HungaryFamily

Hungary family reunification visa

Residence permit for family reunification (családi együttélés biztosítása célú)

In short

Spouses, minor children and certain dependent relatives of foreigners living in Hungary can join them on a family reunification permit, provided the sponsor holds a qualifying permit. Many short-term permits, including study, employment, seasonal work and the White Card, do not allow family reunification at all.

Apply on Enter Hungary (OIF electronic application portal) checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Tied to the sponsor’s permit; renewable.
Validity
Generally up to 3 years; up to 4 years for families of Blue Card holders, 5 years for families of Hungarian citizens or EU long-term residents, 10 years for families of guest investors. Never beyond the sponsor’s permit or the passport.
Fee
€110Fee for a residence permit applied for abroad; a service provider used by the mission may add its own handling fee. Filed inside Hungary: HUF 39,000 in person or HUF 26,000 via Enter Hungary; extensions HUF 26,000.
Processing time
21 days administrative time; 70 days when combined with an employment application.
Work
Only if the permit was issued or extended in the joint (combined) procedure with an employment, Hungarian Card or National Card annex.
Family
Spouse or registered partner, joint or custodial minor children, the custodial parent of a minor Hungarian citizen, and dependants who cannot care for themselves in limited cases.
Path to permanent residence
After 5 years from first issue a family member can stay on an independent basis; family members can also apply for a national residence card (spouses: marriage at least 2 years old).
Where to apply
Abroad at the Hungarian mission; in Hungary only for visa-free nationals; also by the employer via Enter Hungary in the combined procedure.

Which relatives can come

The spouse (including a registered partner), joint minor children, and minor children of the sponsor or spouse over whom they have custody and whom they support. A custodial parent living with a minor Hungarian citizen also qualifies. Dependent parents, and siblings or direct-line relatives unable to look after themselves for health reasons, can qualify in limited cases.

Who can sponsor

Sponsors can be holders of a residence permit or of a settlement-type status (national, EU or temporary residence card and older settlement permits), Hungarian citizens, and recognised refugees for marriages concluded before entry. Holders of the following cannot sponsor: seasonal work, investment-related work, employment and guest-worker permits, the White Card, study, training, job-search or business-start permits, trainee and volunteer permits. Guest self-employment permit holders can sponsor only after one year.

Applying from abroad

Book a family-reunification appointment on the Hungarian consular booking system, lodge the OIF form and documents at the Hungarian mission and attend the interview if invited. If approved, you receive a single-entry D visa valid 3 months (30 days’ stay) and must enter within that period; the card is then posted to your Hungarian address.

  1. Check that the sponsor’s permit allows family reunification (study, employment, seasonal, White Card and similar permits do not).
  2. Collect your civil-status documents (marriage certificate, birth certificates) and the sponsor’s documents.
  3. Book a family-reunification appointment on the consular booking system.
  4. Lodge the file at the Hungarian mission, pay EUR 110 and attend the interview if invited.
  5. Travel on the D visa within 3 months of approval and receive the card by post.
  6. If you plan to work, make sure the permit is handled in the combined procedure with the relevant annex.

Forms

Extension

Extensions are filed only in Hungary via Enter Hungary, 90 to 30 days before expiry, with a valid permit and after at least 90 days in every 180 spent in Hungary; family members of guest investors are exempt from the presence rule.

Work and independent status

A family member may work only if the permit was granted or extended in the combined procedure, together with the employment, Hungarian Card or National Card annex; intent to work must be notified within 5 days of signing a pre-employment agreement. Divorce or the sponsor’s death must be reported within 30 days. After 5 years from first issue, or if the sponsor dies and the conditions are met, the family member can get a permit in their own right.

Refusal and appeal

Appeal within 8 days of delivery to the authority that decided or through the Hungarian mission where you applied, by appointment. The appeal fee abroad is EUR 160.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • OIF family reunification application form, completed and signed; passport valid at least 3 months beyond the permit; two biometric photos.

Money

  • Proof of means: bank certificate, employer or tax income certificate, or a notarised maintenance declaration by the family member with proof of their ability to pay.

Family

  • Proof of the family relationship: marriage certificate, birth certificate, adoption papers or other credible proof (a marriage concluded abroad with a Hungarian citizen must first be registered in Hungary).
  • Copy of the sponsor’s Hungarian residence permit or settlement document.

Insurance

  • Proof of health coverage: Hungarian social insurance, an international agreement, or means to pay for care.

Other

  • Proof of accommodation: lease, free-use agreement, ownership deed or paid booking.

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Family

  • For minors: parental consent in a public or fully probative private document, translated into Hungarian or English.

Frequently asked questions

My husband works in Hungary on an employment permit. Can I join him?

Not on a family reunification permit: employment-permit holders are among the sponsors OIF excludes. Hungarian Card, EU Blue Card and guest investor holders can sponsor family.

Can family members work in Hungary?

Yes, if the family permit is issued or extended in the combined procedure with the employment, Hungarian Card or National Card annex.

How long is a family permit valid?

Up to 3 years in general, 4 years for families of Blue Card holders, 5 years for families of Hungarian citizens and EU long-term residents, and 10 years for families of guest investors.

What happens if we divorce?

The divorce must be reported within 30 days. After 5 years from first issue a family member can hold a permit independently of the sponsor.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Hungary

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
  • Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
  • Transit visa Maximum stay: As long as the transit requires, within the 90/180-day limit.
  • Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Visa: 90 days in 180. Residence permit: the length of treatment, up to 2 years, renewable in steps of up to 2 years.
  • Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.

Business and self-employment

Study and training

Work

  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: Up to 9 months.
  • Work visa Maximum stay: Employment permit: up to 3 years in total from first issue.
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: Renewable from inside Hungary in steps of up to 3 years.
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: Renewable in steps of up to 4 years.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Managers and specialists: 3 years in total from first issue; trainees: 1 year.
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Up to 6 months; an extension is possible within a 12-month period for a further period of up to 6 months, as OIF states.
  • Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: Up to 2 years in total (1 year plus one 1-year extension).

Family

Residence

Protection

Hungary visa guide