First Application for a Residence Permit
Due to changes in legislation, the process of applying for a residence permit is currently different. You can find more information on the application process here.
Please be informed that under the Act on the General Rules for the Entry and Right of Residence of Third-Country Nationals, unless otherwise specified by provision, no applications for a residence permit or for an interim/a national/an EU residence card (former interim/national/EC permanent residence permits) may be submitted between 1st January 2024 and 29th February 2024.
Procedures related to the applications for a residence permit and for a permanent residence permit submitted before 1st January 2024 will be suspended between 1st January 2024 and 29th February 2024. Accordingly, the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing shall not make a decision on these applications. Attaching a supporting document to your pending application will be available. In case of applications submitted duly by 31st December 2023, after the expiry of the suspension period, i.e. following 29th February 2024, the aliens policing authority shall continue the procedures concerned and shall take a decision in accordance with the legislation in force at the time of submission of the given application; submitting a separate application for this purpose is not required.
The validity of residence permits and permanent residence permits expiring between 1st January 2024 and 29th February 2024 will be extended until 30th April 2024. For this purpose, no further actions are required to be taken by the persons concerned; neither to appear at the Client Service Offices nor to submit an application. No separate certificate will be issued on the extension of the validity of the documents. The provision on the extension of the documents concerned allows for legal residence in Hungary.
Please be advised; however, that you should consider travelling abroad in view of the expiry date indicated on your document, as it is uncertain whether you will be allowed to enter Hungary (and thus the Schengen area) in another Member State.
Please note that during the period from 1st January 2024 to 29th February 2024, administration of only the following types of cases will be available:
– taking biometric data for applications submitted electronically by 31st December 2023;
– applications for the replacement or substitution of a document;
– extension of an expiring certificate entitling its holder to temporary residence;
– extension of the validity of an immigration permit document;
– applications of EEA nationals for the issuance of a registration certificate or for a permanent residence card;
– applications of family members of EEA nationals for the issuance or extension of a residence card or a long-term residence card.
After your arrival, you have 30 days to get your residence permit (for D-type visa holders)! For those of you arriving without a visa, you have 90 days.
For students with a D-type visa
Countries of origin: all non-EU countries that are not listed on the right hand side.
For students travelling without a visa
Countries of origin: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, East Timor, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macau, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, Nicaragua, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela
Application procedure (for students with a D-type visa)
As you probably already know, once you arrive in Hungary, you must get your residence permit as soon as possible. It is a crucial step as you can only stay and study in Hungary if you have one. There is a strict deadline for doing so: you are obliged to have it within 30 days of crossing the borders of the Schengen Area; otherwise, you might get expelled from within its borders. The residence permit is also necessary for many other official steps, such as applying for a TAJ card.
Important Note: You are no longer required to apply for a Residence Permit at the Immigration Office, as this process has already been completed at the Consulate during your visa application. You can pick up your Residence Permit at the university once it is ready.
About the method of collection: You will receive your Residence Permit from the university at the CAO (Central Academic Office). You will be informed in advance by e-mail of the possible date of collection. We urge you to promptly pick up your permit upon receiving this notification. After you picked up your Residence Permit, you have to apply for an Addess Card. Here you can find how you can do it.
The Residence Permit and the Address Card are also necessary for many other official steps, such as applying for a TAJ card.
Should you have any questions about the residence permit application, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at imt.documents@bme.hu!
Application procedure (for students without a D-type visa – ie. students from most Latin American and Balkan countries, as well as Moldova and Ukraine)
As you probably already know, once you arrive in Hungary, you need to get your residence permit as soon as possible. It is a crucial step as you can only stay and study in Hungary if you have one. There is a strict deadline for doing so: you are obliged to have it within 90 days of crossing the borders of the Schengen Area; otherwise, you might get expelled from within its borders.
The residence permit is also necessary for many other official steps, such as applying for a TAJ card.
Apply here (without D-type visa)
Here, you can access the online application platform developed by the Immigration office!
Online application guide
We have prepared a comprehensive guide for you to use throughout the renewal procedure!
The Immigration Office developed an online platform for processing your application and hence you can now simply upload your documents to www.enterhungary.gov.hu. The platform will ask several question, but we have assembled a detailed guide for you to navigate through the whole procedure. You will need to prepare the documents listed below. You should keep in mind that you will be asked to go to the Immigration Office in person to get your biometric data taken. Currently you can visit the Immigration Office without an appointment; their address: Szegedi út 35-37, Budapest, 1135. If you want to avoid waiting in line, you can book an appointment after registering at the website of the Immigration Office here. When you go, please bring all the necessary documents with you, otherwise, you will have to repeat the procedure. If you are confused about some of the requirements, do not hesitate to contact us at imt.documents@bme.hu!
You need to prepare the following documents for the appointments:
- An application form filled-in (you can find a guide here),
- A passport size photo,
- Appendix 14 filled-in, you can find a guide for it here.
- Your Letter of Award as proof of your monthly stipend (for fee-paying students: proof of payment of your tuition fees and proof of health insurance),
- A student status certificate,
- You can request it on Neptun (request E027),
- PhD students should visit the Dean’s Office of their faculty, but you do not actually need to meet the Dean!
- Scanned images of ALL pages in your passport,
- A filled-in accommodation reporting form,
- You can download it from here, fill it in and get it signed by your accommodator (dormitory or landlord).
- Proof of your address:
- If you live in a dorm: get a certificate from your dorm that they provide you with accommodation,
- If you live in an apartment: your rental agreement.
Visit the Office yourself
If you have an irregular query, or you are required to give your biometric data to the Immigration Office, you can visit them during their office hours. You can book an appointment after registering at the website of the Immigration Office here.
If you want to book an appointment, please do so as early as possible as the number of appointments is limited. If you cannot book an appointment, you can visit the Immigration Office without one, but you might have to wait longer. We advise going there early, right before opening.
Address: Szegedi út 35-37, Budapest, 1135, enter from the side of the building at the bus stop on Reitter Ferenc utca
Office hours for foreign students:
- Monday – 8:00-14:00
- Tuesday – 8:00-14:00
- Wednesday – 8:00-14:00
- Thursday – 8:00-14:00
- Friday – 8:00-12:00
Immigration Office
Contact us
If you have any questions please check the FAQ or contact us using the form below! We aim to provide answers as detailed as possible, which can take some time. Please be patient; we cannot respond immediately.