HungaryCitizenship

Naturalisation in Hungary

Acquisition of Hungarian citizenship by a foreigner on application, through naturalisation or restoration (renaturalisation). The standard procedure is available after many years of residence, alongside simplified routes for people of Hungarian descent, spouses of citizens, refugees and adopted children. The procedure requires attendance in person and proof of knowledge of Hungarian and of the constitution.

Source: magyarorszag.hu — Honosítás és visszahonosítás

Three main routes to citizenship

Naturalisation is available through three main routes, depending on your status and descent.

Standard naturalisation (8 years)

Foreign nationals without Hungarian roots
8 years of continuous lawful residence in Hungary are required
The longest route, but open to all foreigners

Simplified naturalisation (3-5 years)

Spouses of Hungarian citizens, refugees, adopted children
People of Hungarian descent in the direct line
Those born in Hungary or the parents of Hungarian citizens

Renaturalisation (restoration)

People who lost Hungarian citizenship in the past
Descendants of Hungarians from historical territories
Possible without residing in the country

When the programme will not work

You need resident status urgently

Consider a visa and a residence permit — that takes weeks rather than years

You do not wish to sit examinations in the language and the constitution

Exemptions apply only to people over 60, people with disabilities and graduates of Hungarian educational institutions

You have convictions for intentional offences over the last 5 years

Naturalisation is not possible with a criminal record during that period

What it costs

Naturalisation (state fee)The citizenship procedure is free of charge for everyone	0 EUR
Residence permit — initialAn average figure; it may vary from EUR 61 to EUR 110	75 EUR
Permanent residence cardAn average figure; it varies from EUR 51 to EUR 67 depending on the body	60 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	135 EUR

Paid separately

Examinations in Hungarian and the constitution — Paid testing services at accredited centres; not part of the state fee
Lawyer's or adviser's services — Not compulsory, but often used; paid separately

Documents to gather

The minimum required set of documents

Naturalisation application (in Hungarian)
Passport or other identity document (original and copy)
Birth certificate (original or notarially certified copy)
Marriage, divorce or spouse's death certificate (where applicable)
Certificate showing no convictions for intentional offences over the last 5 years
Proof of residence in Hungary (rental agreement, title deed or a certificate from the landlord)
Certificate of income or other sources of means over recent years
Certificate confirming the examination in Hungarian and the basics of the constitution has been passed
Photograph 4x4 cm on a white background
Notarially certified translation of all foreign documents into Hungarian

How the process runs

Naturalisation involves several stages

1
Preparing documents
2-4 weeks
Collect the originals and copies of all the required documents, have foreign documents translated into Hungarian by an official translator and obtain notarial certification of the translations. Complete the application in Hungarian as the authority requires.
2
Sitting the examination in Hungarian and the constitution
1-3 months before filing
Register for the examination at an accredited centre or a consulate. Pass the test on knowledge of Hungarian at a level sufficient to communicate and handle documents independently. Obtain the certificate (exemptions: people aged 60+, graduates of Hungarian schools, people with disabilities and people with incurable illnesses).
3
Filing the application in person with the competent authority
1 day
Attend a Hungarian district or city office in person (járási hivatal, fővárosi kerületi hivatal), a civil registry office (anyakönyvvezetői hivatal), a one-stop government office (kormányablak) or a consular section (when filing from abroad). Submit all the documents, attend the oral interview and confirm that you lead a law-abiding life and have no convictions.
4
Checking the documents and preparing the draft decision
2-3 months
The Directorate-General for Aliens Policing checks all the documents and consults the security and justice authorities. It prepares the draft naturalisation decision and forwards it for approval.
5
The President's decision
1-3 months
The final naturalisation decision is taken by the President of Hungary on a proposal from the Minister of the Interior. A positive decision is issued as a decree (the naturalisation act).
6
Invitation and taking the oath
within 30 days of notification
The authority notifies the applicant of the time and place of the oath of allegiance ceremony. The applicant may choose between the civic oath and a solemn promise. The ceremony takes place before the mayor or another authorised official for the place of residence.
7
Receiving the naturalisation certificate and passport
8-20 days after the oath
Once the oath has been taken, the applicant receives the naturalisation certificate confirming the acquisition of citizenship. They may then apply for a passport (domestic or international). Hungarian citizenship is acquired precisely on the day of the oath.

