Hungary

Hungary joined the Schengen Area on 21th December, 2007. From that time visas and residence permits issued by one of the Schengen Member States are valid also for Hungary, and visas/residence permits issued by Hungarian authorities are - as a general rule - also valid for the entire Schengen Area.

As of December 19th  2011, 26 states are part of the Schengen Area: 22 states of the 28 members of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden) as well as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. (For the time being 6 member states of the European Union, i.e. Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom do not issue Schengen visas.)

The Schengen regulations are only applicable for a stay not exceeding 90 days. Rules for a stay longer than 90 days are laid down by the national law of the member states concerned.

 Application form for a stay shorter than 3 months

The Visa Application Form is available in Hungarian as well as in English and in French. Please, download and print it, then fill it in legibly, using capital letters or a typewriter and Roman characters: http://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/visa-application-forms.

Please note that the list below is only for information purposes. It is highly recommended to contact the Embassy of Hungary accredited to your country before the intended departure in order to get a confirmation.

Holders of passports issued by the countries, entities or territories listed in the table below are granted visa-free travel to Hungary.

For countries and travel documents not included in the list a visa is required.

Please be informed that the Tables on the recognition of travel documents by Hungary published on the website of DG HOME, under the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas_en.

Abbreviations of travel documents:

OP.: ordinary passport
D.: diplomatic passport
S.: service passport
ID.: Identity Card

Please note that the list includes countries where visa - free travel is only granted in possession of a diplomatic or a service passport. For information about seaman's (service), sailor's, official and special passports please contact the Embassies or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Please be advised that the driving license is not a travel document.

Holders of passports issued by the listed countries, entities or territories are exempted from any visa requirement when travelling to Hungary on condition that their visit does not exceed the period of visa-free stay indicated in the table below.

Please note that the latest amendment of the Article 5 (1) (a) of the Schengen Borders Code (entered into force on 19 July 2013) introduces new criteria for travel documents of third-country nationals entitling to cross the borders:

• the validity of the travel document shall last until at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States. In a justified case of emergency, this obligation may be waived;
• the travel document shall have been issued within the previous 10 years.

*For a stay exceeding that period a visa or a residence permit is needed according to the regulation pertaining to the respective country.

For the list please check the following link: http://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/visa-waiver-agreements

EU Visa Facilitation Agreements

Visa Facilitation Agreements (VFAs) between the European Union and certain third countries on the facilitation of the issuance of visas provide procedural facilitations for nationals of specific third countries (e.g. reduction of the visa fee, issuance of multiple-entry visas for specific categories of applicants, shorter processing times) without altering the conditions for issuing visas (i.e. the visa applicant must still satisfy the entry conditions). 

For more information on visa facilitation agreements, please go to the following link:

https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy_en.

List of third countries, where a Schengen state issues visas on behalf of Hungary

http://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/visa-issuance-on-behalf-of-hungary

Relevant regulations

http://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/relevant-regulations

Useful Links

http://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/useful-links

Before you can travel to Hungary for work or study purposes, you will need to have all your visas and documentation in place to enter the country. The information on this page will help you better understand what your options are as far as short stay visas for Hungary are concerned and what supporting documents you might need to apply for one of these visas. There are six different short stay visas for Hungary, and depending on your intended purpose of travel, you might need to apply for either a visitor, business, tourist, medical, national, or transit visa. Let us take a look at what each of these short-stay visas for Hungary entails. Visitor Visa

Hungarian Visitor Visas are valid for a period of up to one year. To apply for a Visitor Visa, you will need an official Invitation Letter from a Hungarian citizen or a foreigner in possession of a residence permit in Hungary, which has to be obtained from the Hungarian Immigration Office. In the Invitation Letter, the Hungarian citizen or permanent resident that made the invitation will prove that he or she will cover the costs of your visit and that they will take full responsibility of you while you are visiting Hungary. After the Invitation Letter is issued, you can apply for the Visitor Visa at the Hungarian consulate or the Hungarian embassy in your home country. These short-stay visas for Hungary are generally issued for family and friends of Hungarian citizens. Medical Visa

If you plan to travel to Hungary to obtain medical treatment, you can apply for Medical Visas, which is also one of the various short-stay visas for Hungary. Before you can apply for this visa, you will be required to present a certificate issued by the medical centre where you will be receiving your treatment. You will also need to prove that you have sufficient funds in your bank account to fund your accommodation and travel back home after your procedure. National Visa

You can only apply for a National Visa if you are a Serbian, Croatian, or Ukrainian citizen. National Visas are issued to help preserve the Hungarian language and the identity of the country, which is why authorities grant these visas for studying purposes or family reunifications. Business Visa

Business Visas are only valid for three months, and before you can apply for this visa, you will need an official Invitation Letter from a functionary or legal entity in Hungary. The company that wishes to invite you has to apply for the Invitation Letter at the Hungarian Immigration Office. On the application, the company has to prove that you will be travelling to Hungary for business and that the company will cover all of your costs during the visit. After the Invitation Letter has been issued, you may apply for the Business Visa at the Hungarian consulate or embassy. Tourist Visa

The Tourist Visa permits stay in Hungary for a short period. You can apply for a Tourist Visa at the Hungarian consulate. The authorities will issue the visa once you can show proof of your return flight tickets, accommodation, and your bank account that has sufficient funds to cover your expenses while you are visiting Hungary. Transit Visa

If you are an EU citizen or a foreign national that has a valid residence permit for Switzerland or Lichtenstein and you do not intend to be in transit in Hungary for more than five days, you do not need a Transit Visa. However, if you do not qualify for immunity, you will need to apply for a Transit Visa if you plan on being in transit in Hungary for a short period.