HungaryAsylum / refugee statusLimited

Asylum in Hungary

A state programme protecting people persecuted on grounds of race, religion, nationality, membership of a social group or political opinion. Hungary grants refugee status or subsidiary protection after examining the grounds for protection. The filing procedure is entirely free of charge. Those recognised receive accommodation, a cash allowance, access to work and social services on the same footing as citizens. In practice the programme is effectively blocked by demanding documentary requirements and a complex bureaucratic procedure.

Threshold

No financial requirements: accommodation in a reception centre, meals, an allowance

Processing time

The ordinary procedure takes up to 6 months; in practice longer

Work

Access to the labour market after a limited period

Residence

Continuous actual residence

Source: oif.gov.hu — asylum procedure: refugee status and subsidiary protection

Who may apply for asylum

An application may be made by anyone persecuted in their country of origin on political, religious or ethnic grounds. The procedure opens when the application is made in person to the asylum authority.

People subjected to persecution

Victims of persecution on grounds of race, religion or nationality
Members of a social group subjected to targeted discrimination
People whose political opinions place their life at risk in their country of origin

People at risk of serious harm

The threat of the death penalty on return to the country of origin
The risk of torture, ill-treatment or inhuman punishment
A direct threat to life as a result of internal conflict or violence

Family members of the main applicant

Spouses whose marriage was concluded before arrival in Hungary
Minor children and their appointed legal guardians
Other relatives, depending on the circumstances and on evidence of the family relationship

When this programme will not suit you

People arriving from EU third countries recognised as safe

Labour migration programmes, student visas, investment programmes

People without convincing evidence of persecution

Labour migration, student visas, entrepreneur programmes

What it costs

Filing an asylum application (first procedure)Entirely free of charge, including document translation and interpreter services	0 HUF
Travel document for a refugee or a person with subsidiary protectionValid for 1 year, processed in 20 days, compulsory for international travel	3 000 HUF
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	3 000 HUF

Paid separately

Consular fees and administrative charges — Hungary charges nothing for examining an asylum application

Documents to gather

Filing an application requires basic personal documents and evidence of persecution in the country of origin.

Passport or national identity card (if you still have one)
Evidence of persecution: threatening letters, medical certificates, witness statements
Documents on the reasons for fleeing the country of origin
Applicant's form (issued by the asylum authority on registration)
Record of the personal interview (drawn up during the first hearing)
Marriage certificate (for reunification with a spouse)
Children's birth certificates and guardianship documents

How the process runs

The examination procedure has several consecutive stages: registration, the personal interview, the decision, receipt of status and social support.

1
Registration and placement in a reception centre
1 day
The application is made in person to the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. The applicant receives a registration certificate, undergoes an initial examination and is placed in a reception centre. Payment of basic allowances begins.
2
Personal interview and examination of the grounds
within 60 days
An asylum officer conducts a detailed interview, hears the account of persecution and requests evidence. An accelerated procedure (15 days) may be started, or a Dublin procedure (if responsibility rests with another EU state).
3
Decision to grant or refuse
60 days as standard
The authorities take the final decision: recognition of refugee status, grant of subsidiary protection, tolerated status or refusal. The decision may be appealed to the court within the prescribed time limit.
4
Issue of documents and social assistance
1 week
A recognised refugee receives a residence permit for several years, may obtain a travel document, receive a regular allowance and access social services, healthcare and education.
5
Moving to private accommodation and looking for work
within a month
A refugee may leave the reception centre and find private accommodation. They receive a monthly allowance (from HUF 90,000 for a single person) for the first 6 months. They may actively look for work and receive integration support.

Who you can bring with you

Family members of the main applicant can be included in the asylum procedure or reunited after refugee status or subsidiary protection has been granted.

Spouse

Marriages concluded BEFORE arrival in Hungary are recognised automatically and included in the procedure without a separate application. Marriages concluded after the asylum application are examined separately and require additional checks.

Minor children

They are included in the parent's refugee procedure without the need for a separate application. They receive the same protection status as the parent and are covered by the family allowance.

Legal guardians of minors

They are appointed for unaccompanied minors and separated children. They receive status and support in accordance with child protection legislation.

