Tag Archive for: settling in Hungary

How can expatriates living in Budapest find foreign language education institutions? How can you find your way around the Budapest (public) transport system? And where can you meet other foreigners living and working in Budapest? Our recently updated Welcome to Our World guide is here to help. It introduces Budapest and the peculiarities of Hungarian living from the perspective of expats.

Foreigners flock to Budapest not only for sightseeing trips, they often settle down for longer periods as well. Choosing and arranging the right place to live, organising medical treatment, education, as well as acquiring the necessary permits can present serious difficulties for expats, and there is no guarantee that information pieced together from several sources on the internet will be of great help.

A new English-language guide for expatriates

This English-language guide published by Inter Relocation, a leading relocation firm, is intended to make your integration easier. Here you can find comprehensive information to ease the stress of organising your stay and everyday living in Hungary. This guide will assist you in finding apartments, understanding lease contracts, and the specific rules of parking, public transport, the healthcare system as well as financial and education services. It provides advice for shopping, social and business networking and filling your free time with useful leisure activities. It also provides an insight into the history and sights of Budapest, while describing the districts of the city from the perspective of epxat residents.

Your Ultimate Free Guide to Hungary

“From exploring schools to finding the right doctors”

“We receive most questions about real estate, since it is really hard to find a good deal that represents value for money when you are looking to rent, especially in such an oversaturated market. Even though we are not able to find city centre houses with gardens and pools either, our advisers do their best to find the ideal solution in the client’s interest.

Relocation services, however, cover a wide range of aspects of the arrival process, from exploring schools to finding the right doctors speaking the right languages, and locating electricians, if required. We have handled a huge number of questions over a period of more than fifteen years now, and we have used them to compile this guide to provide a comprehensive picture of life in Hungary for workers of SMEs and large corporations moving here.” – says Stuart McAlister, founder and manager of Inter Relocation.

You can download the guide from HERE, but Inter Relocation clients receive a printed copy too. Expatriates living in Budapest can find a wealth of useful information in our magazine at EXPAT PRESS, and in the Budapest Expats Group on Facebook that is open to everyone.

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About Inter Relocation: Founded in Budapest in 2002, Inter Relocation has in the last 17 years become a significant player on the market, and its partner offices in 25 countries help expats settle down. It is the only company in Hungary to have the Quality Seal of EuRA (international organisation for relocation service providers), and in Hungary alone it has so far helped 25,000 people settle into life in Budapest.

As we shared with you last year, Inter Relocation’s owner was once an aspiring musician; so when new Budapest-based band Tuesday Night Rodeo, contacted him to talk about corporate sponsorship, they received a friendly reception. Inter Relocation has taken the decision to continue this fruitful cooperation throughout 2017.

We talked to lead singer Terry Etheridge and Inter Relocation’s owner, Stuart McAlister about their cooperation, music and how Tuesday Night Rodeo has moved on since the last time we spoke to them.

Budapest’s Newest Expat Rock God - Tuesday Night Rodeo

Although Tuesday Night Rodeo was formed just last year, you’ve already achieved great success. Could you summarize the major milestones thus far?

Terry: Every new band wishes and hopes for airplay and a label deal, Tuesday Night Rodeo managed to secure a label deal and release within the first year, soon after RadioRock in Hungary gave us our first airplay, and to achieve daily rotation was a big wow for us!

Stuart, was it even a question for Inter Relocation to continue sponsoring the band?

Stuart: Honestly, yes. Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy involves different elements and whenever we support a cultural project there must be real value in the support we give. Tuesday Night Rodeo is a great example of cross-cultural cooperation, a group of Hungarian musicians with a Brit on lead vocals and guitar, playing ostensibly American music. This is what attracted us to the project, a truly international blend of nationalities and musical backgrounds, coming together in Hungary to play yet another style of music. 

You have musical background, mostly pop and funk. Why a country-rock band?

Stuart: I’ve known Terry as well as Joey from Paddy and the Rats for several years and when I heard about this new musical direction that they were taking together, I was very excited. Country rock isn’t a genre that has featured much in my life but artists like Sting have dabbled with country music and knowing Terry the way I do, I knew that the songs they write will be a little different from what I might typically expect country rock to mean. I was not disappointed!

How exactly did this cooperation start? Sure there is a bit more insider information.

