Updated: 17.04.2025

RECENT NEWS

DEAR STUDENTS!

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT RECENT CHANGES IN LEGISLATION PUT LIMITATIONS ON BEING EMPLOYED WITHIN HUNGARY AFTER THE END OF YOUR STUDIES. We are sharing the notification sent by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing informing us and you about these changes. You may download the letter here.

1. EEA Students

Citizens of EU/EEA member states (EU member states as well as Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) do not need a residence permit, but must obtain a registration certificate to notify the Hungarian authorities of their stay.

More information for EEA students: EEA students - Registration certificate.

2. Non-EEA Students

If you are a third country national who is not a citizen of an EEA country, you will need to apply for a residence permit to stay in Hungary and may also require a visa to enter the country. (You can check if you need a visa here.)

1. Visa-free non-EEA students can enter Hungary with their passports and need to apply for a residence permit online after their arrival in Hungary.

2. Those non-EEA students that require a visa must apply for a D-visa and a residence permit for the purpose of studies at a Hungarian embassy/consulate responsible for their home country or country of residence. The application process should be started immediately after you receive your Letter of Acceptance, otherwise you may not arrive on time for the start of the semester.

More information for all non-EEA students: Non-EEA students – Visa/residence permit.

3. Non-EEA Students with EU Residence Permits

Special rules may apply to third country nationals who study in any EU member state country and possess an EU residence permit for the purpose of studies, as they may be eligible for a Student Mobility Certificate. Those students who are not eligible and do not have a visa-waiver passport need to apply for a residence permit in the EU country of their residence.

More information for non-EEA nationals with EU residence permits: For non-EEA citizens with EU residence permit.

Important information (address – work – extension – passive semester – leaving Hungary)

• In order to receive a registration certificate or a residence permit, students must notify the authorities of their address in Hungary. As such, proof of accommodation (eg.: a lease/rental agreement or courtesy lease contract) is required during the application process. In case your address changes from the one that you reported to the authorities when you applied for your card, you must fill a Notification of Accommodation form. You may find our guide on filling and submitting it here.

• Students with a residence permit for the purpose of studies may engage in work for not more than 30 hours a week during semesters, and may work full time for a maximum of ninety days a year outside semester. Be aware that those staying in Hungary with a residence permit for the purpose of employment cannot apply for a residence permit for the purpose of studies without returning to their home country if they are non-EEA students who require a visa to enter Hungary.

• Non-EEA students must ensure that they have a valid residence permit at all times. When your residence permit is about to expire, you will need to apply for an extension. More information on the extension process: Extension of residence permit.
• Non-EEA students must make sure that they always have an active student status as residence permits are invalidated during passive semesters. More information on passive semesters: Passive student status.
• Those non-EEA students that require a visa to enter Hungary must make sure that they do not leave the country without their residence permit cards as it is not possible to reenter the country without them. Those with visa-waiver passports can reenter Hungary with their residence permits or leftover visa-free days within the Schengen-zone (90 days within any 180 day period) to reenter the country.

For students with shorter stays

In case your stay in Hungary does not exceed 90 days, you do not need to arrange for a long-term solution. EEA students may enter Hungary with their travel documents and stay here without obtaining a registration certificate. Non-EEA students with visa-waiver passports may enter the Schengen-zone (including Hungary) and stay here for 90 days within any 180 day period without obtaining a visa or a residence permit. (Note that your stay within the entire Schengen-zone cannot exceed 90 days within any 180 days period.) Non-EEA students who need a visa to enter Hungary may apply for a C-visa at the Hungarian embassy/consulate in their country of residence. The C-visa is valid for maximum 90 days and cannot be changed into a residence permit. It only allows students to enter Hungary for the maximum duration of 90 days, they are obliged to leave Hungary after that. (This may be a solution for students who have completed their studies but postponed their thesis/graduation.)

If you have questions

Please check our webpage dedicated to frequently asked questions here: FAQ for visa matters.

If you cannot find a clear answer to your question or still have something else to ask, feel free to reach out to us.

ELTE's Visa Coordinator

dr. Zoltán Kalácska

Email: visa@elte.hu

Please include your full name, Neptun code (if available), and nationality for efficient processing.

National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (Budapest)

Visiting address: 1135 Budapest, Szegedi út 35-37, Twin Office Building, Ground Floor

Email: bp2@oif.gov.hu

Web: https://oif.gov.hu

Phone: +36 1 463 9100