Hungary residence permit for the Hungarian Card
The Hungarian Card is issued by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing under the single application procedure, for a maximum of three years and extendable by three more. Beyond working under employment or performing actual work as the owner or executive officer of a gainful legal entity, an applicant must also fall into one of four groups: holding a professional qualification listed in the decree of the minister responsible for higher education, being a professional sportsperson or coach, being a performer, or working for a filmmaker or film production company registered under the Act on motion picture. The administrative period is 21 days, and a decision on the merits must be adopted within 70 days of submission.
Core requirements
A Hungarian Card may be granted to a third-country national whose purpose of residence is to perform actual work for or under the direction of others, for remuneration, under a contract for an employment relationship; who, as owner or managing director of a company, association or other legal entity established for gainful activities, performs actual work in addition to the activities falling within the scope of that activity; and to third-country nationals with higher professional qualifications employed in Hungary on the basis of an agreement concluded between an employer established in a third country and a domestic employer in order to fulfil an agreement. Third-country nationals are non-Hungarian nationals who are not persons with the right of free movement and residence — that is, not EEA nationals or their family members — and stateless persons.
Even where the above is satisfied, a Hungarian Card may be granted only to third-country nationals who additionally have a professional qualification specified in the decree by the minister responsible for higher education, are a professional sportsman or sportswoman or a professional coach, are a performer, or work for a filmmaker or film production company registered by the competent authority for cinematography under the Act on motion picture.
Where entry into Hungary is not visa-exempt travel, the application must be submitted outside Hungary, before a Hungarian diplomatic or consular mission in the country of nationality or habitual residence; honorary consuls, trade representations and external service providers may also be authorised to receive applications, so the competent mission is worth contacting. If there is no consulate or other receiving place in the country of nationality or habitual residence, an application may exceptionally be submitted in a country where the applicant is staying legally, on proof of the reasons for the exceptional submission. A separate visa application is not required, as the residence permit application comprises an application for the visa entitling its holder to collect the permit.
Someone who may enter Hungary visa-free by nationality and does not already hold a residence permit may apply from within Hungary during their legal stay. Submission in Hungary is available electronically through the Enter Hungary information system and procedure initiation platform, or in person before the regional directorate of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing competent for the applicant's place of accommodation. Where the attorney-in-fact is a legal representative or a legal person, submission is available only through Enter Hungary.
An extension may be applied for only within Hungary through the Enter Hungary platform, and only if the applicant holds a valid residence permit at the time of submission and has resided in Hungary on that permit for at least 90 days in any 180-day period. The application may be submitted no more than 90 days before the permit expires, and no later than 30 days before expiry. Documents on unchanged conditions need not be attached again on extension.
For submission in person the application form must be completed correctly and in full and submitted signed. A facial photograph and fingerprints are taken for the issuance of a residence permit containing biometric data. Where the applicant is a minor with limited capacity or is incapacitated, the legal representative may submit the application, but an applicant over the age of six must appear in person before the competent NDGAP regional directorate by the time of submission. An application submitted through Enter Hungary is deemed received by the immigration authority once the administrative service fee has been paid and the facial photograph, fingerprints and signature specimen have been recorded within 15 days of receipt, and the authority sends a notification when this happens. One facial photograph must also be attached.
Proof of the purpose of residence consists of a preliminary agreement or a valid work contract established for employment requiring higher professional qualification, together with a certificate of the higher education or professional qualifications required for the job specified in it — not required for applicants as a professional sportsperson, professional coach, performer or film producer. Where the Hungarian employment was established on the basis of an agreement between an employer established in a third country and a domestic employer to fulfil an agreement, that agreement must also be attached.
Where the application is based on performing actual work as the owner or executive officer of a company, cooperative or other legal entity established for gainful purposes, the competent authority may request additional documents confirming the company's operation, in particular a detailed statement of the economic activity, an enterprise contract, a contract of assignment or agreement, a contract of sales or purchase contract, a certificate from the tax authority that the company is not liable for taxes and contributions and is not subject to execution or liquidation proceedings, and a certificate that the company has fulfilled its obligations to declare all its employees to the immigration authorities and to pay taxes and contributions.
One of the following must be submitted as proof of sufficient resources to cover subsistence, accommodation, return or onward travel out of Hungary and healthcare services from legally acquired income and savings: a preliminary agreement, a document on the legal relationship of employment, a certificate from a credit institution in the applicant's name such as a bank account statement, an account statement on savings or stocks and bonds or a bank balance statement, or a document on regular income issued by the employer or the tax authority.
One of the following must be submitted as proof that the applicant owns a residential property suitable for habitation or has legal title to use such real estate: a residential lease contract, a document on accommodation provision by courtesy, a document proving ownership of the residential property, a document proving the reservation of accommodation and payment for it, or a certificate by the employer declaring that it will provide the applicant's accommodation.
Documentary evidence must be submitted that the applicant has access to comprehensive health insurance services covering all healthcare services, or can cover the costs of such services. The condition is met where the applicant qualifies as a person with health insurance services under social security, has access to Hungarian health insurance services under an international convention, treaty or agreement, or can cover the costs of healthcare on the basis of the documents proving means of subsistence in Hungary.
Meeting the conditions of exit — return or onward travel — must be proved by a valid passport together with valid tickets for the relevant travel, or the amount of money to cover the costs of the travel.
Where the applicant is a minor, documentary evidence must be submitted that a parent or legal guardian has consented to their stay in Hungary. The parental consent must be provided in a private or authentic instrument with full probative value, with a translation into Hungarian or English.
Applications for the issuance and extension of a Hungarian Card residence permit are examined under the single application procedure. The period for procedural administration is 21 days. In addition to the mandatory attachments, NDGAP may request further documents to clarify the facts of the case or carry out other procedural conduct, and the period for remedying deficiencies and for other procedural conduct is not included in that period. The authority adopts a decision on the merits within 70 days of the date of submission.
Where the application was submitted before a Hungarian diplomatic or consular mission and the regional directorate approves it, that approval constitutes approval for issuing an entry visa entitling its holder to receive the residence permit; the directorate notifies the competent Hungarian consulate, and the consular officer issues the visa. Type "D" visas entitling their holder to receive a residence permit are single-entry visas authorising a stay of not more than 30 days and valid for three months. If the applicant does not enter Hungary within three months of the approval and does not start the approved residence, the approved permit becomes invalid and the accrued right of entry and residence ceases. The residence permit document is delivered by post to the address indicated for delivery in the application form; collecting it in person at an NDGAP regional directorate is allowed only on proof that the applicant is not in a position to receive it at that address.
The validity period of the document is a maximum of three years and may be extended for three years. The authority determines the expiry date so that the third-country national's travel document remains valid for at least a further three months after the approved residence expires.
In case of refusal, the decision may be appealed within eight days of delivery, submitted to the first-instance authority or to the Hungarian diplomatic or consular mission where the application was lodged. The authority dismisses an appeal without examination on the merits where it is received after the deadline, is not submitted by an authorised person, introduces new facts of the case that the applicant was aware of before the decision was taken, or is submitted without indicating its grounds or cause.
Official sources
- Residence permit for Hungarian CardNational Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (NDGAP), Hungary · Reviewed 2026-09-06
How immigration works in Hungary — the process in order, the current figures with their dates, and what commonly blocks an application.
General educational information only, not personalized immigration or legal advice. Requirements can change; confirm them with the responsible government authority before acting. Next scheduled review: 2026-12-06.