Hungary digital nomad visa (White Card)

Visa requirements

The visa is available to foreign nationals who work for a company outside Hungary or own a company registered abroad.

The visa is issued for up to one year and can be extended once for another year. Under Hungary's new migration law (2024), you must prove a monthly income of at least €3,000 net for the six months before entry - and maintain that income level for the entire duration of your stay.

Taxes and cost of living

Personal income tax in Hungary for White Card holders is 15% on gross income.

Estimated monthly expenses for a family of four are around €1,900 excluding rent. Expenses for a single person are around €600 excluding rent. Renting a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre starts from €500 per month.

What Hungary's White Card is

The White Card was introduced by the 2023 act on the general rules of entry and residence of third-country nationals, in force since 1 January 2024. It is a residence permit for those who work remotely for a foreign company or own a company abroad and earn from abroad. It is issued by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. The card allows living in Hungary and travelling in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180.

Holders may not work for a Hungarian employer, run a business in Hungary or earn from Hungarian clients. The card is issued for one year and extended once for another year, up to 2 years in total. Time on the White Card does not count towards permanent residence or EU long-term resident status.

What it costs in 2026

• Fee - €110 for the residence permit and the entry visa to collect it.
• Health insurance - for the whole stay.
• Housing - a Hungarian address is required: a lease or ownership.
• Translations and legalisation - foreign-language documents are translated into Hungarian; certificates from abroad are apostilled.
• Our support - quoted after a consultation.

Steps and timeline

1. Income check - statements for 6 months showing net income of at least €3,000 a month, or an employment contract.
2. Documents - passport, proof of work, insurance, housing.
3. Filing - online via the immigration portal, in person in Hungary or at a Hungarian consulate.
4. Review - up to 70 days.
5. Entry visa and card - after approval you receive a visa, enter and collect the card.
6. Extension - once for a year, filed before expiry.

Documents

• Passport valid beyond the card term.
• Proof of work - an employment contract with a foreign company or proof of owning a foreign company.
• Proof of income - bank statements for the last 6 months.
• Housing - a lease or ownership documents in Hungary.
• Health insurance for the whole term.
• Photo and application form.

Requirements and common refusals

• Income below €3,000 net in any of the 6 months.
• Income from Hungary - work for a Hungarian company or clients is incompatible with the card.
• No address in Hungary.
• Trying to include family - there are no accompanying family permits: a spouse needs their own card on the same conditions.

Taxes

• Income tax - 15%, but under the White Card rules it is due in Hungary only if you spend more than 183 days a year in the country.
• Foreign income is not taxed if you stay less than 183 days in Hungary.
• VAT - 27%, the highest rate in the EU, noticeable in prices.

Details: Hungary taxes. Check your obligations in your current country of tax residence before moving.

What next after 2 years

The White Card does not lead to permanent residence. To stay, you need a new basis: employment in Hungary, your own business in the country, studies, or Hungarian residence by investment under the guest investor programme.

How to prove income

The threshold is at least €3,000 net a month, i.e. after tax, for each of the last 6 months. The immigration authority looks at what reaches your account rather than the contract figure, so statements must show regular credits.

• Employee of a foreign company - an employment contract stating remote work and statements showing salary credits.
• Owner of a foreign company - registration and ownership documents, company statements and your personal statements showing salary or dividends.
• Income in another currency is converted to euros; if it is close to the threshold, exchange rate swings can push a month below €3,000.
• One-off large credits do not replace regular income: every month counts.

This income level must be maintained for the whole card term, otherwise it will not be extended.

Who the White Card suits and who it does not

• Suits - remote professionals with stable net income from €3,000 who need legal status in a Schengen country for 1-2 years and freedom to travel in Europe.
• Does not suit - families where one spouse works: other family members are not covered.
• Does not suit - those planning to stay in Hungary long term: the card does not lead to permanent residence.
• Does not suit - those with clients in Hungary or wanting to start a business there.

Life in Hungary: what to know

• Currency - the forint; euros are not accepted in daily payments, but cards work everywhere.
• Language - Hungarian; in Budapest services and international companies English is common, much less so in the regions.
• Healthcare - card holders need private insurance; Budapest has many private clinics with English-speaking doctors.
• Location - Budapest is a convenient base for travelling across Europe, with Vienna a couple of hours by train.
• Cost of living - lower than in most of Western Europe; a family of four spends about €1,900 a month excluding rent, and a one-bedroom flat in central Budapest starts at €500 a month.

Alternatives to compare

• Croatia nomad visa - also in Schengen and the EU, no income tax on foreign income.
• Spain nomad visa - with a path to permanent residence and family.
• Portugal nomad visa - with a move to residence and family.
• Czech nomad visa - for specialists in certain professions.

How we work

1. We check statements and contracts against the threshold and the ban on Hungarian income.
2. We help find housing and insurance.
3. We prepare and file the application and translate documents.
4. We support card collection and extension.

We fix our fee in writing after a consultation.

Benefits of the White Card visa

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