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Hungary — photograph from Wealthy Expat's program collection
Hungary

Golden Visa

Hungary Golden Visa

A renewable 10-year European residence permit through a qualifying investment fund or public-interest donation.

From
€250,000
Timeline
2 to 3 months
Residence
Not required
Review My Eligibility

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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 A EUR 500,000 direct real-estate route was announced for a January 2025 launch and withdrawn by the government on 20 December 2024, before it took effect — it is not a current qualifying route.

The source describes Schengen short-stay travel rights and a renewable 10-year residence permit with no minimum stay to maintain it. Citizenship is a separate naturalization process that requires 8 years of continuous physical residence and other conditions.

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 EU move who can meet the 8-year continuous-residence naturalization route later.

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  • Applicants who wanted the EUR 500,000 direct real-estate route — announced and then withdrawn before its planned January 2025 launch.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 requires 8 years of continuous physical residence plus language and integration tests.
  • 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 — there is no single universal figure. Amounts are indicative and confirmed with the authority before any engagement.

  • Investment fund

    Investment fund shares registered with the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), held in a blocked securities sub-account for at least 5 years.

Requirements

Eligibility and documents

Who can apply is set by five rules on the applicant, nationality, background and qualification; the checklist lists six documents. A spouse, minor children and adult dependent children can join the same application.

Who can apply

Applicant

  • Valid comprehensive health insurance covering the applicant and any included family members.

Nationality

  • Applicant must be a non-EU/EEA ("third-country") national.

Background

  • Clean criminal record in the country of origin and residence.
  • Must not pose a threat to Hungary's public order or national security.

Qualification

  • Documented lawful source of the investment or donation funds.

Family inclusion

  • Spouse

    Included

  • Minor children

    Included

    Age limitUnder 18

  • Adult dependent children

    Included

    Age limit18+ (if demonstrably dependent)

    Dependent adult children may be eligible; assessed on individual circumstances.

How it works

Application process

The application runs in four steps. The source estimates 2 to 3 months end to end.

  1. Consultation and route selection

    Assess eligibility, select the fund or donation route, and prepare legal documentation.

  2. 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.

    Hungarian consulate

  3. 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 3 months of first entry

  4. Residence permit application

    Submit the residence permit application to the regional office. Biometrics are collected and the 10-year residence card 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.
Source estimate, end to end
2 to 3 months

Alternatives

Compared with alternatives

How Hungary compares with two golden visa programs: United Arab Emirates from AED 750,000 and Latvia from €50,000.

This program

Hungary Golden Visa

From
€250,000
Timeline
2 to 3 months
Family
Spouse + children

You are here

UAE Golden Visa & Residency

From
AED 750,000
Timeline
2–4 weeks
Family
Spouse + children + parents
View program

Latvia Golden Visa

From
€50,000
Timeline
1 to 3 months
Family
Spouse + children
View program
Open full comparison

Questions

Program FAQ

Short answers to seven questions about Hungary Golden Visa.

10 years, renewable for a further 10 years if the investment or donation conditions remain satisfied.

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
  • No approval guarantee — decisions rest with the authorities