Szeged

Hi All,

Let me clarify this thread. My HU GF originally told me a true story from a Hungarian facebook page (see post 1). My HU GF, who worded the story to me in a cross-communication kind of way at first (hence my first post), retold the story that I now understand (see post 11). So to clarify everything I visited the immigration office in Budapest (and tax man and taj office) about two weeks ago. So the following are now the facts:

1) You do NOT need a HU bank account necessary, but.... (see note 4 below).

2) About the 3 months of money - (quote immigration officer) "You should be able to support yourself whilst in Hungary". So I then asked him "What if I buy a property and have 3 months worth of money in my bank account?". He smiled (in a way to say you are right but I cannot clarify that amount) and therefore replied "We would look at your application and see if that would be enough. If not, we would ask you to come back again". Obviously he and the immigration office in general cannot put specific figures forward, otherwise everyone would know what is accepted and application-guaranteed.

4 points here:

#1 - The original FB story clarifies that couple (the English man) needed to go back with 3 months worth of money to get his application processed.

#2 - I put £1,200 on my application in 2014 and had bought a property too, which was enough to secure my application - in fact I was discouraged from getting a residence permit even with these things in my favour. Plus I had my HU GF at my side in the interview. So on the day I suppose it is who interviews you that really matters....and a bit of luck.

#3 - In cases of denial due to lack of funds whereby you have to return, I would of thought some kind of marker is on your denied application (i.e. denied due to lack of support funds). In other words, lack of funds could hinder you IMHO, so why not have enough money in the first place (even if it just show money borrowed from friends).

#4 - IMHO a HU bank account shows more commitment and loyalty to Hungary in terms of you wanting to stay in Hungary and would be better for Hu employers if you are working in Hungary only. Plus the cost of transferring into a UK bank account for example, messing with IBAN and SWIFT codes, etc. Not worth the hassle.



msecchi

Depending on your exact address (if in doubt, contact them):

Contact details of the regional offices

Name:

Regional Directorate of Western Transdanubia (Győr)

Area of jurisdiction:


Győr-Moson-Sopron county, Vas county, Zala county

Profile:


Aliens policing, Asylum, Admission

Function:


Client service

Directorate:


Regional Directorate of Western Transdanubia

Address:


9026 Győr, Szövetség u. 15-17.

Phone:


All inquiries, 0-24hrs: +36 96 510 700; in office hours: +36 96 510 759

Fax:


as it shown below

Further info:


Fax:
All inquiries, 0-24hrs:+36 96 510 696,
Client Service +36 96 510 799

Processes:

Residency permits;
Invitation letters;
Permanent residency cases;
Report of accommodation;
National residency permits.

Clients:

Any foreigners having accommodation in the above mentioned counties.




Office hours:


For EEA Nationals and for Swiss Citizens:


For Third Country Nationals:

Hétfő


12.00-16.00


08.00-12.00

Kedd


No service


No service

szerda


08.00-12.00


12.00-16.00

Csütörtök


12.00-17.00


08.00-12.00

Péntek


No service


No service



How to get there: Bus Line 11, or by car.



Name:


Szombathely

Area of jurisdiction:


Vas county

Profile:


Aliens policing

Function:


Client service

Directorate:


Regional Directorate of Western Transdanubia

Address:


9700 Szombathely, Kisfaludy S. u. 1.

Phone:


+36 94 320 423

Fax:


+36 94 521 155

Further info:


Processes:

Residency permits;
Invitation letters;
Permanent residency cases;
Report of accommodation;
National residency permits.

Clients:

Any foreigners having accommodation in the above mentioned county.



Admission Unit' office hours:


All inquiries:

Monday


09.00-16.00

Tuesday


No service

Wednesday


09.00-16.00

Thursday


No service

Friday


No service



How to get there: Office can be approached from Király Street. It is located opposite of T-Com Store.

msecchi

Thanks so much!!!

fidobsa

I was talking to my estate agent about this the other day, with regard to renting rather than buying somewhere to live. There are various options, including renting a flat, sharing a flat, sharing a room in a flat and being a lodger in a village house. She was saying that very few owners will let you use their address on a residency application because residents have more legal rights than non residents.

Szeged

That is because of Tax reasons and because it is not easy to evict someone; especially if they are a residence permit holder. And especially if their address is being used on a residency application!

duztee

This thread is just another example of Hungarian's impossible to fathom bureaucratic system, but don't feel bad it is not aimed at us foreigners, the locals suffer just the same.


We recently received a letter from the local council to inform the householder that when placing bags of garden waste out for collection that an equal number of new bags would be left in return.
Of course it didn't happen.
When we went to the office we were informed that we still had to buy the bags despite showing them the letter!

Szeged

At the moment returning Hungarians, from the UK, are complaining about the TAJ office's lack of knowledge about the whole "Hungarians needing a TAJ card" and who should contact the HMRC!

If Hungarian to Hungarian cannot work it out between them, what hope has a "Foreigner" got who doesn't speak Hungarian and when they do have a Hungarian friend to help out, the officials still palm off that Hungarian friend by passing the buck.

