General information
Hungary has been a full member of the Schengen area since 21 December 2007.
https://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/en
The territorial validity of Visas and Residence Permits issued by the Schengen Member States are extends to Hungary; and uniform Schengen visas and residence permits issued by the competent Hungarian authorities are also valid throughout the Schengen area.
The rules of long-term stay over 90 days are determined by each Member State's own national legislation.
The regulation of stay for more than 90 days is national competence, therefore a uniform and common practice in this matter does not exist among the Schengen Member States.
An applicant, wishing to enter to the territory of Hungary for a long-term stay may submit an application for a residence permit at the competent Hungarian mission. In case of a positive decision, the applicant will receive a long-stay (so called D type) visa which allows the visaholder to enter to the territory of Hungary in order to obtain his/her residence permit.
Pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 265/2010, a third-country national holding a long-stay (D type) issued by a Schengen Member State may travel to other Member States under the same conditions as the holder of a residence permit in case the duration of stay can not exceed 90 days within 180 days.
From 20 May 2011, long-stay (D type) visa applicants has to provide their biometrical data – including fingerprints - at the time of submitting the application. Children under the age of 6 and those who are physically unable to give fingerprints are exempted from the fingerprinting obligation.
The applicant must submit the application in person.
1. Applications for a residence permit
The application forms can be downloaded from the following link: https://oif.gov.hu/forms
2. Mandatory enclosures
- completed and signed residence permit application
- a valid travel document
- 1 photograph (not older than 6 months, • color, • ID card size (35-40 mm wide), • sharp, high quality, • full-face, • in front of a bright coloured background, • without headwear, except for religious reasons, • photographed from the front)
- return or permits required for further travel
- proof of purpose of entry and stay
- documents proving subsistence and travel coverage
- insurance or equivalent financial coverage for the full range of health care benefits
3. The grounds for applying a residence permit may be:
- Guest self-employment
- Guest investor (valid from the 1st of July, 2024)
- Seasonal employment
- Employment for the purpose of investment
- Residence permit for guest workers
- Hungarian Card
- EU Blue Card
- Intra-corporate transfer
- Research or (long-term) mobility of researchers
- National Card
- Pursuing studies or student mobility
- Seeking a job or starting a business
- Training
- Traineeship
- Official
- White Card
- Posted work
- Medical treatment
- Voluntary service
- Residence permit for reasons of Hungarian national interest
- Family reunification
We would like to inform our Clients, that according to the Government Decree 450/2024 (23.XII.), after 1 January 2025 only citizens of the countries listed in the Government Decree may be employed in Hungary with a residence permit for employment purposes. As a consequence, from 1 January 2025, only citizens of Armenia and Georgia will be eligible to apply for a residence permit for employment purposes. For more information, please refer to the website of the National Directorate General for Aliens (https://oif.gov.hu/ or https://oif.gov.hu/news/government-decree-no-4502024 ).
4. A short film on the acquisition of biometric identifiers for issuing visas
https://konzinfo.mfa.gov.hu/utazas-magyarorszagra
5. Decision, decision making, appeal
On the basis of the documents submitted by the appicant and sent by the consular section, the competent regional directorate of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing decides on the application for a residence permit and the issuance of a D type visa.
An appeal against the rejection of the application may be lodged directly at the decision-making regional directorate or at the consular officer within eight days from notification of the decision.
For further information, please visit the website of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing: https://oif.gov.hu/
