Researcher in Hungary

Conditions

A residence permit for the purpose of research may be issued to a third-country national seeking admission to the territory of Hungary for the purposes of carrying out a research project under a hosting agreement concluded with a research organisation accredited under specific legislation.

Procedures

Where and how to apply

Except as provided for by law, an application for a residence permit may be submitted to any consulate officer of Hungary, or at any other place authorised to accept applications for residence permits located in the country where the applicant’s permanent or temporary residence is located, or in the country of the applicant’s nationality. Third-country nationals may apply for an entry visa for receiving a residence permit before admission to the country in the application for a residence permit, without having to lodge a separate application.

If the decision of the regional directorate is in favour of the application for a residence permit, it shall constitute an approval for the issuance of an entry visa for receiving a residence permit, of which the competent consulate officer shall be notified. The entry visa for receiving a residence permit shall be issued by the competent consulate officer based on the regional directorate’s decision.

Moreover, please note that D visas for entitlement to receive a residence permit issued to third-country nationals are single-entry visas authorising a stay of not more than 30 days, therefore we recommend to visit the regional directorate of the immigration authority responsible for the place where their future accommodation is located as soon as possible after entering Hungary in order to receive the residence permit and register such Hungarian accommodation.

Apart from the submission of applications for a residence permit at a Hungarian diplomatic mission as a general rule, Hungarian law also provides for the possibility of submitting such applications in Hungary as well. Third-country nationals residing in the territory of Hungary may submit an application for residence permit at the regional directorate responsible for the place where the place of accommodation of the third-country national is located if the purpose of stay exceeding ninety days within a one-hundred-and-eighty-day period is research.

You can find the competent regional directorate on the website of the immigration authority.

As of 1 January 2019, natural person clients or their authorised legal representatives may submit an application for a residence permit (issue or extension) electronically via Enter Hungary.

Applications for the issuance or extension of a residence permit for the purpose of research are examined by the competent authority within the framework of a single application procedure. In the single application procedure, the regional directorate shall issue the single permit without contacting the government agency responsible for the place of employment, as specialist authority, if other statutory provisions are satisfied and if the third-country national:

being a researcher working within the framework of an international agreement between Hungary and another State, provided that this is verified by a certificate issued by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences;
being a researcher carrying out research in Hungary under a hosting agreement concluded with a research organisation accredited according to the Government Decree on the Accreditation of Research Organisations Hosting Researchers Who Are Third-country Nationals, and on Hosting Agreements.

Please, click a href="https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/%3Ca%20href="http://www.bmbah.hu/index.php/factsheets/single-application-procedure" class="ecl-link ecl-link--icon">http://www.bmbah.hu/index.php/factsheets/single-application-procedure">here to access detailed information on the single application procedure.

Fees

Procedural fee for issuing a residence permit and issuing an entry visa for the purpose of receiving the residence permit: EUR 110.
Procedural fee for issuing a residence permit in case of an application submitted in Hungary in person: HUF 39 000.
Procedural fee for issuing a residence permit in case of an application submitted in Hungary via the Enter Hungary platform: HUF 26 000.
Procedural fee for an extension of the residence permit: HUF 26 000.

Documents required

For the approval of an application for a residence permit, the applicant is required to meet conditions for entry and residence in Hungary, during the procedures mandatory attachments/enclosures may serve as proof of meeting the set conditions.

Please make sure completion of the attachments/enclosures is in full and check all documents before submission, supporting the soonest possible processing and examination of the application.

Documents in proof of the purpose of residence

The following documents may serve as proof of the purpose of residence:

a hosting agreement with an accredited research organisation.

The following documents must be enclosed with/attached to the application for a residence permit for the purpose of research and with/to the notification for the short-term mobility certificate of researchers:

long and short-term mobility plan, indicating the planned duration and dates of the mobility,
a valid travel document must be presented,
a valid residence permit for the purpose of research
if a family member is applying with the applicant, a valid residence permit issued by a Member State of the European Union must also be presented.

Documents in proof of means of subsistence in Hungary

One of the following documents must be submitted as proof that the applicant has sufficient resources, i.e. (s)he can cover costs related to his/her subsistence, accommodation, return/onward travel (i.e. exit from Hungary) and healthcare services from legally acquired income and savings:

a document on the income issued by the employer or/and a document on the income of the previous year issued by the tax authority,
a document
a certificate from a credit institution under the applicant’s name (e.g. a bank account statement, an account statement on savings or stocks and bonds, bank balance statement).

