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Incoming Researchers Essentials
Incoming Researchers Essentials
Incoming Researchers Essentials
| Hungary for incoming researchers : Essentials |
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Useful phone numbers:
General emergency number: 112. Ambulance: 104 Firefighters: 105 Police: 107 Health/Medical Care Hungarian doctors are famous throughout the world for their expertise. First aid and emergency medical care is free for foreigners, further medical services are charged. State hospitals charge less, than private clinics. If you plan to stay in Hungary your own expense you should either purchase the most suitable insurance package at home or join the Voluntary Insurance Group in Hungary (the cost is 75% of the overall minium wage; from the time of the accession of Hungary to the EU the cost is 100% of the minimum wage). EU citizens are recommended to have the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
EU citizens are insured on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card when they are in another member state and are, from the point of view of social security, entitled to the same rights and have the same obligations as citizens of that member state.
If you need necessary medically treatment, it is advised to see a general practitioner (GP) first. The GP decides whether further specialised out, or inpatient treatment is necessary and will issue a referral.
The specialised outpatient care, typically available at outpatient centres, is rendered generally upon referral. However, you may seek outpatient care without referral if the treatment relates to dermatology, gynaecology, urology, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, oncology or general surgery. Hospital treatment is normally provided through a referral from a GP, in urgent cases no referral is necessary. Where a doctor or dentist issues a prescription, it should be taken to the pharmacy, where the EHIC shall be submitted as well. Subsidies on medicines can vary according to disease and type of product. The subsidy is provided directly to the pharmacy, so the amount you will have to pay at the purchase of the prescribed medicine is a “co-payment” and therefore it is not refundable.
Citizens and/or residents of countries, which are not part of the European Economic Area and which don’t have bilateral agreements with Hungary on the provision of health care, have to pay full price for the health care services rendered in Hungary.
The citizens of the following States have bilateral agreement with Hungary and will be charged for health care services accordingly:
According to the Hungarian legislation, the health care provider can set the fee basically freely; therefore the Hungarian National Health Insurance has no influence on the amount of fee charged. However, in order to avoid discrimination, it is important that the health care provider applies consequently the same fee for same service. For this purpose, most health care providers have established price lists that can be consulted before the treatment.
Changes in the social insurance regulation
EC Regulation 1408/71 (and its Implementation Regulation 574/72) is to be replaced by EC Regulation 883/2004 (and its Implementation Regulation) in respect of all internationally mobile workers within the EU who fall within personal scope of the new Regulation.
The main purpose of the new Regulation is to modernize, simplify and clarify existing rules. However, Regulation 883/2004 makes a number of changes to the way an internationally mobile worker’s social security contribution position within the EU will be determined.
There are new requirements for remaining insured in the home country for social security purposes, notably where an individual works simultaneously in two or more member states.
There is also a new electronic administrative process being introduced which will ultimately replace the existing system of E101 certificates (certificates of coverage).
The regulation is available here
Hungary became a member of the Schengen Area on 1 January 2008, since when the Schengen legislation governs entry into the territory, including Hungary.
The competent authority responsible for issuing a visa or residence permit is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.kulugyminiszterium.hu/kum/en/bal/
Citizens of the EU/EEA member states and of the following countries may travel to Hungary without a visa:
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong (the exemption applies only to holders of a "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region"), Iceland, Israel, Japan, Macao (the exemption applies only to holders of a "Regio Administrativa Especial de Macau" passport), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, Salvador, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela
Schengen visa applications have to be submitted at the representation of the country which is the main destination of the visit. (In case of visiting several states with stays of approximately the same duration, it is the country of first entry into the Schengen area.)
If Hungary is the main destination, or the country of first entry in a trip covering several Schengen member states, visa applications are to be submitted in person at the applicant's nearest Hungarian representation.
According to the Schengen rules, border posts do not issue visas except for family members of EEA citizens and under extraordinary circumstances for other third country nationals (e.g. entry with a purpose of attending the funeral service of a deceased family member, when it can be proven that there was no possibility to apply for a visa beforehand).
