Hungary relaunched its Golden Visa, officially called the Guest Investor Program, in 2024. In 2026, the program is available to non-EU and non-EEA investors who want to obtain long-term residence in Hungary.
The minimum investment is €250,000. Investors can choose between purchasing units in a qualified real estate investment fund or making a €1,000,000 donation to an institution of higher learning. Direct property purchase is no longer a qualifying investment option.
The Hungary Golden Visa residence permit is granted for 10 years and can be extended once for the same period. It allows investors and their families to live in Hungary, travel across the Schengen Area, and use Hungary as a European safe haven.
In November of 2023, Hungary pleasantly surprised the investment migration field by announcing the relaunch of a Golden Visa in 2024, similar to the one Hungary had between 2013 and 2017. The upcoming program is called the Guest Investor Program.
Investors will be able to get a residence permit and move to Hungary by fulfilling one of the following conditions:
The Golden Visa grants investors the right to apply for a residence permit for 10 years. The status can be renewed once for 10 more years.
Permanent residence for life in Hungary can be obtained by residing in the country for 183 days a year for 3 years.
Hungarian citizenship can only be granted by naturalisation. The condition is to reside in Hungary for 8 years and leave the country for no more than 45 days a year. Knowledge of the Hungarian language and history is mandatory.
If you don’t plan to live in a foreign country for 8 years to get citizenship, there's an alternative — a passport by investment in the Caribbean. While these passports unlock fewer travel destinations compared to Hungary, investors can still enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen Area, the UK, and China.
According to the Hungarian parliament’s official website, the minimum investment needed to qualify for a Hungary Golden Visa is €250,000. The amount is valid for purchasing bonds of local real estate funds.
Buying property as a form of investment starts at €500,000. However, it is yet to be announced whether investors will be able to rent it out or eventually sell it.
The most expensive way to get a residence permit in Hungary is to make a charitable donation. The minimum investment amount in this case is €1 million.
The Hungary Guest Investor Visa and a residence permit are expected to be open to all nationalities. There are no restrictions based on the country of origin yet, which makes the upcoming program appealing.
No minimum stay is also implied; investors might not need to reside in Hungary to keep their residency. With a residence permit valid for 10 years, Hungary’s Golden Visa offers a significant advantage, making it one of the most attractive investment residency programs.
No tests or exams are expected. Foreigners won’t have to pass any exam in the Hungarian language to get their status. But if an investor wants to get a Hungarian passport in the future, they should start learning Hungarian — a naturalisation procedure requires knowledge of the language and the history of the country.
Hungary is one of the most tax-friendly countries in the European Union, with an income tax of 15%. Compare it to Greece, where income can be taxed at a 45% rate.
To become a tax resident, a foreigner should spend at least 183 days a year in Hungary. Tax residents of Hungary pay taxes on worldwide income, whereas non-residents are only taxed on the income sourced in Hungary.
Tax rates for individuals in Hungary:
Hungary might be one of the most affordable states in the European Union. According to crowd-sourced databases, the overall cost of living in Hungary is lower than in Spain, Portugal or Greece.
The average expenses for a single person in Hungary are the following:
A family of four needs at least €3,000 per month with rent included. Prices for renting property with three bedrooms start at €700 and depend on the location. A single person needs €1,500 a month in Hungary with rent included. A one-bedroom apartment in Budapest costs at least €400 per month.
As a Schengen Area country, Hungary offers its residents more freedom in terms of travelling. Holders of a Hungarian residence permit can spend up to 90 days within 180 in any other Schengen Area state.
Another significant advantage is the opportunity to live, work, and study in the European Union. Suppose an investor got a residence permit in Hungary; in this case, they would be able to visit the country freely, and their children could be enrolled in local schools and universities with no student visas.
Hungarian citizenship is granted by naturalisation. To apply for a passport, foreigners need to:
However, it’s yet to be determined whether naturalisation rules will apply to Golden Visa holders and whether they will be able to obtain citizenship.
Previously, Hungary issued Golden Visas for the investor’s spouse, financially dependent children under 28, and parents. All of them were given permanent residency for life.
There is reason to suppose that the new-look Golden Visa will be family-friendly as well since a significant part of wealthy foreigners consider getting residency abroad to secure their families’ future.
European countries tend to tighten the conditions of residency by investment programs. But the silver lining is that Hungary might end up introducing a quicker and safer procedure to obtain a residence permit.
Most importantly, the investment condition can be fulfilled after the applicant receives the Guest Investor Visa.
As it is currently known, the terms of the program do not require investors to spend any time in Hungary after obtaining the 10-year residence permit. Moreover, the application process itself should take up to 2—3 months before the issuance of residence permit cards.
The requirements for Golden Visa applicants are yet to be published. But, based on other European residency by investment programs, an investor can be expected to:
Presumably, the new Hungary Golden Visa will have a convenient and fast procedure, which can take 2—3 months.
Until the new Investor Visa is in place, there is no other path to obtaining residency by investment in Hungary. The previous program did allow investors to become residents for purchasing property for as low as €155,000, but it was disabled in December 2023. However, there are still options for digital nomads, financially independent persons, and entrepreneurs.
Financially independent people can move to Hungary if they can demonstrate savings of at least €15,000 sourced outside Hungary. This includes salary from a foreign company, pensions, dividends, rent income, etc. This type of visa is valid for 2 to 5 years.
Hungary’s Digital Nomad visa, also referred to as the White Card, was launched in 2021. Single digital nomads with an income of at least €2,000 per month can apply and get a residence permit for 1 year. Entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals can also apply for a 3-year residence permit, extendable for the same period upon expiry.
Hungary is to launch a Golden Visa in 2024. Other residency by investment programs of Hungary were disabled.
According to the Hungarian parliament’s official website, investors will be able to obtain a 10-year residence permit with the possibility of an extension for the same period. The minimum investment amount is €250,000.
After a residence permit, foreigners can also qualify for permanent residence in 2 years and for citizenship in 8 years.
There is no citizenship by investment program in Hungary, but investors can get a Hungarian passport by naturalisation. The first step is to get a residence permit by investment.
After receiving a residence permit, investors are able to apply for permanent residence — but only if they have resided in Hungary for 183 days a year for 3 years in a row. Permanent residence in Hungary is granted for life.
To qualify for a passport, foreigners must reside in Hungary for 8 years and only leave it for up to 45 days a year. Additionally, they will need to demonstrate knowledge of the Hungarian language and history.
Currently, there is no permanent residence by investment programs in Hungary. However, starting in 2024, foreigners can obtain a residence permit by investment and apply for permanent residence in three years.
Yes, they can; until December 2023, Hungary issued residence permits for purchasing property. This option will be available once again from 2024. The minimum investment amount will be €250,000.
From 2024, wealthy foreigners will be able to get a residence permit by investment in Hungary. One of the options is buying property for €500,000.
The requirements for the Hungary Golden Visa applicants are yet to be announced. But considering common sense and previous Golden Visa rules, an applicant should be expected to:
