National Card Hungary
Twenty-one days on paper. Seventy to ninety in practice.
The National Card asks less of an employer than any other Hungarian work permit — there is no labour market test to clear. What it asks for instead is the right passport, and a start date planned around the real timeline rather than the statutory one.
Who it is for
Eight nationalities, and no one else.
The National Card is nationality-gated. If your candidate holds one of these passports, this is usually the shortest route into Hungarian employment. If not, no qualification and no salary opens it — the answer is one of the other four permit types.
In the other direction, the card asks less than most: there is no degree requirement, and no fixed salary floor. What has to hold is that the pay matches the position — the same test that applies on the Hungarian Card. That is a judgement made role by role, and it is the part worth checking before the offer rather than after.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Belarus, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. Official list (NDGAP, Hungarian).
You do not have to prove that no Hungarian or EU candidate was available. On most other permits this is the step that adds weeks.
Issued for up to two years, then renewable for up to three more.
Where the time actually goes
The law says twenty-one days. We plan for seventy to ninety.
Every Hungarian permit takes longer than its statutory deadline. On the National Card the gap is the widest of the five — roughly three times the number in the legislation. That is not a sign that something went wrong. It is the normal case, and the only useful response is to plan backwards from the start date instead of forwards from the application.
- The clock does not start when you decide to hire. It starts when the application is complete. Everything before that — documents from the home country, apostille, translation, the appointment — runs on your side and the candidate’s.
- A request for missing documents stops it entirely. The authority’s deadline pauses while it waits, and the pause does not count towards the twenty-one days.
- Seventy to ninety days is what we actually see. We quote that number rather than the statutory one, because it is the one your hiring manager has to live with.
At a glance
What the authority asks, and what it gives back
| Type | A combined residence and work permit — one application, not two. |
|---|---|
| Who it fits | Nationals of the eight listed countries, employed by a Hungarian employer. |
| Labour market test | Not required. Unlike the EU Blue Card, where it is. |
| Family | Available. Family reunification is its own permit, with its own twenty-one day deadline — sixty to seventy days in practice. |
| Validity | Up to two years. |
| Renewal | Up to three years. Submittable between ninety and thirty days before expiry. |
| Purpose change | Permitted. |
| Decision | Twenty-one days by law. Seventy to ninety days in practice. |
The part that decides whether they stay
Family, renewal, and what comes after the first two years.
A permit that brings someone here for two years is a hiring decision. A permit that lets their family come, and that renews cleanly, is a retention decision. The National Card does both — but each has a window that is easy to miss.
- The family runs on a separate track. Reunification is its own permit with its own twenty-one day statutory deadline, and sixty to seventy days in practice. It is worth starting alongside the main application rather than after it.
- The renewal window is narrow. It can be submitted between ninety and thirty days before expiry. Start at the front of that window, not the back — the same real-world timeline applies to renewals.
- Purpose change is permitted. The National Card is not a dead end. If the role changes, moving to another category later is allowed.
What it costs
A fixed price per case, agreed before we start
The first call is free. If the category is already clear, you get a fixed fee for the whole case straight away — not an hourly rate, and not a number that moves once the work starts. Where the permit type has to be determined first, that is a EUR 100 consultation, and it is deducted from your fee if you go ahead.
Most of the skill in this profession sits in choosing the right category. That is the part we charge for; everything after it is execution.
All prices are net, excluding VAT and third-party costs.
Common questions
What HR teams ask about the National Card
Who can apply for a National Card in Hungary?
Nationals of eight countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Belarus, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. It is not available on any other nationality, regardless of the role or the qualification.
Is a labour market test required for a National Card?
No. That is its main practical advantage: you do not have to prove that no Hungarian or EU candidate was available for the role.
How long does a National Card take?
Twenty-one days is the statutory deadline. In practice we see seventy to ninety days — roughly three times the deadline, and the widest gap of any Hungarian permit type.
How long is a National Card valid, and can it be renewed?
It is issued for up to two years and can be renewed for up to three more. The renewal can be submitted between ninety and thirty days before expiry.
Can the family come too?
Yes. Family reunification is a separate permit with its own twenty-one day statutory deadline, and sixty to seventy days in practice. It is worth starting it alongside the main application rather than after it.
Can someone move from a National Card to another permit later?
Purpose change is permitted, so moving to another category later is possible if the role or the circumstances change.
What happens if the nationality does not qualify?
Then this route is closed and the answer is one of the other four permit types. Our comparison table sets all five out side by side, with the authority deadlines and the times we actually see.
Where to go next
Three places worth two minutes
The table with authority deadlines against the times we actually see.
What actually happens between the application and the decision.
The notifications, renewals and deadlines we track so your HR team does not have to.