God knows what will happen if all the Hungarians return home after Brexit:

Janos, you have to get a £200 tourist visa, go back to the UK, talk to HMRC, bring us their paperwork, and then we might give you a TAJ card This is on the assumption you will be allowed back into Hungary But with no insurance.......!!

GBA77

Not sure if this link belongs here, if so mods please just do what you have to.

I went in to Zalaegerszeg today to apply for my residence permit. I sort of acted dumb which for me is very easy to do. No appointment, just a bag full of papers lol.

Anyway the chap I got to see was most understanding but could not help as I did not have 3 months worth of bank statement. I had actually forgotten this. It happens when you get old.
In a round about way he what he asked what did i do for a living? I advised that at the moment and for the foreseeable future, nothing. He looked at me as if to say WTF, why was I taking the P.

I explained my position to him and he checked through all the other paperwork, house ownership etc etc etc. I was then told that except for the bank statements it looked good, but when I come back I must not forget the "stamp" I reached into my wallet and pulled out the 1000 F stamp duty - thank you Szeged. Then I was advised that I should not just waltz into the place and that in fact I needed an appointment.

He gave me this website address: Residence in Hungary and advised that I needed to make an appointment there and that I should do so and come back "next week"

As you can see it has an English page as well. When I got home after first stopping at Lidl for beer - who can say no to a ice cold beer on days such as these! - I registered on that site and filled in what I had to and was given an appointment this Thursday. So not sure where his next week came into it.

It looks like the applicant gets the residency card there and then as I saw some people walking out with some or other cards in their hands.

If the website link has been given before, apologies. Its 5 pm now and I have only 1 really cold beer in the fridge so I need to go and find something else to do for an hour so that the others can get colder.

GBA

hobgoblins

I went to the office two weeks ago in Zalaegerszeg with all the correct documents and the guy there spoke fluent English as did his female colleague. I did not have an appointment but the office was empty….unfortunately, I had forgotten the postage stamp…which they do not sell in the office so it was a trip to the nearby post office. When I returned, the office was full including a group of Russians and a couple of Koreans and now only the female working there. Many of the people needed photographs doing and it took four hours until I could get seen….do not forget the postage stamp !!!
The pleasant female…very stressed by now….asked where my income on the bank statements was….I told her I was self employed and was often paid in cash…which she was happy with and issued my address card there and then.
It was actually a lot more straightforward than opening a bank account in Lenti…..where nobody speaks English…. !!

enter

Am I right in thinking that you can now get residency even though you work (live) in UK and get paid cash.

GBA77

Hobgodlins. You say they issued the address card there and there. Does the residence card come form somewhere else?

GBA

Szeged

GBA77 - The Residence Permit is issued on the spot, after a successful application of course. The immigration office then send your details (successful application paperwork) to another department for issue of an Address Card, which you receive in the post roughly two weeks later.

The two work hand-in-hand for certain occasions thereafter (such as setting up utility bills, working in Hungary, etc) and separately (such as getting a payg phone contract). In other words, sometimes you need to show both your Residence Permit and Address Card; possibly as proof of residency but sometimes you only need to show your Address Card.

ENTER - You need some sort of connection with Hungary (i.e. be a property owner in Hungary, an employee or even an employer) before they will issue a Residence Permit. Being married to a Hungarian also helps. You can for example be a property owner (the reason for being granted a Residence Permit in the first place), rent out the property later and not even live in Hungary anymore.

In general - You can, in Szeged for example, visit the immigration office without an appointment but this is not recommended purely because of the long queues and long waiting hours. When I was in the Budapest immigration office recently doing research I could of got a ticket (after explaining my fictional problem to a non-English speaking Hungarian receptionist!) and wait 3-4 hours for my ticket number to be called whereas with a time allocated appointment I would of been seen within 30 minutes maximum.

hobgoblins

It is a bit confusing ! I have my address card…which was issued there and then after showing the contract for the house purchase along with ownership documents and showing bank statements etc…but I am thinking that this is not the same as a residency card….but I'm not too sure - as the UK is still an EU country, for now at least, maybe an actual residency card is not needed ? Hopefully someone here will be able to explain wether I have just an address card or wether this is a residency card as well….if it's not a residency card, why ask for bank statements and proof of income?!

Szeged

The immigration office should of given you a green card (credit card size paper that is laminated) with NO name and address details on it. Just a Number on it. Two weeks later you should then receive an address card with your Name, Address, Mother's Maiden Name on it, etc.

Check your card and tell us what is written on it - a number only or address details on it.

hobgoblins

Hi Szeged,
It is a laminated card, light brown at the top that turns to green further down and has my name and address on it and a number in the bottom left corner - it also has on both sides "Regisztracios Igazolas" ! On the front of the card, this is in white on blue next to the EU flag with "H" in the centre of the stars…..

Szeged

It sounds like you are describing the Residence Permit which is a orange-ish (brown-ish) colour at the top and light lime (faded green) at the bottom with RA-Number in the left corner. Is your signature and nationality on it? If so, that is your Residence Permit (on the other side should be a BAH stamp and number).

The address card is pink, then red, then green with a Bar Code on one side and your mother's maiden name among other address details on the other side.