Golden Visa
ADVANTAGES OF RESIDENCE IN HUNGARY
The right to live in one of the EU countries
Hungary is an Eastern European country with a good ecology, a comfortable climate, a high level of security, a China friendly government and population, a developed economy and a high level of health care.
Visa-free entry to the countries of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement
The residence permit gives you the right to enter the territory of 29 European countries without the need to obtain a visa, with the right to stay in each of these countries for a total of up to 90 days within 180 days. For those who have a resident permit in Hungary, the only documents required for such trips are a valid passport and a residence permit card in Hungary.
Residence permits in Hungary for guest investors are issued for the entire family (including the spouse and minor children of the guest investor)
The residence permit gives you the right to enter the territory of 29 European countries without the need to obtain a visa, with the right to stay in each of these countries for a total of up to 90 days within 180 days. For those who have a resident permit in Hungary, the only documents required for such trips are a valid passport and a residence permit card in Hungary.
Hungary offers residency to investors without the standard 183-day residency requirement
Residence permits in Hungary for guest investors and their family members do not require reside in Hungary for at least 183 days a year, which is mandatory for all third-country nationals who have obtained other types of residence permits in Hungary.
Hungarian citizenship after 8 years
Possibility to obtain Hungarian citizenship in the future (after 8 years of continuous residence in Hungary and successful passing of the exam on knowledge of the Hungarian language and the basics of Hungarian culture and law).
The right to work in Hungary without the need to obtain a separate work permit.
Residence permits in Hungary give the guest investor and his family members the right of employment, including the right to register and run their own business in Hungary in the form of a legal entity (limited liability company, joint stock company) or as a private entrepreneur.
Access to the European banking system
Having a residence permit in Hungary allows a guest investor to open a bank account in a Hungarian or other European bank, place their capital in this bank account and make bank transfers. In addition, guest investors can participate in European bank loan programs.
Access to European-level medical care and education
Hungary’s world-famous thermal springs and high-quality public and private healthcare systems attract foreigners with their high level of service and affordable prices.
Hungarian universities have long been among the best European universities and are known for their high level of teaching and affordable tuition fees.
The rules, conditions and procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Hungary for guest investors (Golden Visa) are determined by the provisions of the Hungarian Act “On General Rules for the Entry and Residence of Third-Country Nationals”, which entered into force on 1 January 2024.
Types of investment programs
The national law provides several types of investment programs for obtaining a residence permit in Hungary (Golden Visa)
The first investment program
The first investment program will be available to guest investors from 01.01.2025.
Under this program, the guest investor should purchase a residential real estate in Hungary that is worth at least 500,000 EUR with an automatic restriction on selling this real estate within the next 5 years.
The second investment program
The second investment program entered into force on 01.07.2024.
Under this program, the guest investor should purchase investment certificates from the investment funds in the amount of 250,000 EUR with a restriction on selling these investment certificates within the next 5 years.
A guest investor may purchase bonds from investment funds that are registered by the National Bank of Hungary as “qualified bond market operators”, which means that the investment fund has already been checked for its compliance with the national security requirements of Hungary, as well as its compliance with the requirement that at least 40% of the investment fund’s assets are invested in residential real estate in Hungary.
Please note that the legislation of Hungary allows the guest investors to make investments both while submitting a package of documents for registration and issuance of a multiple-entry guest visa type D at the Hungarian consulate located in the country of his citizenship or permanent residence, and within 3 months after the guest investor’s first entry to the territory of Hungary with the visa type D.
Requirements for guest investors
To participate in the program for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Hungary (Golden Visa), a guest investor must:
Investment Visa Stages
Stages of obtaining a residence permit in Hungary based on investments (Golden Visa)
The first stage
The guest investor should apply for a multiple-entry guest visa type D by submitting a package of documents at the Hungarian consulate located in the country of his citizenship or in the country of his permanent residence.
The visa is valid for 6 months.
The second stage
The guest investor, if he has not made an investment before submitting documents for a multiple-entry guest visa type D, is obliged to fulfill his investment obligation within 93 days after his first entry into Hungary with the guest visa, namely:
Afterwards, the guest investor should apply for a residence permit in Hungary at the Hungarian Immigration Service for a maximum term of 10 years with the right to a single extension for a similar period, subject to the preservation of his investments.
In case the guest investor has already made an investment in Hungary, namely:
before applying for a multiple entry guest visa type D and submitting the package of documents at the Hungarian consulate, after the first entry into Hungary with the guest visa the guest investor only has to apply at the Hungarian Immigration Service for a residence permit in Hungary for a maximum term of 10 years with the right to a single extension for a similar period, subject to the preservation of his investments.
Contact Us
The lawyers of our law firm will provide professional support and legal assistance to guest investors at all stages of obtaining a residence permit in Hungary based on investments (Golden Visa).
Our office and employees are located directly in Budapest. We do not operate from a third country through intermediaries in Hungary.