Stuart: Well, inevitably, it started in the Caledonia Pub. Terry and I had had a casual conversation about this new band project over a beer and then he contacted me formally to express that the band was looking for founder sponsors. We explored the cooperation together and it made sense for me both from a CSR and business perspective. I’ll hand over to Terry to give you his side of the story. 🙂

Terry: Indeed, it did all start over a beer, or was that two? I’d known Stuart for several years and also knew he was a fellow musician. When the idea of sponsorship came up Stuart/Inter-relocation were obvious potential partners.  Stuart’s business has been built supporting the local community and newcomers to Hungary. We chatted about the possibilities and soon realised the mutual benefits. Tuesday Night Rodeo are very proud to work in partnership with Inter Relocation.

What has changed in the band’s life since we last spoke to you? Are there any new or unique directions TNR is taking?

Terry: Joey and I have already started writing the next Tuesday Night Rodeo album. There will be focus on writing more up tempo material. Joey also just had the good fortune to record the new Paddy & The Rats album with an American producer Cameron Webb, who has produced the likes of Sum41 and Motorhead. We are already applying some of the guitar recording techniques Joey learnt to the demos for the new artist that Joey and I are managing and writing for, AGGI.  So expect the new album to be a much bigger sound.

What is the biggest success in the band’s life to date?

Terry: Obviously such a fast album release, but now we are gaining airplay abroad too. The Album has been picked up by several country radio stations in the States and in the UK.

Your YouTube channel is pretty successful. There are comments like “I’m really digging this!”, “Very unique sound and vocal style!” and “I’m impressed!” What makes the band unique?

Terry: The band members all come from very different musical backgrounds, we didn’t take a look at the ‘Rule book for writing Country songs’. We wrote what we felt would make a new fresh approach to country, and then hung on to our hats.  Being from London and living here in Budapest it seems that we can re-write the rule book, It’s almost expected. I’m not sure that would be the same for an American band.

Who are the current members of the band?

Terry: Myself, Joey & Sam from Paddy and the Rats, Stephen and our newest addition is bass-man Danny Cser who joined us just in time for the Inter Relocation birthday party back in March.

Summer is a big outdoor concert season. Where will we have the chance to see TNR?

Terry: We are still working on dates at the moment….   You will be the first to know

What’s the next big step for the band?

Terry: The next album. We plan to add songs from that in to the set early to make our live performance more “up”. There are also plans for a new video release, but again, it’s still in the planning stage.

In the first installment of this guide to renting an apartment in Budapest we looked at the process of actually finding the right property and ensuring that the legal and immigration aspects have been properly covered.

Failure may cause problems at the immigration office

Now we’ll look at the terms and conditions you need to ensure are included in your lease contract:

First of all the contract must state the right of all users of the property to live there. The contract must state “and family” or mention those family members by name as users of the property. Failure to do so may cause problems later at the immigration office.

Renting an apartment in Budapest: key contract clauses

There are then key contract clauses that you should ensure are included:

1. The security deposit should be refundable and would typically be an amount of one or two months’ rent.

2. In Hungary the tenant is not expected to return the property to the landlord in the condition it was given. The law allows that normal wear and tear during a lease is acceptable and not recoverable from the security deposit. The definition of what constitutes “normal wear and tear” is quite broad, however, and disputes can easily arise when it comes to handing back the property.

Guide ti renting an apartment in Budapest

3. It’s important to have a clause which states that should anything go wrong with the property it be fixed within seven calendar days. For critical losses of service such as power, water supply, heating, etc. to be addressed within 24 hours of notification by the tenant.

4. If the tenant has relocated to Budapest for work, it’s important to add in what’s called a diplomatic clause to the contract. This allows the tenant to break the terms of the lease at one month’s notice in the event that his or her position in Hungary is terminated and they can provide proof to that end. The pain of losing your job should not be compounded by having to pay rent on a property you no longer live in.

Housing law tends to favour the tenant

The Hungarian housing law (lakástörvény) actually tends to favour the tenant, and any contract clause that contradicts the law is considered invalid. The key of course in all such contracts is to reach an agreement that ultimately avoids the need for resolution via the courts.

Finally, before moving into your new home it’s vital to document the condition of the property to avoid any misunderstandings later. Most tenants accept some small fault or imperfection when they move into a property, and to avoid being charged to fix that fault at the end of the lease it’s important to write some kind of handover protocol, and ideally to have it witnessed when both landlord and tenant sign it.

Ideally you should also take photographs of every room and specifically of anything that isn’t perfect when you move in.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE HUNGARY GUIDE NOW

To learn more, please contact us on [email protected] or call +36 1 278 5680

For new arrivals in Budapest, finding an apartment at the right price with the right legal conditions can be a real challenge. Read our guide to renting an apartment in Budapest.

