So, you want to move to Budapest. Congratulations! I’m in love with this city and I’d like to think that you’ll love it too! But with the expat life comes…paperwork (ugh). And you may be wondering: Which visa should I get? Here’s what I’ve learned about the pros and cons of some of the more popular visa types as a third country citizen (not being from Hungary or the EU). Which one sounds like it would suit you?
Related: Vlog–How I Got My Visa, Pt. 1
Disclaimer: I’m not an immigration or tax professional. All of the info in this article comes from my personal experiences, and of course visa situations can vary based on your country of origin, financial status, etc. For official info, I encourage you to find government websites and/or visa help services.
Residence Permit for the Purpose of Employment
Right to work: Yes
As you can probably guess from the name, this is the visa issued to you as a if you enter into an employment contract with a Hungarian company. Initially, I wanted to find a job at a Hungarian company so that they could sponsor me for this visa, but ran into many road blocks. The biggest one?–> It’s expensive and complicated for a company to hire a third country citizen. It’s easier for them to just hire someone from the EU. Eventually, I found better luck freelancing (more info below!)
Pros:
-help from the company with the visa/immigration process (most likely)
-a steady, guaranteed salary which you can count on
Cons:
-difficulty getting hired as a 3rd country citizen over EU or local workers
–inflexibility. This visa is tied to the company. Therefore, if you want to leave the job, you will have to find a new company to sponsor a new visa, and start the process over again
Residence Permit for the Pursuit of Gainful Activity
Right to work: Yes
This is actually the visa that I’m on! Even though it can have multiple uses, this visa is a popular pathway to working under the KATA freelancing scheme (in which you pay ~$170 monthly in taxes and keep the rest of your income).
Pros (of working KATA):
-high earning potential with a static tax rate
-flexibility and excitement of working with different clients and in different fields
Cons:
-even if you don’t make much income one month, you still have to pay the monthly tax
-you can’t make most of your income from a singular source, so you must have various clients lined up in order to legitimately work under KATA
Residence Permit for Other Purposes
Right to work: No
This permit allows you residency in Hungary but does not allow you the right to work. I know quite a few expats in Budapest who are on this visa! Some of them are digital nomads or remote workers, earning income from a foreign source and wanting to live in Hungary. Others have opted for this visa because they want to join their significant other living in Hungary.
From what I’ve heard, chances of being granted this visa are helped when you can prove your financial independence (a steady job or sizable savings), and show some interest in learning about Hungarian culture (like enrolling in language classes).
Pros:
-flexible reasons to apply for the visa
Cons:
-no ability to work in Hungary if you decide you want to make a domestic income
Of course, these are not the only visas that make moving to Hungary possible, but hopefully they’ve given you some food for thought! For more information on visas, you can take a deep dive into the Hungarian immigration website here!
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