Hungary Golden Visa Cost and Requirements (2026)

The Hungary Golden Visa cost starts with a qualifying investment of EUR 250,000 into an approved real estate fund, or EUR 1,000,000 as a donation to a public-interest trust, and then adds government and professional fees on top. The requirements are a non-EU nationality, a clean criminal record, verifiable source of funds and the qualifying investment itself. This guide sets out the full cost breakdown and the complete eligibility checklist for 2026.

This guide is general information about the Hungarian Guest Investor Programme and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Programme rules, thresholds and eligibility can change and can depend on individual circumstances. Obtain independent professional advice before making any application or investment decision.

How much does the Hungary Golden Visa cost?

The honest answer has three layers: the qualifying investment, the government and application fees, and the professional and due-diligence fees. Only the first is the large, headline number, but a realistic budget accounts for all three.

The qualifying investment (EUR 250,000 fund or EUR 1,000,000 donation)

The qualifying investment is the core cost and takes one of two forms. The fund route requires at least EUR 250,000 subscribed into a government-approved real estate fund registered with the Hungarian central bank (MNB), whose licence requires it to hold a minimum of 40% of its assets in Hungarian residential property. The donation route requires EUR 1,000,000 given to a public-interest trust, non-refundable. The fund route is among the lowest active entry points of any EU golden visa in 2026, level with Greece’s special-category tier and Portugal’s cultural route, and the one almost every applicant uses. A direct property-purchase route existed briefly at the 2024 relaunch but was abolished from 1 January 2025 and is no longer available.

Government and application fees

On top of the qualifying investment sit official fees for the guest investor visa and the residence permit application, together with associated administrative charges. These are set by the state and are separate from the investment. Because fee schedules are periodically updated, the exact figures should be confirmed against the current OIF schedule at the point of application rather than taken from an older article.

Professional and due-diligence fees

Preparing and filing a compliant application involves legal and advisory work, source-of-funds documentation and due-diligence checks. These professional fees vary by route, family size and the complexity of the source-of-funds file. Advisory fees are quoted per engagement rather than as a fixed published price, because the work required differs materially from one family to the next.

Total cost snapshot

The essential point is that the fund route’s EUR 250,000 is an invested position, recoverable in principle at the end of the fund’s term subject to performance and liquidity, whereas the donation’s EUR 1,000,000 is spent for good. For a candid comparison of the two, see our guide to the best investment options for the Hungary Golden Visa.

Hungary Golden Visa requirements

Cost is only half the question. The requirements determine whether an applicant qualifies at all.

Eligibility (non-EU/EEA, clean record, source of funds)

To qualify, an applicant must be a national of a country outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland, be of legal age, hold a clean criminal record, and be able to evidence the lawful source of the funds used for the investment. Source-of-funds documentation is not a formality. A four-eyes due-diligence standard applies, and an incomplete or poorly evidenced funds trail is one of the most common reasons a file stalls. We cover this in our guide to golden visa due diligence and KYC.

Nationality notes

Most non-EU nationalities are eligible on the standard terms above. The position of Russian and Belarusian nationals, however, is unsettled and reported inconsistently across sources. Some indicate they may apply only on a second citizenship, others describe enhanced source-of-funds scrutiny, and others suggest effective exclusion under the sanctions environment. Because no single settled rule is published, any applicant of a potentially restricted nationality should obtain a specific legal determination on their own situation before committing, rather than rely on general guidance.

Document checklist

A typical file includes a valid passport, evidence of the qualifying investment or a binding commitment to make it, comprehensive source-of-funds documentation, a clean criminal-record certificate, proof of accommodation or address in Hungary, health insurance, and completed application forms. Family applications add relationship and dependency documents. Requirements can change and are confirmed case by case, so treat this as an orientation rather than a fixed list.

The application sequence and the 30-day rule

The Hungary Golden Visa follows a specific order that catches out applicants who assume they invest first. You obtain the Guest Investor Visa, valid for up to six months, enter Hungary on it, and submit the Guest Investor Residence Permit application within 30 days of your first entry. The qualifying investment is completed after submission, with proof provided within the validity of the guest investor visa. From start to issued permit, budget in the region of five months, subject to document readiness and the fund’s subscription process.

Family: who you can include and what it costs

The permit is designed to bring the immediate family in on a single qualifying investment. The applicant’s spouse and minor children are included on the core Guest Investor Residence Permit, with no additional qualifying investment required. Older, non-minor children and dependent parents are not on the core permit automatically. They can be included through Hungary’s family reunification route, which is subject to its own conditions and additional fees. So while no second EUR 250,000 is needed to cover the family, procedural and reunification fees can apply for some relatives, and this should be budgeted for rather than assumed to be free. For how family inclusion works across our programmes, see the family inclusion hub.

Ongoing costs and what to budget for

Beyond the entry cost, budget for the fund’s ongoing management fees over the holding period on the fund route, permit renewal costs in due course, and standard living or maintenance costs only if you actually choose to spend time in Hungary. Because there is no minimum-stay requirement, there is no forced cost of residence. The permit can be held for its full ten years without relocating, so ongoing costs are largely the fund’s fees rather than a lifestyle commitment.

How Hungary compares on cost

At EUR 250,000 on the fund route, Hungary is the lowest active entry point among EU golden visa programmes, matched only by Portugal’s cultural route and Greece’s lowest-tier property zones, and well below Malta, Cyprus and Bulgaria. Combined with a ten-year permit and no minimum stay, that makes it one of the most cost-efficient European footholds available in 2026. For the full European price comparison, see our guide to how much a golden visa costs across Europe.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Hungary Golden Visa cost?
The qualifying investment is EUR 250,000 on the approved fund route or EUR 1,000,000 on the donation route, plus government and professional fees. The fund route is among the lowest-cost active EU golden visas, level with Greece’s special-category tier and Portugal’s cultural route.

What are the fees on top of the investment?
Government application fees for the visa and residence permit, the fund’s own subscription and management costs on the fund route, and professional and due-diligence fees. Budget for all three in addition to the qualifying investment.

What are the requirements for the Hungary Golden Visa?
A non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationality, a clean criminal record, verifiable lawful source of funds, and the qualifying investment. The position for Russian and Belarusian nationals is unsettled and should be checked case by case.

Is the Hungary Golden Visa the cheapest in Europe?
Its EUR 250,000 fund route is the lowest entry point among active EU programmes, alongside Portugal’s cultural route and Greece’s lowest property tier.

Are there ongoing costs?
Budget for the fund’s ongoing management fees and future renewal costs. There is no minimum-stay cost, because no residence is required to hold or renew the permit.

The bottom line

The Hungary Golden Visa cost is anchored by a EUR 250,000 fund investment, among the lowest in the active EU set, with government and professional fees on top and no forced cost of residence. The requirements are straightforward for most non-EU nationals, with source of funds and nationality being the two points that most repay early attention. To see how cost and requirements fit the wider programme, read our complete guide to the Hungarian Guest Investor Programme. As a Budapest-based team, we assess eligibility, source of funds and total budget before anything is committed, and advisory fees are quoted per engagement.