Hungary Guest Investor Permit: A 10-Year Residence Permit Through a Fund Share or a Donation
You want a long permit in Hungary without a minimum stay. The Hungary Guest Investor permit needs EUR 250,000 in a real estate fund share or a EUR 1,000,000 donation to a public-trust university. The permit runs up to 10 years and can be extended once for up to 10 more.
A route that does not take a direct property purchase
Hungary's guest investor permit does not accept a direct property purchase, and its fund rules are strict. Buyers who expect to buy an apartment and receive a permit find out too late that the law asks for a regulated fund share or a donation.
What it looks like from the outside:
- A fund share that must be held in a blocked account for 5 years.
- A fund that must hold at least 40% in Hungarian residential real estate.
- A manager who must meet set asset thresholds.
How it feels:
- You worry you will pick a fund that does not qualify.
- You fear tying up funds for five years.
- You feel unsure what the official list of managers means for you.
You do not have to check fund rules alone
We know how hard it is to judge a fund against a legal list when you are not a lawyer. You want someone who has read the rule on the official page, tells you honestly when a route does not fit, and stays with you until the file is filed.
What we have done:
- 35+ years in immigration and investment migration
- 25,000+ families guided since 1991
- 3rd Generation in the immigration industry
- 2026 Canadian Choice Award winner
What we believe:
- Honesty first: we tell you when a route does not fit, before you move money.
- Checked rules: every figure on this page is read from an official source and dated.
- Your plan, not a template: the right route depends on your goals, your family and your funds.
We believe a fund share should be checked against the law before it is bought.
What you get
| Feature | Benefit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| A permit of up to 10 years | You do not renew every year | Your family plans over a long horizon |
| An extension of up to 10 more years | You can stay on the same route | You see a very long runway |
| No rule on a minimum stay | You keep your life where it is | You add a country without leaving yours |
| Unrestricted right to work | You can work as an employee, self-employed or executive | Your permit does not limit your career |
| A 21-day procedure time | The authority has a short clock | You know how fast it should move once proof is in |
Where it takes you: a residence permit in Hungary. This is a permit, not a passport.
Is it right for you?
An honest answer before you move funds.
| A good fit if | Consider another route if |
|---|---|
| You can invest EUR 250,000 in a qualifying real estate fund and hold it for five years, or donate EUR 1,000,000 to a public-trust university | You want to buy an apartment directly: direct purchase does not qualify |
| You can attend in person in Hungary to file | You need your money back within five years on the fund route |
| You want a long permit with no minimum stay | You cannot be in Hungary to file and give fingerprints |
| You can show a suitable residence in Hungary | Your funds cannot be documented |
Not sure Hungary is the best fit? Compare all European routes, or use Find my program and we match your goals to the right one.
What you need
You need a qualifying fund share or donation, proof of it, a suitable residence in Hungary and a valid passport. You file inside Hungary and attend in person.
What the Immigration Office lists:
- A certificate of the investment: the fund share certificate from the manager or distributor, or the university's donation certificate.
- For a fund share, a document from the securities account manager confirming the shares are blocked in a sub-account for at least 5 years.
- Proof of suitable accommodation: a residential lease, accommodation provided by courtesy, property ownership documents, or a reservation with proof of payment.
- A valid passport and one facial photograph.
- The application form and appendix.
- Fingerprints and a facial photograph taken in person, even for electronic filings.
The routes and rules
Hungary accepts two forms of investment. The rules for the fund are detailed.
| Route | Minimum | What counts | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate fund share | EUR 250,000 | A share in a real estate fund registered by the Hungarian National Bank | At least 40% of net assets in residential real estate in Hungary; a manager on the qualified market operators list that meets the asset thresholds; shares held at least 5 years in a blocked sub-account |
| Donation | EUR 1,000,000 | A financial donation to a public-trust higher education institution for education, research or artistic activity | No further investment is required for an extension |
Who can be included. Family members can apply for family reunification permits in parallel with your application, but they cannot stay until your guest investor permit is issued. Those permits allow work without restriction. Fee amounts are on a separate Immigration Office page, and your partner checks them before you file.
What it costs, and what waiting costs
The investment is the larger cost. Set it against the cost of a wrong start: a fund share that does not qualify, or a blocked account you cannot release.
| Item | What the Immigration Office says |
|---|---|
| Procedural fees | The page refers to a separate fee information note; your partner checks the amounts before you file |
| Investment | EUR 250,000 in a qualifying fund share, or EUR 1,000,000 donation |
| Appeal | Refusals can be appealed within 8 days of delivery |
Source: Hungarian Immigration Office, guest investor factsheet and FAQ (updated 3 March 2026). Professional fees are agreed with the local partner.
Your path in three steps
Three steps from your first answers to your permit.
