Unleashing the Potential of Key Relocation Trends: 7 Dynamic Innovations Transforming the Industry

The relocation industry is constantly evolving, adapting to the latest key relocation trends and innovations. With the growing globalization of businesses and the need for talent mobility, the demand for relocation services has increased.
In this article, we will delve into the seven most revolutionary key relocation trends that are optimizing the benefits for both businesses and employees.

1. Digital Transformation

The relocation industry is experiencing a digital transformation, with more companies turning to technology to streamline and automate their processes. From virtual tours of properties to online portals for expense management, technology is making it easier and more efficient for businesses and employees to manage relocations.

2. Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming a crucial aspect in the relocation industry. Companies are seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint and minimize their environmental impact during relocations, including reducing waste, using eco-friendly products, and opting for sustainable modes of transportation.

3. Employee Experience

Employee experience has become a critical factor in the relocation industry. Companies are searching for ways to make the relocation process as smooth and stress-free as possible for their employees, providing support for families, cultural training, and access to resources and support networks.

4. Virtual Relocations

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the trend towards virtual relocations, with companies and employees increasingly relying on technology to manage the relocation process from a distance. Virtual tours, online document management, and remote support services are becoming more prevalent in the industry.

5. Global Mobility Management

Global mobility management is becoming increasingly important for companies as they expand globally. They need to manage their talent mobility effectively, ensuring quick and efficient employee movement around the world.

6. Cultural Integration

Cultural integration is a crucial consideration in the relocation industry. Companies are seeking ways to help their employees and families integrate into their new environments and minimize the stress and challenges associated with relocation, including cultural training, support networks, and access to resources.

7. Data and Analytics

Data and analytics are playing a critical role in the relocation industry. Companies are using data to track and manage their relocation processes, understand the needs of their employees, and make informed decisions about their global mobility programs.

Key Relocation trends – in conclusion

In conclusion, the relocation industry is undergoing a revolutionary change, adapting to the latest key relocation trends and innovations. From digital transformation and sustainability to employee experience and virtual relocations, the industry is responding to the changing needs of businesses and employees. With technology and data at the forefront, businesses and employees can look forward to a more streamlined and efficient relocation experience in the future.

By keeping up with the latest developments and innovations in the industry, companies can ensure that they are providing their employees with the support and resources they need to succeed in their new environments. Whether it’s through virtual relocations, sustainability initiatives, or employee experience programs, companies must stay informed and be proactive in their approach to relocation.

As the world becomes more interconnected, the relocation industry will play an increasingly crucial role in helping companies and employees navigate the complexities of global mobility. The seven key relocation trends discussed in this article are just the tip of the iceberg, and businesses and employees alike should be aware of these advancements in order to maximize the benefits of relocation.

The key to success in the relocation industry is staying informed, being proactive, and working with trusted partners. By doing so, companies can ensure that they are maximizing the benefits of mobility for their employees and their businesses and staying ahead of the curve when it comes to key relocation trends.

Inter Relocation was named winner of the Cartus Global Network Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award

Inter Relocation is proud to announce that it was named winner of the Cartus Global Network Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award for its exceptional service results, the highest level of award a supplier can achieve through service performance.

This award recognizes a supplier’s measurable commitment to excellence and is presented to Global Network service providers who have distinguished themselves by achieving critical performance metrics. To achieve Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award, the partner must achieve an average overall satisfaction score exceeding 95% over a 12-month period.

Owner and Managing Director, Stuart McAlister commented

“I am extremely proud that this year not only have we shown such a consistently high level of service quality to warrant a Cartus Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award, but that for a second time we were nominated for the Cartus Masters Cup. We have dealt with an unprecedented level of business over the last twelve months, so to do so while maintaining such a high standard of quality is truly exceptional. I congratulate my entire team for this achievement.”

About Inter Relocation

Inter Relocation was founded in March 2002. It is a provider of relocation destination services and immigration compliance in Budapest, Hungary. The company was established with three full-time members of staff and has since grown to sixteen staff members.

In addition, in 2003 the international side of the company, called the Inter Relocation Group. From humble beginnings with the company offering relocation services in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Inter Relocation now boasts franchise group members in twenty-two countries across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Budapest office acts as the group headquarters.

The Inter Relocation Group has achieved Cartus’ highest award for customer service, the Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award five times already. This award was given for its exceptional service results, the highest level award a supplier can achieve through service performance. In addition, this award recognizes a supplier’s measurable commitment to excellence and is presented to Global Network service providers who have distinguished themselves by achieving critical performance metrics.

Inter Relocation is Nominated for a Prestigious Cartus Masters Cup Award

Inter Relocation is Nominated for a Prestigious Cartus Masters Cup Award at the 2022 Global Network Conference.

Highest Honour Bestowed by Cartus Global Network Will Recognize Winner’s Outstanding Service and Performance.

