HZ Immigration Expert

12/02/2025

Dear All!

I would like to share with you this official information related to the extension of Guest-self employment residency permit!

13/12/2024

Dear People!

With the incoming holidays I would like to share with you some positive information related mostly to Residence Card (PR) cases:

1, As you already know the processing time of the PR applications has increased due to the amount of applications they get. But finally the PR decision makers got some manpower help from other decision-making departments: several officers joined them to assist.
This was confirmed in practice this week: I received positive decisions in cases submitted in September and one in October(!!!) as well.
I still have cases submitted in early July so don't worry if you submitted around that time
and there is no decision, I'm just saying that we can expect a reduced process time (even if we balance this with increasing submissions until December 31st.)

2, [RE-EDIT after Final comformation ASAP]

3, On Dec 23 the Immigration Office will be open altho' it has not yet been confirmed that there will be customer service as well (they will confirm this the next week).

4, I know there are a lot of rumors about the Hungarian Cultural exam saying that the EU Residence Card does not require it, only the National one. About this: Currently it is written in the law crystal clear that it is going to be a requirement. Later they might attack this because it contradicts some EU parliamentary directives, but right now according to the law: you need it if you want to submit it next year.

I wish you Happy Holidays and get some rest for the rest of the month!

02/10/2024

Dear People!

The immigration office's website got an update, several relevant information has been upgraded as well related to all immigration cases.

Országos Idegenrendészeti Főigazgatóság 1117 Budapest, Budafoki út 60. Postacím: 1903 Budapest, Pf. 314 Call Center: 06/1/463-9292 E-mail:

16/05/2024

Enter Hungary interface will be unavailable from May 17th until 20th!
Make your plans according to this!

14/05/2024

Dear People!
As you know, under the new law you are not allowed to submit a residence permit application for the same purpose before you enter your last 45 days.
FROM TODAY THIS HAS CHANGED!
Now you MUST submit BEFORE you enter your last 45 days!
< 287. § (1) >

Let me show you this with an example of what this looks like in practice:
Let's say your current permit's expiration date is 30th of June, 2024. 30.06.2024 minus 45 days is 17.05.2024 (including the 45th day which is the last day.) Since March 2024, you were only allowed to submit when you were entering your last 45 days, meaning not sooner than 17.05.2024. And from today, this has changed! Now you Must submit BEFORE 17.05.2024.

This rule is not affecting the ones whose purposes are changing, or changing employers.

(I am posting only this part of the recent changes because a lot of people are affected by this.)

06/05/2024

If anybody asks me why it takes so long submitting any kind of application, here's your answer. These are nothing more than just the systems you/we are obliged to use.... 🙃

03/03/2024

A lot of you asking this question, that under the extension of the residence permit, why isn't there a "yes" option?
Here's the official answer:
During the new law, all of the submissions are considered as the first application under the new law. Even if your permit is valid, and it will be considered an extension, it's still the first submission under the new law! (It's because of the easier traceability I guess)!

Anyway, you must mark the "no" even if, like I said, technically an extension, and you must pay 24.000 Huf!
Just on the day 1st of March, because of this, there were more than 50 fee refund requests because of this. (which is not your fault because it is not mentioned anywhere...)
Immigration Office confirmed this!

(Not to mention that IO's IT system is limited, so if you transferred 23.000 by your own, then you must request that fee back and transfer again 24.000. And it takes a while when you got back the first fee.)

01/03/2024

Implementing Regulation has just got published!

(They had 2 months and they published 2 hours ago...what a joke...)

28/02/2024

Dear People!
Based on my experiences from both sides, I made a video for you, what to expect on the 1st of March and in the following weeks (supplemented with some suggestions as well)!
Primarily aimed at those whose permits expire in March and those who are forced to extend them within the next few months!)

Based on what I heard so far (again from both sides) I can tell that the following first few weeks are not going to be ...smooth.

20/02/2024

As you all know by now, If your permit expires during the first two months of this year, it will automatically be extended until April.
But even knowing this, during this time travelling abroad was always a risk.
Not anymore!
The Border Police Department INFORMED OTHER SCHENGEN STATES about this new law!

Which means, you can travel and come back to Hungary without any problem! (not like it was during the covid period which made this situation questionable)

(Soon I will post some new video for you to clarify some part of the new law)

22/12/2023

UPDATE:
Now there is a notification at the immigration office clients service and their website as well. It writes what we already know, but it is important to mention that they SPECIFICALLY describe some information that will answer some ongoing questions such as:
- If you submit on 30th-31th than you are ALLOWED to go to the office for the biometric data during January and February!!
- During January and February you are ALLOWED to submit for a residence permit / permanent permit replacement and substitue applications.
- You are ALLOWED to ask temporary permit, but only if you have an ongoing case and no decision yet.
- If your permit expires during the first two months of the next year, it will automatically be extended until 30th of April (this confirms it again!).
Here I would like to mention that just like during the Covid period, this extension is automatic, you won't get any permit. Also this permit extension happens only if you are here in Hungary. If you leave the country, be aware, that even if you know that your permit is valid here in Hungary, in the viewpoint of foreign authorities the document has expired and they will not let you in!
(That happened a LOT during the Covid period)
Even if you submit during January and February, the proceedings will continue on March 1, no change in this.