Hungary Immigration Services

Newland Chase offers full support with all aspects of corporate immigration to Hungary. Please find an overview of the typical corporate immigration processes below. Every situation is unique, so please do get in touch, either through your usual Newland Chase contact or using the details on the right hand side of the page. Our immigration experts will be glad to discuss your needs in greater detail.

Immigration Summary

On December 12, 2023, the Hungarian National Assembly passed a new law “on the general rules regarding entry and stay of third country nationals”. This law introduces several changes concerning types of visas and Residence Permit programs in Hungary. Pending the enactment of the law, all applications are suspended until 29 February 2024 and Residence and Permanent Residence Permits expiring between January 1, 2024, and February 29, 2024, have been extended until April 30, 2024.

A Work and Residence Permit is applicable for assignments and local hires, and can be applied for at the relevant consular post or post-arrival in Hungary. There is no set maximum duration for the work and residence permit: it may be renewed without restriction.

A streamlined Work and Residence Permit - Skills in Demand process is applicable for assignees and local hires coming from third countries bordering with Hungary (Serbia and Ukraine) who are working in a favoured occupation.

The Intra-Company Transfer Permit (EU Directive 2014/66) is only applicable to assignees falling into management/specialist or trainee categories sent to Hungary for over 90 days and has a maximum total duration of stay of three years. 90 days and has a maximum total duration of stay of three years for managers and specialists and one year for trainees. The applicant must have been employed for at least three months (for trainees) or six months (for managers/specialists) by the sending company or group of companies immediately preceding the date of the intra-corporate transfer application.

The ICT Permit under Directive 2014/66 allows mobility within EU member states - i.e. work permission is not required for EU ICT permit holders to work in other member states for less than 90 days and a streamlined Mobile ICT permit application may be applicable if working in other member states for longer than 90 days.

The Temporary Work Permit (Under 90 Days) is the standard immigration process for foreign nationals (apart from EU, EEA or Swiss nationals) assigned from outside the EU/EEA or employed directly in Hungary for a period of up to 90 days.

Some Temporary Assignments involving work-related activities are permitted on a Schengen C Visa or visa-waiver stay for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals assigned from outside the EU/EEA to Hungary for a period of 15 days in any 30-day period to fulfil foreign contractual obligations (post-sales or warranty) to a Hungarian client company. An existing service agreement or purchase order should be in place between the sending company and the host company and assignees must remain on foreign payroll and contract.

The Van der Elst case law (Assignment from Within the EEA) may allow a non-EEA national who is employed and contracted by a home entity in the EEA country to be sent on assignment to another EEA country without a separate work permit. However, a notification should be made to the Labour Office and a residence permit applied for if the posting exceeds 90 days.

EU/EEA/Swiss nationals on assignment to or employed in Hungary do not need a work permit. However, the labour office should be notified and, if the applicant is staying for longer than 90 days, a residence registration should be carried out.