Is Relocation the Same as Moving?

“Could you help me move my furniture back to England?” I receive a request like this once every two to three weeks.
That’s great you might be thinking, you run a relocation company and you get regular enquiries. It would be great if I owned that kind of relocation company, what I actually own is known in the industry as a Destination Services Provider (DSP for short).

That’s great if you work in the field of global mobility but for the everyday person, perhaps relocating for the first time, a DSP is probably not a business type you have come across.

What is a DSP and how can it support relocating employees?

Let me clarify what my company, Inter Relocation, does: we provide independent home search services for expatriates, as well as helping them to find a school for their children, orientation support for new arrivals and additional support with anything relating to establishing a life in a new country.

In addition, we also provide in-house visa and immigration support, which is quite typical, at least within the Central and Eastern Europe region. That makes my company an ISP (Immigration Service Provider) as well as a DSP.

A short history lesson

When I started out in the industry things were a little simpler. Companies like mine were commonly referred to as relocation companies, with our cousins in the removals business calling themselves household goods movers, removals firms, or van lines. Then slowly but surely the removals companies started to call themselves relocation companies, just like we destination services providers had done so, so that things would be clear for the lay person.

The late, great Paul Evans once explained it to me in terms of his goal of ultimately selling his business for a higher price. The basic gist was that household goods moving is a blue-collar logistics business, whereas relocation (encompassing the work of a DSP, ISP, tax and legal and other support services such as language and cross-cultural training) was considered a white collar consulting business. The multiplier of historical or projected profit that you can charge when selling your business is significantly higher if you are selling a consulting business, and that is what he was building.

Let’s look at the big relocation picture

So back to that request for my company to move someone’s furniture. I take such requests with good grace and do my best to direct the customer to a company that will indeed assist them. It reminds me that relocation encompasses so many processes, of which my company delivers only a few. At this point we must mention the global players in this industry, the Relocation Management Companies (RMCs).

Many multinational companies’ global mobility management have realised that if each of their offices operates its own global mobility policy, it results in a very disjointed experience for their international workers. A typical solution has been to take a global approach and to establish a relationship with a service provider that can support that company’s expatriate employees wherever they relocate to.

This is the role taken by the Relocation Management Companies. Companies like mine partner with RMCs and act as an on-the-ground partner. There could also be immigration, household goods moving, spousal or partner support, tax equalisation and so on, all provided by a network of partner companies around the world.

Relocation is all about people

For me the beauty of our industry is that it is all about people. I do my best to occasionally work with a relocating family, just to remind myself of why we are here. To relocate from one country to another, even as a single person, can be very stressful and to know there is someone who will hold my hand (metaphorically at least) when I arrive in the new location is very reassuring.

There are efforts within the industry to use technology to streamline and simplify the process and I am all in favour of a reduction in administration and in the number of people who contact a relocating employee. For me though there is still no substitute for having an actual relocation and/or immigration consultant to look after an expatriate and make sure they find the right home at the right price, with a lease contract that protects their rights and with the legal right to live in that home and work in the country they’ve moved to.

Empathy for the expat

I’m an expat too. I relocated to Hungary in 1995 and did so without any professional support. I proudly refer to myself as an economic migrant, because I relocated with two suitcases, a small amount of money and sought a new life, a better life, in Budapest. For me relocation was the freedom to make a choice, to be able to move to another country, without having to prove my worth in advance. I moved to a country with a fresh, entrepreneurial spirit and found myself caught up in that feeling and was running my first business by 1998.

Beer was cheap, the locals were welcoming and loved that I tried to speak their language. My decision to relocate changed my life, beyond all recognition and I sometimes wonder how my life would have turned out if I’d decided not to. I don’t think about that too often though, mostly I’m focused on making sure my team has all the tools they need to relocate the next satisfied and very brave customer.

By Stuart McAlister, owner and Managing Director, Inter Relocation

Hungary COVID-19 protective measures prolonged until 19 April 2021

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We would like to give you a short update on the changes to the regulations relating to the pandemic. The current Hungary COVID-19 protective measures have been extended until 19.04.2021, and we expect this deadline may be further prolonged.

