rammy100

I currently hold a residence card that allows me to stay in Hungary beyond 90 days although I'm still a UK resident.

Earlier in the year I read on the Bevandorlas site that I could commute this to a more permanent card without taking any further action once Brexit was in force but this information has been removed from the website.

I have emailed them for advice but they do not reply.

Does anyone know what the situation is with this card after 31 December 2020? With Covid restrictions it's very difficult to visit Hungary to resolve this.

Many thanks.

ecurb

Do you have an address card too or just the registration card?
I understand that if you have both, you are safe after 31 December but I think there is a limitation on how long you can be out of Hungary.

In theory the registration card is required because you are intending to reside permanently, if you are intending to reside somewhere else permanently, you are supposed to tell the Hungarian Authorities and they will cancel the registration card.

If you are still a citizen of an EU country after leaving, you can come back an apply for a new registration card when you want to return permanently.
In the case of the UK that will no longer be possible after the 31st December. You either limit your stay in Hungary to 90 days within 180 days or apply for another type of Hungarian visa.

rammy100

Thanks for this Ecurb.

Here's the rub...I was issued with both a registration card and an address card although I don't have the latter. It was sent by recorded delivery when I was out of Hungary and I have struggled to get the original one or a replacement. Emails are just ignored and, as I have mentioned, Covid restrictions are preventing me from sorting it face-to-face.

Given that the address card was actually issued, do you know if this will give me the right to stay after December as you describe?

Many thanks again..

ecurb

I see, I think the Authorities want you to receive the address card as away of verifying that you are genuinely resident. As yours was probably returned as undelivered, they may have doubts.

It is possible when things ease up and you can travel here, they will take the covid situation into account and let you continue your residency status.

You could try contacting the Hungarian consulate in the UK and explain your situation, perhaps they can explain who you should contact to tell them you are stuck in the UK and cannot collect your address card.

FenTiger

I had to provide identification when I received my address card before it was handed to me by the posta lady.
I had also been told I could apply for permanent residency now but got other things on my plate.

rammy100

Thanks again for your advice with this. I'll follow up and contact the consulate as you suggest. Many thanks.

hobgoblins

I also missed the delivery of my address card some years back as I was on a trip away so I went to immigration in Zalaegerszeg where they proved to be completely unhelpful and refused to call immigration in Budapest after telling me that's where my card was ... they sent me to the kormanyablak where a staff member tried over a period of a week e.mailing and calling immigration to no avail ... in the end, she cancelled my original address card and made me a new one on the spot ...

rammy100

Thanks for this. I have wondered if this is the best approach but I just can't afford the time to deal with this now because of the quarantine rules in Hungary and the UK.