Moving to Hungary

The National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF) factsheet opens this permit to third-country nationals who will work for remuneration under an employment relationship (or, to fulfil an agreement with a Hungarian employer, for an employer established in a third country) and who are nationals of a country in Annex 1 of Government Decree 450/2024 on the employment of guest workers, which lists Georgia, Armenia and the Republic of the Philippines. The factsheet defines third-country nationals as non-Hungarian nationals who are not EEA nationals or family members of an EEA national, and stateless persons, so a national of a listed country who is also a Hungarian or EEA national does not qualify. Evidence required: a preliminary agreement or document on the employment relationship, means of subsistence, accommodation in Hungary, health insurance and a valid passport with a ticket or travel money. The permit is tied to the employer: a new employer, position or place of work needs an extension application. It is valid for up to 2 years, extendable once by a year, and never beyond 3 years from first issue; to stay longer you apply for a new permit in Hungary at least 40 days before expiry. Holders may not obtain a national residence card, may not bring family members on a family reunification permit (a child born in Hungary while the permit is valid is the one exception), and may not switch to a permit for another purpose from inside Hungary. Procedural time 21 days; a decision on the merits within 70 days. The factsheet does not mention a labour market test or an annual cap; the quota label is carried from earlier reporting and is not confirmed there. Naturalisation on the general terms requires eight years' continuous residence in Hungary and a basic civics test in Hungarian unless exempt (Act LV of 1993 s.4(1)(a) and (e)); the factsheet does not say whether time on this permit counts. The OIF pages for separate degree-level, vocational and unqualified employment permits, linked from the archived OIF factsheet index, returned 'not found' on 2026-09-26.

Requires a tertiary qualification, or for IT specialists and executives at least 3 years of relevant high-level professional experience gained within the preceding 7 years. The gross monthly salary threshold rose to HUF 1,001,048 for 2026, about EUR 2,565 at roughly 390 HUF/EUR; shortage healthcare occupations - GP, pharmacist, specialised pharmacist, optometrist, dietician and nutritionist, physiotherapist, district nurse, ambulance officer, degree-level nurse and midwife - use the reduced threshold of HUF 800,838, about EUR 2,050. The increases apply to existing cardholders too, so employers must uprate pay. Valid for up to 4 years and extendable in 4-year blocks; employment is restricted to the approved highly qualified post for the first year, and any employer change requires an extension application regardless of tenure. Extensions require presence in Hungary of at least 90 days in any 180-day period. Decision within 21 days, or 30 days for holders of another Member State's Blue Card. The OIF factsheet does not say when Blue Card time counts toward a national residence card, so the permanent-residence timing is left null pending confirmation.

Open to third-country nationals with a verified employment relationship with a company in a country other than Hungary who work remotely using IT, or who hold shares in a profitable foreign company they manage remotely from Hungary. Verified net monthly income of at least EUR 3,000 for the 6 months before entry, maintained throughout the stay, evidenced by employment contract and 6 months of bank statements; the contract must expressly permit remote work. Applicants must also prove a place of accommodation in Hungary - a lease, a courtesy-accommodation document, a document proving ownership, or a paid reservation. No gainful activity inside Hungary and no shareholding in a Hungarian company are allowed. Valid 1 year and extendable only ONCE for a further year, a hard 2-year ceiling. FAMILY REUNIFICATION IS PROHIBITED for White Card holders, with the sole exception of a child born during validity. Time on a White Card does NOT count toward settlement - holders explicitly may not be granted a national residence card - which is why the permanent residence and citizenship fields are null.

The OIF factsheet lists two options: acquire at least EUR 250,000 in investment fund units from a real estate fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank, where the fund holds at least 40 percent Hungarian residential real estate and the share certificate carries a 5-year maturity; or donate at least EUR 1,000,000 to a Hungarian public higher education institution maintained by a public-interest trust, for educational, scientific research or artistic creation activity. A direct property purchase is not one of them. The process runs as a guest investor visa first, then the residence permit once proof of investment is filed. Permit validity is up to 10 years, extendable once by a further 10. Holders may work in Hungary, and family reunification is permitted. Applicants must prove a place of accommodation in Hungary. Decision within 21 days once documentation is complete, though practitioners report about 5 months end to end including background checks. The OIF factsheet does not confirm whether guest-investor time counts toward a national residence card, so permanent residence and citizenship timings are left null pending confirmation.

For third-country nationals pursuing activities that can be performed independently for remuneration, or acting as chief executive of a Hungarian business organisation. Self-employed applicants must produce a tax certificate showing annual income above 24 times the Hungarian minimum wage plus proof of no tax debt. Company executives must show the business has employed at least five Hungarian nationals or persons with the right of free movement and residence full time for at least six consecutive months, or that the applicant's presence in Hungary is essential to operations. Valid for a maximum of 1 year initially, extendable for up to 2 years at a time but never beyond 3 years from first issue. Extensions require presence of at least 90 days in any 180-day period and must be filed between 90 and 30 days before expiry. Family members cannot receive reunification permits during the first year, except children born during validity. Holders explicitly may NOT be granted a national residence card, so this route does not lead to permanent residence or citizenship - hence the nulls.

Open to the spouse (including a registered partner), minor child, or in defined cases dependent parent, of a Hungarian citizen or of a third-country national holding a Hungarian residence, settlement or immigration permit or residence card. Requires documentary proof of the family relationship, Hungarian accommodation, comprehensive health insurance and sufficient means of subsistence. Watch the sponsor carve-outs the OIF factsheet lists: holders of a White Card, a guest-worker permit, a seasonal-employment permit, a permit for employment or for employment for investment purposes, or a study, training, traineeship or voluntary-service permit cannot sponsor at all, and a guest self-employed permit holder cannot until they have held that permit for a year. Standard decision period 21 days (70 days if employment is applied for in the same procedure); the permit is generally valid for up to 3 years at a time. A spouse of a Hungarian citizen can naturalise after 3 years of continuous residence in Hungary where the marriage has lasted at least 3 years (Act LV of 1993 §4(2)(a)), against the general rule of 8 years; the basic civics knowledge test in Hungarian applies either way (§4(1)(e)). The factsheet does not say when time on this permit counts toward a national residence card, so the permanent-residence timing is left null pending confirmation; it does give an independent right to stay once 5 years have passed since the permit was first issued.