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Hungary Golden Visa: The Guest Investor Programme
The Hungary Golden Visa, formally the Guest Investor Programme, offers the longest residence permit of any investor programme in the European Union. Relaunched in July 2024, it was designed for families who want a secure European residence with the least administration possible: one application, a decade of validity and no minimum stay. Budapest, one of Europe’s great capitals, sits at the heart of the Schengen Area, two hours from Vienna and a short flight from every major European city.
Vázquez & Barba structures your Hungarian residency with local counsel in Budapest, reviewing the fund, the source of funds and the permit file as one decision, and keeping it in order for the years that follow.
Why families choose the Hungary Golden Visa
- A ten-year residence permit, renewable once for a further ten years.
- No minimum stay: the permit is maintained whether you spend time in Hungary or not.
- Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area.
- An investment managed by regulated professionals, supervised by the Hungarian National Bank.
- A defined horizon: the fund investment is held for five years, not for life.
- Access to Hungarian schools, universities and healthcare, and to one of the lowest tax environments in the European Union.
- Holding the permit does not, by itself, make you a Hungarian tax resident.
Hungary Golden Visa investment options in 2026
Two routes qualify. A direct property purchase does not: the €500,000 real-estate route announced in 2024 was withdrawn before it ever opened, and any offer presenting it as available should be treated with caution.
Real-estate fund units: €250,000
The subscription of at least €250,000 in units of a real-estate investment fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank and approved for the programme, with a significant share of its assets in Hungarian residential property. The units must be held for a minimum of five years. It is the route chosen by the majority of investors: exposure to Hungarian real estate with professional management, and a capital that can be recovered at the end of the holding period, subject to the fund’s performance and terms. We review the fund’s regulations, investment policy, fees, governance and exit mechanism before you subscribe.
Donation to higher education: €1,000,000
A non-refundable donation of €1,000,000 to a public-interest foundation that maintains a Hungarian higher-education institution, supporting its educational, scientific or artistic activity. Chosen by families for whom residency and philanthropy belong to the same decision, and who prefer a single, final contribution with no investment to monitor.
Who can apply for the Golden Visa in Hungary
Nationals of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland who are at least 18 years old, hold a clean criminal record, have health insurance and accommodation in Hungary, and make the qualifying investment with funds of documented, lawful origin.
Family members included
- Spouse.
- Minor children.
Each family member receives a residence permit linked to the investor’s.
How the Hungary Golden Visa process works
Strategy and source of funds
We confirm eligibility, compare Hungary with the other European programmes against your objectives, and prepare the source-of-funds file before any money moves. In Hungary this is the step that decides the pace of everything that follows.
The guest investor visa
The application begins with a guest investor visa, valid for up to six months, which allows you to enter Hungary to complete the investment and file for the residence permit.
The investment
The fund subscription or the donation is executed through a Hungarian bank account, with the certificates and confirmations required by the immigration authority.
Residence permit and biometrics
The guest investor residence permit application is filed with the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. Once the file is complete, the authority decides within approximately 21 days, and you attend a biometrics appointment in Hungary.
Ten years of residence, and what comes next
We keep your compliance file, the fund holding certificates and your address registration in order, and we plan the renewal, permanent residence and tax position with you well before each milestone arrives.
Hungary Golden Visa costs and timeline
Beyond the investment, budget for the application and visa fees, fund subscription and management fees disclosed in the fund documents, translation and legalization costs, health insurance and legal fees for planning and filing. From a complete file, the whole process typically takes two to four months, including the visa step.
Golden Visa and taxes: residency is not tax residency
Holding a Hungarian Golden Visa does not make you a Hungarian tax resident. Families who remain below 183 days a year keep their foreign income outside the Hungarian tax net. For families who decide to move, Hungary offers a flat personal income tax rate of 15% and a corporate tax rate of 9%, the lowest in the European Union. Our international tax team designs that transition with you: treaties, classification of income and timing.
Permanent residence and Hungarian citizenship
The guest investor permit is a residence permit, not a shortcut to a passport. Holders who live in Hungary may apply for a national permanent residence permit after three years of continuous residence. Citizenship by naturalization requires a further period of residence, eight years in total, together with Hungarian language and an examination on the Constitution.
Hungary or Portugal: how the two compare
Hungary is the programme for families who want the longest permit with the least administration and no stay obligation. Portugal, our flagship programme, is the choice for families who want a structured path to one of the world’s strongest passports with about a week a year of presence. The right answer depends on your family’s horizon, which is why we analyze all the options in our personalized consultation.
Frequently asked questions about the Hungary Golden Visa
Can I get a Hungary Golden Visa by buying property?
No. The direct property route was withdrawn before it opened. Real-estate exposure is available only through units of an approved Hungarian real-estate fund, from €250,000.
How long is the Hungary Golden Visa valid?
Ten years, renewable once for a further ten years while the conditions are maintained.
Do I need to live in Hungary?
No. There is no minimum stay requirement to keep the permit.
Do I get my investment back?
The fund units must be held for at least five years, after which they can be redeemed or sold according to the fund’s terms, and the value will depend on the fund’s performance. The €1,000,000 donation is final.
Does the Hungary Golden Visa lead to citizenship?
Not directly. Holders who live in Hungary can obtain permanent residence after three years and apply for citizenship after eight years in total, with Hungarian language and a constitutional examination.
Can my family be included?
Yes, your spouse and minor children can be included in the application.
A decade of European residence, managed with care
The families who work with Vázquez & Barba want more than a permit; they want a partner who will be beside them for the ten years that follow and for every decision along the way. Tell us about your family and your objectives, and we will tell you, in writing, whether Hungary is the right route and what it will take.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Content reflects Hungary’s Guest Investor Programme as in force since July 2024. For informational purposes only.
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