Those who enter Hungary for study purposes have to apply for a residence permit – even if they are a citizen of an EU-country. Please visit the homepage of the Immigration Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (www.bmbah.hu) or contact the Embassy of your country in Hungary to get the official and updated information on the application procedure for the residence permit.
Your Hungarian address has to be reported prior to your application for the residence permit.
Although we made a brief summary of legal obligations you have related to your student status in a foreign country, we would like to stress that it is solely your responsibility to meet all the legal conditions for your stay in Hungary! The Academy cannot be considered responsible for any problems resulting from the neglect of relevant rules by a student.
Application for “visa” and a residence permit
(for students from non-EU/EEA countries)
Foreign nationals wishing to pursue studies in Hungary are required to apply for entry for a long stay (exceeding 90 days) for the purpose of studies in their home countries and enter the country on the entry permit („visa”) issued by the Hungarian Embassy or Consulate (see details on the website of The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs).
Please make sure that the entry permit (which will be added to your passport at the Embassy) is stamped at the border crossing to Hungary, thus your entry-date will be indicated.
The entry permit is valid for a single entry and up to 30 days of stay in Hungary. Within
ONE MONTH upon arrival, you will have to register your address and pick up your residence
permit at the Immigration Office in Budapest.
If you are a citizen of a non-EU country but are allowed to enter Hungary without special prior
permission (e.g. from Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Switzerland and the USA) you can apply for your residence permit shortly after your arrival in Hungary (or back home before departure as other non-EU/EEA-students).
The following documents are required for the application for the entry permit:
• A fully and legibly completed Application Form for residence permit for the purpose of
studies. You can obtain an Application Form from the Hungarian embassy in your country
or download it at http://www.bmbah.hu/ujpdf/angol/71.pdf
• a valid passport (valid for at least eighteen months at the time of submitting
the application)
• two passport size colour photos (not older than six months)
• Letter of Acceptance from the University
• proof of payment of the tuition fee
• proof of financial means ensuring livelihood in Hungary (bank statement about the
balance of your credit card, cash, or a declaration by your parents that they will provide the
funds for all your expenses in Hungary)
• an application fee of EUR 60
• the Hungarian Embassy may ask for your flight reservation
Attention!
1. The consul may request the presentation of further documents in addition to the above ones.
2. Documents shall be annexed to the applications being submitted in the original, if possible. If the client needs the original document later on, then a photocopy shall also be annexed besides presenting the original document.
3. The consulate reserves the right to examine the authenticity of the communicated data and the submitted documents. The communication of false data will in itself lead to the refusal of the visa application.
Required documents for the Residence Permit for non-EU- and non-EEA-students
The following documents are required when applying for the residence permit:
For students from Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Switzerland and the USA, if you have not applied for the residence permit in your home country:
• A fully and legibly completed Application Form for residence permit for the purpose of
studies. You can download it from the internet at http://www.bmbah.hu/ujpdf/angol/71.pdf
• a duty/bill stamp ("okmánybélyeg" in Hungarian), which can be obtained at any post office: HUF 18.000
• ALL pages of your passport have to be copied and submitted.
For other non-EU and non-EEA-students:
• The entry permit in your passport stamped at the border crossing, thus indicating the date
of arrival.
For non-EU and non-EEA-students:
• hand-written statement about the date and place crossing the Hungarian border (e.g. at the
Budapest international airport)
• one passport-size photo
• a copy of your passport AND your passport itself, valid for a duration of at least six months longer
than your envisaged residence in Hungary
I. Documents providing purpose of residence
• certificate of registration at the University, i.e. not the letter of acceptance
II. Documents certifying the title of residence
• two copies of the lease contract for the apartment in Hungarian. It has to specify the
landlord’s and your personal data – date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name,
permanent address, landlord’s ID number, your passport number. The contract has to be
signed by two Hungarian witnesses and all the owners of the apartment. (Take care how
long you are allowed to stay at that place – this limits your residence permit!)
• housing registration form ("lakcímbejelentő" in Hungarian) signed by (all) the owner(s) of the apartment
(available at the Student’s Secretariat)
• property sheet ("tulajdoni lap" in Hungarian) of the apartment (original document, not older than three
months, which the owner of the apartment can obtain for you from the Regional Land and
Real Estate Registry Office, or "Földhivatal"). It indicates who the owner(s) of the flat is/are.