Family members who remain in other countries

They may reunite through the family reunification programme, which is processed in 21 days. Proof of the family relationship, financial means of the sponsor (the refugee) and suitable accommodation are required.

Renewal and the grace period

Refugee status is permanent until citizenship is acquired. The residence permit is reviewed every three years: if the grounds for protection still exist (the person is still at risk of persecution), the permit is renewed for a further three-year period. Status is annulled if the refugee has voluntarily returned to the country of origin, has re-acquired its citizenship or has submitted false documents. People with subsidiary protection also undergo a three-year review, but under stricter criteria. After five years of continuous residence in Hungary a refugee may obtain EU long-term resident status.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Asylum	Investor residence permit	Digital nomad card
Visa term	Refugee status carries a residence permit of about 3 years; subsidiary protection 1-3 years	Residence permit granted for 10 years at once, renewable for another 10 without new investment	Up to 1 year, renewable once for a further year (2 years maximum)
Money	No financial requirements: accommodation in a reception centre, meals, an allowance	Real-estate fund from EUR 250,000 (5 years) OR real estate from EUR 500,000 OR a donation from EUR 1,000,000	Net income from about EUR 3,000 a month
Work	Access to the labour market after a limited period	The right to live, study, run a business and work	Remote work for foreign clients and employers; working for a Hungarian company is not allowed
Residence	Continuous actual residence	No residence requirement	Actual residence is expected

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Permanent residence after about 3-5 years of residence, with income and accommodation

Route to citizenship

Citizenship after about 8 years, with language and integration

Frequently asked questions about Asylum

How long does it take to examine an asylum application?

The standard procedure takes up to 60 days from the filing of the application to the decision. An accelerated procedure may be completed within 15 days. Where a Dublin procedure applies (transfer of responsibility to another EU state), the process may last several months.

What allowances does a refugee receive once status is granted?

In the reception centre (for up to 30 days after status is granted): full support including meals, accommodation and basic services. On moving to private accommodation: the monthly allowance is HUF 90,000 for a single person, HUF 85,000 for an adult in a family and HUF 25,000 for each child, up to a maximum of HUF 215,000 per family per month for the first 6 months. After the first year the allowances are reduced. Refugees receive free medical care, education and other social services on the same footing as citizens.

May a refugee work in Hungary?

Yes, refugees and people with subsidiary protection have full access to the Hungarian labour market without needing a separate work permit. Family members of a refugee who hold a residence permit for family reunification may also work without restriction. During the examination of the application, the reception centre may offer temporary work within the centre itself for compensation.

How is Hungarian citizenship obtained?

Refugees may apply for naturalisation under an accelerated procedure after three years of continuous residence in Hungary. People with subsidiary protection must live in the country for eight years before applying for citizenship. All applicants must prove a basic command of Hungarian and knowledge of the constitution by passing an examination. There are exceptions for people over 65 and for people with disabilities.

May I bring family members from another country?

Yes, a spouse and children who remain abroad may reunite with a refugee in Hungary through the family reunification programme. Processing the application takes 21 days. Documentary evidence of the family relationship (marriage and birth certificates), financial means of the sponsor (the refugee) and suitable accommodation are required.

What happens if my asylum application is refused?

On refusal the applicant may appeal to the court within the prescribed time limit. During the appeal the person remains supported by the state in a reception centre or elsewhere. If the appeal is also dismissed, enforced return to the country of origin may be ordered, but only if the competent authorities determine that there is no risk of persecution.

How long is a refugee's residence permit valid?

Refugee status lasts indefinitely until Hungarian citizenship is acquired. The residence permit is reviewed every three years and, if the grounds for protection still exist, it is renewed for a further period. After five years of continuous residence a refugee may apply for EU long-term resident status.

Is there any charge for the asylum procedure in Hungary?

No. Hungary fully exempts applicants from all procedural fees when their first asylum application is examined. Document translation, interpreter services and legal aid are provided free of charge. The only payment is for the travel document (HUF 3,000) when it is issued, which is required for international travel.

Other ways to move to Hungary

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Hungary.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.