FAQ

       Medvice provides the most asked questions here . 

1. How many types of Visas are available for entering Hungary ?  

There are two types of visas mainly.  Type C and Type D.   

Type C is so called short term visa which allows the visitor to stay less than 90 days in Hungary.  usually tourist visa, business visit visa, short term family visiting visa.  

Type D is so called long term visa which allows the visitor to stay more than 90 days in Hungary. usually work visa, manager visa,  family reunification visa, investor visa.  

2. What is the most important thing to pay attention to when living in Hungary? 

The most important thing is to be sure your residence permit is valid all the time.  otherwise you may be in touble.  

3. Hungary is a good place to work in ? 

it depends.  Hungary belongs to middle income country.   The minimal salary is starting from 700 euro .  A skilled worker can make up to 3000 or 4000 euros per month.  for unskilled workers,  Hungary may not be the best place for them.  there are already many guest workers from India and vietnam.  they have taken most of the unskilled jobs with relatively low salary.  

4. Hungay is a good country to do business? 

Yes. definitely.   Hungary has the lowest company profit tax which is 9%.  and also the lowest personal income tax which is 15%.   Hungarians are usually well educated in general and they have good reputation for being hard working and intelligent.  Hungary is a member of EU and you can sell your products and services freely among all the EU member countries. 

5.  How much is the monthly living cost when you first arrive in Hungary?  

with decent standards of living, you need to prepare around minimal 1000 euros per month to cover your first months in Hungary.   300 euros to rent a room,  30 euros for transportation, 30 euros for health insurance, 600 euros for food and cloth.   

6. Can I get a work residence permit after i graduate from Hungarian universities? 

 yes. possible.   you have 9 months so called patience period.   during these 9 months, you can look for a job or open a company in Hungary.  then you can apply the work residence permit or manager residence permit in Hungary. 

7. If the visa is rejected for some reasons, can i appeal? 

yes.  you can.  you should do it within 8 days.  there are some cost to pay for appealing. 

8. How long does it take to get a C or D visa?  

 Usually, a D-type visa is issued within 3 months after the application is submitted. A C-type visa is issued within 3 weeks. If there is no need to supplement the documents, it will be faster. 

9. Where is the GoldenVisa in Hungary?

from 2024, Hungary has introduced the goldenvisa programs.   with this program, the investor and his family ( spouse and children under 18 years old) will get the 10 year residence permits.  the whole family members can work, live, run a business, or study freely in Hungary.  

10. What are the differences between Permanent residence permit and the Investor residence permit ( Goldenvisa )? 

                Getting a PR has requirements such as continuous staying for 3 years in Hungary.   PR holder has the                      right to vote.  Goldenvisa holders need to invest in Hungary.  and have no right to vote.  also permit                          extension conditions are different.  

11. Can Goldenvisa holder's parents apply for family reunification?

After 2024, work visa holders and digital nomad visas cannot apply for family reunification. Other visas such as self-employed manager visas, investment visas, elite visas, ICT visas, can apply. You need to prove that you have the proofs to support your parents to come to Hungary. 

12. What are the fees i need to prepare besides the visa application fees? 

Usually, you need to prepare the documents to be translated and notaried and apostilled.  all these cost money.  also if you need a support from the specialist like us to improve the chance to get a visa, there is a service fee you should prepare.   you can see our service prices in the seperate page.  then you need to prepare the travelling costs as well.  

13. How many days do new immigrants have to report to the Immigration Bureau? 

If you need to report to immigration office as soon as possible after your arrival , you only need to bring your passport with you. Usually, a D-type visa is valid for 30 days.

14. What type of  foreigners  are qualified for public health insurance? 

Usually,  if you gain income and pay tax in Hungary.   you are covered with public healthy insurance.  the people come with type C visa,  family reunification visa holders are NOT qualified with public health insurance.   Luckily the commercial health insurance is availble in Hungary, and the annual cost for one adult and one child is about 600-800 euros per year. 

15. What differences are between the Hungarian Permanent Residence Card and the EU Permanent Residence Card?

conditions are different.  The Hungarian permanent residence card is set up according to Hungarian laws. The condition is that you can apply for it after living in Hungary for 3 years (you must stay in Hungary for at least 9 months each year). The EU permanent residence card is formulated according to EU laws. The condition is 5 years of continuous residence, and you must stay in Hungary for 10 months each year.

permited countries are different.  Hungarian PR holders can only within Hungary.  EU PR holders can work in any state of EU member countries. 

