UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION:
Changes regarding D visas, purpose of Employment
We inform our esteemed clients that the Government Decree no. 450/2024 (of 23 December) on the employment of guest workers in Hungary (hereinafter referred to as Government Decree) was published in the Hungarian Official Journal No. 135 of 2024, on 23 December 2024. The Government Decree shall come into force on 1 January 2025.
From 1 January 2025 – taking into account the exceptions listed in Point II – nationals of the following countries can be employed in Hungary with a residence permit for the purpose of employment and a residence permit for guest workers listed in Annex 1 of the Government Decree:
· Georgia
· Armenia
· Republic of the Phillipines
According to the Government Decree, nationals of other third countries can also be employed in Hungary with a residence permit for the purpose of employment or a residence permit for guest workers, if the respective country has an organization or office in Hungary, officially recognised by the country, that commits to guaranteeing that its national leaves the territory of Hungary and returns to the given country in case of noncompliance with legislation of Hungary and the European Union on the admission and residence of third-country nationals. The Minister responsible for foreign policy shall publish the list of these countries in a Communication included in the Official Bulletin, annexed to the Hungarian Official Journal.
In case of applications for the issuance of residence permits for the purpose of employment, Government Decree no. 450/2024 (of 23 December) shall not apply:
to the processing of
- applications for the issuance of a residence permit for the purpose of employment (foglalkoztatási célú tartózkodási engedély) submitted following 1 January 2025 by a third-country national who are holders of a valid residence permit for the purpose of employment (‘munkavállalási célú tartózkodási engedély’) as of 31 December 2024, issued under Act II of 2007;
- applications for the extension of residence permits for the purpose of employment (‘foglalkoztatási célú tartózkodási engedély’) submitted following 1 January 2025 by a third-country national who are holders of a valid residence permit for the purpose of employment (‘foglalkoztatási célú tartózkodási engedély’) as of 31 December 2024; and for the subsequent issuance of the abovementioned residence permit; as well as
- applications for the issuance of residence permits for the purpose of employment (‘foglalkoztatási célú tartózkodási engedély’) that are ongoing as of 31 December 2024.
Offical statement from the homepage of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing: https://oif.gov.hu/news/government-decree-no-4502024
Changes regarding Residence permit for guest investors
Based on the changes to Act XC of 2023 on General Rules for the Admission and Right of Residence of Third-Country Nationals (hereinafter referred to as Act XC of 2023 - Btátv.), effective from 1 January 2025 the option of "ownership of real estate" has been removed from the rules for the Residence permit for guest investors.
A residence permit for guest investors may be granted to a third-country national whose entry and stay in Hungary is in national economic interest due to his/her investments realised in Hungary.
Realisation of the following investments shall be considered as national economic interest:
a) acquisition of an investment fund share of at least EUR 250 000 issued by a real estate fund registered by the Hungarian National Bank, or
b) provision of a financial donation in an amount of at least EUR 1 000 000 and for a purpose of educational, scientific research or artistic creation activities, to a higher education institution maintained by a public trust with a public-service mission.
D visa applications, purpose of Study - VFS Global
Please be informed that from 1 January 2025, applications for D-type visas for study purposes are to be submitted to VFS Global Outsourcing Company in Tehran. The change does not apply to Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship applicants and non-Iranian citizens.
