Do EU citizens need a residency visa for Hungary?

No. EU free movement already gives EU citizens the right to live in Hungary; local registration rules still apply.

Can EU citizens get residency in Hungary by buying property?

Yes. Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund: from €250,000 (about $280k). €250,000 in investment certificates of a real estate fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank, held for at least 5 years in a blocked securities account; at least 40% of the fund's net assets must be Hungarian residential property; the units must still be held when the permit is extended

Is the Hungary golden visa still available?

Guest investor residence permit: residential property purchase is closed (closed before opening (removed in the Hungarian Gazette of 20 Dec 2024, before its planned 1 Jan 2025 start)). Open today: Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund; Guest investor residence permit: donation to a higher-education institution.

How long does it take?

Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund: 21 days (statutory deadline; the time taken to prove the investment does not count). The permit runs 10 years, renewable: once, for up to 10 more years.

Does it lead to citizenship?

Citizenship possible after about 8 years.

Hungary Residency for EU citizens: Routes, Costs and Rules

For EU citizens

What is different for EU citizens.

EU citizens can live here under EU free movement (registration after 3 months), so no investor residence permit is needed.
European Union, Your Europe: Residence rights
EU citizens can stay in another EU country for up to 3 months without registering, and can move there to live, work or retire, registering residence for longer stays.
European Union, Your Europe: Residence rights
After five years of lawful, unbroken residence in another EU country, an EU citizen automatically gains the right to live there permanently.
European Union, Your Europe: Residence rights

2 open routes

The routes to living in Hungary.

Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund

Open66

the government that took office in 2026 had pledged to end the scheme, but no change has been made as of October 2026

Minimum: €250,000 · about $280k
What counts: €250,000 in investment certificates of a real estate fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank, held for at least 5 years in a blocked securities account; at least 40% of the fund's net assets must be Hungarian residential property; the units must still be held when the permit is extended
Processing: 21 days (statutory deadline; the time taken to prove the investment does not count)
Permit: 10 years, renewable: once, for up to 10 more years
Time you must spend there: No rule published
Path to a passport: Citizenship possible after about 8 years.
Family: family members can join on a linked family residence permit, with the right to work
Tax: Not published

Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20

Guest investor residence permit: donation to a higher-education institution

Open52

the government that took office in 2026 had pledged to end the scheme, but no change has been made as of October 2026

Minimum: €1,000,000 · about $1.12m
What counts: €1m donation to a higher-education institution run by a public-interest trust foundation, to support education, research or the arts; the permit can be extended without a further donation
Processing: 21 days (statutory deadline; the time taken to prove the investment does not count)
Permit: 10 years, renewable: once, for up to 10 more years
Time you must spend there: No rule published
Path to a passport: Citizenship possible after about 8 years.
Family: family members can join on a linked family residence permit, with the right to work
Tax: Not published

Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20

Guest investor residence permit: residential property purchase

Closed

closed before opening (removed in the Hungarian Gazette of 20 Dec 2024, before its planned 1 Jan 2025 start)

Minimum: €500,000 · about $561k
What counts: Direct purchase of residential property worth €500,000+
Processing: Not published
Permit: Not published
Time you must spend there: No rule published
Path to a passport: No set path to permanent residence or citizenship through this route.
Family: Not published
Tax: Not published

Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20

Residency rules, thresholds and fees change often, sometimes without notice. Everything here is general information, checked on the date shown, not legal, tax or immigration advice: confirm with the official source and a licensed adviser before you act. Continental sells property; we don’t arrange visas or residency.

Short answers

What people ask.

Do EU citizens need a residency visa for Hungary?: No. EU free movement already gives EU citizens the right to live in Hungary; local registration rules still apply.
Can EU citizens get residency in Hungary by buying property?: Yes. Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund: from €250,000 (about $280k). €250,000 in investment certificates of a real estate fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank, held for at least 5 years in a blocked securities account; at least 40% of the fund's net assets must be Hungarian residential property; the units must still be held when the permit is extended
Is the Hungary golden visa still available?: Guest investor residence permit: residential property purchase is closed (closed before opening (removed in the Hungarian Gazette of 20 Dec 2024, before its planned 1 Jan 2025 start)). Open today: Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund; Guest investor residence permit: donation to a higher-education institution.
How long does it take?: Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund: 21 days (statutory deadline; the time taken to prove the investment does not count). The permit runs 10 years, renewable: once, for up to 10 more years.
Does it lead to citizenship?: Citizenship possible after about 8 years.

Read it for your passport

Hungary residency, passport by passport.

Visa-free stays: Schengen visa list (EU Regulation 2018/1806): British, American and Emirati visitors stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa; Saudi, Indian and Chinese visitors need a Schengen visa. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.

Where we can help

Our markets, where a home can count.

We don’t sell homes in Hungary. These are the countries where we do, and where buying one can count towards residency.

The homes: Homes in Thailand · Homes in Malaysia · Homes in the United Arab Emirates · Homes in Saudi Arabia · Homes in Oman · Homes in Spain.

Hungary residency for EU citizens.

What is different for EU citizens.

The routes to living in Hungary.

Guest investor residence permit: real estate fund

Guest investor residence permit: donation to a higher-education institution

Guest investor residence permit: residential property purchase

What people ask.

Hungary residency, passport by passport.

Our markets, where a home can count.

Talk to a senior adviser