Inter Relocation has been named to the short list of finalists for Cartus Corporation’s Masters Cup Award at its 2022 Global Network Conference, to be held virtually from October 3-5, 2022. The Cartus Global Network is Cartus’ industry-leading worldwide service provider network.

Each year, the network comes together to collaborate on ways to improve and innovate service delivery to Cartus clients and their relocating employees. Exploring current global mobility “hot topics,” the conference provides attendees with take-home value and best practice recommendations. Cartus is welcoming its global supplier network, representing companies from 175 different countries to the event. which provides the network with the opportunity to celebrate the past year’s successes, recognizing companies and individuals that have truly gone above and beyond to provide exceptional service to Cartus customers.

This year’s theme is Leading The Way, Anywhere, which reflects the industry-leading partnerships and global scope the Cartus Global Network represents.

Cartus Masters Cup

Inter Relocation has been nominated for the Cartus Masters Cup in the category of Home-related Services. Presented annually to the highest-achieving Global Network members who have previously received top awards, the Cartus Masters Cup recognizes a service provider that has consistently achieved exceptional standards of quality.

Winners must demonstrate:

  • total commitment to service excellence
  • a truly collaborative approach when developing cost-effective and innovative approaches for Cartus clients
  • an outstanding performance and commitment—not only to Cartus’ vision and values, but also to its mission to deliver proactive, flexible solutions that meet the unique needs of its clients and their employees, every time.

“We are proud to have received a nomination for the Cartus Masters Cup, which recognizes the dedication and quality of service we have consistently demonstrated while supporting Cartus clients and relocating employees through the relocation process. The rigorous and exceptionally high-performance standard that Cartus keeps all its supplier partners to makes this nomination an even greater honour.”

– Stuart McAlister, Managing director

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About Cartus

For more than 60 years, Cartus has provided trusted guidance to organizations that require global relocation solutions. Providing the full spectrum of relocation services, including language and intercultural training, Cartus serves more than half of the Fortune 50 and has moved employees into and out of 185 countries. Cartus is part of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services.

About Inter Relocation

Inter Relocation was founded in March 2002. It is a provider of relocation destination services and immigration compliance in Budapest, Hungary. The company was established with three full-time members of staff and has since grown to its current staff of 16.

In addition, in 2003 the international side of the company, called the Inter Relocation Group. From humble beginnings with the company offering relocation services in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Inter Relocation now boasts franchise group members in 22 countries across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Budapest office acts as the group headquarters.

Should it stay or should it go now? The dilemma of what to ship when relocating

As expats we intermittently spend a large chunk of money, shipping stuff around the world. The dilemma of what we should leave behind and what should form part of our precious shipping volume, is fraught with complications.

As someone who has been on the Expat train for 19 years now and just experienced the arrival of our fourth shipping load a few days ago, I thought I’d share my thoughts on moving and the trials and tribulations of life before and after your shipping arrives. Are you actually happier with less, before it arrives, or after?

What goes

Our first move was back in 2003 from the UK to Kenya with our two young children aged 5 and 7. We imagined we would go for the duration of the two-year contract to enjoy more sunshine and a few safaris. We ended up staying there nine years. When we asked our new boss-to-be how we should decide what we should or should not bring, he had a fabulous answer.

The people who come to Kenya and stay, are those that bring enough stuff to make a home. Those who don’t make a home, leave. Easy then.

We brought as many of our belongings as we could to make all four of us feel at home when we got there, and anything we wouldn’t need in Kenya or couldn’t bring we sold or stuffed in the attic, to sort out later. Easier said than done. It was not a sellers’ market at the time and it was very difficult to sell anything and get vaguely close to what it was worth.

My wife had recently inherited, from her brother, a ginormous TV (not a flat screen, but the old-style big screen and body). Imagine a TV the size of a Smart car, but which weighs twice as much. Despite several conversations, which I came at from many different angles, I could not change my wife’s mind. That TV was ours, it was worth a lot of money, and was coming with us.

I have plenty of my own quirks. I refuse to be separated from my unicycle despite riding it maybe twice in the last 18 years! Saudi Arabia was too concrete for unicycling (I’m not very good). Hanoi in Vietnam was also too built up. Maybe there will be more grass and opportunity to get back into the saddle in Budapest and my circus skills can get back on track…

What stays?

Old stuff. Broken stuff. Anything you haven’t used or worn in the last two years (easier said than done). Anything you can pass on or sell and buy new again where you are going. Anything you won’t need in your next destination.

I handed on to a friend an amazing, but heavy, one-man tent come camp bed which had been brilliant when sleeping under the stars in the cold Arabian desert, and when I had a car to transport it, but would have been useless in Vietnam where our mode of transport became a moped. Leaving can be a great opportunity to give to people around you, who materialistically have less, and shed things which are no longer of use to you.

In Kenya, where people make a living out of caddying for golfers, it is almost unheard of for an expat to leave without donating his or her golf shoes, gear or clubs. These people become part of your life. The school security guard we gave our TV to, could not thank us enough, nor the teaching assistants loaded up with children’s clothes and toys. Moving countries is a fabulous opportunity to clear out and scale down.