Documents proving that the applicant has a place of accommodation in Hungary

An existing and real Hungarian address shall be declared as accommodation on the application form. It is not necessary to attach/enclose a separate document.

Documents proving that the applicant has health insurance

Documentary evidence must be submitted as proof that the applicant has access to comprehensive health insurance services covering all healthcare services or that (s)he can cover the costs of such services.

An applicant meets this condition in the following cases:

(s)he qualifies as a person with health insurance services under social security,
(s)he has access to the Hungarian health insurance services within the framework of an international convention/treaty or agreement,
(s)he can cover the costs of his/her healthcare services based on documents in proof of his/her means of subsistence available in Hungary.

Documents proving that the applicant meets the conditions of exit (i.e. conditions to a return/onward travel)

Meeting the conditions of exit may be proved by:

a valid passport,
having a valid ticket/valid tickets for the relevant travel or the amount of money to cover the costs of the travel,
the research organisation may provide a written commitment for reimbursing the costs of expulsion in cases where the researcher remains in the territory of Hungary past the period authorised – if the researcher does not have the financial means necessary.

Further requirements

You cannot be subject to an entry ban or an alert in the Schengen Information System for the purposes of refusing entry, nor can your entry and stay threaten public policy, public health or public security in Hungary.

Duration of validity of permits

The validity of a residence permit issued for the purpose of scientific research

The validity period for a residence permit for the purposes of research is minimum one and maximum two years, if the validity period of the hosting agreement is less than one year it shall correspond to the validity period of the hosting agreement.

The validity period of the residence permit shall be set in consideration of the date of expiry of the passport.

Conditions for renewal

The application for extension of the residence permit shall be submitted in person at the regional directorate of the immigration authority responsible for the place where the place of accommodation is located 30 days before it expires at the latest, with the necessary documents attached.

As of 1 January 2019, natural person clients or their authorised legal representatives may submit an application for a residence permit (issue or extension) electronically via Enter Hungary.

The validity period of a residence permit for the purpose of research may be extended by a period corresponding to the duration of the hosting agreement, not exceeding two years at a time.

Applications for the extension of a residence permit for the purpose of research are examined by the competent authority within the framework of a single application procedure.

Appeals

Appeals against decisions of regional directorates regarding residence permits can be brought before the immigration authority.

Further information

EURAXESS HUNGARY

Rights

Employment during research

In Hungary, the period during which the teaching activity can be carried out by a non-EU national holding a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research cannot exceed one fifth of the period of time of the research work.

Stay and employment after research

After finishing the research activity, you can apply for a Residence Permit for the Purpose of Job-searching or Entrepreneurship, if you are in possession of a valid residence permit for the purpose of research and you are able to prove the completion of the research activity, if the employment you are seeking or the business you are in the process of setting up corresponds to research completed.

More information on Residence Permits for the Purpose of Job-searching or Entrepreneurship

Change of status

Change of status may be possible depending on the purpose of stay and your personal circumstances.

Family members

A residence permit for the purpose of family reunification may be issued to a third-country national who is a family member of a third-country national in possession of a residence permit.

Mobility

Short-term mobility

A residence permit for the purpose of research may be issued to a third-country national:

seeking admission to the territory of Hungary for the purposes of carrying out a research project under a hosting agreement concluded with a research organisation accredited under specific other legislation; and
if the research organisation provides a written commitment for reimbursing the costs of expulsion in cases where the researcher remains in the territory of Hungary past the period authorised – if the researcher does not have the financial means necessary.

If you are a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of research issued by an EU Member State, you may also submit a notification for the issuance of a short-term mobility certificate of researchers in Hungary.

The following documents must be enclosed to the notification for the short-term mobility certificate of researchers:

a long and short-term mobility plan, indicating the planned duration and dates of the mobility,
a valid travel document must be presented,
a valid residence permit for the purpose of research issued by a Member State of the European Union must be presented,
if a family member is applying with the applicant, a valid residence permit issued by a Member State of the European Union must also be presented.