Finding a landlord who will respect the terms of the lease agreement you’ll sign further adds to this challenge.

There are plenty of real estate agents, management companies and even English-speaking owners advertising properties for an expatriate audience. There is also an increasing number of Facebook groups for Budapest where private owners and companies alike advertise their wares. Accessing the market is not an issue.

Using many different sources to find a new home can make the search process more complex. Conversely, shopping around or renting privately direct from an owner can help make the most of a tenants budget. There are pitfalls, however.

How to rent an apartment in Budapest: prices can suddenly rise

The internet can teach you a fair market price but note that most prices quoted online assume you’ll pay cash. If you ask for an invoice you might find that the original price suddenly rises by up to 40 percent. Similar increases may happen if you mention that your lease contract will be needed for your residence permit application.

Guide to renting an apartment in Budapest

Rental income is taxable in Hungary. So if your landlord wants a cash deal or is not too keen on letting you register yourself in his home, it’s safe to assume he has something to hide from the taxman. However, you don’t encounter these landlord-related issues, there are still some potential issues when it comes to the immigration stuff.

Read part two of this guide here.

Expert guide to renting an apartment in Budapest: prove or move

One example is that at the immigration office you may be asked to provide a land registry document (tulajdonilap). This is to prove that the person you’re renting from is indeed the owner, and that there aren’t multiple owners.

Any owner has the right to throw you out into the street because they didn’t sign up to you living there.

Another example is that the apartment has not yet been registered with the state database of properties, a legal requirement before a person can be registered at that address. This is typical for new build properties.

An easy way to test this is to ask the landlord to confirm if anyone has had an address card (lakcímkártya) issued for that apartment and, if so, to show you a copy.

In the next instalment we’ll look at the key contract clauses you should always make sure you have in your lease and what power you have if the landlord isn’t doing what was agreed.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE HUNGARY GUIDE NOW

To learn more, please contact us on [email protected] or call +36 1 278 5680.
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The life of a successful musician is one many aspire to. The live performances, days in the studio, the groupies, who wouldn’t like to have that life?

Believe it or not, Inter Relocation’s company owner used to be an aspiring musician himself; so when new Budapest-based band Tuesday Night Rodeo contacted him to talk about possible corporate sponsorship, they got a friendly reception.

We’re delighted to announce that Inter Relocation is one of the founder sponsors of Tuesday Night Rodeo, a country-rock band closely related to the well-known Irish-Hungarian band, Paddy and the Rats. We talked to the expat guitarist with Tuesday Night Rodeo, Terry Etheridge. He has had an amazing musical career in his own right and his story really does read like a wild rodeo ride.

Budapest’s Newest Expat Rock God - Tuesday Night Rodeo

How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

In no particular order:

  • Active
  • Quirky
  • Productive
  • Positive
  • Outgoing

How did your career begin?

That fated day, back when I was a kid watching ‘Top of the Pops’.

Suddenly Marc Bolan and T-Rex appeared on screen, (for those who don’t know Marc Bolan, he  ‘invented’ Glam Rock, a road that David Bowie was too soon follow and start his career).

Earlier my father had asked what I wanted for Christmas, it was easy, “I want a guitar, I want to be like him”. My father agreed, but assured me it would be a “5 minute wonder”.  I do remind him on occasion, just how long that 5 minutes has been!

You lived in plenty of places, including Japan. Which is your favourite part of the world?

Favourite has to be here in Budapest, otherwise I wouldn’t have settled here. She’s a beautiful city with the charm of a town. I still have so many places I wish to see, I adore the Far East.

What was the reason you came to Hungary?

I tripped over Budapest via a friend who was spending sometime here. Came first for a weekend, then another and another; as my love affair with the city grew I started to learn more about Hungary too. Now, I wouldn’t swap her for anything.

Who inspired you the most, who were your role-models in your life?

Mum & Dad are, of course, my role models. Inspiration? Anyone who crafts what they do well, it’s not about success, but about having the passion to love what you do.

What was your biggest success in your personal life?

I have played with some great artists, been involved in big projects, hit the charts in the UK and Japan, but my greatest success is still being here today wanting to make music.

I’ve seen failure too and seen fantastic musicians give up because it wasn’t working out for them, I wasn’t ever going to let the failures outweigh the success.

Why did you choose music as your profession?

I have done other things in my time, but they have all been based in and around entertainment. I think, if possible, you should love what you do.

