Hungary Golden Visa Deadline: Applying Before 31 December 2026

If you want Hungary’s golden visa, formally the guest investor visa and residence permit, under today’s rules, the date that matters is 31 December 2026. Under a government draft bill, an application filed with its fee paid by that day would be decided under the current rules, even if the decision comes in 2027. You do not need to have invested by then. You do need a complete file, a paid fee and every filing step done. The investment is at least EUR 250,000 in fund units held for at least five years, or a donation of at least EUR 1,000,000, and under the draft the permit could not be extended.

Status as of 9 November 2026: government draft in public consultation until 12 November 2026. Not yet submitted to Parliament. The text can still change.

Last updated: 9 November 2026.

This guide is general information about the Hungarian guest investor rules in force today and a draft bill that would change them. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice. The draft can change before it is adopted, and individual circumstances differ. Obtain independent professional advice before making any application or investment decision.

Key facts at a glance

For what the bill says section by section, see our explainer Hungary golden visa ending in 2027?.

What must be in by 31 December 2026 for a Hungary golden visa?

Under the draft, an application counts as submitted only if its administrative fee has been paid by 31 December 2026 (290/A(2)). Filing means a complete visa application with the fee paid. On the commitment route that includes a written commitment to invest, a bank certificate showing the funds, and proof that the money is of lawful origin. The investment itself is not required before filing.

The draft does not define “paid”, and it does not say whether a payment counts when it is sent or when it arrives. OIF also treats an online filing as received only once the fee is paid and biometrics are given within 15 days. Whether biometrics given after 31 December would still count is not settled. So pay the fee and complete every filing step, including biometrics, well before 31 December.

Route 1: how does the consulate visa route work?

This is the route for nationals who need a visa for Hungary, and it is open to visa-free nationals too. Under current law the steps are:

1. Visa application at a Hungarian consulate, with either proof of an investment already made or a written commitment, a bank certificate and proof of lawful funds (s.16(2)(c); Government Decree 35/2024 (II. 29.) s.7(3)(c)).
2. Security screening. The immigration authority asks the law enforcement and national security services, currently the Police and the Constitution Protection Office, for an opinion (s.16(4); Decree s.7(8)).
3. Visa issued for six months, allowing multiple entries and stays of more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Its purpose is to let you enter and apply for the permit (s.16(1), (5)).
4. Entry, then the permit application within 30 days of first entry (s.22(5)).
5. Proof of the investment within the visa’s validity (s.22(7)). Fund units go into a securities sub-account blocked for five years (Decree s.13/A(5)).
6. OIF decides the permit.

Under the draft, only step 1 has to beat the deadline. A person holding a valid guest investor visa could still apply for the permit after 1 January 2027, within 30 days of first entry, under the current rules (290/A(4)). The permit issued that way could not be extended (290/A(5)). Our step-by-step application guide covers the current process in more detail.

Route 2: what changes for visa-free nationals applying inside Hungary?

Citizens of visa-free countries, for example the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel, the UAE, Brazil and the United Kingdom, can today apply for the permit inside Hungary within 30 days of first entry. They must prove the investment within six months of first entry (s.22(4), (5), (7)). The full list of visa-free countries is in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806.

Under the draft, that in-country route would close on 1 January 2027 (290/A(9)), so the permit application and fee would have to be in by 31 December 2026. The draft is not clear on how this rule interacts with a visa-free national who holds a guest investor visa. If you hold a passport from a visa-free country, treat 31 December 2026 as your last filing date for the permit, whichever route you use, until the final text settles this. US readers can also see our Hungary golden visa guide for US citizens.

What does the investment involve?

Today there are two routes (s.16(3)):

• Fund route: at least EUR 250,000 of investment units in a real estate fund registered by the Magyar Nemzeti Bank, Hungary’s central bank. You subscribe the units directly and hold them continuously for at least five years, in a securities sub-account blocked for at least five years. At least 40% of the fund’s net asset value must be invested in residential property in Hungary, and the fund manager must be on a vetted list of qualified market participants (s.22(9), (10); Decree s.13/A(5)(a)).
• Donation route: at least EUR 1,000,000 donated to a higher education institution maintained by a public-interest trust foundation, to support education, research or the arts.