The validity period of a short-term mobility certificate of researchers is maximised in 180 days in any 360-day period, but the validity of the short-term mobility certificate of researchers issued for the family member of the researcher may not exceed the validity period of the short-term mobility certificate of researchers issued for the researcher.

Please note that the validity period of the document shall not exceed the validity period of the applicant's travel document.

The validity period of the certificate is determined so that it will not exceed the validity period of your researcher’s residence permit issued by the first Member State.

A residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of researchers may be granted to a third-country national:

who is a holder of a residence permit issued by a Member State of the European Union for the purpose of research and – under a hosting agreement with an accredited research organisation – intends to carry out part of his/her research at a research organisation in Hungary for a period exceeding 180 days,
to a family member of the researcher holding a valid residence permit issued on the basis of his/her family member status by an EU Member State.

If you are a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of research issued by an EU Member State, you may also submit an application for a residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of researchers or for a notification for the issuance of a short-term mobility certificate of researchers in Hungary.

Submission of applications for the extension of a residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of researchers is only available within the territory of Hungary, via the platform of Enter Hungary.

The validity period of the residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of researchers is maximised in strong>365 days. Please note that the validity period of the document shall not exceed the validity period of the applicant's travel document.

The validity period of the certificate is determined so that it will not exceed the validity period of your researcher’s residence permit issued by the first Member State.

In the above-mentioned case, your family member, who is legally residing in the territory of Hungary and is a holder of a residence permit issued by another EU Member State, may also submit an application for residence permit or for a mobility notification in Hungary.
You may submit an application before a diplomatic or consular foreign mission of Hungary in the country of your nationality or your habitual place of residence. Please be advised to contact the competent foreign mission of Hungary to inquire for further information, if there are any other places authorised to receive applications for a residence permit. Such application receiving places are constituted by e.g. honorary consuls, trade representations, and external service providers.

If there are not any consulates or other types of places receiving application in the country of your nationality or your habitual place of residence, in exceptional cases, you may submit an application in a country where you are staying legally provided that you provide proof of the reasons of your exceptional application submission.

Submitting an application for a visa separately is not required, as an application for the issuance of a residence permit comprises an application for a visa entitling its holder to collect a residence permit.

If you are a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of research issued by an EU Member State, you may also submit an application for a residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of researchers or for a notification for the issuance of a short-term mobility certificate of researchers in Hungary.

In the above-mentioned case, your family member, who is legally residing in the territory of Hungary and is a holder of a residence permit issued by another EU Member State may also submit an application for a residence permit or for a mobility notification in Hungary.

Submission of the short-term mobility notification of researchers is free of charge.

The regional directorate shall adopt a decision on the issue of a short-term mobility certificate for the purpose of research within 30 days after receiving the complete notification.

The competent immigration authority shall deliver the short-term mobility certificate by post. You may collect the document at the competent immigration authority in person if you are able to prove that you are not in a position to receive the certificate at the mailing address given.

In case of objection to the mobility by the authority, it may be appealed at the authority of first instance within 8 days.

More information on short-term mobility certificate of researchers

Long-term mobility

The application for a long-term mobility residence permit for the purpose of research shall be submitted at the regional directorate of the immigration authority responsible for the place where your future Hungarian accommodation is located, or to the competent consulate officer of the country where your permanent or temporary residence is located or in the country of your nationality.

The fee for the evaluation of the application is EUR 110, payable at the diplomatic mission of Hungary primarily in EUR or other convertible currency, or in exceptional cases in the legal tender of the State where the application is submitted. The administrative service fee charged for the procedure is HUF 39,000 if submitted in Hungary.

In the proceedings for the issue of a long-term mobility residence permit for the purpose of research, the regional directorate shall adopt a decision on the merits within 60 days from the date of submission.

The competent immigration authority shall deliver the document evidencing the right of residence to you by post. You may collect the document at the competent immigration authority in person if you are able to prove that you are not in a position to receive the document evidencing the right of residence at the mailing address given.

In case of refusal, the decision may be appealed at the authority of first instance within 8 days.

A long-term mobility residence permit for the purpose of research may be issued for a period of 365 days, and for your family member for a period of 360 days. The validity period of a residence permit is determined so that it will not exceed the validity period of your researcher’s residence permit issued by the first Member State.

More information on Long-term Mobility of Researchers