Hungary
Guest Investor Program
Minimum investment
EUR 250,000
Processing time
typically 4-6 months; a Guest Investor Visa (D visa) is issued first, following a due diligence check by the Migration Office
Physical presence
no minimum stay required to maintain the permit; holders are not considered Hungarian tax residents if they spend fewer than 183 days in Hungary in any 12-month period
- Investment route
- •Investment certificates worth at least EUR 250,000 issued by a real estate fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank and on the Constitution Protection Office's approved list, with at least 40% of the fund's assets in Hungarian residential real estate
- •or a non-refundable donation of EUR 1,000,000 to a public-interest trust foundation supporting higher education, research, or the arts — the direct EUR 500,000 residential real estate purchase option that existed at launch was removed entirely on 15 January 2025 and is no longer available
- Investment breakdown
- •the fund's investment certificate must have a minimum 5-year maturity and be maintained without withdrawal
- •the investment must be completed within 93 calendar days of first entry into Hungary on the Guest Investor Visa
- Additional fees
- •4% property transfer tax on the underlying real estate calculated at market value
- •15% personal income tax applies if rental income is generated from the fund's underlying property or from directly acquired eligible property
- Eligibility
- •18+
- •Clean criminal record
- •Verifiable source of funds
- Due diligence
- due diligence check conducted by the Migration Office before the Guest Investor Visa is issued, prior to the investment being made
- Family inclusion
- spouse and dependent children
- Path to citizenship
- •the program does not itself lead to citizenship
- •after 8 years of residence, holders may apply for citizenship through Hungary's separate ordinary naturalization process
- Renewal
- the guest investor residence permit is a temporary (not permanent) status, valid for 10 years and renewable for a further 10 years
- Dual citizenship
- Fully permitted — Hungary allows dual and multiple citizenship (note: this residence program does not itself grant citizenship)
- Key benefits
- •access to the Schengen Area (90 days in any 180)
- •low cost of living relative to Western Europe
- •universal healthcare access
- •relaunched July 2024 after the prior bond-based program ended in 2017
- Taxation
- worldwide income taxed only if tax-resident in Hungary
Application process
- 1.choose the investment route
- 2.submit application to the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing
- 3.complete due diligence
- 4.residence permit issued