Hungary's new immigration law will come into force on 1 January 2024, and the final implementation rules, which basically specify the details of the implementation of the law, were published on 29 February. This addresses several issues that have been raised over the past few months. The Hungarian Immigration Service and Consulate are now ready to accept applications again.
Clarify the details of Hungary's new immigration law
Hungary's new immigration law has been in force since January 1, but there are several issues that need to be clarified before the law can be implemented. The Hungarian Migration Office was closed for two months, in January and February, until the regulations were clarified before a new application or renewal could be submitted. The relevant section is more than 100 pages long, and our expert colleagues, partners and lawyers are still carefully studying it, and we will continue to interpret it for you in the future, so stay tuned.
A cultural language test is not required to renew a residence permit
One of the main concerns of expats over the past few weeks has been whether renewing their residence card should include an exam on Hungarian culture, similar to a naturalization test. Under the new regulations, exams will only be required in the following cases:
After 2025.
Only for permanent residence applications (National Residence Card and EU Residence Card).
If you renew your existing license, you can do the same as before without passing such exams.
To put it simply: from 2025, you will need to take a cultural test to apply for permanent residence in Hungary, and if you only renew your existing 10-year long-term residence card, you do not need to take a cultural test.
Requirements for the Hungarian card
According to the new regulations, the Hungarian card is the best option for third-country people who want to live and work in Hungary, as it allows family reunification and can be renewed after it expires (after 3 years). Originally, it was only for possession"High qualifications"of people. Now, the list of eligible qualifications has also been published in Hungarian, but includes feor**, so even if you don't speak Hungarian, you can check if it includes areas that are relevant to you. The list includes a variety of fields that are commonly relevant to people who have applied for work permits in the past, such as IT, engineering, and natural sciences.
List of prohibited migrant worker occupations
The new Hungarian immigration law publishes a list of 300 occupations that foreigners are prohibited from, but only for residence permits for migrant workers brought in by labor dispatch agencies or large foreign investors, mainly for blue-collar jobs. This does not apply for a regular work permit, so even if you are working in a job that is on the list, you can still apply for Hungarian residency through a regular employment residence permit or a Hungarian card.
The USCIS is open to the public
As of March 1, 2024, the Hungarian Migration Service will re-accept new applications. They have updated their ** and enterhungary platform and all requirements and applications ** are available in English for free.
Follow us to learn more
Our team is working to explain more details of the new bill to optimize our workflow and make it easier for our clients and readers to apply for residency. To this end, we will publish more details about the new Hungarian immigration bill from time to time.