HungaryVisits and short stays

Hungary family and friends visit visa

Schengen visa (type C) for visiting family or friends

In short

To visit relatives or friends living in Hungary, visa-required nationals apply for a Schengen type C visa with an invitation from the host. Besides the standard file, the consulate wants the host’s identity or residence document, proof of their home and, for relatives, proof of the family link.

checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
Validity
Single or multiple entry. Frequent travellers who used earlier visas lawfully can receive multiple-entry visas of longer validity under EU cascade rules, which depend on where you apply (for Turkish citizens applying in Türkiye: 6 months, then 1, 3 and 5 years since 15 July 2025).
Fee
€90Standard adult Schengen visa fee since 11 June 2024, paid when lodging the file; children aged 6 to under 12 pay EUR 45. An external service provider adds its own service charge. Family members of Hungarian citizens pay the normal fee.
Funds required
€40 per dayHungary’s official reference amount: EUR 40 for each day of the planned stay (Article 24 of Interior Ministry Decree 9/2024), usually shown through recent bank statements signed and stamped by the bank.
Processing time
Normally 15 calendar days; up to 45 days in individual cases where further checks or documents are needed.
Work
No. Paid work needs a work permit; see the business visa page for short assignments.
Family
Visiting a family member does not by itself give a right to stay longer than 90 days; joining a resident relative long-term requires a family reunification residence permit.
Where to apply
The Hungarian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the external service provider it uses, by appointment. Interviews, if required, are held at the mission, which decides.

Who uses this visa

This category is for short stays with relatives or friends who live in Hungary, whether they are Hungarian citizens, EU citizens or foreigners with a residence permit. Spouses and children of Hungarian citizens do not get a fee waiver: they pay the normal EUR 90.

The invitation and the host’s papers

The host can either obtain an official invitation through a Hungarian authority or write a signed letter. The letter must name the guest, give the dates of the visit and the host’s address and telephone number. Attach a copy of the host’s citizenship document, passport, visa or ID card and the lease or title deed of the home where you will stay.

Add a civil status document that shows the family link, if you visit relatives, and proof of who pays: your own bank statements or the host’s sponsorship with evidence of their means.

Required documents

Identity

  • Schengen application form, completed in full (by hand in blue or black ink, or digitally) and signed in the signature box and on the last page; your own address, e-mail and mobile number. Both parents sign for applicants under 18.
  • Two biometric photos, 35 x 45 mm, white background, taken within the last 6 months.

Travel

  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 90 days after you leave the Schengen area, with two blank pages; copies of all used pages; your previous passports and copies of Schengen, UK and US visas from the last 3 years.
  • Transport reservation (plane, bus, train, ferry or car) showing the PNR or ticket number, passenger names and dates, including moves between countries.

Money

  • Original bank statement covering the last 3 months, issued no more than one week before you apply and signed and stamped by the bank; the balance must cover the trip. Credit card statements are optional extras.

Work

  • Employees: leave letter on company letterhead, signed and stamped, stating the travel dates; original payslips for 3 months; employer’s activity certificate; proof of social insurance registration and employment record.
  • Business owners: recent proof of company registration and activity, current tax certificate and proof of who may sign for the company. Students: current student certificate (a student card is not accepted). Pensioners: pension proof. Farmers: chamber of agriculture certificate.

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen states for the whole trip, minimum cover EUR 30,000 (e-signed policies accepted since 1 July 2024).

Other

  • Civil status document showing your relationship to the host, when you visit relatives.
  • Invitation: an official invitation obtained through a Hungarian authority, or a signed letter naming the guest, the dates, and the host’s address and phone number.
  • Copy of the host’s citizenship document, passport, visa or ID card.
  • The host’s lease contract or title deed for the home where you will stay.

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • Sponsorship statement from the host or a family member, with proof of their means and of the relationship.

Family

  • Minors travelling alone or with one parent: notarised consent of the parent(s) who do not travel.

Money and accommodation

Staying with your host covers accommodation, but you still need to show means of subsistence; Hungary’s reference figure is EUR 40 per day. Where the host pays, the consulate expects a sponsorship statement and proof of the relationship.

Where and when to apply

Apply to Hungary when it is your only destination, your main destination by length or purpose of stay, or the first Schengen state you transit. Files are lodged at the Hungarian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or at the external service provider it uses, usually by appointment.

You can lodge the application at the earliest 6 months before the trip. With fewer than 16 days left before departure it is normally not accepted; the consulate may make an exception only in a justified urgent case. If you live outside your country of nationality, you apply where you are legally resident.

  1. Ask your host for a signed invitation letter (or an official invitation) and copies of their ID or residence card and lease or deed.
  2. Obtain a civil status document showing your relationship to the host, if you visit relatives.
  3. Book an appointment with the Hungarian mission responsible for your residence, or its service provider, under the family or friends visit category.
  4. Complete and sign the Schengen form and gather the general documents (photos, insurance, bank statement, employment papers).
  5. Lodge the file, pay the EUR 90 fee and the service charge, and give fingerprints.
  6. Wait for the decision, normally 15 calendar days, and collect your passport where you applied.

Forms

Refusal and appeal

A refusal comes on the standard EU form. You may appeal within 8 calendar days of receiving it, in person and by appointment through the consular booking system, at the mission that decided. The appeal costs EUR 160, payable when you file it, and must include a statement in English or Hungarian plus any new supporting documents.

The appeal is decided within 15 calendar days, which can be extended if more documents are needed. The appeal decision can be taken to the competent Hungarian court within 3 days. Instead of appealing you may always apply again, paying the visa fee once more.

Frequently asked questions

Does my host need a special form?

No single mandatory form is named by the consulate: a signed letter with the guest’s name, dates, host’s address and phone is accepted, as is an invitation obtained through an official Hungarian authority.

My spouse is Hungarian. Do I pay the visa fee?

Yes. The Hungarian missions state that family members of Hungarian citizens pay the general fee.

Can I get a multiple-entry visa from Hungary?

Yes, if you qualify under the EU cascade rules that apply where you live: after lawful use of earlier visas, frequent travellers can receive multiple-entry visas of longer validity, as long as the passport is valid long enough. For Turkish citizens applying in Türkiye, the cascade adopted on 15 July 2025 runs 6 months, then 1, 3 and 5 years (truck drivers excluded).

Can I stay longer than 90 days with my family?

Not on a Schengen visa. A longer stay needs a residence permit, for example a family reunification permit, applied for before travelling through the D-visa channel.

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.
  • 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