The direct property purchase route ended with effect from 30 December 2024 (Act LXXXIV of 2024). Under the draft, permits decided under the transition rules would still be decided under today’s section 22, which includes the five-year holding of fund units (290/A(8)). See our guide to MNB-registered approved funds and the full cost and requirements breakdown.

How long does the process take?

There is no published processing time for the guest investor visa. OIF states 21 days for the permit decision, excluding hearings, requests for missing documents and other procedural steps. That figure covers the permit stage only, so it cannot be added up into a total timeline, and nobody can promise one.

What you control is the file. The bank certificate and the proof of lawful origin of funds are part of the visa application on the commitment route, so they need to be ready before you file, not after.

What does filing by 31 December not do?

Filing on time keeps the current rules. It does not secure an approval.

• Screening and refusal grounds still apply (s.16(4), s.224/B, s.227). Paying the fee is necessary, not sufficient.
• The permit could not be extended. Under current law it is valid for up to 10 years and can be extended by up to 10 more. The draft would remove the extension, including for permits issued under the transition rules.
• Withdrawal would be mandatory if the available facts show that the committed investment no longer exists, and on general grounds such as false information or a security risk (290/A(11)).
• A visa does not give work rights. The right to work in Hungary attaches to the permit, for the holder and family, for the life of the permit (290/A(13)).
• Long-term status is not automatic. When the permit ends, the draft would create no replacement status. A holder who wants to stay would need to qualify for another status under the general rules. Our guide for existing permit holders explains those rules.

If the deadline or the no-extension rule changes your plans, compare the alternatives to the Hungary golden visa before committing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply for the Hungary golden visa in 2026?

Yes. Until a law is passed and takes effect, the current rules apply and applications are being accepted. Under the draft, an application filed with its fee paid by 31 December 2026 would be decided under the current rules, even if the decision comes in 2027.

Do I have to invest before 31 December 2026?

No. On the commitment route you file with a written commitment, a bank certificate and proof of lawful funds. The investment can follow during the visa’s six-month validity, or within six months of first entry for visa-free nationals applying inside Hungary.

What counts as filed by 31 December?

A complete application with the administrative fee paid. The draft does not define “paid”, and OIF counts an online filing as received only once the fee is paid and biometrics are given within 15 days. Complete every step well before 31 December.

Does the deadline apply to US, Canadian or Israeli citizens?

Yes, and arguably more strictly. Under the draft, visa-free nationals could not file a permit application inside Hungary from 1 January 2027. If you hold a passport from a visa-free country, treat 31 December 2026 as your last filing date for the permit, whichever route you use.

Do my spouse and children have to apply by 31 December?

No. Under the draft, family members could still apply for or extend a family permit after 1 January 2027, up to the end of the investor’s permit. Family means the spouse and minor children, including adopted and foster children and the spouse’s minor children.

Does paying the fee by 31 December guarantee my permit?

No. It means the current rules apply to your application. Security screening and the refusal grounds still apply.

Will a permit granted in 2027 be renewable?

Under the draft, no. A permit granted under the transition rules would run for its term, up to 10 years, and could not be extended.

Sources

• Government of Hungary, draft bill on law enforcement matters, public consultation from 4 November 2026 (draft text and explanatory notes): kormany.hu
• Act XC of 2023 on the general rules for the entry and residence of third-country nationals: njt.hu
• Government Decree 35/2024 (II. 29.): njt.hu
• OIF, guest investor visa factsheet: oif.gov.hu; guest investor permit factsheet: oif.gov.hu; English FAQ: oif.gov.hu
• Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex II (visa-free third countries): EUR-Lex

For the programme as it operates today, see our Hungarian Guest Investor Programme guide. To discuss whether a 2026 application fits your plans, speak with an accredited adviser. Advisory fees are quoted per engagement.

Update log

• 9 November 2026: first published, based on the draft published on kormany.hu on 4 November 2026 and Act XC of 2023 as in force today.