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Residency by InvestmentActive

Hungary

Hungary Guest Investor Programme (GIP)

Also known as: Hungary Golden Visa, Hungarian Investor Residence

Regulator: National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (Országos Idegenrendészeti Főigazgatóság, OIF); Constitution Protection Office vets fund operatorsOfficial program site ↗
Min investment
$275K
Program tier
Renewable Temp
Program type
Golden Visa
Initial validity
10 yr
Renewable
Yes
Path to PR
No
Path to citizenship
8 yr
Schengen access
Yes

Investment options

Fund

$275K
Hold for 5 years

EUR 250,000 in a state-approved Hungarian real estate investment fund (REIF) registered with the Constitution Protection Office. Fund must hold at least 40% in residential Hungarian real estate. 5-year holding period.

Real Estate

$550K
Hold for 5 years

Direct purchase of residential real estate worth at least EUR 500,000 in Hungary. (NOTE: Implementation of this route was paused until at least 1 Jan 2026 after housing-market concerns; check current status before relying on it.)

Donation

$1.1M

EUR 1,000,000 donation to a Hungarian institute of higher education for research, educational, or cultural activities.

Physical presence

To apply
In-person biometrics in Hungary or at a Hungarian consulate
To maintain
No minimum days
For PR
10 years residence (with substantial physical presence) for EU long-term residence — Guest Investor permit alone does not graduate to PR
For citizenship
8 years residence + Hungarian language exam + civics — not realistically attainable via Guest Investor route alone

Path to citizenship

  • Available: Yes
  • Minimum years: 8
  • Physical-presence years: 8
  • Language test: Yes

Naturalization requires 8 years actual residence + Hungarian language + civics. Guest Investor visa holders rarely meet the physical-residence requirement. Dual citizenship allowed.

Tax implications

  • Becomes tax resident automatically: No
  • Worldwide income taxed: No
  • Territorial tax system: No
  • Day-count for tax residency: 183 days
  • Wealth tax: No

Hungary has a flat 15% personal income tax — one of the lowest in EU. Tax residency triggered by 183+ days OR habitual residence OR center of vital interests. Guest Investor visa alone does not trigger tax residency. No wealth tax, no inheritance tax for direct heirs.

Family inclusion

  • Spouse: Yes
  • Children under 18: Yes
  • Dependent adult children: No
  • Parents: Yes

Spouse, dependent minor children, and dependent parents. Adult children only if proven financial dependence.

Additional fees

  • Application fee: $200
  • Government fees: $200
  • Legal/agent (est.): $6K

Application fee modest (~EUR 110-200). Fund management fees 1-2% annual + entry fee. Notarial / property transfer fees additional. Health insurance mandatory.

Eligibility requirements

  • Non-EU/EEA/Swiss national, age 18+
  • Clean criminal record from country of citizenship and any country of residence in last 5 years
  • Health insurance
  • Investment in qualifying route
  • Source-of-funds documentation

Disqualifiers

  • Sanctioned nationalities and adverse-media flags
  • Inability to document source of funds

Recent changes

  1. 2024-07-01

    Hungary's Guest Investor Programme launched, replacing the former Investment Residence (Bond) program that closed in 2017.

  2. 2024-12

    Hungarian government delayed direct real estate route to 1 Jan 2026 due to housing-market concerns; fund route active immediately.

  3. 2025

    Donations to higher education institutions added as a third qualifying route (EUR 1M).

  4. 2026

    Direct real estate route reportedly implemented but with limited uptake; fund route remains dominant.

Notes

Hungary's program is the cheapest active EU Golden Visa offering 10-year residence at EUR 250K, but the structure (long-term temporary residence with no PR path) is unusual. Best understood as a Schengen-mobility instrument and not a relocation/citizenship pipeline. Hungary's 15% flat tax is attractive for those who do choose to relocate, but the Guest Investor permit alone does not trigger tax residency.

EasyPassport is a document-organization tool focused on citizenship by descent. This page is reference research, not legal or financial advice. Always verify with the official program authority.