In effect as of 1 July, 2024

  1. Which third-country nationals are eligible to be granted a guest investor visa?

A visa for guest investors may be granted to a third-country national whose entry and stay in Hungary is in the country’s national economic interest due to his/her investments realised in Hungary.

Realisation of the following investments shall be considered as national economic interest:

  1. acquisition of an investment fund share of at least EUR 250 000 issued by a real estate fund registered by the Hungarian National Bank,
  2. acquisition of an ownership interest over a property, concerning a residential property with a value of at least EUR 500 000, located in the geographical territory of Hungary and registered in the Land Registry of Hungary under its parcel identification/topographical LOT number, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances (in effect as of 1 January 2025), or
  3. provision of a financial donation in an amount of at least EUR 1 000 000 to support educational, scientific research or artistic creation activities. The list of higher education institutions maintained by public trusts with a public-service mission is available on the site of „National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing” http://oif.gov.hu  

In case you are not the holder of the investment yet, the following must be attached to/enclosed with to the application:

  • a declaration indicating which of the above-mentioned investments you are planning to realise within 3 months following the date of issuance of the visa for guest investors (for downloading a sample form of declaration, please visit http://oif.gov.hu ), and
  • a certifying document in proof of having sufficient financial means to cover for the investment issued by a foreign or Hungarian credit institution, which amount required for the investment is at your disposal permanently.

Definition of third-country nationals:

  • Non-Hungarian nationals who are not persons with the right of free movement and residence, i.e. who are not EEA nationals or family members of an EEA national, and
  • stateless persons

qualify as third-country nationals.

 

Where can clients submit their application?

You may submit an application for a visa for guest investors before a consular officer of Hungary in the country of your permanent or habitual place of residence, or your nationality.

You may submit an application before a consular officer of Hungary in a country where you are staying legally as well if

  • there are no consular officers of Hungary deployed in the country of your permanent or habitual place of residence, or the country of your nationality, and
  • you provide documentary proof of the reasons of your application submission in a third country other than the country of your permanent or habitual place of residence.

 

What are the visa fees?

For visa fees, please visit the following link:

http://oif.gov.hu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=2188&Itemid=2414&lang=hu

 

What are the mandatory attachments/enclosures of an application?

 

For submission, applicants are required to complete the application form correctly in full and to submit the completed document with their signature. The form is available from the following website: http://oif.gov.hu   .

For the approval of your application for a visa, you are required to meet conditions for entry and residence, during the procedures mandatory attachments/enclosures may serve as proof of meeting the set conditions.

Please attach/enclose the following to/with the application for a visa for guest investors in proof of the purpose of entry and stay:

  • a certificate from the real estate fund manager registered by the Hungarian National Bank or from the distributor of the investment fund share on the purchase of the investment fund share of at least EUR 250 000 issued under the name of the third-country national, or
  • a contract of sale and purchase, countersigned by a lawyer, concerning a residential property with a value of at least EUR 500 000, located in the geographical territory of Hungary and registered in the Land Registry of Hungary under its parcel identification/topographical LOT number, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances (upon acquiring ownership of the residential property, a prohibition on alienation and encumbrance must be registered in the Land Register for a period of 5 years from the date of conclusion of the purchase contract, and the property shall be owned for a period of 5 years exclusively by you or you and one or more family members who is/are also applying for a residence permit for guest investors) (in effect as of 1 January 2025), or
  • a certificate from the higher education institution maintained by a public trust with a public-service mission certifying that the higher education institution has received a financial donation from you of at least EUR 1 000 000 to support educational, scientific research or artistic creation activities.

In case you are not the holder of the investment yet, the following must be attached to/enclosed with to the application:

  • a declaration indicating which of the above-mentioned investments you are planning to realise within 3 months from the date of your entry into the territory of Hungary, and
  • a certifying document in proof of having sufficient financial means to cover for the investment issued by a foreign or Hungarian credit institution, proving that the amount required for the investment is at your disposal permanently.

The legal origin/acquirement of the amount of money available to the applicant must be credibly substantiated, in particular by:

  • a public document or a private document providing full probative force evidencing the origin of the property, right of property value, or property value; or
  • a document in proof of a taxable regular income from a regular employment relationship or business activity.

In the procedure for a visa the following must be attached/enclosed also:

  • a document in proof of the address of the applicant’s actual place of accommodation in Hungary,
  • a valid travel document,
  • 1 facial photograph.

 

For how long is a visa for guest investors valid? Which steps are to be taken after the entry into the territory of Hungary?

The validity period of a visa for guest investors is up to 6 months.

A visa for guest investors becomes invalid upon the issuance of the respective residence permit for guest investors.

Please note that the visa for guest investors shall be withdrawn by the immigration authority if the third-country national does not realise the committed investment, or does not realise it within 3 months after the issuance of his/her visa for guest investors. The issuance date of the visa is the date of the approval of the visa, concerning which the client shall receive a written notice of information.

Please note that a third-country national who has made a declaration of undertaking to complete an investment has a period of three months available to complete the investment starting from the date of approval of the visa application.