- Step 1: Find your route. Use Find my program. You get a shortlist and a cost view for your family in a few minutes.
- Step 2: We do the heavy lifting. We qualify your case and check your funds and documents. When your case is qualified, we bring in the right local partner. You enter Hungary on a guest investor visa or visa-free, and you make and prove the investment.
- Step 3: Your permit in hand. You file in Hungary and attend in person, the authority decides, and you report any change to the investment within 5 days.
The Immigration Office states a 21-day procedure time. It excludes the time you take to give proof of the investment or to fix deficiencies.
Status: what changed and when
Reviewed 22 October 2026. Sources: Hungarian Immigration Office factsheet and FAQ.
| What | Status |
|---|---|
| Page date | Immigration Office factsheet and FAQ updated 3 March 2026 |
| Real estate purchase | Direct purchase of real estate does not qualify; only a fund share or a donation |
| Filing | Only inside Hungary; for visa-exempt nationals within 30 days of first legal entry, for others after entry on a guest investor visa |
| Visa | A guest investor visa is valid for up to 6 months and cannot be extended |
What could change: the investment rules, the fund manager list and the fees. What we do about it: we re-read the official pages before each update and show the date.
After you have the permit
You keep the permit by keeping the investment and reporting changes. The permit runs up to 10 years and can be extended once for up to 10 more.
- Fund share: you must still hold it when you apply to extend.
- Donation: no further investment is needed for an extension.
- Changes: report changes that affect the verified investment within 5 days.
- Extension filing: file via Enter Hungary at least 30 days before expiry, with a valid permit.
Two possible futures
A year from now, you may still be comparing guides while the rules shift. You hold a brochure, a number from one adviser that contradicts another, and no date on any of it.
Or your family has a permit in Hungary, your route is one that exists, and your file went in clean. You feel relieved, and you chose on facts you could check.
The cost of staying put: routes and rules change, and each change can add cost or close a door.
Your ultimate success:
- Relieved: your family has a base in Europe
- Confident: you chose a route that exists today
- Protected: the people you worry about are covered
- In control: you decided on your terms, with the facts
Which route fits your family?
Answer eight short questions and the finder ranks all 17 residence programmes against your goals, funds and family. You see your shortlist and the cost for your family first, and a form only if you want it emailed with a fact sheet.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
35+ years of hands-on immigration experience and 25,000+ successful cases. 3rd generation in the immigration industry. We bring in qualified local partners in each country, so you deal with one accountable team from first question to filing.
One point of contact
We qualify your case first, then bring in the right local partner. You deal with us throughout.
A strategy built for your family
We match routes to your goals, funds and family, not a template.
Application accuracy
Document and source-of-funds review that prevents costly errors and refusals.
Timely updates
We track rule, fee and regulator changes across every program for you.
End-to-end support
From your first question to your permit in hand, we guide every step.
Proven track record
2026 Canadian Choice Award winner, trusted since 1991.
What our clients say
Real reviews from clients we have guided across borders.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Hungary Guest Investor permit really cost?
The investment is EUR 250,000 in a qualifying real estate fund share or EUR 1,000,000 in a donation to a public-trust university. The Immigration Office lists procedural fees on a separate page, and your partner checks them before you file. Professional fees are agreed with the local partner.
How long does it take?
The Immigration Office states a 21-day procedure time, which excludes the time you take to supply proof and fix deficiencies. We tell you what we know about the current queue before you commit funds.
Will my application be approved?
No route promises approval, and we make no approval claims. The authority can refuse a permit if you are likely not to realise the investment. What we control is the file. We tell you before you pay if your case does not fit.
What is the Hungary Guest Investor permit?
The Hungary Guest Investor permit is a residence permit for third-country nationals who make a qualifying investment in the Hungarian national economic interest. The Immigration Office issues it for up to 10 years.
Can I buy an apartment for the permit?
No. The official page lists a real estate fund share or a donation, and it does not mention direct purchase of real estate as a qualifying investment.
How long must I hold the fund share?
At least 5 years, in a securities sub-account blocked for that period, and you must still hold it when you apply to extend.
Do I have to live in Hungary?
No. The Immigration Office states there is no rule on a minimum length of stay for the guest investor permit.
Can I work in Hungary?
Yes. The permit lets you work without restriction as an employee, self-employed person or company executive.
Can my family be included?
Family members can apply for family reunification permits in parallel with your application. They cannot stay until your guest investor permit is issued, and those permits allow work.
What if the rules change after I apply?
It depends on the transition rule in each law. The status box shows the date we last read the official page.
Do you recommend funds?
No. We do not recommend or rank funds and we do not quote returns. The law sets the fund conditions, and your local partner checks them against the official list of managers.
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Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Last updated: 22 October 2026