Timelines and rights

Work

A Hungarian citizen works without a work permit.

Who you can bring with you

Simplified conditions for various family statuses

Spouse of a Hungarian citizen

3 years instead of 8; in some cases, in special circumstances, an even shorter period is possible

Child of a Hungarian citizen (born in wedlock)

Acquires citizenship automatically at birth; for naturalisation the parents may file a joint application

Adopted child of a Hungarian citizen

3 years instead of 8 after the official adoption

Parent of a minor Hungarian citizen

3 years of continuous residence as the guardian of a child with Hungarian citizenship

Refugee granted asylum in Hungary

3 years after recognition as a refugee instead of the standard 8 years

Stateless person

3 years of residence as a recognised stateless person

Trips, renewal and the grace period

The general period is 8 years of continuous residence in Hungary. For those born in Hungary and those who moved there as minors, 5 years. For spouses of Hungarian citizens, refugees and those adopted by Hungarian citizens, 3 years.

Hungarian citizenship acquired through naturalisation is permanent and does not require renewal. Once the passport has been issued, citizenship remains valid for life. A Hungarian citizen's passport is valid for 10 years for adults (3 years for children under 6, 5 years for children aged 6 to 18). When the passport expires you must apply to have it reissued by the competent authority (a registration office or consulate), but citizenship itself remains valid.

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.

	Naturalisation	Investor residence permit	Digital nomad card
Visa term	You acquire citizenship at the moment of the oath before the mayor for your place of residence	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)
Grounds	Acquisition of Hungarian citizenship on application, through naturalisation or renaturalisation	Real estate / funds	Remote income
Work	A Hungarian citizen works without a work permit	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	The general period is 8 years of continuous residence in Hungary	No residence requirement	Actual residence is expected

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Citizenship settles the question: a residence permit and settlement card are no longer needed.

Route to citizenship

The decision is taken by the President of the Republic. Citizenship arises on the day the civic oath or solemn promise is taken — the applicant chooses between them.

Frequently asked questions about Naturalisation

How much does naturalisation in Hungary cost?

The naturalisation procedure itself is entirely free (the state fee is EUR 0). There are, however, related costs: a residence permit costs EUR 61-110 and permanent residence EUR 51-67, while notarised translation of documents and the language examinations are paid for separately.

Is knowledge of Hungarian and the constitution compulsory?

Yes, you must pass the examination in Hungarian and the basics of the constitution. Exemptions: people over 60, graduates of Hungarian educational institutions, people with officially recognised disabilities and those with an incurable illness. The certificate confirming the examination has been passed must be attached to the application.

How long does the whole naturalisation process take?

Usually 4 to 6 months for the examination of the application by the Directorate-General for Aliens Policing and the President. Allowing for collecting documents, sitting the examinations and waiting in the queue, the whole process may take 8 to 11 months. Renaturalisation (restoration of citizenship) may be quicker — from 3 months to 1-2 years, depending on how hard the documents are to obtain.

Is attendance in person required to file the application?

Yes, attendance in person is compulsory. The application must be filed in person with the competent authority: a district office (járási hivatal), a city office, a one-stop government office (kormányablak), a civil registry office or a consular section (if you are abroad). At the appointment your identity is checked, your fingerprints are taken and an interview is held.

What is renaturalisation (visszahonosítás)?

Renaturalisation is the restoration of Hungarian citizenship for people who lost it. It applies to those who lost citizenship between 1947 and 1990, and to descendants of Hungarians from historical Hungarian territories (Transylvania, Slovakia, Vojvodina, Transcarpathia). The procedure is often simpler than naturalisation and does not require residence in Hungary.

Does Hungary permit dual citizenship?

Yes, Hungary recognises dual and multiple citizenship. You do not need to renounce the citizenship of your country of origin to obtain Hungarian citizenship. The other country may, however, have its own restrictions on dual citizenship — check the law of your home country.

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: 7 August 2026.