For educational or other scientific or professional training purposes evidence is required from the receiving institution, and the envisaged place of accommodation in Hungary.
For the purpose of attending a conference an invitation letter issued by the host organisation is required together with confirmation of participation issued by the host organisation, and/or a certification issued by the delegating organisation is required as well as a receipt on payment of the registration fee (if applicable).
Issuing the short-term visa costs 60 Euro; however, they are free of charge if the purpose of the stay is research.
If a researcher from a third (i.e. non-EU member) country wishes to stay in Hungary for up to 90 days, s/he needs to apply for a Type C short-term visa. This visa allows the holder to enter and stay in the so-called Schengen area (with Hungary included). It is valid for an uninterrupted stay of 90 days, or, if the stay is interrupted, for altogether 90 days within 6 months. The Schengen visa application must be submitted to the consulate of the country which is the main destination of the visit. Receiving the visa typically requires one month from the time of the application.
Issuing the short-term visa costs 60 Euro; however, it is free of charge if the purpose of the stay is research.
EU and non-EU citizens
Regulations on a stay exceeding 90 days fall within the competence of national authorities, so there is no uniform routine among the Schengen member states.
A Residence Permit or Registration card gives a foreign citizen the right both to reside in and to travel to and from Hungary. Together with an Address Registration Card, it acts as your documentation for legal residence during your stay in Hungary. If you are moving to Hungary with family, you and your partner, plus any children who will be relocating with you, will need to apply for the Residence Permit.
The application for a residence permit should be submitted to the Hungarian Consulate in the home country and will be judged by the competent Hungarian regional directorate. If there is no Hungarian consulate in the country where the applicant has his/her habitual residence the visa application can be handed in at any Hungarian consulate.
In case of a residence permit for research:
Family members can get this type of visa for the same period as the head of the family. The process is the same and the applications should be made at the same time. The applicant has to prove that he/she will have accommodation, financial means with which to live, cover/insurance for health care treatment, the means to pay for education for minors and any other requirements specified by the consulate handling the application. Proof of the family relation will be required in the form of birth and/or marriage certificates.
More information on short-term visas and residence permits is available at:
The European Union - having recognised that the globalisation of the economy calls for greater mobility of researchers and that there is a lack of researchers in key areas in Europe - created the Council Directive 2005/71/EC on a specific procedure for admitting third-country nationals for the purposes of scientific research.
The primary objective of the new regulation is to ease the admission of highly qualified, third-country researchers for stays of more than three months for the purposes of carrying out research projects.Research organizations - be them public or non-profit organizations or innovative enterprises - which are approved under the new approval procedure shall be entitled to employ third-country nationals in a quicker and simpler way than before.
Regulations on a stay exceeding 90 days fall within the competence of national authorities; therefore there is no uniform routine among the Schengen Member States. Foreign nationals requesting entry to Hungary with a purpose of a long-term stay may submit a residence permit application.
A residence permit authorizes non-Hungarians to reside in Hungary for a period not shorter than three months and not exceeding two years. The application for a residence permit should be submitted to the Hungarian Consulate in the home country and will be judged by the competent Hungarian regional directorate. If there is no Hungarian consulate in the country where the applicant has his/her habitual residence the visa application can be handed in at any Hungarian consulate.
Those already residing in Hungary can submit their application directly to the competent regional directorate of the Office for Immigration and Nationality. Applications for a residence permit shall be submitted within 30 days prior to the expiry of the permit underscoring the application for a residence permit.
The decision on the residence permit falls within the scope of the regional directorates of the Office for Immigration and Nationality.
Researchers can obtain a residence permit when their purposes are to carry out a research project under a hosting agreement concluded with a research organization accredited under specific legislation.
More information on short-term visas and residence permits is available at:
In Hungary, the new approval procedure shall be officially carried out by the National Office for Research and Technology, pursuant to Government Decree 181/2007 (VII.6).
Please check the website below to access the list of accredited Hungarian organizations (in Hungarian):
Further information:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Office for Immigration and Nationality: http://www.bm-bah.hu/a_bah_ismertetese.php
Work permits
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