How did Tuesday Night Rodeo start?

It all started with a bunch of great musician friends sitting down for a beer. At some point in the evening someone suggested that, as we had never played together, we should one day book a rehearsal studio and jam, just for some fun.

A shout went up about ‘doing something different’ and another replied ‘what about Country Rock?’  It was agreed.

Interestingly, that rehearsal never happened, instead we started writing and recording.

A follow up meeting was arranged to name the band at The Caledonia Pub and Patrick, the owner, kindly decided to sponsor the meeting with a bottle (that became 2) of Jack Daniels. The word RODEO kept coming back across the table… by the end of the last glass, it was agreed to put TUESDAY NIGHT in front of RODEO…  basically because, it was late, we’d had too much to drink and its was a Tuesday evening.

Budapest’s Newest Expat Rock God - Tuesday Night Rodeo

Will you introduce your fellow band members?

The Band consists of 2 members of PADDY & THE RATS. Sam on Fiddle and Banjo and Joey, who is my song writing partner in TUESDAY NIGHT RODEO, on guitar. PADDY & THE RATS are currently on a European Tour supporting the American band IGNITE.

They are playing to major crowds (2000+) here in Budapest and are the most downloaded/viewed Hungarian band outside of Hungary.

Steve is the drummer, he is well known on the music circuit and amongst Hungarian musicians. Steve does a lot of sessions as well as playing in Guns n’ Roses tribute band.

What were the most significant life-events in your career?

That has to be releasing my first single, which was in Japan.

As a young musician you believe you are the best thing since sliced bread.

In the run up to that release, under the direction of my then management and record label, came the realisation that this is a job, it involves a lot of hard work and absolute dedication.

There are thousands of amazing artists out there; some of whom will or have gone onto do great things. You have to have self-belief, but respect for what else is out there.

What do you do to switch off?

Now that’s an interesting question, believe it not, there’s no greater way for me to relax than by picking up a guitar. Somehow I manage to separate the work from the hobby.

What’s your biggest goal?

To keep making music!

 

Welcome to Hungary.

You may need help from the experts to help you chart a seamless move to Hungary. Inter Relocation has a team of professional, knowledgeable and friendly consultants with vast experience in all aspects of moving to Hungary.

Whether you’re looking for a home in Budapest, deliberating over a healthcare plan or eager to become acquainted with your new local transportation system, our team is here to help you transition as smoothly as possible.

The “Welcome to Our World” Hungary Guide is brimming with all the
no-nonsense information you will need. Can I still use my current driver’s license? Which district should I move to? Packed with nearly 100 pages of useful and insightful facts and tips, no other resource contains as much detailed advice about moving to and settling in Hungary.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY HERE

When the time comes to retire will you be ready to live in the same country in which you have always lived? Can you afford your house payments on just your retirement income?

by Gary Lukatch

How about renting an apartment in the middle of town? Payments, upkeep and maintenance on your car(s)? Food, utilities, entertainment? As costs increase, your fixed retirement income may not be enough to keep up with all the changes.

But there are still places in the world where your retirement money will stretch further than at home. Today I’ll tell you about one of them: Hungary. To be specific, Budapest, Hungary. I moved here in 1999 to teach English as a foreign language, with retirement in mind. Prices for everything were super cheap back then; people who lived in Vienna even came to Budapest to shop.

Well, things never stay the same. Over the years prices have, of course, risen, although not as much as you’d think. Hungary is no longer dirt-cheap. But Budapest is still good value for people who want to have a high standard of living for less. Retirees moving to Budapest from a similarly-sized city in Western Europe or North America can easily cut their expenses in half. And the rest of the country costs even less.

Estimates of how many expatriates live here range from 30,000 to 50,000; in fact, there are enough “expats” in Budapest to support business newspapers and magazines in English. So you won’t be all alone if you choose to move here.

I was earning more than 13 million forints (in 1999 Hungarian money – HUF, or forints) annual gross in the United States, working in the financial industry. It was always steady, reliable work, but not the best-paid industry available. When I moved to Budapest and began teaching English, my monthly net earnings after one year were around 135,000 forints per month. Then increasing to around 338,000 forints per month after five years. I took a huge initial pay cut, but I was one-thousand percent happier. Why? Read on.

Why Retire to Hungary?

After teaching English in Budapest for eight years, I retired and I still live a much better life than I could in the US with comparable spending. The cost of monthly house payments, plus car expenses, would be more than my monthly retirement income, which is around 475,000 HUF net. Here in Budapest, my monthly flat rental, plus utilities, averages around 80,000 HUF ($400 US), in the city centre.

