The simplified naturalization procedure is the process of acquiring Hungarian citizenship on the basis of a Hungarian ancestor or a marriage to a Hungarian citizen, if, among other things, the applicant possesses at least an intermediate level Hungarian language knowledge. Due to this, the whole process must be completed in Hungarian, including the potential conversations leading to handing in the application.

At the end of the procedure, in case of a positive decision, the naturalization document will be issued to the applicant, which he / she will receive after taking the oath of citizenship. The applicant acquires Hungarian citizenship on the day of the oath. The applicant will be registered in the national address registry and will be issued an address card (lakcímkártya) with his / her personal identification number and, after February 2020, a permanent identity card.

In practice, in most cases, registration of birth, marriage and divorce are necessary parts of the simplified naturalization procedure. The birth, marriage or divorce registration of the applicant abroad must be initiated at the same time as the submission of the simplified application for naturalization, by filling in the data sheets provided for this purpose.

 

Who can apply?

The applicant may submit a simplified application for naturalization if

  • his/her ancestor was a Hungarian citizen or is likely to be of Hungarian origin;

      or

  • has been married to a Hungarian citizen for at least ten years, or has been married to a Hungarian citizen for five years and they have children;

    AND

  • certifies his / her knowledge of Hungarian language (this is checked by the authority receiving the application);
  • under Hungarian law, she/he has no criminal record and no criminal proceedings pending against the applicant;
  • his/her naturalization does not violate the public security and national security of Hungary.

 

Submission method:

The application has to be submitted in person after prior appointment. For information on booking an appointment, please see our "General Information - appointments" page.

  • An adult applicant (over 18 years of age) can submit the application in person.
  • Under 18, the application may be submitted by the legal representative on behalf of the minor applicant.

Important: All applicants, regardless of age (ie anyone applying for Hungarian citizenship) must be present when submitting their application.

For applicants under the age of 18, a statement of consent from both parents must be attached (i.e., both parents must appear when submitting the application). If only one parent is present at the time of submitting the application, a statement of consent of the absent parent, certified by a notary public or a Hungarian consulate, must be attached to the application. If the parents have divorced or if one of the parent is in custody, documents proving those situations must be attached.

 

Documents to be submitted:

a) Application forms (please visit the Hungarian page on our website to download the forms - available only in Hungarian)

  • Naturalization / re-naturalization application form
  • Data sheet for the domestic registration of the birth of an applicant who has acquired Hungarian citizenship by naturalization / re-naturalization abroad
  • Form for the domestic registration of the marriage of an applicant who has acquired Hungarian citizenship by naturalization / re-naturalization (only if he is married or was married)

 

b) Required documents:

  • for all applicants over the age of 14 and for applicants whom will be 14 in the six months following the submission of the application, a hand-written CV (within the application form).  If the applicant has lost his / her writing skills, a medical certificate must be attached, accompanied by a Hungarian translation.
  • birth certificate of the applicant in original or certified copy, enclosed with a certified Hungarian translation (or precise Hungarian translation that will be checked by the embassy for a fee)
  • original documents certifying the applicant's marital status (eg. marriage certificate, divorce certificate) or in a certified copy, enclosed with a certified translation into Hungarian, with Apostille authentication unless otherwise provided by an international agreement;
  • in case of reference to an ascendant, documents certifying the Hungarian citizenship of the ascendants, which may be:
  • parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. birth / marriage / death certificates or certified copies thereof, accompanied by certified Hungarian translations
  • ecclesiastical and archival certificate(s) certifying the ascending Hungarian citizenship, with the exact indication of the source (volume number, page number, entry number), in the case of a document issued in a foreign language, accompanied by an authentic Hungarian translation;
  • the ascendant's military book, workbook, school certificate, other official document certifying the ascendant's name, place of birth and date - in the case of a document issued in a foreign language, accompanied by an authentic Hungarian translation.

