Our Consultant in Hungary, Kasia Pinska, recently advised that getting a Hungarian Visa from neighboring countries is no longer an option for expats. In the past, many expatriates could visit Hungarian embassies in countries neighboring Hungary to obtain their residence visas (work visas, family member visas, income generator visas). However, please be advised that this is no longer the case as these embassies are no longer willing to issue residence visas to foreigners not resident in their respective countries.

For some time now, many Non-E.U. expatriates (incl. U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa) who entered Hungary on a 90-day tourist visa, but then wished to obtain an extended visa, could often apply for same at a Hungarian Embassy in Vienna, Prague, Bratislava or Zagreb. However, due to a tightening of procedure, foreigners can now only apply for an extended Hungarian visa at the Hungarian Embassy in either their native country, or a country in which they have official residency.

Exceptions will only be made in extreme circumstance, such as a medical condition that might prevent the applicant from travel.