16. Is it difficult to obtain Hungarian citizenship?

yes.  It is difficult .   Adults generally need to live in Hungary for 8 consecutive years before they can apply.  And they also need to take a Hungarian basic knowlege test which is in hungarian. Children only need to live in the country for 5 years. Our experienced colleagues will help with the Hungarian language test and teach you how to take the test. We also assist you in preparing the application materials. Applying under our guidance will make naturalization much easier, and we usually recommend that clients start preparing documents one year in advance.  There is no appeal for a Hungarian citizenship rejection, and no reason is provided either. Professional preparation of materials will increase the chances of passing the application in one go.  

17. If my visa is rejected, how long will it take before I can reapply?

We usually recommend waiting until the mistakes are corrected before applying again. In the continental European immigration law, rejection is caused by incomplete or insufficiently convincing documents. By preparing more complete documents and finding more convincing reasons to the immigration office, you can safely apply for the second time anytime.

18. Can I live and work in another country after obtaining Hungarian permanent residence or EU permanent residence? 

Obtaining Hungarian permanent residency does not mean that you can freely live and work in other EU countries.  

EU permanent residence permit holders can work and live freely within the EU, but they must also go to the Immigration Bureau to exchange for local identity before they can legally reside and work in other countries. 

Obtaining EU permanent residency means you have the right to study and live throughout the EU. Work permits vary from country to country, and most EU member states do not require additional work permits.

19. I hold a work visa or a manager visa. Can I enjoy the state’s public medical care?

Yes, you can if you are paid employee or a hired manager .  You have a TB card (national public medical card). But your child does not have one, so you need to buy commercial medical insurance. 

20. How to move investment funds to Hungary for the Golden Visa purposes? 

It is recommended to arrange the fund as early as possible.   the money should be under the investor's name. and also free to transfer to Hungary.    The investor must finish the investment within 93 days after arriving first time in Hungary with investor visa.   The investor should be able to pay to the fund or pay to the real estate seller freely from the investor's account after signing the contracts.  

21. Are there many foreigner communities in Hungary? Is it easy to make new friends? How to make friends?

The foreigner communities in Hungary are many.  specailly in the capital city of Budapest.  you can easily find religional groups,  hobby groups,  common interest groups via X platform or other social medias. 

22. Which schools in Hungary are accepting foreigners?

The Hungarian public schools accept foreigners even they do not speak any Hungarian. 

There are schools that teach only in English, and there are also many Hungarian-English bilingual schools to choose from. You can consult us for a specific list of schools, and we can provide it.

23. Is it possible to apply for permanent residency with a student visa?

It is definitely not possible to apply directly, but the student visa can be converted into a Hungarian card,  EU blue card ,  so that you have the opportunity to apply for permanent residence in Hungary .

24. Do I need a language test to apply for permanent residence in Hungary?

After 2024, social acceptance test will be required, which is covering 5 basic categories. Test is done in Hungarian.   Please consult us for more information. We provide common sense tutoring to help you pass the test.

25. What are the restrictions for buying property in Budapest?

All foreigners need a permit to buy a house, and the application process takes 45-60 days. In the 13th district, a foreigner can only buy one property per ID.   There is no limit in other districts. 

26. What are the taxes for individuals buying houses in Hungary?

4% one-time purchase tax. There is no personal property ownership tax in Hungary.

27. What is the retirement age in Hungary?

The age limit for both men and women is 65. Women can retire early if they have worked for 40 years. The pension is about 65-70% of their salary.

28. Is it easy for me to find someone to renovate the house I bought?   

Medvice provides renovating services and charge 10% of the total cost as a service fee.  usually you need to find a company which can do it for you.   it is not difficult to find one, but difficult to find a good one. 

29. Which banks are good in Hungary? 

For companies and individuals, we recommend OTP and MHB and K&H, which are the largest and oldest banks in Hungary. OTP and MHB have English apps available. For individuals, we recommend online bank revolut, which has no handling fees for exchanging money and is safe and convenient for online shopping. The disadvantage of REVOLUT is that it has no physical banks in Hungary, making it inconvenient to deposit and withdraw cash. 