A chance to halve your wardrobe. For me and this latest move it was a chance to get rid of those armpit-stained t-shirts, those boxer shorts where the elastic waist has long gone and those socks which are more hole than sock. We also managed to shed half of our books.

We haven’t bought in to the digital book arena yet. We love our books. My Ian Rankin and Stuart MacBride collections, the wildlife books, the favourites. When we eventually retire somewhere, we picture these books sitting on a shelf somewhere in a reading room, looking ordered, inviting and comforting.

Life before the shipping arrives

There’s something to be said about the simple non-materialistic life you lead before your shipping arrives. When you land in your new country with just the 23 kg in your suitcase, you have very simple wardrobe decisions to make each day. There’s a lot of washing up to do to make sure those two IKEA cups, plates and glasses are available again for their next use.

We arrived in Budapest at the beginning of August into a heatwave, so I had one warm top. A hoody. As September ended and temperatures started to drop, that hoody got a lot of use. If I was cold, I put the hoody on. No big decisions about which hoody, or whether to choose a jumper (and which jumper?) or a long sleeve t-shirt or a jacket of some sort… just find THE hoody and put it on. Simple. Luckily, I love that hoody.

Similarly simple in the kitchen. What can I cook in the two pots I have, while I wait for the casserole dishes, frying pans, wok and baking trays to arrive with our shipment? It turns out you can do everything. And after living with two mugs, two bowls, two plates, and two glasses for eight weeks, I ask myself if I really need all those mugs, wine glasses, cutlery and dishes I am unpacking.

What were the things I was really happy to see?

The three wooden giraffes from Kenya. They each have a story and remind us of the amazing adventures we had in our nine years in Africa. The two battered stone dogs from Hanoi. Stone dogs can be seen outside many houses in Hanoi where they are placed to scare away evil spirits. My Leeds United mug. Tea always tastes better in my Mr. Leeds United number one fan mug. My cruiser skateboard.

I can’t wait for a dry day to try it out along the banks of the Danube. My guitar. Did I need any of the other piles of stuff I’d just had shipped 8,063 km from Hanoi to Budapest? An extra hoody to replace the one I’d been wearing every cold day thus far. But the rest?

For my wife it was her father’s ashes in the pot her mum had made. And the giraffes and the stone dogs. The wooden table her best friend had given us as a wedding present. And the Maasai men candle sticks.

Life after the shipping arrived

Was my life really richer now that I had all my belongings? It was certainly more cluttered. More clothes, more shoes, more books, more DVDs, more knick-knacks from around the globe, more of our children’s artwork…but did this make my life richer and more fulfilling to have more of my stuff surrounding me? My initial reaction as more and more boxes appeared into the apartment was a foreboding sense of dread of having to pack it all up and move it all, again, someday, somewhere, further down the line.

But, in other ways, my life does feel richer. It makes the house more familiar, more like a home. It helps me appreciate the life we lead, the places we have been, and reiterates the point, that the most important items in our shipment are personal and sentimental.

When we were leaving Vietnam, and sorting out the shipping, the moving company guy kept mentioning insurance so if anything happened to our belongings, we could replace them for like for like. But we can’t. It’s not possible to replace a wooden giraffe you remember being the first, haggling for it on the beach in Mombasa on your first holiday out of Nairobi. Nor the vase your best man gave you on your wedding day, made in a famous pottery in St. Ives.

Much of the things we cart around the world have a personal, sentimental connection, are irreplaceable and make our new place in our new destination, a home. Wherever we move to in the world, to live and work, that is our home. We don’t have another in the UK left empty until the holidays. Where we live is home.

So, the things which are important to each of us, come with us. Each move brings a new opportunity to reassess what those important things are and to shed items on the periphery. I think we’re getting better at it, but I’ll let you know for sure the next time we move. And you can be assured that the unicycle will still make the cut.

By Byron Wood

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

Protective measures are prolonged until 19/04/2021

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We would like to give you a short update on the changes to the regulations relating to protective measures connected to the pandemic. The current regulations have been extended until 19.04.2021 and we expect though that this deadline will be further extended.

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 though observance of the below restrictions. Shops which 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 possible shortest 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.

Regulations introduced concerning business and economy related travels-Additions

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In our latest article titled Regulations introduced concerning business and economy related travels 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 purpose.

This list has been now extended with the following countries:

  • Azerbajian
  • Georgia
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kirgisistan
  • Uzbegistan
Currently the state of emergency is declarted 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

The regulations effective as of Monday, 8th March 2021 in Hungary

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

Please be aware, that previous regulations on protective measures remain in place. The new restrictions are in addition to those, for the periods outside of the curfew period (i.e. for the period 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 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 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, 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.

Stay 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 of 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, 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, 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.

What started out as curiosity to see what the process would be this year, rapidly developed into confusion and in some few 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 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