Residence permit of Hungary
Residence permit of Hungary is quite popular among applicants from countries that are not members of the European Union. The Hungarian state offers a residence permit to foreign citizens who want to live in this country and want to enjoy almost the same opportunities as citizens of Hungary.
Since this country is a part of the Schengen area, anyone with a Hungarian residence permit can easily travel to any country within the Schengen area without a visa. Why do people choose Hungary as their country of residence?
It’s simple enough: Hungary offers a top-level lifestyle at low costs and expenses. It is a developed country with good infrastructure, high-quality healthcare and good education, Hungary has affordable prices for real estate objects and low tax rates. Many people prefer to start a new business and move their old business to Hungary.
Hungary is located in the heart of Europe and is a home to some of the best thermal pools in the world. It is one of the 30 most visited countries in the world. Another advantage is that this country recognizes double citizenship and does not oblige a person to give up his or her previous citizenship in order to obtain a Hungarian passport.
Depending on their nationality, persons who want to live in Hungary must apply for a residence permit if their stay in the country exceeds 90 days. The Hungarian Office of Immigration and Citizenship is the national authority that deals with all matters relating to settlement, residence, citizenship and asylum for refugees in Hungary.
If you consider obtaining a residence permit of Hungary, our team of experienced lawyers will assist you throughout the process. We will help you with collection of the necessary documents, answer questions and guide you through all the naturalization procedures in this country.
How to get a residence permit of Hungary for a non-resident
If you are a non-EU citizen, you must apply for a residence permit at your local immigration office before your visa expires. During the first year you will receive a visa at the consulate, after which you will be able to enter the country.
This visa is valid only for 30 days from the date of entry into the Schengen area. Within these 30 days you must personally visit the Hungarian immigration office to arrange the registration of the address and to obtain the final residence permit in the Schengen area.
Since you are not an EU citizen, you can renew your Hungarian residence permit at the Hungarian Immigration Service for the second year. This whole procedure can take up to 30 days during which you must confirm your residence and employment by an employment agreement, work permit or employment contract, etc.
Requirements for obtaining a residence permit of Hungary
Usually, a variety of documentation is required to obtain different residence permits of Hungary. You may need such documents as:
- Birth certificate;
- Adoption act;
- Marriage certificate;
- Confirmation of kinship with an EEA or EU citizen;
- Confirmation of financial well-being;
- Confirmation of health insurance coverage;
- Confirmation of residency.
You can always contact our Hungarian lawyers for more detailed information about documentation.
Types of residence permits of Hungary in 2021
Citizens of the European Union and spouses of Hungarian citizens do not need to apply for a residence permit if their stay does not exceed three months. However, if the stay in the country exceeds three months, a registration card and an address card are required.
Family members of EU citizens who are not citizens of the EU also need a residence permit of Hungary if their stay lasts more than three months.
Hungary issues various types of permits and licenses and some of its residence permits are as follows:
- National residence permit;
- Residence permit for performing volunteering activities;
- Visas for seasonal employees;
- Residence permit upon purchase of a real estate object;
- Residence permit for education;
- Residence permit for family reunification;
- Residence permit for official purposes;
- Residence permit for medical treatment;
- Residence permit through investment;
- Residence permit for scientific research;
- Temporary residence permit.
Special conditions apply to the citizens of third countries. Our Hungarian lawyers will help you choose the right type of visa for persons destitute of nationality and citizens of third countries, taking into account the relevant Hungarian legislation.
Residence permit through investment
Investing in Hungary for the purpose of obtaining a residence permit is usually an easier and faster way to obtain a second residence in the country of Europe at your choice. Just €300,000 invested in government bonds for 5 years, as well as administrative costs in the amount of €60,000, can become a “ticket” for obtaining Hungarian citizenship through investment for a lifetime for you and your family.
Why do people choose a residence permit of Hungary through investment? Everyone has his or her own reasons, but in general, investors choose this option to benefit from a high standard of living, a good level of education and healthcare.
Individuals with very high and high levels of their own assets choose to purchase accommodation through investment to protect their assets, provide a better life for their families and take advantage of the 100% privacy offered by investment programs of Hungary.
Residence permit of Hungary through investment means free travel throughout Europe and, in the future, around the world, when you apply for a permanent residence of Hungary through the purchase of a real estate object, for example. Even a temporary resident status allows you to travel around 26 countries of the Schengen area without a visa.
Future permanent residence status makes it easier to travel for business or pleasure for you and your family. This will save you a lot of time and money, and will protect you from stress when you need to travel abroad. Another good thing about a permanent residence status is the ability to apply for citizenship after a maximum of 8 years.
Permanent residence of Hungary through real estate or investment is:
- High quality of life
Most of the countries offering residency through investment programs are distinguished by a high standard of living, excellent quality of education and healthcare. Hungary is no exception, guaranteeing personal security, economic and political stability and a low crime level.
- Residence for the whole family
Residence through investment programs offer residence to eligible family members. Their applications go together with the main applicant’s application and applications for citizenship can also be submitted together. Permanent residents have access to the world-class medical and educational institutions.
- The best conditions for business
Offering residency through investment programs, Hungary has a modern, open and highly developed economy that provides tax incentives and low operating costs for businesses, as well as a highly skilled, multilingual and productive workforce.
