HungaryVisits and short stays

Hungary transit visa (Schengen type C)

Schengen visa (type C) for transit through Hungary

In short

Visa-required nationals who cross Hungarian territory on the way to a non-Schengen country, for instance by road, need a Schengen type C visa. Hungary handles the application if it is the only Schengen state you transit or the first of several.

checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
As long as the transit requires, within the 90/180-day limit.
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.
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.

When you apply to Hungary for transit

The Hungarian missions accept transit applications when you transit only Hungary, or when you transit several Schengen states and Hungary is the first. Typical cases are road journeys through Hungary to Serbia, Ukraine or Romania-bound routes that enter Schengen in Hungary.

Changing planes inside the international zone of a Hungarian airport is not a Schengen entry. Only nationals of countries on the EU-wide airport transit visa list need a visa for that (Türkiye is not on it); check with the consulate if your itinerary involves leaving the transit zone.

What to show for a transit

Along with the general file, show the full route with dates and border crossings, the visa or entry permission for the final destination country if it requires one, and travel insurance covering the days spent in the Schengen area.

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.
  • Route plan with dates and border crossing points, and vehicle papers if you drive.
  • Visa or entry authorisation for the destination country, if that country requires one.

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.

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).

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. Confirm Hungary is the only or the first Schengen state you will cross.
  2. Obtain the visa for your final destination first, if needed.
  3. Book an appointment with the Hungarian mission or its service provider and complete the Schengen form, ticking transit as the purpose.
  4. Lodge the file with route, insurance and money proof, and pay EUR 90 plus the service charge.

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

I only change planes in Budapest. Do I need a visa?

Staying inside the international transit zone is not an entry into Hungary; only nationals on the EU common airport-transit-visa list need a visa for it (Türkiye is not on the list). If you must pass passport control, for example to collect luggage or change terminals, you need a Schengen visa.

I drive through Hungary to another Schengen country. Where do I apply?

To the state that is your main destination. Hungary is competent only if the trip is a pure transit and Hungary is the first or only Schengen state crossed.

Do truck drivers use this visa?

Professional drivers may have their own document list at the Hungarian mission where they apply; check its checklist before booking.

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

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