III. Documents certifying financial resources
• proof of funds to cover your expenses: bank statement indicating adequate funds available
for living expenses (a balance of at least USD 1000-2000), receipts of the exchange of
foreign currency into Hungarian Forints (HUF) from the time of your arrival in the minimum of USD
500, cash-withdrawal from ATMs, documents about your scholarship etc.
• certification of valid medical insurance coverage in Hungary for the whole period covered
by the residence permit.
Application for the Residence Permit
Office Hours of the Immigration Office at 1117 Budapest Budafoki út 60.
Monday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm
Tuesday 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am to 12:00 pm
(office hours for international students only)
Thursday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm
Friday 8:30 am to 12:00 pm
For non-EU-students: please visit Client’s Service # 3
www.bmbah.hu
Phone: +36 or +06 1 463 9236
Fax: +36 or +06 1 463 9270
How to get there?
Bus No. 3 („black”, not express) from station "Móricz Zsigmond körtér" – get off at the 5th stop at "Hengermalom utca".
Móricz Zs. körtér can be reached by (red) bus No. 7 or 173 from Keleti Railway Station ("Keleti pályaudvar") or tram No. 6 from Blaha Lujza Square in the direction of Petőfi Bridge.
Residence Permit for Citizens of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA)
Citizens of the above states are not required to obtain a residence visa in order to enter Hungary for the purpose of studying. They will, however, be required to apply for a residence permit 70 days after their arrival to Hungary at the latest – for details see below.
You are entitled for emergency medical treatment in case of illness or accident with the same
conditions as Hungarian citizens. The insurance company at which the student is insured at home will be billed after the treatment. When you apply for the residence permit, you must present proof that you have a valid medical insurance coverage in your home country and present the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – issued in your home country.
A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to reduced-cost, sometimes free, medical treatment that becomes necessary while you are in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. The EHIC has replaced the old E111. From 1 January 2006, E111s are no longer valid. The card gives access to state-provided medical treatment only, and you will be treated on the same basis as an 'insured' person living in the country you are visiting. Remember, this might not cover all the things you might expect you would get free of charge! You may have to make a contribution to the cost of your care.
Required documents for the Residence Permit for Citizens of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA)
The following documents are required when applying for the residence permit:
• filled-in application form for the residence permit, issued by the Immigration Office
http://www.bmbah.hu/ujpdf/angol/62.pdf
• hand-written statement about the date and place of crossing the Hungarian border (e.g. at the
Budapest international airport)
• a copy of your passport AND your passport / ID-card itself valid for a duration of at least six
months longer than your envisaged residence in Hungary
• a duty/bill stamp ("okmánybélyeg" in Hungarian), which can be obtained at any post office: HUF 1.000
I. Documents providing purpose of residence
• certificate of registration at the University, i.e. not the letter of acceptance
II. Documents certifying the title of residence
• two copies of the lease contract for the apartment in Hungarian. It has to specify the landlord’s and your personal data – date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, permanent address, landlord’s ID number, your passport number. The contract has to be signed by two Hungarian witnesses and all the owners of the apartment. (Take care how long you are allowed to stay at that place – this limits your residence permit!) If you stay with an acquaintance or a relative as a guest, a statement of admission ("befogadói nyilatkozat" in Hungarian) has to be attached by the owner of the apartment that you stay with them as a guest. If the apartment is your property, a property sheet ("tulajdoni lap" in Hungarian) needs to be attached to verify it. If you rent the apartment through an agency and you have signed a contract with the agency, the agency should provide the authorization received from the owner of the apartment.
III. Documents certifying financial resources
• proof of funds to cover your expenses: (online) bank statement indicating adequate funds available for living expenses, receipts of the exchange of foreign currency into Hungarian Forints (HUF) from the time of your your arrival, cash-withdrawal from ATMs, documents about your scholarship etc.
• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – issued in your home country (or a contract with a private medical insurance company or a valid health insurance policy). If you meet all conditions for residence in Hungary for a period longer than three months, the immigration authority will issue a Registration Certificate to you that contains the address of your first residence in Hungary. You will receive your “Hungarian ID card” and “Address Registration Card” by mail.