When planning to enter Hungary, you need to keep in mind the regulations posted on our blog.
Here are the in-country regulations that have been introduced or modified after the government of Hungary stated that its target of giving the first vaccination dose to 2.5 million had been reached.

Curfew is now between 22:00 and 05:00 hours.

Restrictions on services are now terminated; premises that deliver services requiring personal presence no longer have to be closed, and services can be provided and utilized, though the obligatory closing time for such businesses is between 21:30 and 05:00.

Exception: for restaurants and cafés, the restrictions are unchanged; they can only offer purchases for takeout or delivery only.

Shops need to undertake thorough observance of the below restrictions. Shops that do not undertake such measures shall remain closed.

Restrictions to be maintained:

  • For every 10 sqm of the shopping area, one customer is allowed.
  • The operator of the shop must indicate at the entrance the number of customers allowed into the shop.
  • Operators of shops and of shopping malls must ensure compliance with the protective measures.
  • Operators of shops must ensure that customers queueing keep 1.5m distance (except for members of the same household); hand sanitizers are available for use, and surfaces and carts/baskets are disinfected regularly.
  • In counting customers, children under 14 and helpers of people above 65 and of people with disabilities are not considered.
  • Shops without a designated shopping area must ensure that people queueing outside keep 1.5 m distance.
  • Customers are asked to keep distance in shops and complete shopping in the shortest possible time.
  • Outside of shops in shopping malls, everybody is obliged to keep 1.5 m distance (except for members of the same household).
  • Operators of shopping malls shall ensure compliance with the restrictions.

For further information, please contact us at the following
Phone number: +36 1 278 5680
Email address: [email protected]
or contact your local Inter Relocation consultant.

Business and Economy Related Travel Regulations to Hungary, March 2021

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In our latest article titled Regulations Introduced Concerning Business and Economy-Related Travel, issued on 12nd March among others, we have informed you about a list of countries from where Hungarian citizens and citizens/90+-day residents can enter for business purposes.

In response to the ongoing global situation, the Hungarian government has introduced updates to its business and economy related travel regulations. These new additions aim to clarify the conditions under which business travellers and professionals may enter the country, while maintaining public health safety.

This list has now been extended with the following countries:

  • Azerbaijan
  • Georgia
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Uzbekistan
Currently the state of emergency is declared to end on 22nd May, so we assume that the shared entry regulations will remain in force until that date, too. Should there be a change, we will inform you.
For further information, please contact us at the following
Phone number: +36 1 278 5680
Email address: [email protected]
or contact your local Inter Relocation consultant.

Regulations introduced concerning business and economy related travels

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Please find below a summary about the regulations introduced concerning business and economy related travels. At the moment they are claimed to be valid till 16th March 2021, though please note, that the period can be extended any time.

Hungarian citizens returning from business or economy related trips may enter Hungary according to general restrictions applicable to Hungarian citizens.

Hungarian citizens may enter Hungary without any restrictions if the purpose of their travel was business or economy related, and the fact is proven upon return, if they travelled to/are returning from

  1. EU member states
  2. EEA member states,
  3. states having status of free movement and residence identical to that of EEA member states based on international agreement
  4. EU membership candidate states (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey)
  5. UK
  6. other countries listed in the decree of the minister of external economic relations and external affairs

Should any doubt arise with respect to the authenticity of the proof of the travel purpose, then the general restrictions apply.

Non-Hungarian citizens may generally enter Hungary according to previous restrictions, with the exceptions below.

If a Non-Hungarian citizen is the citizen of the states listed above, or is entitled to a stay of more than 90 days in one of those states, and is entering from one of those states, and the purpose of entry to Hungary is a business or economy related purpose, to be proven upon entry, they may enter Hungary without restrictions.

Should any doubt arise with respect to the authenticity of the proof of the travel purpose, the general restrictions apply.

The decree of the minister of external economic relations and external affairs lists countries that supplement the list above, from which Hungarian citizens and citizens/90+ day residents of which may can freely enter from business trips, these countries are:

  1. USA
  2. Bahrein
  3. UAE
  4. India
  5. Indonesia
  6. Israel
  7. Japan
  8. China
  9. South Korea
  10. Russia
  11. Singapore
  12. Turkey
  13. Ukraine

Hungary Regulations – Measures Effective from 8 March 2021

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This time in our article, we would like to shed light on the Hungary regulations effective as of 8 March 2021.