30. Are taxes high in Hungary?

If you want to start a company in Hungary, the tax rate is the lowest in Europe. The corporate profit tax is 9%, and the personal income tax is 15%. However, Hungary's VAT tax is the highest in Europe at 27%.  

31. What is the average salary in Hungary? What is the standard of living like? 

The minimum wage in Hungary is  826 Euros before tax, and the average after-tax income in the capital is about 1000 Euros, which is a moderately developed country. Hungary is an agricultural country, and the price of agricultural products is not high, but due to the high value-added tax of 27%, the general food price is similiar as in Western Europe. The monthly living expenses for a family of three are at least 800 - 1000 euros. Hungary is a country with free education and free medical care. Housing prices among the eastern european countries are not high.   

32. How safe is Hungary?

Hungary is very safe.  small crimes happen just like all other big european cities.  

33. Can I go to Western Europe to work illegally if I get a work visa or manager visa from Hungary?

No. Once Hungary finds out, your residence permit will be terminated. Once your identity is blacklisted and you become an illegal immigrant, it will be very difficult to apply for a visa and EU residence in the future. It is recommended that you stay and work legally only.

34. Can I change companies with a Hungarian work visa? 

It is legally possible, but you need to make arrangements. If the new job is not done and the old job is gone, you must leave the Hungarian border within 6 days according to immigration law. It is recommended to find our professionals to handle it. What you need to do is to confirm that the new company issues you a work intention agreement. We will arrange the rest.  You will finally get a new residence card with the name of the new company on it. The identity card  has the company name on it.

35. Which businesses in Hungary can apply for a self-employed visa?

According to immigration law, only specified industries can apply for self-employment visas. Those outside these industries cannot apply. Contact us and we can provide specific industry forms. We can send them to you.

36. Is there any risk in investing in funds? Is the rate of return high or low? 

there is a risk within all funds.   All funds used for investment immigration must first obtain an investment immigration fund license issued by the state. Some investment immigration funds give a fixed rate of return, which is much lower than the market rate of return of 10%+. However, the risk is very low. The state has adopted very strict risk control policy and only issues to large fund companies.  If someone recommends a high rate of return, you can ask us to do a background check.   some funds provide the actual returns based on the performance. 

37. Can I buy multiple properties for investment, with a total value of 500,000 euros? 

No.  at this moment, the current immigration law clearly states that only one real estate for living can be purchased.  It can be a garden house, an apartment building, or a part of a property. At the current average price, you can a price per squremeter falling between 2500 euro to 4000 euro in average. The specific price will vary greatly depending on the area, age, and decoration. 

38. Can our investment residence permits be extended if they expire in 10 years ? 

Yes, but there are conditions. The fund needs to buy another 250,000 euros to extend the period. As long as the property is held for 5 years, it can be extended for another 10 years. A total of 20 years by law.  There is no legal provision for further extension after 20 years. We consulted the Immigration Bureau, and their staff said that it can be extended after 20 years, but there is no legal document to support it.

39. I have a temporary residence permit in Hungary. Can I travel and live in other countries?

No. This card is a temporary card while you wait for your official status, and you can only wait in Hungary. If you are found out in other countries, you may face fines and deportation.  

40. Can I drive in Hungary with my foreign driver's license? 

Not for D type visa holder.  There is no legal protection. If you get into an accident, you will be treated as driving without a license. There are  driving schools in Hungary. The tuition fee is 1000+ euros. You can get a driver's license within 5-6 months. The Hungarian driver's license theory test can be taken in english.   some teachers can speak english as well.  it is not an issue here. 

41. I just arrived in Hungary, can I buy a phone card with my passport? 

Yes, it is the prepaid type. Vodafone and Yettel both have it. 

42. I have just arrived in Hungary, how can I arrange accommodation?

If you are staying for a short time and have enough money, you can book a hotel directly. If you are staying for a longer period of time,  get a monthly rental can be better choice.  usually it is recommended to let us to handle the things.   it is stress free for new immigrants.    

43.  I just arrived in Hungary, how can I get around?

I suggest you buy a foreign Android phone, download Google Maps, and the BUDAPEST GO app. You can buy a monthly pass on this app, or you can buy a paper monthly pass at the station, which costs about 23 euros. The subway, bus, and tram are all included. 

