Tag Archive for: Covid-19 news

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.

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.

COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions in Hungary – What You Need to Know

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The latest key information about the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency in Hungary, including the new curfew regulation.

The Hungarian government has introduced a series of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Hungary to curb the spread of the virus. These measures affect daily life, work, and travel.

1. Curfew

  • Everybody is obliged to remain at their place of residence, stay or commercial accommodation from midnight to 5 a.m.

Exceptions:

  • performing work,
  • transferring to place of work,
  • transferring from work to place of residence/stay/accommodation
  • case of emergency threatening life, or threatening with harm to health or severe damages,
  • protection of life

2. Music events

  • Cultural events where music is performed or played as a main act and no pre-purchased seating tickets are required are banned. Presence at such events is banned.

3. Cultural events and venues, movie theatres, sporting events

Events not falling under the ban above may be held with restrictions such as:

  • only every third seat may be occupied, two seats must be left empty between each person
  • seats directly in front of and behind each other may not be occupied
  • 5 m distance must be held between people when seated, or during intermissions, at the venue of the event in general, and at restaurants/bars at the venue
  • Organizers of the event and the operators of the venues are responsible for enforcing the restrictions. They must ensure that those not complying with the restrictions are not participating in the event and leave the venue.
  • Museums, libraries, archives, public cultural institutions and venues, integrated cultural institutions can be visited, but visitors must keep 1.5 m distance. Operators of such venues are liable for visitors observing the restrictions and removing persons failing to do so.
  • Police monitors the application of the restrictions.
  • Breaches may be sanctioned by warning, fines between HUF 100,000 and HUF 1,000,000, closing the venue for a duration between 1 day and 1 year, in case of sporting events ordering closed door events for 1-10 occasions. Sanctions may be combined and can be imposed multiple times per day.
  • Police also monitors and sanctions the observance of mask mandates as per the relevant regulations.
  • Sanctions may not be imposed if the operator warns the trespassing persons to observe restrictions, who then refuses to oblige or leave, and the operator immediately reports to the police.
  • There is no appeal against fines imposed. Fines are to be paid within 15 days.

4. Public transport related regulations

  • Public transport companies in Budapest and main cities must draft plans for increasing transport density between 7 and 9 AM and 3 and 7 PM by 5th November 2020.
  • The plans are to be approved by the Government Office and must be implemented on the day of approval. Failure to provide a plan or to implement such results in fines of HUF 1M to 5M payable by the public transport company.

5. Free parking

  • No parking fees are payable for parking with vehicles in public areas or private roads open to the public.

6. Mask usage

Masks are now mandatory in pubs, bars, restaurants for both hosts and guests, with the following exceptions:

  • in outlets where food and drinks are also sold as a supplementary service, the mask may be taken off for the time of consuming food purchased there.
  • in cultural and sporting venues, if food and beverages are sold, then within the area designated for such sale, the mask may be taken off for the time of consuming food and beverages purchased there.
  • no masks are necessary while being seated at the table of the bar/pub/restaurant
  • if food and drinks are sold in a restaurant/bar/pub where these can also be consumed without being seated at a table, then the mask may be taken off for the time of consuming food purchased there, even if not seated at a table
  • people not observing the mask wearing regulations must be excluded from service and made to leave the restaurant/bar/pub by the operator of the venue

This not a new regulation, but please note that masks must be worn so that they continuously cover both the nose and mouth, and they should be surgical masks, work safety masks, or textile masks. Kerchiefs, bandanas, shawls are no longer sufficient and wearing them as a mask, or wearing proper masks the wrong way, constitutes a misdemeanour.

7. Fines for misdemeanours

  • Breach of the above pandemic protective restrictions shall be a misdemeanour and shall be fined with fines form HUF 5,000 up to HUF 500,000, or HUF 200,000 for on-site fines.

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.

Quarantine regulations in Hungary according to Act CIV of 2020

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

This article provides the latest information on the quarantine regulations in Hungary, including who must isolate, for how long, and under what conditions exceptions may apply.

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 the 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: [email protected]
or contact your local Inter Relocation consultant.

Latest update on Hungary entry regulations

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We would like to give you an update on the recent regulations valid for entering Hungary. The below is a summary of the Government Decrees 408/2020 and 407/2020.

As you can read about this in the media, border control is temporarily reinstated on all borders, the earlier introduced categorisation of countries by level of spread of Covid-19 infection is no longer applicable.

In this article, we share the latest developments on Hungary entry regulations, covering who is allowed to enter, under what conditions, and which restrictions remain in place.

Regulations are not applicable to:

  • Freight Transportation activities
  • Entry with official (not private) passports
  • Persons showing proof of having recovered from Covid-19 infection within 6 months

Non-Hungarian citizens may not enter Hungary, with the following exceptions.

Non-Hungarian citizens may request an exemption from the travel ban through the National Police HQ by filling an online form. Your Inter Relocation consultant can assist with this process.