Please be aware that previous protective measures remain in place. These new restrictions are part of the Hungary regulations for March 2021, and apply outside the curfew period (i.e. between 5 AM and 8 PM).

Please note, though, that regulations are not applicable to public health providers and wholesale activities.

Social contacts in public areas and places open to the public must be restricted to the possible narrowest circle, 1.5 m distance must be kept (except for members of the same household).

Continuous wearing of masks covering the nose and mouth is obligatory within city limits of settlements, on streets and in public areas. (People exempt from the mask mandate: minors under six, persons suffering from mental, psychosocial disability or autism spectrum disorder.

Personal leisure sporting activities may be conducted within and outside of city limits, possibly in green areas, alone or in the company of members of the same household, keeping a distance of 1.5 m. During personal sporting activities a mask does not need to be worn. Parks and public gardens are open.

There has been uncertainty about what shops can remain open; please find the list below:

  • shops selling daily consumer food products,
  • shops selling other daily consumer goods (especially shops selling perfume products, drugstore products, household cleaning products, chemicals and hygienic paper products),
  • shops selling essential devices and materials for performance of work, official obligations, economic, agricultural and forestry activities (especially shops selling vehicles, machinery, parts, building materials and devices), excluding shops selling consumer electronics devices as their main activity
  • shops selling animal food
  • agricultural shops, including shops selling fertilizers and slaughterhouses
  • gardening shops and nursery gardens
  • markets and local farmers’ markets, except for shops otherwise required to close
  • shops selling medications, medical devices, optical and vision devices, and animal pharmacies
  • petrol stations
  • national tobacco shops
  • newsstands

Shops not listed above are obliged to close, and the operator or manager of the shop is obliged to ensure the observation of the restrictions.

Staying in restaurants is allowed for the time and purpose of receiving and transporting foods suitable for takeout, according to the already existing regulations.

Premises requiring personal presence for providing services must close, except for premises offering the below services:

  • financial services
  • traffic and transport services
  • private healthcare services, including preparation of glasses
  • social services
  • postal, parcel and home delivery services
  • lottery and sports bets services
  • vehicle repair services, agricultural and industrial machinery repair services, household machinery repair services, building engineering services,
  • services for the repair of information technology and communication devices
  • funeral services
  • animal health services
  • animal, plant and food health laboratory services
  • food processing services,
  • public catering services ,
  • animal husbandry services
  • legal services
  • security services
  • building operation and office services
  • vehicle and machinery rental services
  • washing and cleaning services

Casinos, hotels, sporting facilities cannot be attended, visiting and staying at casinos and card game halls is forbidden (except for their employees). For stays at hotels the already existing restrictions are applicable, i.e., for business purposes only.

Ice rinks, swimming pools, gyms and fitness rooms, and sporting facilities may be visited according to already existing restrictions for competitive sportspeople for the purposes of training and competitions.

Sanctions

Compliance with the restrictions is monitored jointly by the police and the army. Premises not following the set regulations may be asked to pay a fine between HUF 100,000 and HUF 1,000,000, and can be imposed repeatedly or even closed down for up to one year.

These sanctions can be applied jointly and repeatedly.

The sanctions may not be applied if the operator or manager of the premises carried out all necessary measures to terminate an illegal situation, especially by instructing the person committing a breach to leave, or notifying police if the person does not leave upon instruction.

No appeal is available against the fines.

Failure to comply with restrictions is also a misdemeanor, to be sanctioned with fines between HUF 5,000 and HUF 500,000, with on-site fines ranging from HUF 5,000 to HUF 100,000 or HUF 200,000 in cease of repeated offences. 

  • Further to the above, there are restrictions in public education as well, schools operate in a digital schedule, kindergartens are closed for an extraordinary holiday.
  • Student hostels operate according to the decision of the director of the education institution.
  • Adult education is conducted digitally in remote education. Exams cannot be conducted.
  • Professional legal exams are conducted according to the relevant decree of the Ministry of Justice.
  • Employees in public administration perform their work remotely at their homes or places of residence, with their own devices.

