Hungary – Intra-corporate transferee (ICT)

You work for a company established outside the European Union (EU) and you are going to be transferred to a branch in Hungary? You can find information below on the conditions, procedures, rights and mobility you can enjoy during your stay.

You can enter, reside and work in Hungary as an intra-corporate transferee if you are a manager, specialist or trainee employee. The definitions and conditions of admission are governed by the EU Directive on intra-corporate transfer (Articles 3 and 5 of Directive 2014/66/EUSearch for available translations of the preceding link). If you fulfil the conditions, you will be issued an intra-Corporate Transferee permit.

Please note that before being transferred from a company branch located outside of the EU to a branch in Hungary you must have been employed by that company as a manager/specialist/trainee for a period of 3 months.

Where and how to apply

You need to submit your application at the embassy or consulate in your country of originSearch for available translations of the preceding link or in certain cases at the place of lawful residence or in Hungary. You can find the competent regional directorate on the website of the immigration authority (www.bevandorlas.hu).

The competent authority shall examine the application for residence permit for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer in a single application procedure, and the decision on the merits will be adopted within sixty days from the date of submission of the application.

Please, click hereSearch for available translations of the preceding link to access detailed information on the single application procedure.

Fees

The administrative service fee charged for the procedure for issuing a residence permit is EUR 60, payable at the diplomatic mission of Hungary primarily in EUR or other convertible currency, or in exceptional cases in the legal tender of the State where the application is submitted. The administrative service fee charged for the procedure is HUF 18,000 if submitted in Hungary. The fee charged for the extension of a residence permit is HUF 10,000.

Documents required

When applying for a single permit or a residence permit, you need to:

  • present a travel document, which will remain valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended period of stay;
  • prove adequate accommodation;
  • prove sufficient financial resources and subsistence means (e.g. prior agreement for a work contract);
  • prove health insurance (by being officially employed you are fully covered by health insurance).
Further requirements

You cannot be subject to an entry ban or an alert in the Schengen Information System for the purposes of refusing entry, nor can your entry and stay threaten public policy, public health or public security in Hungary.

Duration of validity of permits

The minimum period of validity of the residence permit for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer shall be at least one year or the duration of the transfer. Of the two periods the shorter one shall be considered as the period of validity of the residence permit.

The maximum period of validity of the residence permit for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer shall be maximum three years for executive employees and specialists and one year for trainee employees.

The maximum period of validity of the residence permit for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer shall be maximum three years for executive employees and specialists and one year for trainee employees, and may be renewed for such (three and one- year) periods for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer.

However, the validity of the travel document should be taken into consideration, for, on general principle, the authorised duration of residence is to be determined so that the validity period of the third-country national’s travel document has at least three months remaining at the time the authorised duration of residence expires.

Conditions for renewal

The application for extension of the residence permit shall be submitted in person at the regional directorate responsible for the place where the place of accommodation is located 30 days before it expires at the latest, with the necessary documents attached.

As of 1 January 2019, natural person clients or their authorized legal representatives may submit an application for a residence permit (issue or extension) electronically via Enter Hungary, available at https://enterhungary.gov.hu.

The residence permit for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer may be renewed for three years for executive employees and specialists and one year for trainee employees for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer.

Appeals

Appeals against decisions of regional offices regarding residence permits can be brought within 8 days of delivery to the immigration authority, or to the Hungarian diplomatic or consular mission where the application was submitted.

Change of status

Change of status may be possible depending on the purpose of stay and your personal circumstances.

Family members

A residence permit for the purpose of family reunification may be issued to a third-country national who is a family member of a third-country national in possession of a residence permit.

More on family reunificationSearch for available translations of the preceding link

Other rights

A person with an ICT permit benefits from equal treatment with nationals of Hungary in what regards freedom of association; recognition of diplomas and professional qualifications; provisions regarding social security (with conditions); access to goods and services (with exceptions).

Upon the fulfilment of certain conditions you can, on the basis of an ICT permit issued in one EU country, work in other EU countries if the entity where you will work belong to the same company. If the duration of your mobility is shorter than 90 days during a 180-day period you are subject to short-term mobility rules. If the duration of the mobility is longer than 90 days, you are instead subject to long-term mobility rules.

The following procedures apply if you have an ICT permit in an EU Member State and intend to move and work in Hungary.

Short-term mobility

If you have a valid ICT permit issued by an EU Member State for the purpose of an intra-corporate transfer and you hold a valid travel document, you have the right:

  • to move freely within the territory of the EU Member States, and to enter and reside in Hungary for a planned duration not exceeding ninety days;
  • to work in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer without a special permit in a host entity in Hungary.
Long-term mobility

If you have a valid residence permit for the purpose of intra-corporate transfer issued in any EU Member State a residence permit shall be granted (permit for long-term mobility) if:

  • you provide evidence that the host entity and the company established in a third country belong to the same company or group of companies;
  • you have a valid travel document;
  • you are able to verify the purpose of your entry and stay;
  • you are not subject to expulsion or exclusion, and you are not considered to represent a threat affecting public policy, public security, national security, or public health of Hungary;
  • a SIS alert has not been issued for the purposes of refusing your entry and residence; and
  • you are not subject to any grounds for exclusion provided for by law;
  • your employment is justified in line with specific guidelines laid down by the relevant legislation, or on grounds of domestic employment policy considerations;
  • you have full healthcare insurance or applied for coverage for healthcare services with respect to all periods when your employment relationship carries no insurance;
  • you have sufficient resources for yourself and your family members not to become a burden on the social assistance system of Hungary during your period of residence; and
  • you have notified the address of your accommodation in the territory of Hungary.