The ascendant chain/ lineage must be clear, ie. it is not sufficient to attach, for example, the birth certificate of the grandfather referred to, but it is also necessary to certify the intermediate ascendants (eg. father and grandfather). In the case of a reference to a maternal branch, it is necessary to certify the maiden name and the marriage name, therefore it is also necessary to attach the marriage certificate(s). If a relative has already acquired citizenship through simplified naturalization, it is not necessary to re-attach the ascendant certificates, it is sufficient to provide the details of the Hungarian person (name, place and date of birth - on page 3 of the application form) or a copy of the naturalization document ex officio transferred from the material of the referenced person.

 

  • In case of reference to the existence of marriage and / or birth of a common child, attach a copy of the marriage and birth certificate and / or provide details of the marriage and common children, or the consent of the spouse of a Hungarian citizen to submit the naturalization application. (Consent may be given by signing the application form before the authority at the time of submission or by a separate statement before the authority stating that the marriage is valid and existing, consenting to the applicant applying for Hungarian citizenship by reference to their marriage [and their common children]).

 

c) Identity document

A valid identity card or passport must be presented to prove identity.

 

Duration of procedure:

The process takes usually 3 months, which can be extended by 60 days.

The time limit for examining the application does not include any additional time required to, for example, check additional documents requested by the authorities from the applicant.

 

Fees:

The procedure is free.

Costs that might occur: authentication of submitted original documents (translations / copies) - if it is intended to be certified by our Consulate.

A list of current consular fees can be found under the "Consular fees" menu item.

 

Forms:

When submitting the application, please fill in all the necessary forms in advance, but only sign it when you submit it in person.

 

Other important information:

The course of the proceedings, taking of oaths and pledges

If the decision is positive, the President of the Republic issues a naturalization certificate on the acquisition of Hungarian citizenship. Thereafter, the applicant must take an oath or affirmation of citizenship, to which the invitation will be sent by the mayor's office competent for the place indicated on the application form OR by the Hungarian embassy abroad. The applicant acquires Hungarian citizenship on the day of taking the oath or pledge. If the oath or pledge is not lodged within one year of the first summoning, the naturalization shall cease to have effect.

 

On the required level of Hungarian language skills:

All applicants who have reached the age of 14, as well as applicants who turn 14 at the age of 14 in the next six months, will have their knowledge of the Hungarian language checked by the body receiving the application and certified on the application form. The required level of language proficiency presupposes intermediate level communication skills in Hungarian, which includes both comprehension and verbal expression. Language skills do not have to be proven with a language exam, communication in Hungarian is the expectation; communication should be two-way, i.e., both comprehension and expressiveness should be intermediate. Communication in non-Hungarian literary language, dialect, or broken communication is not a problem when examining Hungarian language skills. If the client has lost his / her hearing or speech ability, he / she must attach a medical certificate to this request, together with an authentic Hungarian translation; in this case, your knowledge of the Hungarian language will be tested in writing.

Attention! Knowledge of the Hungarian language can be examined at any stage of the naturalization procedure (for example, when applying later for passport) or when the authorities in Hungary wish to verify information presented in the application by phone with the applicant!

 

Which body / person can make a certified translation, a certified copy?

In Hungary this can be done by the National Translation and Translation Certification Office (OFFI) Zrt., or abroad by a Hungarian consul. We cannot accept unauthenticated photocopies.

 

Can a name change be requested at the same time as the application?

On the regularized page of the application form, the applicant may submit a request for a change of name, but only in the form listed there. The authorized name change shall take effect on the day of taking the oath or pledge of citizenship.

 

Where can I take the oath / pledge?

The place where the applicant wishes to take the oath / citizenship oath must be indicated on the application form. It can be done in any Hungarian town/village/ or foreign mission. In case you wish to take the oath in Budapest, please also indicate the district.

 

Can Hungarian citizenship be revoked after acquisition?

Hungarian citizenship may be revoked for 20 years from the date of acquisition from a person who has acquired Hungarian citizenship by violating the law, in particular by presenting false information or by concealing information or facts.

 

How does Hungarian citizenship affect existing Israeli citizenship?

It does not affect it, as both Hungary and Israel recognize dual (multiple) citizenship.