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Student Visa Process for Hungary

Students who will be in Hungary for more than 90 days are required to obtain a residence permit (also called a student visa). To do so, students will need to complete the visa application process in the U.S. and obtain a D-type single entry visa before departing for Hungary. Upon arrival in Budapest, your Resident Director will assist you with completing the process of obtaining your residence permit. Non- U.S. citizens should check this link to determine the type of visa required for their nationality.

APPLYING FOR THE D-TYPE SINGLE ENTRY VISA

If you have a valid passport and can appear in person for an appointment at one of the Hungarian consulates (New York, Los Angeles, or Washington DC) to submit your visa application, you must apply for a D-type single entry visa before leaving for Hungary. Students should submit their application ideally 2 months prior to departure and no later than 30 days before departure to allow enough time for the consulate to process the request. Please check the consulate’s website to determine whether appointments are available within this timeframe or call for an appointment. Be sure to start looking for appointments as soon as possible! API is unable to guarantee visa processing times, so you will be responsible for ensuring that you receive your visa prior to your departure.

This single entry visa will allow you to enter Hungary once. Once you are in Hungary, you will be required to appear at the immigration office to prove that you have made adequate housing arrangements, after which your residence permit will be issued. You can typically pick up your permit right after you submit the remaining documents, so that you only have to go to the immigration office once. Your Resident Director will assist you with contacting the immigration and appearing in person.

*NOTE: Some Hungarian consulates do not issue D-type single entry visas (i.e. Chicago). Instead, they issue a consulate letter that serves the same function as the single entry visa. Please see the consulate/embassy details at the end of this page for more information to obtain the consulate letter. 

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR STUDENTS SELECTING THIS OPTION:

  • You should refer to the appropriate Hungarian consulate’s website for the application form and instructions. You will find a list of consulates and their contact information below, in addition to a list of required documents.
  • Please notify your API Program Coordinator of the day you will be going to the consulate right away and at least 2 weeks prior to the date, so that we can prepare any materials needed from API. API will send hard copies of the required documents, so they will need time to arrive at your address from our offices.
  • In your application you will be asked to list the address where you’ll be living in Hungary. Please request the details of your address from your API Program Coordinator at least 3 business days before your appointment at the consulate.
  • Be sure the consulate indicates the date of expiration as on or after the program end date. By doing so, you will avoid difficulties at the airport. 
  • If you are planning to travel within the EU before the program starts, please keep in mind that you will need to appear at the Hungarian immigration office with your single entry visa within 30 days of your arrival into the EU. You cannot leave the EU before doing so (e.g. to travel to Morocco or Israel). We are not currently recommending travel outside of Hungary.
  • Many consulates require students to provide documentation of enrollment in a US university, so please be sure to obtain a letter from your school confirming this, in addition to the other materials you will be required to present as per the information provided on the immigration website at the time of application.
  • Please note that consulates often set aside any applications that have missing elements or which did not follow the instructions detailed on their website, and may not notify students of any of these errors in a timely manner. As such, it is VERY important to submit complete and correct applications in the first instance in order to avoid any issues or delays in processing the visa.

RESIDENCE PERMIT BASICS

All students, even those with a visa, will receive a residence permit once they arrive in Hungary. The single entry visa ensures that you will not be questioned at the airport, and you will have less paperwork to complete on-site. Please make sure to bring ALL immigration related documents with you in a printed format (keep them in your carry-on in case your luggage arrives later than you). During orientation, API will guide you through completing the necessary paperwork before going to the Immigration Office as a group.

Do not mail any residence permit documentation to the API office. Be sure to make a copy of all documents for your own records prior to submitting them to the Immigration Office. Paperwork submitted must not be older than 30 days (e.g. bank statement).

Based on the current regulations, the following documents are typically needed for your appointment at the Hungarian consulate in the U.S. or the Immigration Office visit in Hungary are as follows:

