National Residence Card (Nemzeti Tartózkodási Kártya)

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.