Before you leave

Administrative Preparations:

A valid passport is required by all people entering Hungary and it’s important to remember that your passport must be valid for at least another six months after the expiration date of any mandatory Hungarian work or residence permits. A visa may or may not be required, depending on whether your home country has a bilateral agreement with Hungary. If you’re not sure, check with the Hungarian Consulate in your home country.

It’s recommended that you bring all of the following documents, which may be necessary to meet legal, employment or educational requirements.
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Diplomas and CV
• Children’s school records
• Medical records
• Vaccination schedules
• Driving licence
• Proof of health insurance
• Employment contract (if applicable)
• Lease agreement / purchase contract (if accommodation has been secured before your arrival)

If your company doesn’t provide assistance obtaining work or residence permits, hiring the services of a relocation company is strongly recommended. Meeting the bureaucratic requirements to get the mandatory Hungarian documentation can be a complex, time-consuming process, with the challenge compounded by the fact that many government personnel have limited English, if any at all. Regulations can and do change frequently. Hiring a relocation company will help ensure that your application meets current requirements, and could save you time and frustration.

Non-EU citizens:

Work permit:

Everyone other than EU citizens or spouses of Hungarian citizens needs a work permit to be employed in Hungary. Most of the necessary paperwork for the work permit is handled by the employer and includes proof of qualifications and health certification. Once a work permit is granted, the employee must apply for a residence permit. If you’re a citizen of a country that doesn’t have a bilateral agreement with Hungary, you’ll need to apply for a residence permit at the Hungarian Consulate in your home country or in the country where you hold a valid residence permit. Once this is granted you’ll receive a 30-day visa which allows you to enter Hungary to collect your residence permit at the Immigration Office. If you don’t require a visa to enter Hungary, you can apply for your residence permit once you’re here. This must be done at the relevant local immigration office within 90 days of entering the Schengen Area. Non-EU citizens can only spend 90 days of any 180-day period in the Area on a visitor’s basis.

The documents required for a residence permit are as follows:

• passport, valid for a minimum of 18 months
• 1 passport photo
• proof of accommodation (lease / home ownership document)
• proof of means of living (bank statement / employment contract)
• if working, a work permit
• if married, a marriage certificate
• if with children, their birth certificates
• proof of health insurance

Once you receive your residence permit, you’ll receive an address form that must be kept in your passport. Once granted, both work and residence permits are valid for up to two years and can be renewed if desired. If any of your documents expire in less than two years (i.e. your lease), that will be considered the last date that you are legally able to remain in the country.

These documents give a foreign citizen the right to both reside in and travel to and from Hungary, and act as documentation for legal residence during your stay. All family members relocating with you will need to apply for the residence permit. Once you have a valid residence permit and address form, you can then apply for a tax card and a social security booklet.

EU citizens:

Citizens of EU and EEA member states don’t require a work permit to work in Hungary, but you must hold a valid identification document, with photo, issued by your home country, and you need to register with the immigration department to apply for a registration card. This has no expiry date, as long as your passport remains valid. You’ll need to provide proof of accommodation, employment and health insurance, as well as the ability to cover you and your family’s costs during your Hungarian residency.

Upon receipt of all of the necessary documents, the registration card will be immediately issued by the Immigration Office. Once you get the registration card, the relevant authority will post your address card to you.

It’s important to remember that your registration card is only valid with your passport – it’s not a stand-alone document – and that all three documents (passport, registration card and address card) should be carried together at all times.

If your company doesn’t provide assistance obtaining work or residence permits, hiring the services of a relocation company is strongly recommended.

If you don’t require a visa to enter Hungary, you can apply for your residence permit once you’re here.

If any of your documents expire in less than two years (i.e. your lease), that will be considered the last date that you are legally able to remain in the country.