Budapest’s public transportation system is excellent, so I don’t need a car; in fact, I haven’t even driven a car since 1999. I eat out several times a week and I still have enough money to travel wherever and whenever I want. I have now been to 58 countries, and I still take around five or six trips each year.

I’ve watched life in Budapest get easier and easier as the years have gone by. This has been partly through my personal adjustments, and partly because the level of English fluency locally has gotten steadily better.

For a step-by-step guide on how to prepare for retirement in Hungary click here!

Hungary joined the European Union in 2004, but the country still uses the Forint, which is a volatile currency. Prices quoted here are now based on 280 forints to the dollar, but I’ve seen it as low as 148 and as high as 300. So check the current rate before cursing my name because prices have changed.

The countryside of Hungary is still quite cheap, but few expats live in the rural areas unless they’re in the wine industry. Most choose to live in Budapest, around Lake Balaton, or in one of the smaller cities like Egér or Pécs.

Hungary got hit hard in the European economic crisis like many other nations on the continent, but has recovered faster. The official unemployment rate was 8% in mid-2014, which looks downright glorious compared to Italy, Spain, Greece, or Portugal. Hungary feels like a nation on the rise and young people are displaying something not seen much in the past couple hundred years of Hungary’s history: optimism.

Housing Costs in Hungary

The residents of Hungary figure their rent costs in hundreds, not thousands, of dollars. You won’t find many single people or couples paying more than $1,200 (about 270,000 HUF per month), even in the capital. When you get into smaller towns, you can get a house for that. In fact, most locals pay between $200 and $500 a month rent for an apartment, not including utility charges. In the southern wine region, there are houses with a nice garden going for the same monthly rental.

I know an expat from New Zealand working for a winery by Lake Balaton, who was paying $210 (47,250 HUF) a month for his two-bedroom apartment with a lake-view balcony. I pay just under $300 for my apartment in District 5, one of the most desirable and central areas of the city. If you decide to buy something eventually, which you can do freely as a foreigner, a typical apartment in Budapest will cost around 80 million HUF, dependent on size and location.

Health Care Costs

In Hungary, medical care is good, dental care is great. With the rise of cross-border medical treatment happening in many places in the world, Hungary has jumped on the trend with both feet. Many residents of the UK and Ireland come here to have dental work done or to receive good medical care at a discount. I

n addition to standard dental care over the years, I had to have dental implants a few years ago. While in the US, I would have had to pay several thousand dollars; in Budapest, the charge for two implants was just over $800.

Getting a cleaning and check-up at the dentist is around $40; getting a set of x-rays is about that much again.

Food & Drink

Two people can usually have a good cloth-napkin dinner with wine for around $50. If you eat at more humble places, a soup will be a dollar or two and main dishes range from $3 to $7. When you shop in the market, prices are at the low end for Europe. You can get rolls for 10-25 cents each or a huge baguette for a dollar or less. Get 100 grams (around 1/5 of a pound) of good cheese for a dollar, 100 grams of good local sausage for $2, and a jar of pickled veggies for another dollar or so.

For a dollar or less, you can generally buy 100 grams of any of the following items in the market: raisins, peanuts, sunflower seeds, banana chips, or dried apricots. Or you can get a kilo of seasonal fruit or peppers, cabbage, potatoes, radishes, or carrots. A big bunch of white asparagus runs about a dollar. A family of four would probably spend $120-$160 a week on groceries, not including wine.

Hungarian wine

Hungarian wine should be known around the world, but the Soviet occupation days seriously hurt its reputation, so for now it’s some of the best value in the world. You can find a nice drinkable table wine bottle in a store for $4, something quite good for $6 to $8. If you spend over $12 you might end up with something from a “winemaker of the year” who has adorned Hungarian magazine covers.

As Hungary was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, you can get a killer coffee and pastry here just as you can in Vienna – but for one third of the price. After you do a double-take at your low bill in a wine bar, finish with a coffee and dessert for another nice surprise.

Transportation Costs

Getting around Hungary is relatively cheap by bus or train when you want to get out of town. Figure on $10-$12 for a trip of two hours, or $30 to go as far as you can possibly go within Hungary. Seniors and young children travel free. The longest ride on the suburban railway out of Budapest (30 kilometers) is just $2.50.

