Moving to Hungary 2026: EU Citizens, Americans, Families
Relocating to Hungary takes very different paperwork depending on your passport. EU and EEA citizens notify their residence to the immigration authority by the ninety-third day and receive a registration certificate on the spot. Americans can arrive visa-free and apply for a residence permit from inside Hungary, for a skilled job, a company transfer or remote work. Families follow their own rules, and some permits do not allow family members at all. This guide sets out each path, as published by Hungary's National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (NDGAP) and read on 14 October 2026.
Quick answer
EU and EEA citizens notify their residence by the ninety-third day after entry and pay HUF 1,000 for the registration certificate. Americans may stay visa-free for 90 days in any 180, report their accommodation for stays over 30 days, and can apply for a residence permit in Hungary: HUF 26,000 online via Enter Hungary. Routes include the Hungarian Card, the EU Blue Card, intra-corporate transfer and the White Card for remote workers earning at least EUR 3,000 net a month. Decisions come within 70 days.
Moving to Hungary as an EU citizen
- Who counts: citizens of EU member states other than Hungary, and of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
- Right to stay beyond 90 days: if you plan to work, or have sufficient resources and comprehensive sickness insurance, or are enrolled to study with sufficient resources and insurance.
- Deadline: notify your residence to the regional directorate for your future address at the latest on the ninety-third day from entry.
- What you get: if the conditions are met, the authority issues the registration certificate immediately.
- Fee: HUF 1,000, paid by bank card or bank deposit.
- Proof of address: for example a lease contract, a document on accommodation by courtesy, or a title deed issued within 30 days.
Moving to Hungary as an American
- Entry: nationals of countries exempt from visas under Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 may enter Hungary and the Schengen states for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. The United States of America is on the Schengen visa-free list published, for example, by Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Report accommodation: for a stay of more than 30 days but less than 90, report your place of accommodation through the Enter Hungary platform after entering.
- Apply from inside Hungary: visa-free nationals who do not hold a residence permit can apply for one during their legal stay, online through Enter Hungary or in person at the regional directorate.
Routes for relocating to Hungary
| Route | Who it fits | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| Hungarian Card | Skilled employees with a professional qualification specified by decree | Up to 3 years, extendable for 3 years |
| EU Blue Card | Highly qualified employees earning at least HUF 1,001,048 a month in 2026 | Up to 4 years |
| Intra-corporate transfer | Executives, specialists and trainees transferred by a company established outside the EU, with a work contract with the same company or group before and during the transfer | Up to 3 years for executives and specialists, 1 year for trainees |
| White Card | Remote workers employed abroad, or running a profitable company from Hungary, with net monthly income of at least EUR 3,000 for 6 months before entry | Up to 1 year, extendable once for another year |
| Residence permit for employment | Guest workers who are nationals of Georgia, Armenia or the Philippines | Up to 3 years in total |
The work routes are explained in our Hungary work visa guide.
Moving to Hungary with kids
- Family reunification: a residence permit for family reunification may be granted to family members of holders of a residence permit, a national residence card or a permanent residence document, among others, and to family members of Hungarian citizens.
- Exception: NDGAP refuses family reunification where the sponsor holds a residence permit for guest self-employment (under a year), seasonal employment, employment for investment, employment (the guest-worker route), a White Card, studies or job-seeking/business, training, traineeship or voluntary service. A child born in Hungary to such a sponsor still receives a permit after the birth is notified.
- Children born in Hungary: a third-country national child born in Hungary to a third-country national residing there is issued a family reunification permit.
- EU families: an EU citizen's right to stay depends on resources for themselves and their family members, and comprehensive sickness insurance, if they are not working.
Fees and timing
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Registration certificate, EU and EEA citizens | HUF 1,000 |
| Residence permit via Enter Hungary | HUF 26,000 |
| Residence permit in person in Hungary | HUF 39,000 |
| Residence permit and entry visa at a consulate | EUR 110 |
For residence permits, the NDGAP decides on the merits within 70 days of the application. For a full budget, see our cost of moving to Hungary, and for the first weeks, first steps after moving to Hungary.
Frequently asked questions
How do EU citizens register in Hungary?
Notify your residence to the regional directorate for your address at the latest on the ninety-third day after entry. The registration certificate is issued immediately if you meet the conditions, for a fee of HUF 1,000.
Can an American move to Hungary?
Yes. Americans can enter visa-free and apply for a residence permit from inside Hungary, for example a Hungarian Card, an EU Blue Card or a White Card.
Do I need to register a short stay in Hungary?
For a visa-free stay of more than 30 days but less than 90, report your place of accommodation through Enter Hungary.
Can I bring my children to Hungary?
On most routes, yes, through a family reunification permit. NDGAP refuses it where the sponsor holds a guest-worker employment permit, a White Card, or a permit for studies, training, traineeship or voluntary service, except for a child born in Hungary.
Can my company transfer me to Hungary?
Yes. An intra-corporate transfer permit covers executives, specialists and trainees sent by a company established outside the EU, for up to 3 years for executives and specialists.
How much income do I need for the Hungarian White Card?
A net monthly income of at least EUR 3,000 for at least 6 months before entry, kept throughout your stay.
How long does a Hungarian residence permit take?
The authority decides on the merits within 70 days of the application.
Official sources
- NDGAP — Registration certificate for EEA nationals
- NDGAP — Information for persons entitled to a visa-free stay
- NDGAP — Family reunification
- NDGAP — Intra-corporate transfer
- NDGAP — White Card for digital nomads
- NDGAP — Procedural fees
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia — Schengen visa-free nationalities
All deadlines, fees and conditions verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Information, not legal advice.