Work at the regular workplace might be ordered for those participating in the defense against the pandemic and where the type of work does not allow the performance of work at home.

Orders for remaining at the workplace are communicated verbally.

The government requests private actors to prefer the application of home office measures during their business activities.

Border control, extension of restrictions—please read our other article about the restrictions here.

Regulations are valid at least until 22nd March 2021, and school closings until 7th April 2021.

At the same time, the effect of the regulations is extended automatically until the end of the emergency regime or until 23rd May 2021.

Border control and the effect of already existing restrictions are prolonged until 22nd March 2021.

UK Citizens post Brexit – How to apply for the National Permanent Residence Permit

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It’s only 19th January 2021 as I write this short article, and I believe I have spoken to more than 20 members of the UK expat community, both before and after midnight on 31st December, when us Brits completed our journey out of the EU.

As UK citizens post Brexit now require a national permanent residence permit to stay long-term in Hungary, what started out as curiosity to see what the process would be this year rapidly developed into confusion—and in some cases, satisfaction—as I was variously asked about a horribly long and complex process, whether a CV or negative criminal record document would be required, to the happy folk who contacted me just to let me know that they had succeeded in making their applications in the first week of January.

As I believe I’m the only owner of an immigration compliance company in Hungary who is also a UK citizen, you could say I have a vested interest in this subject, and for the past couple of weeks I’ve asked a range of expat Facebook group members and email enquirers to hold off while my immigration team put together my application and submit it, hopefully this week.

Based on the preparation my immigration team has done, we have put together a text that should allow anyone who wants to, to complete the process alone. Of course, if anyone does want our professional support, then they can contact us at [email protected] and we will happily take the stress out of the process. The following is what we have put together:

National Permanent Residence Permit for UK citizens holding a registration certificate or permanent residence card on 31.12.2020

Documents needed:

  • Passport
  • Registration card or permanent residence card
  • Address card

Additional required personal data:

  • Email and phone number
  • Mother’s maiden family name
  • Mother’s first name
  • Your professional qualification
  • Highest level of education (high school degree, BA, BSC, MA etc.)
  • Permanent address before coming to Hungary (country, city and street)
  • Beginning of uninterrupted lawful residence in Hungary:
  • Hungarian address
  • Have you ever been convicted of any crime?: yes/no
  • Is there any criminal proceeding in progress against you before a Hungarian or foreign authority?: yes/no
  • In addition to the above, have you been convicted by a Hungarian authority for violation of law, especially for offence?: yes/no
  • Have you already been expelled from Hungary or from other countries?: yes/no
  • Do you have any debt in your homeland or in another country?: yes/no
  • Do you have a maintenance obligation (parent, child, spouse)?: yes/no
  • Are you aware of suffering from HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, lues, leprosy, typhoid fever infectious diseases requiring treatment, or do you carry the pathogens of HIV, hepatitis B, typhoid fever or paratyphoid fever?: yes/no

This is the data marked compulsory to fill on the Enter Hungary platform in order to submit an application, but according to the authority a new application form will be created by them most likely containing even less information.

As of Friday 15th January, this was on the government website:

‘The online application platform specifically provided for the beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement on the online application system ‘Enter Hungary’ is currently under development, we kindly request your patience until it is available.

Submitting an application for a national permanent residence permit or a residence permit for frontier workers is available on Enter Hungary until the above mentioned platform is available.’ (link)

The following are instructions about how to enter the government site and submit your application.

The request can be submitted via the Enter Hungary online platform. The platform can be accessed via this link:https://enterhungary.gov.hu/eh/ and can be set to English. Please kindly click on the ‘sign in’ option in the top right corner. When registering, the ‘I act as a private individual, in my own case’ should be chosen when submitting one’s own application.

Detailed guide after logging in

After logging in, you should go to the ‘My Cases menu option and click on the green ‘New Application’ button, where the following category should be chosen: permanent residence permit (settlement), then Application for EC/national permanent residence permit (settlement).

When submitting an application for a national permanent residence permit, the ‘yes’ option should be selected at the ‘I declare that the procedure is exempt of fee’ section.

Then the above-mentioned personal data should be filled to the data sheet and moving on, the abbreviation ‘WA’ should be indicated in the data field for ‘DETAILED CV’.

