Do You Need A Visa For Budapest

A lot of people have asked me lately if they need a visa to enter Hungary. As an American, it never occurred to me that I needed a visa. They could just stamp my passport, right? Well, it turns out I was wrong. A lot of foreigners are under the impression that they don’t need to apply for a visa in order to enter the country. Contrary to popular belief, there are a few countries where you do need a visa to visit, and Hungary is one of them.

Budapest is a magnificent and beautiful city. The way that it spans along two banks of the Danube River is breathtaking. It’s also one of the most affordable European cities to travel to and visit, as well as being one of the easiest places to get a visa for. I was able to get my Hungarian visa (for this trip) within 15 minutes because of how easy and cheap the whole process was.

The Hungary visa application process is a daunting experience for some of the potential visitors. Generally, to get a Hungarian visa you will need the following: confirmation of travel arrangements, passport valid for at least six months after arrival with at least two blank pages, and you must have the means to support yourself during your trip and that of your dependants and proof of accommodation in Hungary.

Do You Need A Visa For Budapest

Visa Policy for Hungary

Hungary’s visa policy is comprised of the regulations, laws, and requirements imposed on all foreign citizens who are planning to visit the country.

Hungary is part of the European Union as well as the Schengen Area, and shares the same visa policy as all of the other countries in the Schengen passport-free zone.

Therefore, any citizen of a Schengen country may enter Hungary exempt from a visa simply by using a National ID card, for any purpose of visit and for an unlimited period of stay.

Citizens of a country that is not part of the Schengen Area but is still visa-exempt for Hungary, must travel with a valid passport and are permitted a stay of up to 90 days for tourist, transit, or business purposes.

However, these visa-free citizens should note that from 2022 it will be necessary to meet an additional requirement to travel to Hungary for the same purpose when the ETIAS visa waiver is implemented to strengthen the security of the Schengen Area’s external borders.

This multiple-entry electronic travel authorization will be available through a simple online application, and, once approved, is digitally linked to the traveler’s valid passport. It allows multiple entries for short stays during its 3-validity.

Travelers who do not have visa exemption for Hungary must apply for a Schengen visa from a Hungarian embassy or consulate in advance, regardless of the period and purpose of the intended stay. This travel document may be issued as a visitor visa, work visa, study visa, resident visa, or as a range of other visa options.

Find further information about the different types of visa for Hungary below.

Tourist Visa Policy for Hungary

Currently, Hungarian visa policy states that more than 90 countries can travel to Hungary for tourist reasons without the need for a visa.

All nationals of the Schengen Area are able to gain entry at Hungarian borders using only a valid National ID card, for an unlimited stay for tourism.

All other visa-exempt citizens who wish to visit Hungary as a tourist are required to travel with a valid passport and are permitted a maximum of 90 days stay in the country, wthin every 180-day period.

From 2022, these same citizens will be required to pre-register an ETIAS application online before they can travel to Hungary and the Schengen Area for tourism.

Citizens of roughly 150 countries around the world require a tourist visa to visit Hungary from a government diplomatic office, also known as a Schengen tourist visa.

All citizens who need a Hungarian Schengen visa for tourist purposes must make an appointment at an embassy or consulate of Hungary well in advance of travel, to allow sufficient visa processing time.

The visa requirements to obtain an embassy tourist visa is to have a passport from an eligible country with a minimum validity of 3 months from the intended date of arrival in Hungary. as well as to provide additional supporting documentation depending on nationality.

Find below further information about Hungarian visa requirements for your nationality.

Hungary

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

Visa Not Required

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ETIAS for Hungary

Although Hungary’s visa policy currently permits more than 90 countries to travel to Hungary without a visa for short stays, by 2002 over 60 of these nationalities will be required to obtain an ETIAS visa waiver once it is introduced.

Pre-registering for this electronic travel authorization for Hungary will be a mandatory requirement to visit the country for all visa-exempt citizens from outside of the Schengen Area.

This multiple-entry online visa waiver is being implemented in order to enhance the border security of all of the 26 Schengen member countries, by pre-screening visa-free travelers before they arrive in Europe.

An approved ETIAS allows travel to Hungary and all of the Schengen countries during its validity, for tourist, business, transit, or medical treatment purposes. It permits a stay of In 90 days with each entry, within every 180 days.

Once the online system is activated, eligible citizens will need to complete a simple ETIAS Hungary application online with personal and passport data, and basic travel information.

It will also be necessary to answer a few security questions and pay an ETIAS fee in order to submit the application. Once approved, a Hungarian ETIAS is electronically linked to the passport used to complete the form, and is valid for 3 years, or until this passport expires.

Below you can find a complete list of the countries for which an ETIAS travel authorization for Hungary will be required for short stays.

Hungary Embassy or Consular Visa Required

The visa policy of Hungary states that up to 150 nationalities must obtain a Schengen visa in order to visit the country, regardless of the period of intended stay or the intention of travel.

This must be obtained from a Hungarian embassy or consulate in advance, as Hungary does not currently offer the option to apply for an eVisa or a visa or arrival.

Therefore, in order to apply for a Schengen visa for Hungary, it is necessary to first make an appointment at the hearest Hungarian overseas diplomatic office.

This should be finalized well in advance of the intended travel dates, as it may take several weeks for a Hungarian consular visa to be processed and approved.

At the consular appointment, the foreign citizens must provide a completed Schengen visa application form which indicates the Hungarian visa they require, whether for purposes of tourism, business, transit, to study or work, or for residency.

The applicant must also present a valid passport and pay an embassy processing fee before a Hungarian visa can be approved.

Once approved, a Hungarian Schengen visa may be issued as a single or multiple entry travel document, depending on the purpose of the trip.