Non-Hungarian citizens who meet the below criteria or who hold the below mentioned residence documents are treated as Hungarian citizens:

  1. Persons with permanent residence cards (ÁTK, állandó tartózkodási kártya)
  2. Persons holding a residence permit entitling them to stay more than 90 days

NOTE: it is not specifically written in the law, but as per our understanding and as per the police portal, holders of a granted D visa are allowed to enter, too:

„persons holding a valid residence permit issued by the aliens policing authority allowing for the residence in Hungary for a duration exceeding 90 days and presents this document upon entry (“D” type visa is equivalent);”

However the website of the police also mentions that at the time of the border control the officer has the right to request proofs of the D visa, based on what it was issued (accommodation, insurance, financial background, purpose of stay)

Source 1

Source 2

  1. EU/EEA citizens holding a registration and an address card
  2. Athletes, sports experts, sports associations’ delegated/assigned persons returning from foreign sporting events.

Hungarian citizens and their non-Hungarian citizen relatives may enter Hungary, considering the following:

  • If a medical examination shows the possibility of a Covid-19 infection, the person is placed in official home quarantine for 14 days.
  • One may prematurely exit quarantine (with the permission of the epidemic authority) if two negative Covid-19 tests within 5 days, with a difference of at least 48 hours are presented. If the first of the two tests was made in Canada, USA or one of the Schengen countries, it is also accepted; though the certificate has to be issued either in English or Hungarian

The business travel exemption is no longer limited to travels of employees and chief officers of joint venture companies having interests in both Hungary and abroad. The regulations now also allow Hungarian citizens returning to Hungary from a business trip, and non-Hungarian citizens arriving to Hungary for business reasons to enter without limitations (that is, without quarantine, testing requirements, or a total ban on entry). Such persons have to carry proof of their purpose of entry. Should any doubt arise about the validity of such proof, the general limitations shall apply.

Commuting is allowed within 30 km distance of the border, one may enter Hungary for a 24 hour period.

Transiting can be arranged as follows: one may transit Hungary within 24 hours via designated routes and may only stop at designated resting points.

There are special regulations for military convoys.

As of 5th of September a new exception is included in the regulations:

employees of Hungarian cultural institutions returning from cultural events abroad where they participated as performers or technical personnel are treated as Hungarian citizens.

Special regulations for sporting and cultural events:

  • participants of sporting events organised in Hungary (excluding spectators), persons personally invited to such events by the organisers in writing, competitors holding a competition permit, sports professionals, persons participating in the implementation of the sporting event, performers and technical personnel of cultural events organised in Hungary are allowed to enter if they present two negative Covid tests (within 5 days with 48 hour difference, or a test not older than 3 days)
  • spectators of sporting events and cultural events organised in Hungary are allowed to enter if they present a negative Covid test not older than 3 days and the valid tickets for the given event. and they may be obliged to subject themselves to medical examination. They may not enter if they show symptoms of the Covid-19 disease, or they fail to present valid tickets for the event, or the validity of the presented tickets is doubtful. They have to leave Hungary within 72 hours.

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.

Important information on travelling to Hungary

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Important information about  the details of the regulation (81/2020), which is now in place as of today and is related to travel to Hungary. 

This article provides important information on travelling to Hungary, including who is currently allowed to enter, under what conditions, and what documents are needed.

Citizens of the below-listed countries are allowed to travel here expressly for business reasons:

  1. Czech Republic
  2. Poland
  3. South Korea
  4. Federal Republic of Germany
  5. Republic of Austria
  6. Slovak Republic
  7. Japan

At the time of entry, one needs to prove that the sending company and the receiving company are connected companies based on law 1996. LXXXI 4. § 23.

Based on the information received from the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, assuming the citizens of the above-mentioned countries are able to successfully enter Hungary and have the relevant documentation, they can start their residence document applications via the portal of the authority too.

Travel to Hungary is also allowed for those EU/EEA citizens who are entitled to permanently reside here and hold a permanent residence card. EU/EEA citizens who do not hold a permanent residence card and non-EU citizens who hold a residence permit or permanent residence permit may make a special request to re-enter Hungary via an online portal provided by the Hungarian police. It is our understanding that for EU/EEA citizens such requests are generally accepted.

Here is a link to the portal (it’s in Hungarian only):

https://ugyintezes.police.hu/en/uj-ugy-inditasa/

On the site, the option “Államhatáron történő beutazáshoz méltányossági kérelem” category needs to be selected,without registering. Inter Relocation is happy to assist with making such an application. Contact us for more information.

Special personal conditions that can be considered for entry, in case the applicant can justify them:

  1. a) the need to attend court in Hungary by providing official documentation
  2. b) the need for business travel, justified by an invitation letter issued by a state institution
  3. c) the need to enter Hungary for medical treatment
  4. d) the need to sit a school exam connected to active student status and this being justified by the educational institute
  5. e) the need to travel connected with transportation, to enable the person to get to the starting point of the transportation task or to return home, this being proven by an employer certificate
  6.  f ) the need to attend a funeral of a close family member
  7.  g) other

Supporting documents need to be attached to the request.

IMPORTANT:

Currently we have no experience of how exactly this will work (what documentation is requested to justify connected companies). We also understand that in the event that a person arrives at the border with insufficient paperwork, they may still be allowed entry into the country but subject to a compulsory 14-day quarantine.

As soon as we receive further information on this, we will notify you. We also suggest that before any citizen travels to Hungary, they contact their own border authority, to check if there are currently any restrictions on returning to their home country.

Summary

The key point is that citizens of the above-listed countries can now travel to Hungary. If they can provide information proving the connection between their home country company and the company they are going to work at in Hungary, they should be allowed in without the need for any quarantine. We can then carry out any destination and immigration services that are ordered.