Eligibility Quiz
Are you a third-country national (non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen) holding a valid Hungarian residence permit?
Requirements
To qualify for the National Residence Card, you must already hold a valid Hungarian residence permit and meet specific residency or family-based thresholds.
Residency Thresholds
- General Applicants: You must have lived in Hungary legally and continuously for at least 3 years immediately preceding your application.
- Spouses: You qualify after only 2 years of residence if you have been married to a Hungarian citizen or a person with settled status for at least two years.
- Dependent Ancestors: You may qualify after 1 year of residence if you live in the same household as a Hungarian citizen or a person with settled status.
- Minor Children: Minor children of a person who has already been granted settled status or asylum qualify automatically.
- Former Citizens: If you were once a Hungarian citizen but your citizenship ceased, you may apply for this card.
Continuous Residence and Absences
Your residency is only considered "continuous" if you have not spent more than 4 consecutive months or a total of 270 days outside of Hungary during the required three-year period.
Ineligible Permit Types
Not all time spent in Hungary counts toward the three-year requirement. You cannot apply for a National Residence Card if you currently hold or are counting time from:
- Guest Worker or Seasonal Work permits.
- White Cards (Digital Nomad permits).
- Study Permits: Time spent on a student visa generally does not lead directly to this card; you must typically transition to a work-related permit first.
Conditions & Warnings
Time spent on Guest Worker, Seasonal Work, or White Card (Digital Nomad) permits does not count toward the 3-year residency requirement.
Continuous residence is broken if you spend more than 4 consecutive months or 270 total days outside Hungary during the 3-year period.
The permit can be revoked if the holder stays outside of Hungary for more than 6 consecutive months after issuance.
Qualifications
No formal language test, but a Hungarian cultural and social integration exam is required as of 2025.
Fees
Standard fee is HUF 25,000 to 35,000; lower for family members of EEA nationals.