reason for status cancellation.

How to Obtain European Residence Rights Easier and More Beneficially

Residence in EU countries, including Hungary, provides great opportunities for employment, education, and free movement within the union territory. However, obtaining residence permit in this country is only possible through complex procedure with numerous requirements, and becoming full citizen requires test taking, multi-year residence confirmation, and language knowledge.