When planning your trip to Hungary, one important thing to start with is checking whether or not you need a visa to enter the country and study here. Please check the information below and follow the provided links to prepare for what is required in your case.

• The list of countries that do not require a visa to enter Hungary can be found here. If you come from a visa-free country, you can reside in Hungary within its validity period. (If you wish to stay longer, please submit an application for a residence permit before the 93rd day from crossing the Hungarian border.)

• Students who are required to apply for a visa entitling them to a residence permit can only obtain this type of visa (D-type) in their country of origin or at the Hungarian Embassy closest to their place of residence; it cannot be arranged in Hungary.

Students are kindly asked to book an appointment for the visa interview and submit all required documents in a timely manner.

Earliest appointment date: 90 days before entering Hungary.

For more information, please visit the website of the Hungarian Embassy in your country or the one closest to your place of residence. The list of Hungarian Embassies can be reached here.

In the case of a successful visa application, your residence permit process has already started. There is no need for you to apply for it upon your arrival. To learn more about how to obtain a Residence Permit for the purpose of study, please visit the website of the Immigration Office.

Mandatory Documents for Visa/Residence Permit Application

The Authority may request additional documents.

Please note that if your visa is granted and you do not enter the territory of Hungary within 3 months from the date of approval, or you do not begin your approved residence, the visa and residence permit will become invalid and the approval of your right of entry and residence will cease.

Residence Permit Application for EEA/EU Citizens

For EEA/EU citizens, strictly speaking, a residence permit is not required in Hungary.

What is required instead? EEA/EU citizens who stay in Hungary longer than 90 days must apply for a Registration Certificate (Registration of Right of Residence). This is issued by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (NDGAP).

Typical grounds for residence:

The applicant must prove one of the followings:

• Employment in Hungary

• Studies (e.g., university enrolment)

• Sufficient financial resources + health insurance

• Status as a family member of an EEA/EU citizen

Required documents (typically):

• Valid passport or national ID card

• Proof of purpose of stay (employment contract/student status certificate, etc.)

• Proof of accommodation in Hungary

• Health insurance coverage

• Completed application form

Important notes:

• The Registration Certificate is valid indefinitely, as long as the conditions are met.

• After 5 years of continuous residence, EEA/EU citizens may apply for a Permanent Residence Card.

For Current Students: After Arriving in Hungary

As of 1 July 2023, most immigration tasks must be managed online (extension of residence permit, change of accommodation, etc.). You can find the official website of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing with all important information regarding staying in Hungary here.

Upload your extension application to the EnterHungary website:

• Photo

• Copy of full passport

• New school certificate of active status certified by the university

• New scholarship certificate (if applicable)

• Receipt from the school for tuition fees

• Transcript of study progress (if you are not a first-year student)

• Bank balance statement (if you do not have a scholarship)

• Health insurance (if you do not have a scholarship)

• Completed “Notification of Accommodation” form — also signed by the owner or stamped by the dormitory

• Pay the procedural fee! (If you have a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship or a ministerial scholarship, you do not have to pay the procedural fee.)

• Submit your application 45–50 days before the expiry date of your residence permit. You can start here: https://enterhungary.gov.hu/eh/

Visit the client service after you have successfully submitted the online application: Do this if you are requested to record biometric data.

Directorates in Budapest or Pest County are as follows:

• Client Service I: 1116 Budapest, Budafoki Street 60.

• Client Service II: 1135 Budapest, Szegedi Street 35-37.

After submission:

• Check that you have uploaded every document.

• Check that you have typed your address correctly, because the residence permit can only be sent to the correct address.

• Bring your passport with you.

Important:

• Your extension cannot be granted if documents are missing.

• You must monitor your application on Enter Hungary regularly.

• If you have any questions, please write them in a document and upload it to your application on Enter Hungary. When uploading, choose the category “Other document you consider necessary.”

• You will be informed about the approval of your application through Enter Hungary.

YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR RESIDENCE PERMIT CARD THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.