Hungary’s Residence Permit Applications Top 1,800 as New Immigration Rules Take Effect

Hungary has received over 1,800 residence permit applications in less than a year, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The majority of these applications came from nationals of Türkiye, Vietnam, China, and Iraq.

Under current Hungarian immigration law, Sándor Pintér—the Minister of the Interior, who also oversees police and asylum matters—has the authority to grant residence permits in the national interest to third-country nationals (non-EU) who come to Hungary for work purposes.

New Requirements for Permanent Residency Applicants

In early 2024, Hungarian authorities introduced a mandatory cultural knowledge exam for third-country nationals applying for permanent residency, including those seeking a National Card or a European Union Residence Card.

Key features of the new requirement include:

• A written test in Hungarian
• 12 questions across six topics focused on Hungary’s social norms and cultural values
• A maximum of three attempts — applicants who fail three times cannot reapply

The European Union has supported this initiative, noting it aims to ensure better integration and understanding of Hungary’s societal values.

New Immigration Law and Extended Permits

Hungary’s new immigration law, which came into force at the start of 2024, expanded the number of residence permit categories from 18 to 24, including eight specific to employment. This change aims to clarify and streamline the residence process for various migration purposes.

In preparation for this legislative shift, the Hungarian government automatically extended the validity of all existing residence and permanent residence permits for third-country nationals until April 30, 2024. This ensured legal continuity while the new system was implemented.