- Tax optimization
Individuals with high income level who invest in permanent residence of Hungary are eligible for a special preferential tax treatment. All expenses are transparent and minimal, which allows you to plan your expenses in advance.
What are the benefits for the country offering residence permit programs? The main reason why Hungary offers a residence permit program through investment is to stimulate the economy with the use of foreign investment. They are aimed at attracting money, talent and experience, providing employment and tax revenues.
There are certain requirements that must be satisfied in all residency through investment programs, such as:
- A legitimate source of funds for investment;
- No criminal record;
- Availability of medical insurance and so on.
The general requirements for the investor visa program are the availability of funds for investment and financial self-sufficiency without recourse to the state funds. In addition, investments must be carried for a certain period or time. The positive side of this requirement is that the investment can be returned after the end of the holding period.
Residence permit through the purchase of a real estate object
If you are planning to move to Europe in the future, a residence permit of Hungary through the purchase of a real estate object can be an excellent solution. How is this status obtained? You need to confirm the existence of purchased real estate objects in the country, as well as confirm your financial solvency and effect medical insurance.
The Hungarian real estate market offers a variety of options, ranging from newly built office buildings and apartments to luxurious private cottages and houses. Investors are attracted by the fact that average prices in Budapest and other Hungarian cities are relatively lower than in other Western European countries.
A huge variety of buildings, constructions and objects, including both relatively old and new buildings, requires a real estate due diligence procedure before signing any real estate sale and purchase contract in Hungary.
Our lawyers will always help you to obtain a residence permit of Hungary through purchase of a real estate object, they can offer you all-inclusive services of a complete inspection of the purchase. This is necessary for you to be sure that your new house or office in Hungary meets your standards and was purchased in accordance with the law. Professional investigation can protect the buyer from a risky investment.
Selection of real estate objects in Hungary
All real estate purchase and sale transactions in Hungary shall be certified by a notary by concluding an appropriate agreement. The document shall be signed in the presence of a notary and, in some cases, countersigned by a Hungarian lawyer.
Foreign individuals who wish to obtain a residence permit status of Hungary through the purchase of a real estate object must obtain special permission from the relevant authorities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, certain exemptions apply to business owners in Hungary who wish to purchase property through a Hungarian legal entity.
Once you have found a suitable real estate object, you can begin the purchase process. This is the recommended period for due diligence of a real estate object in Hungary. Structural and architectural assessments of the building may also be performed to ensure its strength and safety.
When purchasing a real estate object in Hungary, a residence permit can be obtained quickly enough if you use the professional services of our lawyers. At the same time, the due diligence of Hungarian real estate objects is very important.
This includes checking certain legal aspects regarding the object to be purchased. When conducting the due diligence of a real estate object, the following aspects shall be inspected:
- Legal title of the property;
- Any existing debts;
- Approval of both spouses (if the property is owned by a married couple in Hungary);
- Any existing encumbrances (lease or mortgage agreements);
- Rights of third parties (if applicable).
Information about a real estate object in Hungary can be obtained from the Hungarian Land Registry. We highly recommend the real estate due diligence if you wish to purchase real estate objects in Hungary for your personal use or as the head office of your new business in the country. Our law firm provides various professional services appropriate for any type of business in Hungary.
Residence permit through marriage
If you have been married to a Hungarian citizen for some time, you may be eligible for Hungarian citizenship through simplified naturalization, similar to the procedure required when applying for citizenship based on your Hungarian origin.
Who is eligible for Hungarian citizenship through marriage? You can apply for Hungarian citizenship if you have been married to a Hungarian citizen for at least 10 years. If you have at least one common child, you can apply for citizenship after 5 years of marriage.
Accordingly, one of the main advantages of this procedure is that you do not have to reside in Hungary for 8 years, as is the case with the normal naturalization process. Having a permanent address in Hungary is not even necessary. However, it is definitely an advantage if you have one and if you live at the same address as your spouse.
Another main advantage of the simplified naturalization procedure is that you do not have to take an exam in the basics of Hungarian knowledge, including knowledge of history, literature and the constitution (it is commonly called the “citizenship exam”).
At the same time, you will still have to meet the administrator (or consul) and talk briefly about why you want to become a citizen of Hungary, for which you will need basic knowledge of the Hungarian language.
What documents are required? You will have to provide an original or certified copy of your birth certificate and marriage certificate. Strange as it may sound, but if you were previously married, you will also have to provide certificates of previous marriage and divorce.
The reason for this is simple: when you become a Hungarian citizen all your important life events must be recorded in Hungarian records (just as they are regularly recorded for all citizens of Hungary).
If the language of your documents is not Hungarian, you will also need a certified translation into the Hungarian language. A pleasant bonus: unlike the practice in many other countries, for the procedure of obtaining citizenship of Hungary there is no need to provide information about the absence of a criminal record.
How to apply? Once you have collected all the required documents along with their certified translations, you can apply in person to any Hungarian government office or Hungarian consulate closest to your permanent address (in the same country and/or area).
As mentioned above, you do not have to take a citizenship exam, but you must have a short interview with the consul or administrator to discuss your situation and your plans for the future. You can learn in detail about the procedure with the help of our Hungarian lawyers who will tell you about each stage of the naturalization through marriage.
The easiest way to find out if you are eligible for Hungarian citizenship through marriage is to complete a special eligibility test. You just need to answer a few questions about yourself and your family and you will see if you are eligible for the procedure and have the necessary documents.