Golden Visa
Hungary Golden Visa
A European residence permit of up to 10 years, renewable, through a qualifying investment fund or public-interest donation.
- From
- €250,000
- Timeline
- 2 to 3 months
- Residence
- Not required
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- Minimum
- From €250,0002 qualifying routes
- Timeline
- 2 to 3 months
- Outcome
- Long-term residency · Path to citizenship
- Presence
- None
- Dual citizenship
- Permitted
- Family
- Spouse + children
The opportunity
Why Hungary
Hungary's Guest Investor Program (launched 1 July 2024 under Act XC of 2023) is built around a qualifying real estate fund investment or a donation to an eligible higher-education institution. A EUR 500,000 direct real-estate route was announced for a January 2025 launch and removed by Act LXXXIV of 2024, published on 20 December 2024, before it took effect, so it is not a current qualifying route.
The source describes Schengen short-stay travel rights and a residence permit valid for up to 10 years, renewable, with no minimum stay to maintain it. Citizenship is a separate naturalization process, and time on the guest investor permit does not count toward it: about 11 years in total at the earliest, with real residence in Hungary.
Travel rights
Shown only where verified.
- Schengen travel
Who it suits
May fit. May not.
Hungary suits applicants who want long-term residency without relocating. The two lists show where it fits and where another program serves better.
May fit if you want
- Investors who want a long-dated EU residence permit without a minimum-stay condition to maintain it.
- Applicants who prefer a regulated fund investment over direct property management — no direct real-estate route is currently offered.
- Families planning an eventual move to Hungary who can live there for about 11 years before naturalization: at least 3 years before a national residence card, then 8 years with it.
May not fit if you need
- Applicants who wanted the EUR 500,000 direct real-estate route — announced and then withdrawn before its planned January 2025 launch.
- Applicants seeking automatic or fast-track EU citizenship: naturalization takes about 11 years of real residence in Hungary at the earliest, plus an exam in Hungarian constitutional fundamentals, taken in Hungarian.
- Applicants who cannot document the lawful source of at least EUR 250,000 (fund route) or EUR 1,000,000 (donation route).
Qualifying routes
Available routes
Minimums differ materially by route, so there is no single universal figure. Amounts are indicative and confirmed with the authority before any engagement.
- Investment fund
€250,000
Real estate investment fund
Investment fund shares registered with the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), held in a blocked securities sub-account for at least 5 years.
Lowest entry - Government contribution
€1,000,000
Public-interest donation
Non-refundable donation to an eligible higher-education institution maintained by a public-interest trust foundation.
What it costs
Hungary Golden Visa costs
What the program costs beyond the qualifying investment, item by item.
Qualifying investment
From €250,000
Real estate investment fund · other routes from €1,000,000
- Holding period
- At least 5 years for the fund route (shares held in a blocked securities sub-account). No holding period is stated for the donation route.
What the investment covers
- Investment fund route
- EUR 250,000 in investment fund shares registered with the Hungarian National Bank, held for at least 5 years. Alternative: the EUR 1,000,000 donation route below.
- Public-interest donation route
- Alternative to the fund route; no stated holding period.
Costs beyond the investment
- Visa and residence permit fees, main applicantGuest investor visa EUR 110, for nationals who need a visa; residence permit HUF 26,000 through Enter Hungary or HUF 39,000 in person in Hungary. For a family of four from a visa-required country, with the investor filing online and the family applying at a consulate, the fees come to EUR 440 plus HUF 26,000.
- Family reunification permit fee, spouseEUR 110 when applied for at a Hungarian consulate, where a family member who needs a visa applies, or HUF 26,000 through Enter Hungary or HUF 39,000 in person in Hungary.
- Family reunification permit fee, each child under 18The same as the spouse's: EUR 110 at a consulate, or HUF 26,000 to 39,000 in Hungary.
Professional fees are quoted individually after eligibility review. Government fees change without notice; every figure is verified before engagement.
Qualifying investment
From €250,000
Real estate investment fund · other routes from €1,000,000
- Holding period
- At least 5 years for the fund route (shares held in a blocked securities sub-account). No holding period is stated for the donation route.
- Investment fund route
- EUR 250,000 in investment fund shares registered with the Hungarian National Bank, held for at least 5 years. Alternative: the EUR 1,000,000 donation route below.
- Public-interest donation route
- Alternative to the fund route; no stated holding period.
- Visa and residence permit fees, main applicantGuest investor visa EUR 110, for nationals who need a visa; residence permit HUF 26,000 through Enter Hungary or HUF 39,000 in person in Hungary. For a family of four from a visa-required country, with the investor filing online and the family applying at a consulate, the fees come to EUR 440 plus HUF 26,000.
- Family reunification permit fee, spouseEUR 110 when applied for at a Hungarian consulate, where a family member who needs a visa applies, or HUF 26,000 through Enter Hungary or HUF 39,000 in person in Hungary.
- Family reunification permit fee, each child under 18The same as the spouse's: EUR 110 at a consulate, or HUF 26,000 to 39,000 in Hungary.
Professional fees are quoted individually after eligibility review. Government fees change without notice; every figure is verified before engagement.
