Looking to move to Hungary
 

Hi all,

I'm new here, found this site while trying to acquire information on the web in relation to what I need to move to Hungary.

I'm looking for information / advice / tips and to be corrected on anything I state that is false.

Let's start off with some background info and what my plans are.

Background Info

The Plan


Registration Card / Certificate


Other Options


To summarise

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Respectfully, your NOT going to get any response to your questions the way you posted on this thread . place them so the readers can see what you wrote. The way you have formatted your thread leads one to believe that your thread has links to malicious spam or porn and no one will bother clicking on the boxes to view your questions. Also...Respectfully, search will be your friend...the Hungarian page does NOT have many active participants. Make it easy on yourself and forum participants if you expect a reply.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Hi
i think If You have a hungarian wife, it should be easy for her to find out local laws /regulations etc...on internet or on the phone.
Not sure how things will change after brexit..

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Thanks for the advice, I'll change the format.
The reason I used Spoiler tags, was so I wouldn't scare everyone away with a wall of text :lol:

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

You won't scare anyone off with a large body of text as long as it is understandable. I am by no means an expert at these relocation things but there an expat assistance site on Facebook by a company called Interrelo hopefully no one will mind if I post the link. It is run by a nice chap by the name of Stuart. You should at least visit his firms FB and see if some of your questions are already answered. He was a Godsend helping us get a couple major issues sorted. You don't have to use his firms services but his site is a good starting point for answering some of your questions if you don't get an answer on the BE expats forum.

https://hu-hu.facebook.com/Inter.Rel...Expat.Support/

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Hello and Welcome. As far as I am aware you do not need to be registered to buy a house (not sure after Brexit). When we bought our house we did not move to Hungary for several months and as an EU resident I was entitled to purchase the property. Once you stay here if you are here for more than 90 days then you need to register with the immigration office and get your address card etc...
If you wish to work in Hungary then outside of Budapest you really need to be able to speak hungarian. You might get away with it if the company is a big multinational but those jobs will be much less common. Having said that I did teach English in a school as part of an English department!
If you do wish to work then I would research carefully where you want to live.
Good luck

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Thank you Jack I'll definitely visit that Facebook page.
I took your advice and Searched for some posts, got some decent Information already. :thumbup:

Also thanks cathy, I'm not too concerned about buying a property on my name currently, since I can buy it on my wife's name...
y main objective currently to find out if I'm able to apply for a Registration Card without making a living in Hungary.
I basically want to see if I can apply for the Registration Card / Certificate / Residence Permit now(while it's easy before Brexit), continue making a living in the UK, then move to Hungary in 3-5 years.
But since I have a Hungarian Wife, doesn't seem like it'll be that difficult to apply even after Brexit.

Also another question is, if I do manage to get the Registration Card / Certificate / Residence Permit now, then in 3-5 years time, even though I've not lived in Hungary during that time.....
would I be able to take the TEST and apply for Hungarian Citizenship / Passport / Permanent Resident Card.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

My understanding is that you would have to have ‘lawfully resided’ in Hungary for three years prior to applying for citizenship therefore you would not be able to apply for citizenship in the circumstances you describe. I am not a 100% sure but I believe people who split their time between here and the Uk do have registration cards etc. Hopefully someone who does this can advise you.....

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Respectfully, if you're not living in Hungary then it is playing the system to try to get a Residence card - as you are not resident. Not only that but I doubt you'd be successful! However, all the best with your family and future plans.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

IMO, when we several years ago applied for residency we were living in Hungary(only residence) and applied with all documents necessary including copies of bank accounts (current/savings/proof of incoming monies) so you could prove you can afford to live here. There are many people here who are fortunate to have houses in the UK and Hungary who have residency cards for Hungary that do not live here in Hungary for 6 months. As for playing the system, that's life sometimes, nothing ventured nothing gained.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

What are you actually wanting to do?
If it is 'just' to get a residency card prior to Brexit then you either have until 31st January or the 31st December to start the process depending upon the rules (I think you will have until December since lots of things stay the same (including freedom of movement) until the end of the implementation period - but then what do I know!) IMO getting it started by end of Jan is a tall order, for a start you will need an address here with the fact of that address signed by the landlord / owner.

If your wife is Hungarian I don't think that you will have a problem whenever you decide to come to Hungary - irrespective of Brexit. Your wife declares she is returning to Hungary (and gets a new ID card/passport if hers has expired) and gets permission for her husband at the same time. This can be done through an embassy.

