Citizens of the EU/EEA member states and of the following countries may travel to Hungary without a visa:

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong (the exemption APPLIES only to holders of a “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”), Iceland, Israel, Japan, Macao (the exemption applies only to holders of a “Regio Administrativa Especial de Macau” passport), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Salvador, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Stateless persons and refugees having a travel document issued by one of the above mentioned states, can enter without a visa. Stateless persons and refugees residing in a Member State, having a travel document issued by the Member State concerned are entitled to a visa-free entry. Member State means: “old” and “new” Schengen Member States, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria. In possession of a valid D+C visa issued by one of the Schengen states, within the first three month of the validity of the visa, the holder is entitled to a visa-free entry. In possession of a D visa, the holder may only transit through Hungary to the issuing country without visa.

In possession of a valid residence permit and other documents listed in Annex 4 of the Common Consular Instructions, foreigners have the right for a visa-free circulation within the Schengen Area not exceeding 3 months in any 6 months. Holders of United Nations laisser paissez may enter without a visa. According to bilateral visa agreements holders of diplomatic and service passports may be entitled to a visa-free entry. Please check the website of the MFA.

Entry for long stay (Exceeding 90 days)

Regulations on a stay exceeding 90 days fall within the competence of national authorities, therefore there is no uniform routine among the Schengen Member States. Foreign nationals requesting entry to Hungary with a purpose of a long stay may submit a residence permit application. In case of successful application, s/he will get a visa authorizing him/her to a single entry for receiving a residence permit and to stay for maximum 30 days in Hungary. The decision on the residence permit falls within the scope of the regional directorates of the Office for Immigration.

Attention! Family members of EU/EEA nationals with the right of free movement may enter Hungary with a short-stay (C) visa, even if they intend to stay in Hungary more than 90 days. In such cases, within 93 days from the entry, the family member shall apply for a residence card at a regional directorate of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing.

A residence permit application can be submitted directly to a regional directorate of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, if

1. the applicant can prove the exceptional reasons of the request, among others, family reunification or medical treatment,
2. the purpose of stay is research,
3. the applicant concerned is a national of one of the countries listed on Annex II of Council Regulation EC no 539/2001 (visa-free countries).

Supporting documents

• Valid passport (the validity of which has to exceed that of the requested visa by at least 3 months);
• 2 passport-size colour photos (not older than 6 months);
• A wholly and legibly completed, signed “residence permit” application form (can be downloaded from the website of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/en;
• Supporting documents of the purpose of stay;
• Supporting documents of accommodation;
• Supporting documents of subsistence;
• A health insurance.

Depending on the purpose of entry, the following documents are needed for the application for residence permit:

In the case of a residence permit for educational purposes:

• A certificate of school attendance,
• A document certifying occupancy in Hungary (the document certifying accommodation in a student hostel or the tenancy contract with a duplicate of the title deed), and
• The documents certifying subsistence in Hungary (bank account statement; or the declaration of the parents that they assume coverage of all costs of the stay in Hungary; or the document certifying the scholarship).
• Attestation of the school that the applicant is exempt from the payment of school fees or that he/she has already paid the tuition fees.

Attention!

1. The consul may request the presentation of further documents in addition to the above ones.
2. Documents shall be annexed to the applications being submitted in the original, if possible. If the client needs the original document later on, then a photocopy shall also be annexed besides presenting the original document
3. The consulate reserves the right to examine the authenticity of the communicated data and the submitted documents. The communication of false data will in itself lead to the refusal of the visa application.

The fee for the residence permit application is EUR 60. As a general rule, the regional directorate processes the application within 30 days. If the purpose of entry is study or research the directorates shall make a decision within 15 days.

In case of refusal, the client may lodge an appeal within 5 days from the notification. The appeal shall be submitted directly to that regional directorate of the OIN that processed the application.

Records of data, data protection

According to Article 95 of the Act on entry and stay of third country nationals (No. II. of 2007) the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing as well as the consulate authority shall manage the following data of foreign nationals, based on visa applications and on visas issued:

• natural particulars of identification;
• nationality (stateless status);
• photograph and passport data;
• the purpose of entry and the planned duration of stay;
• copies of documents verifying fulfilment of the requirements for entry and stay, or the data referring thereto;
• the rejection of visa and the reasons, if applicable;
• the number and series, and the period and territory of validity of the visa issued;
• the date and place of entry and exit;
• registered place of accommodation.

The consulate may disclose data from its register to law enforcement and criminal investigation agencies, the national security agencies and the refugee authority, to agencies specified by law or international agreement within the type of specific information defined therein, furthermore to Schengen / EU consulates in the jurisdiction.

If requested by the applicant, the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, and the consulate within its jurisdiction shall provide information regarding his data on record, unless the Aliens Act prohibits the disclosure of such data. If the consulate determines, whether by the initiative of the applicant or ex officio, that any particular data on record is incorrect or has changed, it takes prompt measures to have such incorrect data corrected or removed from the records, whichever is appropriate.