The following documents should be submitted in the file attachments possibility:

  • Passport (only the data page)
  • Registration certificate
  • Address card
  • In case applicable: power of attorney

After submitting the application, the system will generate an application form that should be signed and then the scanned document must be uploaded to the case. This application form should be present at the personal attendance as well as in other cases, the authority asks for the original.

There is a compulsory personal attendance at the authority that must happen within 15 CALENDAR days from the date of submitting the application. According to the information from the authority, this can happen at any given customer service, but only with an appointment due to the current COVID measures.

This is only an appointment where the applicant’s biometrics data (fingerprint and photo) will be taken. Passport, registration certificate, address card and the signed application form should be present in original.

Again, if this seems too much to handle, or if you are not sure you qualify, don’t panic! Just drop us a line at [email protected] and I or one of my team will be happy to assist you.

By Stuart McAlister,
Managing Director, Inter Relocation

The new Hungarian law relating to Brexit

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The new Hungarian law relating to Brexit has now been published. Hereby we are sharing a summary of how this law impacts UK citizens:

For UK citizens and their third country citizen relatives, due to Brexit, for residence and employment procedures started after 1st January 2021 – with the exception of circumstances listed below – Immigration compliance laws related to Non-EU/EEA citizens shall be applied.

Registration cards, permanent residence cards

UK citizens’ registration cards, permanent residence cards, third country relatives’ residence cards and permanent residence cards are considered to be valid until end of next year, 31st December 2021.

Permanent residence

UK citizens and their third country citizen relatives holding a valid travel document, and a registration card, residence card or permanent residence card may apply for a national settlement (permanent residence) permit in a simplified procedure during the course of 2021.

The following conditions are not investigated during the application:

  • place of residence and income
  • health insurance
  • uninterrupted three-year prior residence
  • one-year stay (as a supported ancestor)
  • two-year marriage with a Hungarian citizen (for spouse)
  • previous Hungarian citizen
  • minor child of settled person or refugee
  • settlement being in harmony with the interest of Hungary

Those applications where the applicant’s residence threatens public or national security or are under entry or stay ban, or ISIS warning notification about them in the police system, will be rejected.

  • Same applies if the applicant provides false data, makes untrue statements, or deceives the authority.
  • Citizens having a criminal record will not receive a settlement permit either.
  • Adjoint authorities participating in the decision-making procedure must provide their opinion within 15 days.

Good news for British citizens who can credibly prove that they were living in Hungary prior to 1st January 2021, but do not hold a registration card yet. They may still request a national settlement permit.

Residence permit for employment

UK citizens having an employment relationship in Hungary prior to 31.12.2020, if the employment relationship is still existing at the time of submitting the request, and if their place of residence or accommodation is outside of Hungary, may request a residence permit for employment without the investigation of the following conditions:

  • accommodation in Hungary
  • financial cover
  • health insurance/cover

The above is applicable to those, who had been conducting a private enterprise in Hungary, allowing them a residence permit for gainful purposes.

The above two types of requests may be submitted until 31st March 2021.

For further information please, contact us at the following
Phone number: +36 1 278 5680
Email address: [email protected]
or contact your local Inter Relocation consultant.

Validity of Official Documents in Hungary Extended Due to COVID-19

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As part of the COVID-19 emergency measures, the validity of official documents in Hungary has been extended. These changes apply to a range of documents and remain in force until further notice.

Prolongation of the validity of official documents under the second state of emergency as per Government Decree 500/20201.

  1. Prolongation of the validity of official documents

  • Official documents (IDs) issued by Hungarian authorities and valid in Hungary that expire during the state of emergency shall have an extended validity.
  • These will expire 60 days after the end of the state of emergency.
  • This also includes documents whose validity had been prolonged at the end of the previous state of emergency and would expire during the present state of emergency; that is, they are prolonged as well.
  • Validity of driver’s licenses for vehicles is especially included in the prolongation.
  • The extended validity does not have to be registered in the document itself or the central registry.
  • If such a prolonged validity document is lost, it may not be replaced (that is, then a new document has to be issued with a new date of validity).
  • The validity of residence permits under the law on residence of persons with the right of free movement (Szmtv, Act I of 2007) and the law on residence of third-country citizens (Harmtv., Act II of 2007) that expire during the state of emergency is extended until the 30th day following the end of the state of emergency.