As some bed-time reading you might try

Residence in Hungary

It is the Hungarian government web site detailing residency matters including

Information on Brexit

which is a bit specifically about Brexit but if you dig deep enough into the site there is probably a bit about the spouse of a Hungarian

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

You will NOT be able to get a Residency card and keep it unless you are actually living here in Hungary full time and they do seem to ferret out people trying to game the system. Don't be surprised when you get an unannounced visit from the immigration folks after you lodge an application, they will at some point likely pay you an in home visit to ensure you actually reside where you say you reside and it is suitable for habitation and they will ask you a few questions to verify the truthfulness of your application. In the time we have been here they have visited twice. They were very nice and spoke excellent English. We gave them no reason for concern and our paperwork was approved in less than 30 days each time. I think it is just part of their process and not anything we said or did.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

We were visited & interviewed about 4 months after our arrival. Again, very easy & straightforward.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Many years ago I also got a residency card without any problems - I had to prove that I own a house here, have a bank account, pay my village tax etc.
Of course I still have my primary residence in Germany - that's not a problem in the EU. I know many people who have two residences, some even both in Germany.
In 2014 before the elections for the EP I even got a letter asking whether I would like to vote in Hungary - they would have informed the Germans then so I couldn't vote twice.
Also OTP (the bank) writes me regularly about this - no problem as long as you pay your taxes (somewhere) ...

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

If you have to pay tax........as a resident of Hungary pensions are not taxed !!

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Yes!!!

​​​​​​On e of the side benefits of our interview was that my Wife's Kommunális was reduced by 50% (due to her age).

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

@Peter_in_Hungary
Hi Peter, yes that was basically my plan, but as you said, since my wife is Hungarian, I shouldn't have a problem even after Brexit.

@jameswm
@Jack_Russells4ever
@enter
@cathyg
I never intended to "Play" with the system, that's why I stated my intentions and if they would be allowed.
Also maximum time per year I see myself in Hungary for the next 5 years would be 1-2 months EACH year, which I don't think would be enough.

I think what I'll do is, buy a Rural Property on my Wife's name. Then when I've made sufficient savings in around 5 years or so, start the application to move to Hungary.
Then after living there for 3 years apply for Permanent Residency.

One other question I have is does anyone know currently what's the minimum savings or resources one must have to "not to become an unreasonable burden on the social assistance system of Hungary" ?

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Hi Wolfi,

So you already owned a house in Hungary and were paying village tax, before you applied for a Residency Card?
I was under the impression you had to get a Residency Card before you bought a property even as an EU Citizen....is that not the case?

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

I never thought you were attempting to game the system, I was just making a general comment, no intention to say you were trying to get over on the rules. But those whom attempt to do so are usually found out and if one lies on their paperwork to the immigration department that will give them grounds to expel an applicant and refuse entry for a period of up to 10 years.

As to what is considered sufficient money in savings not sure but based upon pension income we were told that proof of income of a minimum of 1000 GBP per person was required back in 2017, I suspect that is still the requirement.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Xegro, the laws were changed in 1998 - that was when I bought my house. Maybe that new rule was only for EU citizens? I'm not sure however. Starting then you could buy a house - which I rented to a German "friend" of mine whom I had to throw out soon however because he did not do any renovating as he had promised.
I know people who got a house before that but they had to do it via a Hungarian Strawman or a company they owned together with Hungarian partners - a bit risky imho.
However the agricultural land that came with it I could not buy as a foreigner.
Otherwise it would be a kind of catch 22 - to buy a house you gotta have a residency card - to get a card you have to live here ...
Anyway as I wrote this is my "second residency", I still am resident in Germany where I get my pension, pay my taxes and my health insurance. Luckily the EHIC I got is valid in all of the EU.
PS:
I feel a real pity with all the UK citizens concerned - my sister married an Englishman, their daughter married an Irishman - and the whole family is mad like hell about Brexit, especially because they can't do any long range planning yet.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

You do NOT need Residency to purchase most non agricultural property, you do however need approval to buy properties if your a non EU national. It is usually no problem to obtain unless a Hungarian wants to buy the property, Non EU Hungarians are limited to ownership of no more than 10,000m2 of land is my understanding..

Also FYI after Brexit I am told that purchasing an Hungarian automobile will be more difficult for UK nationals here in Hungary that don't have a Lakcim Kartya which you can only get if you have Permanent Residency or Citizenship. There is a work around to get the car in your name but it is complicated.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

Everyone (including Hungarians) is limited to 10,000m2 (1ha) of agricultural land unless they are a registered agricultural person. (registration is at the Land Office and the requirement is an agricultural qualification or 3 years (proven) agricultural experience) This only applies to land that is classified as agricultural - which means that your delightful little retirement home registered as a domestic dwelling overlooking the Buda hills sitting on a 2ha plot is OK to buy !

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

I forgot to say agricultural. I did not know that also applied to Hungarians the 10,000m2 an agricultural land. So, your saying a village property with 20,000m2 is okay to buy for a foreigner? or just EU nationals ?

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

We had to have a housing contract (either tenancy or purchase) before we could register our initial residency. The Lakcím came as part of this process.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

My wife and I received our lakcímkártyák soon after registering as residents at the end of our initial 90 days in Hungary. We were in rented accommodation at the time and an inspector came to check we actually lived at the address.

Re: Looking to move to Hungary
 

A foreigner can buy the 20,000m2 property the same as anyone else (providing not more than 10,000m2 it is registered as agricultural) - its just that the paperwork is different, the foreigner will need permission to buy it, which can take a couple of months to come through.