Quarantine regulations in Hungary according to Act CIV of 2020

Here are the latest key information about the Quarantine regulations according to Act CIV of 2020.

Key points

• Travel and entry restrictions and exceptions are unchanged.
• For those who fall under a quarantine regulation, quarantine is automatic, no further decree is required. All details are communicated by the border guard.
• The person entering at the time of entry has to designate a “quarantine flat” where they would spend the time of the quarantine, and they must occupy the quarantine flat immediately after entry and stay there for the time of the quarantine, at the same time marking the apartment with the notice received at the border.
• Quarantine time remains 10 days.
• The installation of the quarantine application on a mobile device is practically obligatory (unless the person does not have a mobile device or is not suitable)
• Penalties for quarantine breach can be up to HUF 150,000, or HUF 600,000 in case of multiple breaches.
• If someone wants to have themselves tested under the quarantine, they need to get an appointment for the test and send an electronic request to police, who will allow leaving the quarantine for the test. If the necessary tests are negative, it has to be reported to the police electronically, who will raise the quarantine by acknowledging the tests results.

Detailed regulations

• Applicable under the period of pandemic alert.
• If the relevant government decree requires an official home quarantine obligation for persons entering the country, there is no special administrative procedure required
• The border guard informs the person entering about the quarantine obligation, the duration of the quarantine
• The place of the quarantine is according to the choice of the person entering, the “quarantine apartment”, which may not be a healthcare institution
• The exact address of the quarantine apartment must be provided to the border guard
• The person quarantined must immediately transfer to the quarantine apartment, the journey may only be interrupted due to health, technical or public transport schedule reasons.
• The quarantined person must occupy the quarantine apartment without delay and must post the received notice visibly on the entrance.
• If the quarantined person has a suitable device, he/she must install the quarantine app on their device upon arrival at the quarantine apartment and use it during the official home quarantine. It may be removed from the device following the expiration of the quarantine.
• Personal data and availabilities of the person entering the country and falling under a quarantine obligation are recorded by the border guard upon entry.
• The person entering the country may provide their data and the address of the quarantine apartment electronically through the official web page of the Police 24 hours prior to entry.
• Upon entry, data are compared with passport, and transferred to the local police HQ of the quarantine apartment.

The quarantined person may only leave the quarantine apartment

1. with the acknowledgement of the local police HQ for a request for testing (see below)
2. on the orders of a doctor
3. in case of an illness, escorted by emergency medical personnel
4. in a life-threatening situation or a situation that threatens with serious damage
5. if permitted by government decree

• If the quarantined person identifies symptoms of the quarantine specific illness on themselves, they shall report at their own family doctor or the local family doctor by phone.
• If the relevant government decree allows for a waiver from a quarantine and the quarantined person has an appointment with a healthcare institution for testing, 24 hours prior to the examination the quarantined person can report it electronically to the local police HQ, which is acknowledged electronically by the police. The quarantined person may then leave the apartment to visit the healthcare institution, travelling there and back without interruptions.
• If the result of the test should make the person exempt from quarantine based on the relevant government decree, the quarantined person may send the test result electronically to the local police HQ, which is then electronically acknowledged by the police.
• Compliance with the above obligations is controlled by police. Police may enter the quarantine apartment if it is necessary for controlling the quarantine. A breach of the above obligations can be penalised with fines from HUF 5,000 up to 150,000. If breaches occur multiple times on the same day, the fine can be imposed multiple times, up to HUF 600,000 per day. There is no appeal against the decree imposing the fine.

If a quarantine is ordered by the government healthcare agency, the following regulations are applicable:

• installation of the quarantine app
• the exemptions from the ban on leaving the quarantine apartment,
• electronic reporting of test appointment and visiting test site,
• police control of the quarantine and fines
• Decrees regarding quarantine obligations are immediately executable and can be validly communicated orally or in an electronic format that is not considered as a written form.
• There is no appeal against quarantine decrees. If a person concerned by the decision so requests, the oral decision must be set in writing, and the written decision can be challenged at court at the Tribunal of Budapest Capital.

For further information please, contact us at the following
Phone number: +36 1 278 5680
Email address: info@interrelo.com
or contact your local Inter Relocation consultant.