As a general rule, employees of preferred companies playing key role in the national economic interests of Hungary need a residence permit. Hungarian residence permit applications can be submitted on the Enter Hungary website (https://enterhungary.gov.hu/eh/). Only strategic partners of the Hungarian Government realizing high importance investments in Hungary and ICT hosting organizations can make these applications, in case the foreign workers are abroad.

At the Consulate General of Hungary in Istanbul or at the Embassy of Hungary in Ankara, C-type Schengen visa applications are only accepted by companies whose employees need to travel immediately for a certain urgent investment or construction in Hungary, and these employees cannot be replaced otherwise. The company must prove that the entry of these employees is necessary. The conditions of this type of visa applications and appointments have to be arranged in advance via email (consulate.ist@mfa.gov.hu, consulate.ank@mfa.gov.hu).   

Companies sending employees to Hungary have to meet the following criteria:

  1. Only the formally declared investments are considered to be priority investments. The company always has to specify connecting to which exact investment declared in which government decision they would like to submit visa applications.
  2. Announcement of the need for workforce (in Hungarian “Munkaerőigény bejelentés”) to the Hungarian labour authorities as well as work permit are mandatory. Even in case of priority investments, visa applications for work purpose can only be submitted with these certificates. If the planned stay of the employee in Hungary is less than 15 days, the announcement of need for workforce and work permit are not required. For those who stay longer than 15 days, but less than 30 days, it is necessary to request a work permit from the Government Office (“Kormányhivatal”). For those who stay longer than 30 days, but less than 90 days, have to add a certificate of announcement of the need for workforce (“Munkaerőigény bejelentés”) and work permit (“Munkavállalási engedély”) to the visa application documentation.
  3. Employees (workers) can only travel between their workplaces and accommodations in Hungary.
  4. The company undertakes in writing that their visa applicants can stay in Hungary for a maximum of 90 days and then they have to leave the territory of Hungary. In addition, they undertake in writing that they will not apply for a residence permit during their short stay in Hungary.

National D type visas related to residence permit requests initiated and already approved in Hungary can be received at the Consulate General of Hungary in Istanbul or Embassy of Hungary in Ankara in previously arranged appointments.