44.  I just arrived in Hungary, how can I get a taxi ?

It is recommended to buy a new mobile phone, download BOLT or uber. 

45.   I just arrived in Hungary, how can I order takeout? 

On a European version of your phone, download FOODORA or WOLT APP, which are the two most popular ordering apps in Hungary. Don't worry about the language barrier, as many Vietnamese and black people deliver food, and they don't speak Hungarian.  

46.  I just arrived in Hungary. How much is an appropriate tip for a restaurant?

If there is a service charge (szerviz dij) added to the bill, usually 10%-15%, then you don't need to tip. If not, you can tip 10%. Tipping is not required for fast food and take-out.

47. I just arrived in Hungary and I'm single. How can I quickly find a local boyfriend or girlfriend?

If you know English, just download the dating app. Tinder and Badoo are the two most popular dating apps. If you don't know English or Hungarian,   first thing is to study the language.   

48.  I just arrived in Hungary, how can I learn the local language quickly?

I recommend Duolingo APP, which can systematically learn grammar and  vocabulary. When you are tired of learning, go to NETFLIX to open an account and choose Hungarian children's TV series to watch. Don't watch non hungarian movies . From easy to difficult, practice your sense of language first, so that you can understand it, and then speak it. You can also go to YOUTUBE to directly choose Hungarian TV series to watch. Remember to download a free ADBLOCK, so that there will be no ads while watching. 

49. I just arrived in Hungary, where is the best place to buy a car? What navigation software should I use?

For new cars, go to the car dealership. For used cars, go to www.hasznaltauto.hu. This is the most comprehensive site. It is usually recommended to buy a salon car, which is cheap and has a warranty. It is reliable. If you are driving, you can download the WAZE app, which has police speed detection and police inspection warnings.

50.  I just arrived in Hungary. Where can I buy daily necessities? Where can I buy these daily necessities online?

popular food supermarkets are LIDL, ALDI, large ones are TESCO, AUCHAN, SPAR, you can check the nearest one on google map.  You can also place orders online through  tesco App. 

51. I just arrived in Hungary, where is the best place to go for medical treatment?

just search on Google. The largest private comprehensive clinics are Firstmed and Medicover. For more details, see the link below: https://www.internationalinsurance.com/hospitals/hungary/

52.  I just arrived in Hungary, where can I find a job? 

with work visa,  you should have a fixed job already.  but in case you find out it is not so satisfactory, you can use www.profession.hu . 

53.  I just arrived in Hungary. how to rent an accomodation?

fast way is via a rental agency.  Tenants pay 3 times in advance or 2 times in advance. The room must be cleaned when the tenant returns. Otherwise, the deposit will not be returned. We will help the owner sign a notarized contract, which contains certain conditions. If the tenant does not pay, he will be directly evicted from the house.  

54.   I have just arrived in Hungary, why do I need to apply for the e-portal?

The electronic portal is a direct communication channel between you and the government. Even if you don't speak Hungarian, you can still see all the important information through Google Chrome. You can basically handle all government-related matters through the digital platform. For example, check whether there is any tax arrears, issue a tax arrears certificate, whether health insurance is paid, issue a criminal record certificate, etc. The registration page is at the following address: https://www.billingo.hu/blog/olvas/ugyfelkapu

55.   I have just arrived in Hungary, what societies can I join? 

they are many societies you can join.   X platform is a great place to find new friends. 

56.   Is it profitable to open a restaurant in Hungary? 

I personally think it's not easy to make a lot of money, but it's no problem to make a living. If you want to cater to the locals, you have to modify the tastes.  it is a hard busienss in gerenal.  

57.   Is racism serious in Hungary?

Like most cities in Europe, there are not many people who confront curse you face to face. Immigrants are divided by countries and races. 

58.  Where to buy materials for house decoration?

It is recommended to go to China Building Materials City so called Monori center, where prices are cheap and there are many choices. If you can't find it, it is recommended to go to Bauhaus supermarket, where you can find basically everything. www.bauhaus.hu  

59.  Where can I buy my local food in Hungary ?

Hungary has all types of food.  there are some minority food stores are as well.  for example turkish food store.   the best and easies way is work on the google map research.