For further information, please contact us at the following

Phone number: +36 1 278 5680
Email address: [email protected]
or contact your local Inter Relocation consultant.

Second Tier of Protective Measures in Hungary – COVID-19 Update

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Under the current pandemic emergency regulations, the second tier of protective measures in Hungary includes stricter limitations for both individuals and businesses.

This article provides a clear overview of what these measures mean in practice.

  1. Reinforcement of the mask mandate

  • Every person over the age of six must wear a mask:
  • on public transport
  • in any public area of settlements with a population over 10,000 where the local government prescribes as such, with the exception of sports activities and parks. At this time, local governments known to have introduced such measures already include Budapest’s 11th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st districts; please watch for information from local governments for further information.
  • while working or shopping in shops
  • in shopping malls (except for offices, sporting facilities, and utility premises)
  • in public archives open to the public
  • at office hours of government agencies, post offices, and any other premises where customer services are provided and regularly more than 5 people are present
  • waiting rooms of public transport
  • in restaurants, either while working or as guests
  • in healthcare institutions (except for patients in their ward rooms)
  • in social institutions
  • Masks must cover the nose and mouth, and should be surgical, labour safety or textile (or other fabric) masks.
  • Operators of such institutions, services, premises must ensure the enforcement of these rules. Customers not properly wearing masks must be denied service and made to leave the premises.
  • For transportation companies: passengers must be denied transport if they are not properly wearing masks, at the same time they must be removed from the vehicle and the police should be notified immediately.

  1. Curfew

Everybody is obliged to remain at their place of residence, stay or commercial accommodation from 8 PM to 5 AM

  • Exceptions:

  • performing work,
  • transferring to place of work,
  • transferring from work to place of residence/stay/accommodation
  • In case of emergency threatening life, or threatening with harm to health or severe injury
  • protection of life
  • competitive athletes going to or coming from training or sporting events, or participating in a training or sporting event
  • walking dogs within a 500m perimeter of the dwelling place
  • Exceptions not related to health/emergency and dog walking must be supported by documents based on the form published by the Government. Without possession of such a document, it is not allowed to leave the place of residence/stay/accommodation even for the reasons falling under an exception.
  • Assembly and forming of groups in public areas is forbidden.

  1. Conduct in public places

  • Sporting activities for personal leisure in public places and public sporting venues are allowed, especially walking, running and cycling.
  • Team sports, such as especially football, ice hockey, handball, basketball, and volleyball, are not allowed in public areas, open places, and sporting venues, except for training and sporting events in professional competitive sports.

  1. Events and gatherings

Events and group gatherings (such as music, cultural, sporting, private events, and Christmas fairs) are banned, with the following exceptions:

  • Religious events do not fall under the ban (except for weddings and funerals). Religious communities themselves may decide about their own events.
  • Live music or cultural events provided online do not fall under the banned events if only the performers and technical personnel are present at the premises.
  • Sporting events must be held behind closed doors. Spectators are not allowed.
  • Funerals can be held with participants of 50 people maximum.
  • Weddings can be held with the participation of the performer of the service, the marrying parties, their witnesses, parents, grandparents, siblings, and children.
  • Operators of such venues are responsible for observing the regulations.

  1. Regulations for restaurants

  • Except for those working there and the cases listed below, it is forbidden to be present in restaurants.
  • Being present in a restaurant is allowed for the time of receiving food purchased for takeout or delivery.
  • Restrictions do not apply
  • to workplace canteens and buffets
  • bars and restaurants of hotels if they only serve guests of the hotel
  • canteens and buffets of public education institutions if they only serve students and employees of the institution
  • canteens and buffets in public health institutions

  1. Regulations related to shops

  • Between 7 PM and 5 AM

  • shops
  • national tobacco shops
  • lottery shops
    • must be closed and it is not allowed to be present there
  • petrol stations
  • pharmacies
    • may be open
  • With respect to this ban, restaurants are not considered shops.