Budapest has a fantastic metro and while it’s no real bargain on a ride-by-ride basis (around $1.40 per ride), a monthly pass that also works for the trams and buses is a good value at around $35. If you’re of retirement age, you might squeak by for free and EU citizens over the age of 65 can legally travel on the entire public transport system, free of charge.

Apart from the ride from the airport, taxis in Hungary are a bargain. In general you can get around the center of Budapest in a cab for $3 to $7. It’s around $1.80 to start and $1 for each kilometer, so it’s hard to spend $10 anywhere unless it’s a long haul. Like much of Europe, this country is set up well for those on a bicycle and some expatriates use a bike as their main means of transport.

In Budapest there are lots of dedicated bike lanes and the city recently introduced the new city bikes, a pay-and-ride bicycle system used successfully in other European capitals. In the countryside there’s not nearly such an abundance of cars as you see in the capital.

Frequent promotions on the train system and Eurolines bus make international travel from here a bargain. If you plan ahead you can get to Vienna for less than $20 or to beach locations of Greece, Bulgaria, or Croatia for around $60.

Other Costs

If you pay your own utilities they can vary greatly by the season. My utilities are a good example, going from $30 in summer to $60 a month in winter. My place is not the best insulated in town, so I pay more in the winter for heat. In the summer, utilities are much lower.

Internet plus television cable service is $15 to $30 per month depending on speed and if you want a great connection, you can usually get it in the cities. The lowest-priced speed is generally 5 mbps, which is fine for a lot of people.

The land of Liszt and Bartok has an abundance of cultural performances going on at all times, from high-brow opera in the capital to an annual festival of wine songs in the south each year. Performances that aren’t free are very cheap by European standards.

The theatre is amazing here; the cost of going to a ballet or opera can nearly bankrupt you in Australia or New York City; here it’s for everyone. Tickets usually start at $5. If you buy really great seats on a weekend for a popular show it might cost you all of $25.

For more information on English language theatre in Budapest click here!

Visas in Hungary

Hungary is part of the Schengen Agreement covering much of the European Union. This means you can’t just stick around here on a tourist visa. You get three months upon entering the zone, but after that you have to leave the whole Schengen area for three months before returning.

No problem if you’re only coming for the summer; terrible if you want to settle down for longer. To get residency without being tied to a specific employer, you generally have to show you’re doing work a local can’t do, like teaching English. Or you have to show that you’re self-supported by income from abroad e.g. a retirement pension.

You can find a link to your embassy at the following site: http://www.kulugyminiszterium.hu/dtwebe/Irodak.aspx Check out your embassy website to see a sample of costs and documents needed and to be warned in case of changing requirements.

A work visa is good for a 3 years and renewable. Expect to endure a lot of bureaucracy and if you don’t have a college diploma, it’s going to be even tougher. You theoretically have to apply in your own country and will then have 30 days after entering Hungary to get the local paperwork sorted out.

If you’re interested in knowing more about the process of gaining legal residence in Hungary as a retiree, please contact Stuart McAlister from Inter Relocation at [email protected].

Most people who want to stick around either get a work permit connected to a specific job and company, or a residence permit that’s not tied to one employer.  If you wish to gain permanent residence, you can apply after being in the country for five years. This costs money for a lawyer and requires a lot of additional paperwork.

Most of the items need to be translated into Hungarian as well, plus you have to show proof of health insurance or buy into the Hungarian health care plan. If you have Hungarian blood, you may have an advantage, but gaining citizenship will still require extensive paperwork and a workable knowledge of the Hungarian language.

Hungarian Language

Hungarian is an especially tough language to crack, but you’ll often need at least some basics when you get outside the capital. Many courses are offered through local language schools in Budapest, which should get you started on what you need to know. Of course, so many more people speak English now than when I moved here that it’s much, much easier to get along these days.

For all of your relocation needs, of course, your friendly English-speaking Representative at Inter Relocation is ready and able to help you define your objectives and arrange for pretty much all documentation.

Still not sure about retirement in Budapest? Pay us a visit and check out the city and environs. Conde Nast travelers recently voted Budapest one of the top places in the world to visit, and The City on the Danube was also voted Europe’s Most Welcoming City. Budapest will no doubt cast its spell on you as it has on me and so many other foreigners. It really is a magical city on the Danube.

Related Resources:

Book: Getting Out: Your Guide to Leaving America, by Mark Ehrman

Book: A Better Life for Half the Price, a new book by Tim Leffel, author of The World’s Cheapest Destinations: 21 Countries Where Your Money is Worth a Fortune.

Various websites offer information on living abroad; look under ‘Expats’ and the country of your choice.