Single applicant, couple or family of four
€250,000 + fees
The amount is the same for every household size; some government fees are charged for each person.
Priced on the route with the lowest stated minimum: Real estate investment fund.
Not a quotation. Figures are indicative and subject to verification.
Requirements
Hungary Golden Visa requirements
Who can apply is set by four rules on the applicant, nationality, background and qualification; the checklist lists six documents. A spouse, minor children and adult dependent children may be included, subject to the conditions listed for each.
Who can apply
Applicant
- Comprehensive health insurance, or the means to pay for health care, covering the applicant and each family member.
Nationality
- Applicant must be a non-EU/EEA ("third-country") national.
Background
- Must not be subject to an expulsion order, entry ban or Schengen (SIS) alert, and must not endanger Hungary's public order, public security or national security.The police and the Constitution Protection Office give an opinion on each visa application.
Qualification
- Documented lawful source of the investment or donation funds.
Documents checklist
Family inclusion
Spouse
IncludedSeparate family reunification permit, with its own fee.
Minor children
IncludedAge limitUnder 18
Separate family reunification permit, with its own fee.
Adult dependent children
IncludedAge limit18+ (only if unable to care for themselves for health reasons)
Adult children are not family members for this permit. An adult child, sibling or other direct-line relative can join only if unable to take care of themselves because of their state of health; dependent parents of the investor or spouse can also apply.
How it works
How to apply for the Hungary Golden Visa
The application runs in four steps. Wealthy Expat estimates 2 to 3 months end to end; it is not an official processing time.
Consultation and route selection
Assess eligibility, select the fund or donation route, and prepare legal documentation.
Guest investor visa application
Apply for the guest investor visa at a Hungarian consulate. The visa is valid for up to 6 months and allows entry to complete the investment. Nationals of visa-exempt countries need no visa: they enter visa-free and apply for the permit within 30 days of first entry.
Hungarian consulate
Investment completion
Enter Hungary and complete the chosen investment — purchase the fund units or complete the donation.
Hungarian National Bank-registered fund manager, or the recipient institution
- Duration
- Within the visa's 6-month validity, or within 6 months of first entry for nationals who enter visa-free
Residence permit application
Submit the residence permit application to the regional office. Biometrics are collected and the residence permit, valid for up to 10 years, is issued.
National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (NDGAP)
- Duration
- Application due within 30 days of entry; stated processing time 21 days, excluding the investment-proof submission period.
- Wealthy Expat estimate, end to end
- 2 to 3 months
Alternatives
Compared with alternatives
How Hungary compares with two golden visa programs: Latvia from €50,000 and United Arab Emirates from AED 2,000,000.
This program
Hungary Golden Visa
- From
- €250,000
- Timeline
- 2 to 3 months
- Family
- Spouse + children
You are here
Latvia Golden Visa
- Minimum
- €50,000
- Timeline
- 1 to 3 months
- Family
- Spouse + children
UAE Golden Visa & Residency
- From
- AED 2,000,000
- Timeline
- 7–10 business days
- Family
- Spouse + children + parents
Questions
Program FAQ
Short answers to seven questions about Hungary Golden Visa.
Up to 10 years. It can be extended for the same purpose by up to a further 10 years while the investment or donation conditions remain met.
No. No minimum physical stay is required to maintain the permit. Real presence in Hungary matters only if you later aim for a national residence card or citizenship.
Yes. The permit grants the right to work and run a business in Hungary without a separate work permit.
Not automatically. The 8 years of residence count only while you hold a long-term residence status, such as a national residence card, and a registered address; time on the guest investor permit does not count. The card needs at least 3 years of lawful, uninterrupted stay in Hungary first, so about 11 years in total at the earliest. Naturalization also needs a clean criminal record, proof of livelihood and accommodation, and an exam in Hungarian constitutional fundamentals, taken in Hungarian.
No. It was announced for a January 2025 launch and removed by Act LXXXIV of 2024, published on 20 December 2024, before it took effect.
Yes. Hungary permits dual and multiple citizenship; you are not required to renounce your existing citizenship. Since 2025 the Hungarian citizenship of a dual national whose other citizenship is outside the EEA and the EU candidate countries can be suspended for up to 10 years if their conduct threatens public order or national security.
Visa-free short-stay travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Sources
Official sources
Checked against official sources on .
- National Legislation Database: Act XC of 2023 on the entry and residence of third-country nationals (opens in a new tab)
- National Legislation Database: Act LV of 1993 on Hungarian citizenship (opens in a new tab)
- National Legislation Database: Act LXXXIV of 2024, as promulgated (opens in a new tab)
- National Legislation Database: Government Decree 35/2024 implementing Act XC of 2023 (opens in a new tab)
- NDGAP: residence permit for guest investors (opens in a new tab)
- NDGAP: residence permit for family reunification (opens in a new tab)
- NDGAP: procedural fees (opens in a new tab)
- Government Offices: information note on naturalisation (2024) (opens in a new tab)
Next step
Have your eligibility reviewed before you commit.
A specialist checks your profile against the current rules, confirms the right route and quotes the full cost picture. No documents are collected at this stage.
- Program: Hungary Golden Visa, included automatically