The Hungarian residence by investment program (also called the “Guest Investor” permit or Hungarian Golden Visa) is a scheme that allows non-EU / non-EEA nationals (third-country nationals) to obtain a long-term residence permit in Hungary by making a qualifying investment that is in the national economic interest. The permit is aimed at investors (and their families) who wish to live in Hungary, benefit from EU-Schengen travel rights, enjoy legal resident status, and possibly later qualify for citizenship under certain conditions.
Here are the main eligibility criteria and requirements as known under the current rules. These are subject to change, so always check Hungary’s official immigration authority’s site.
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Requirement
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Details
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Nationality / status
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Third-country nationals (non-EU / non-EEA), stateless persons, excluding those with protected free movement status.
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Age / legal capacity
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Must be adults (18+), legally capable, clean legal record, with documentation showing identity, background, etc.
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Clean criminal record
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Applicants must provide a criminal record certificate; generally be of good character.
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Proof of investment /
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Must show legally obtained funds sufficient for the investment; must fulfil the investment option chosen.
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Application process
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Submit via Hungary’s Enter Hungary electronic platform. For certain stages, personal presence is required (for biometrics). Applications for extension must be submitted at least 30 days before expiry.
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Residence / visit requirement
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No strict minimum stay obligation is specified. The permit is long-term (10 years) with possibility to renew another 10 years.
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Family inclusion
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Spouse and dependent children are eligible to be included.
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Here are key advantages to this program for those eligible:
Long-term residency: The permit is granted for 10 years, with possibility of renewal for another 10 years. This gives stability.
Schengen / EU access: As Hungary is an EU member, residence in Hungary gives better access and stability relative to travel and business in the EU and Schengen area.
Flexibility of stay: There is no strict requirement to live in Hungary full-time; the key is maintaining the investment and meeting the legal requirements.
Family benefits: Spouse and dependents can be included, giving them residence rights too.
Potential path to citizenship: After a certain period of legal residence (usually 8 years), one may be eligible to apply for Hungarian citizenship, assuming other requirements (language knowledge, integration, clean record, etc.) are met.
Mr. Ahmed from Egypt decides to apply under Hungary’s Guest Investor Program. He invests €250,000 in shares of a Hungarian real estate fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank. He provides the required documentation, meets due diligence, includes his spouse and two children. He enters Hungary under a guest investor visa, certifies the investment within three months. After approval, he receives a 10-year residence permit, renewable for another 10 years, without needing to live in Hungary full-time. After eight years of maintaining his legal residence and living conditions, he becomes eligible to apply for Hungarian citizenship, provided he meets other requirements.
Currently, the lowest valid option is €250,000 invested in shares of a real estate fund registered by the Hungarian National Bank. The property purchase option (€500,000) is suspended for now. The donation option is €1,000,000.
No fixed minimum stay requirement has been made strict in the law. What matters is maintaining the investment, applying properly, biometrics etc. The 10-year permit plus renewal is possible under current rules.
Yes. Spouse and dependent children can be included under the same application.
The law allows for electronic submission via Enter Hungary platform and some stages can be quite swift, but in practice processing time depends on completeness of documents, whether in-person steps are required, and verification of the investment. There is no guaranteed fixed timeline published yet, though some private advisers estimate 2-3 months for certain cases.
The possibility exists after 8 years of continuous legal residence under this or other valid residence permits, assuming other criteria are met (language, integration, good character).
If you fail to maintain the investment commitment, e.g. sell earlier than required, your permit renewal may be at risk. You might lose eligibility. It is essential to adhere to the commitments.