Where and how to apply

Visa entitling you to a residence permit

You have to apply for a visa, which entitles you to receive the residence permit before admission to the country at the embassy or consulate in your country of originSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN••• or, in certain cases, in the country of legal residence.

Residence permit

Upon your arrival, you have to obtain your residence permit for the purpose of pursuing studies at the competent regional directorate of the immigration authority of your place of residence. You can find the competent regional directorate on the website of the immigration authority.

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

You need to:

• verify that the purpose of your stay is to pursue studies, e.g. by presenting an admission certificate issued by the receiving educational institution or a document verifying your student status;
• verify appropriate language skills, e.g. by presenting an official language certificate or an official certificate of previous studies pursued in a foreign language;
• present a travel document that will remain valid at least for the intended period of stay;
• verify accommodation;
• verify health insurance;
• verify sufficient financial means for your intended stay that will also cover your return.

You cannot be subject to any ground for refusal as set out in the law, e.g. threat to public or national security, being the subject of an expulsion order, entry ban or alert in the Schengen Information System.

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 validity period of a residence permit issued for the purpose of study:

• is at least one year;
• corresponds to the duration of training, if it is less than one year;
• may be extended by at least one or at most by two additional years at a time.

The validity period of the residence permit shall be set in consideration of the date of expiry of the passport. However, the validity period of a residence permit issued for the purpose of study may not exceed the validity period of the applicant’s travel document.

Conditions for renewal

The application for extension of the residence permit shall be submitted in person at the regional directorate of the immigration authority responsible for the place where the place of accommodation is located 30 days before it expires at the latest, with the necessary documents attached. You can find the competent regional directorate on the website of the immigration authority (www.bevandorlas.hu).

As of 1 January 2019, natural person clients or their authorised legal representatives may submit an application for a residence permit (issue or extension) electronically via Enter Hungary.

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.

Further information

More on residence permits for studentsSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN•••

Study in Hungary

If you have a residence permit issued on grounds of pursuit of studies, you can work for 24 hours per week during term-time and for a maximum of 90 days or 66 working days per year beyond term time. In such circumstances, you do not need a work permit for the period of your full-time studies.

Stay and employment after studies

After finishing your studies, you can apply for a Residence Permit for the Purpose of Job-searching or Entrepreneurship, if you are in possession of a valid residence permit for the purpose of studies and you are able to prove the completion of your studies, if the employment you are seeking or the business you are in the process of setting up corresponds to your studies completed.

More information on Residence Permit for the Purpose of Job-searching or EntrepreneurshipSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN•••

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 linkEN•••

As a student, you are not eligible for EC long-term residence. However, half of your legal residence as a student in Hungary can be taken into account when calculating the five-year period necessary when applying for an EC long-term residence status.

Non-EU nationals holding an EC residence permit certifying permanent residence status issued by any EU Member State under Council Directive 2003/109/EC are granted, upon request, an interim permanent residence permit when seeking admission into the territory of the Republic of Hungary:

a) for the purpose of gainful employment, with the exception of seasonal employment; or

b) for the pursuit of studies; or

c) for the purpose of vocational training; or

d) for other justified reasons.

Family members of non-EU nationals holding an EC long-term residence permit certifying permanent residence status granted by any EU Member State under Council Directive 2003/109/EC, apply for an interim permanent residence permit. Family members of non-EU nationals holding an interim permanent residence permit may be issued an interim permanent residence permit if their family relationship pre-existed in the Member State of the European Union where the EC long-term residence permit certifying long-term residence status was issued.

National permanent residence permits may be issued to non-EU nationals holding a residence permit or an interim permanent residence permit for establishing residence in the Hungarian territory, if:

• they have lawfully resided in the territory of Hungary continuously for at least the preceding three years before the application was submitted;
• they have a family member of dependent direct relatives in the ascending line – other than a spouse – of a non-EU national with immigrant or permanent resident status, or who has been granted asylum and living in the same household for at least the preceding one year before the application was submitted;
• they have a spouse of a non-EU national with immigrant or permanent resident status or who has been granted asylum, provided that the marriage was contracted at least two years before the application was submitted