  1. Regulations for commercial accommodation

  • No stay is allowed in commercial accommodations (hotels), with the following exceptions
  • Employees may be present in hotels
  • Persons may be present in hotels arriving for purposes of business, economic or educational activities
  • Military personnel and assigned healthcare personnel may be present in hotels.

  1. Regulations on leisure institutions

  • Visiting and staying at the following events and locations is forbidden:

  • events for the performing arts (theatre, dance, music, circus)
  • cinemas
  • training rooms and gyms
  • pools
  • public baths
  • skating rinks
  • zoos, game parks
  • adventure parks and funfairs
  • playhouses
  • museums
  • libraries
  • film and music archives
  • public cultural venues
  • integrated cultural institutions

  • Exceptions:

  • employees working at such institutions
  • skating rinks, pools, training rooms, gyms and sports facilities may be visited by competitive athletes
  • Such venues in hotels must be kept closed.

For further information, please contact us at the following
Phone number: +36 1 278 5680
Email address: [email protected]
or contact your local Inter Relocation consultant.

Support for Homeless Women in Hungary – Móni’s Story

In this article, we share how Inter Relocation offered real support for homeless women in Hungary — starting with one life-changing story.

Homelessness is a growing crisis in Hungary, as it is in many places around the world, particularly due to the current pandemic and the economic troubles that it causes.

Here at Inter Relocation, we have always tried to give a little something back to the local community, and we were already aware of Utcáról Lakásba! Egyesület (ULE for short, meaning From Street to Home Association) via one of our wonderful team members, who already did everything she could to support this charity.

It’s through our colleague we came to hear about Móni earlier this year. Móni had been homeless for some time and was living in a tent. She had asked the assistance of Adj Munkát Csoport (the Provide Jobs Group) to help her find work, and through ULE she came to us as our office cleaner.

This initiative is part of our effort to offer long-term support for homeless women in Hungary — one story, one apartment, one future at a time.

Móni’s story

The team immediately took to Móni; she is full of life and clearly enjoys her work and being with us for a few hours a week. As the team grew to know her, they started to ask her, delicately, about her circumstances.

She explained how she came to be homeless and what she is now doing to try to get back on her own two feet with a roof over her head. Some colleagues asked her if she needed anything, and she accepted some clothes and bedding, and one of the team took it upon themselves to buy Móni lunch on the day when she cleans.

What was clear is that it is extremely hard to get sufficient work when one lives in a tent to be able to earn enough to pay the first month’s rent and security deposit on an apartment or even a room. ULE was working as hard as possible to find Móni a place to live, but with winter approaching, the Inter Relocation team got together and decided that we can’t wait any longer.

A roof above her head

In one of those weird moments of serendipity, the very day we started to look for apartment options for Móni, one of our colleagues was approached by an acquaintance who had an apartment to rent. It was not in a typical expat location, but the very friendly rental fee made our colleague think that it could be right for Móni.

Rapid discussions took place, the upshot of which was that Inter Relocation committed to paying the first two months’ rent. Móni actually moved into her new home around two weeks ago, and we’re delighted to report that she is doing really well.

The story doesn’t end there, however.

Móni has a roof over her head but doesn’t yet earn enough to pay her rent on her own. The plan is to get her social housing by the spring, but somehow we still need to cover her rent for four months.

We have never turned to our Budapest Expats community and asked for support with charitable donations, but we feel this is a worthy cause that helps at least one person get back to the kind of life we are so grateful for. Maybe then we can help another person, and another.

Help Móni for her better future

So how can you help? It’s simple: either transfer funds to ULE or click on the following link and make a donation. As little as 1,000 Ft could really help a young woman to stay safe and warm this winter.

Donations via Adjukössze:

https://adjukossze.hu/kampany/utcarol-lakasba-egyesulet-1096/tamogatom

‼️It is extremely important to write in the comment section “Albérleti támogatás” or “rental donation.” ‼️

To make a donation by bank transfer:

Account holder: Utcáról Lakásba! Egyesület

Magnet Bank, 16200151-18523939

IBAN: HU35 1620 0151 1852 3939 0000 0000

SWIFT/BIC: HBWEHUHB

On behalf of Móni, we thank you for any support you can spare. We’ll, of course, update you on the progress we make.