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Visa field guide · HU

Plan your Hungary application

Konzinfo for short stays, Enter Hungary for the residence permitSee the common routes, understand the hand-offs, then confirm every requirement on the official website.

01 / ROUTES

Choose the route that matches your trip

These are starting points—not an eligibility decision. Open the official route before you apply.
  • ↗
    Schengen short-stay visa

    Visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period when Hungary is the main destination.

  • ↗
    Long-stay entry & residence permit

    A national entry visa issued at the consulate, followed by a separate residence-permit application filed after arrival.

02 / JOURNEY

What the application journey usually looks like

The exact order can vary by visa, nationality and application location. “If asked” steps are conditional.
  1. 01
    Check the route on Konzinfo

    Konzinfo separates short-term Schengen rules from the long-stay entry section, since the two use different application logic.

  2. 02
    Book the competent Hungarian mission

    Book with the Hungarian mission responsible for your country of residence.

    GUIDELENS HELPS HERE
  3. 03
    Submit documents & biometrics for the entry visa

    The consulate handles the entry visa itself; document requirements depend on the declared purpose.

  4. 04
    Enter Hungary on the short-validity entry visa if staying long-term

    A long-stay applicant typically receives only a short-validity single-entry visa to reach Hungary, not the residence permit.

    IF ASKED
  5. 05
    Register and apply for the residence permit through Enter Hungary

    The residence-permit application itself can only be filed electronically, after registering as a user.

  6. 06
    Track the decision from the Aliens Policing unit

    The regional Aliens Policing office decides the residence permit, generally faster for non-work purposes than for work-based ones.

03 / BEFORE YOU START

Four things to know before you start

Official portal
Konzinfo (konzinfo.mfa.gov.hu) covers both the Schengen short-stay route and the separate rules for stays over 90 days.
Two-step long stay
Hungary issues a short single-entry visa first; the residence permit itself is a second, separate application made after arrival.
Enter Hungary is mandatory
Residence-permit applications for stays over 90 days can only be submitted electronically through the Enter Hungary platform, after registration.
Decision authority
The National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing decides residence-permit applications, typically within 30 days, or 60 days for work-related requests.

04 / PRACTICAL GUIDE

Hungary visa details that change the workflow

Hungary splits long-stay entry into two separate steps handled by two different systems, which is easy to miss if you only read the short-stay Schengen page.
  1. 01

    A long-stay visa is not the residence permit

    Foreign nationals seeking a long stay generally receive a short-validity entry visa from the consulate first, then must lodge the residence-permit request itself with the local Aliens Policing unit after arriving in Hungary.

    Konzinfo · Entry for long stay (exceeding 90 days) ↗
  2. 02

    File the residence permit through Enter Hungary, not the consulate

    Once in Hungary, the residence-permit application and any accommodation notification must be submitted electronically through the Enter Hungary platform after the applicant registers as a user.

    Enter Hungary · Residence in Hungary ↗
  3. 03

    Aliens Policing decides, on different timelines by purpose

    The National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing is the deciding authority on Enter Hungary submissions, and its published factsheet describes how natural persons and their authorised representatives use the system.

    National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing · Enter Hungary factsheet ↗
  4. 04

    Keep the Schengen rule in view

    For a multi-country trip, apply to the country that is the main purpose or longest stay. Use the first country only when stays are equal. The 90 days in any 180-day period are counted across the whole Schengen area.

    European Commission · Applying for a Schengen visa ↗

05 / PREPARE

Information worth gathering before you open the form

Not every item applies to every route. Use the official checklist generated for your application.

  • Passport and previous travel-document details

  • Travel dates, itinerary and accommodation

  • Travel medical insurance for the Schengen stay

  • Evidence of funds and the purpose of the trip

  • Employment, study or sponsor information where relevant

  • Translations and route-specific documents requested locally

06 / OFFICIAL

Continue with the official authority

View current requirementsKonzinfo · Consular Information Service of Hungary

You remain responsible for reviewing and submitting your application.