  • Completed residence permit application forms. Please see this sample guide. 
  • Completed Appendix 14 form. Please see this sample guide. 
  • 2 passport photos
  • Those applying in the U.S. will pay a visa fee when they submit the application to the Hungarian consulate. Please consult your consulate’s website for the current visa fee.
  • Valid passport. If applicable, proof of legal residence in the USA with a U.S. visa or green card. Original passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 months after the program end date. Students must also provide a photocopy of the photo and signature page to the Immigration Office as well as a photocopy of all pages that have a stamp.
  • Proof of travel arrangements. Purchased and confirmed flight ticket(s) with the passenger’s name listed, departure date.
  • Proof of accommodations. Housing confirmation or hotel reservation(s) for at least two weeks with applicant’s name listed. (API will provide this in the form of an accommodation letter.)
  • Letter of acceptances (API and Corvinus University will provide these.)
  • Proof of current occupation: Signed enrollment verification letter from your home university
  • Proof of health insurance  (API to provide.)
  • Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the intended stay, in the form of: bank account statements, chronologically for the last three months, ending balance at least 1,000 USD. If the expenses are covered by somebody else, the consulate will also need a signed statement of financial support (see more details below).
  • Pre-paid self-addressed envelope with tracking number, if applicant wants their passport mailed back to them. Sender and recipient must both be the applicant.

Further documents may be requested by the consulate, so once you make your appointment please verify the correct documentation needed. D-type visa applications for the purpose of studies are processed within and up to 30 calendar days after they are submitted. If the application is submitted with missing documents, it will not be processed until complete. 

More Info on Bank Statements

Please note: The bank statement(s) must be printed so that they can be submitted to the immigration officials. Do not black out any account numbers or other information as the immigration officials need to verify these are legitimate documents.

Bank statement(s) can be provided from the parent/guardian’s bank account along with a brief letter stating that they will be responsible for their child’s expenses during their stay in Hungary. This letter needs to be notarized, signed by both parents/guardians in blue ink, and witnessed by a second person. Everyone who signs the paper needs to write their name, signature, contact information, and driver’s license number. If possible, it is recommended that the statement(s) be notarized while at the bank.

Students whose funds are distributed into several accounts will need to present each bank statement separately or obtain a letter from their bank manager stating the total of their savings. The exact amount accepted as “enough” is decided by the immigration officials on a case-by-case basis.

Students receiving a scholarship to cover their living expenses in Hungary will need to obtain a notarized document outlining the details of the award. At minimum, the letter should indicate who is providing the scholarship, the amount, and WHEN you expect to receive this money.

STUDENTS SECURING INDEPENDENT HOUSING

Students who have opted out of housing will need to obtain more documentation than students who are going to be living in API housing. If you intend to opt out of housing, let your API Program Coordinator know as soon as possible, and no later than two weeks after the application deadline. Note that independent housing must be approved by your home institution, and independent housing cannot be guaranteed. 

*Students securing independent housing must obtain the following to apply for the residence permit:

  • Original legal rental contract covering your entire stay, or a statement from the individual(s) hosting you that says you will be able to stay for free (signed by two witnesses)
  • A residency card sheet signed by your landlord/host
  • Property sheet that proves the individual(s) you are renting from or staying with is the owner of the property. You can get this from a lawyer and it usually costs around U.S. $20-40 per sheet. This will take at least a couple of days
  • If you are renting from a housing agency and not a private person, you will need additional documents. You should review the information on the Hungarian consulate website for your state’s jurisdiction as this process may change and talk to your API Resident Director upon arrival to ensure you secure the right paperwork.

List of embassies and consulates in the United States: 

EMBASSY OF HUNGARY IN WASHINGTON, DC

  • Mr. Szabolcs Takács, Ambassador
  • 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Phone: +1 (202) 362-6730
  • Fax: +1 (202) 966-8135
  • Email (consular and visa matters): [email protected]
  • Email (all other matters): [email protected]
  • Web: https://washington.mfa.gov.hu/eng
  • Jurisdiction: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia

CONSULATE GENERAL OF HUNGARY IN NEW YORK

  • (Processing D-Visas)
  • Mr. István Pásztor, Consul General
  • 223 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022
  • Phone: +1 (212) 660-7918
  • Fax: +1 (212) 755-5986
  • Email (consular and visa matters): [email protected]
  • Email (all other matters): [email protected]
  • Web: https://newyork.mfa.gov.hu/eng 
  • Jurisdiction: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont

CONSULATE GENERAL OF HUNGARY IN LOS ANGELES

  • (Processing D-Visas)
  • Mr. Tamás Széles, Consul General
  • 11766 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 410, Los Angeles, CA 90025
  • Phone: +1 (310) 473-9344
  • Fax: +1 (310) 479-6443
  • Email (consular and visa matters):: [email protected]. 
  • Email (all other matters): [email protected]
  • Web: https://losangeles.mfa.gov.hu/eng 
  • Jurisdiction: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

CONSULATE GENERAL OF HUNGARY IN CHICAGO