Hungarian citizenship by descent is provided to the eligible individuals under jus sanguinis. It is a legal term that means the right of blood. So, the descendants of Hungarian citizens can apply for citizenship in Hungary by proving the tracks of their ancestors in this country. Your birth country or the number of generations living abroad does not matter under this principle. You are most likely Hungarian if your parents or ancestors are or were Hungarian, and you also do not need to speak the Hungarian language in this case.
You can trust the legal services of our lawyers if you think that you are eligible for Hungarian citizenship by descent. Our lawyers in Hungary will provide you with legal assistance throughout the process. In addition to this service, you can also rely on the legal backing of our lawyers; if you want to start a company in this country, our lawyers will help you understand the business structure in Hungary and assist you in acquiring the necessary licenses and the permits.
Who can acquire Hungarian citizenship by descent?
Citizenship by descent is also called simplified naturalization. The main point of this procedure is that in order to obtain citizenship by descent in Hungary, the law does not require the applicant to prove that his/her livelihood is ensured in this country. The law also does not oblige such applicants to live for a longer period of time, or habitually in Hungary to obtain citizenship. For obtaining citizenship by descent, the applicant does not need to have a bank account or employment in this country. So, acquiring Hungarian citizenship by simplified naturalization is not a complicated process, it only requires some proofs.
An individual will get the Hungary citizenship by descent if:
- His/her ancestor was a Hungarian citizen;
- He/she can demonstrate their Hungarian origin and can prove their knowledge of the Hungarian language;
- His/her naturalization does not interrupt the national and public security of Hungary;
- He/she must not have a criminal record under Hungarian law.
If you meet the above criteria, you can get in touch with our Hungarian lawyers. They will help you acquire Hungary citizenship by descent.
Exceptions from the general rule in Hungary
You can obtain citizenship by descent by demonstrating your ancestor’s presence in this country. However, there are a few exceptions to this general rule, which are described below:
- If a Hungarian woman married a foreign citizen before October 1, 1957, she has lost her citizenship;
- Before October 1, 1957, if a child is born from a Hungarian mother and a foreign father, he/she does not automatically qualify as a citizen of Hungary. Although he/she can be a citizen by a statement, but his/her descendants have to be naturalized;
- If a child was born out of wedlock before October 1, 1957, and had a Hungarian mother, that child also became a citizen of this country. But if the foreign father recognized the child later, he/she could have lost his/her citizenship;
- If any Hungarian emigrated from his/her country before September 1, 1929, then his/her descendants were not born as citizens of Hungary. But those descendants can be naturalized if they speak Hungarian.
If you cannot qualify for citizenship by descent in Hungary, you can be naturalized. Get in touch with our lawyers in Hungary to learn more about citizenship criteria in this country.
Furthermore, if you will buy a company in Hungary, you must run due diligence on it. This step is strongly recommended because it can make you conscious if your company faces any potential risk.
Documents necessary for simplified naturalization
The lawyers at our law firm in Hungary can provide you with legal assistance and can help you know if you are eligible for this kind of citizenship. Once it is confirmed that you are eligible for Hungary citizenship by descent, you need to carry out yourpaperwork process. You must fill in your application in the Hungarian language and provide your birth certificate, marriage certificate of your parents, birth or death certificate of relevant great-grandparents, grandparents, or your parents. You can also present any other relevant document that could help you acquire Hungarian citizenship by descent such as civil or military records, ID booklets, or old passports, etc. Our Hungarian lawyers will assist you in putting together all the documents in a way that will show your connection with the country. After completing the paperwork, the application for citizenship by descent is submitted at the nearest Hungarian consulate with the assistance of our lawyers.
When providing for citizenship by descent, you must note that the birth and marriage certificates are not accepted. Please find below the list of documents that can act as proof of your Hungarian citizenship, and please note that these documents should be valid:
- Hungarian ID card;
- A Hungarian passport. However, here is an exception, if your passport is not valid, you can still use it as proof of Hungarian citizenship for one year following the date of its expiry;
- Certificate of naturalization until proven otherwise;
- Citizenship certificate;
- Registry of personal data and address.
If you do not have any of the documents mentioned above, you need to verify your Hungarian citizenship application. For this purpose, you must apply in person, and a prior appointment must be booked. The related authorities will check the forms and supporting documents at the time of your appointment. You can trust the legal services of our experienced attorneys in this regard. Besides acquiring Hungary citizenship by descent, they can further assist you in applying for verification. The application is free of charge.
If you need any legal guidance regarding residence permits in Hungary, you can interact with our lawyers. They can not only assist you with the procedure but also provide you with legal support if necessary.
Is it necessary to learn the Hungarian language for obtaining citizenship?
It is a legal requirement to learn the Hungarian language at least at the minimum basic level for obtaining Hungary citizenship by descent. The language proficiency will be checked by the officer receiving the application at the time of submission. The applicants who have reached the age of 14 or will reach the age of 14 by the date of oath, are obliged to learn the Hungarian language and also bound to prove their language skills. But there are some situations in which the knowledge of the Hungarian language may be waived off. In the case of an incapacitated person, such as an adult who has been placed under the guardianshipby a court, or any individual who has not yet reached the age of 14, the Hungarian language is not a requirement for them. Our lawyers in Hungary will guide you in the matter of whether you are obliged to learn the Hungarian language or not.
What is a citizenship oath?
An applicant obtains Hungary citizenship by descent on the day of taking the citizenship oath. He/she can take this oath before the head of the Hungarian Delegation or if he/she has a residency in Hungary, then they can take an oath before the competent mayor as per their place of residence. The applicant will also receive an identity card on the day of the oath, but the passport will not be issued at the time of acquiring citizenship in Hungary. The applicant receives a Hungarian passport in another procedure initiated on the application.
You can rely on the services of our lawyers in Hungary if you want to obtain a Hungarian passport.
Please find below the online passport renewal fee, which is in effect from March 30, 2017:
- For a standard adult passport, the online renewal costs EUR 80.00;
- Online renewal of a passport card costs EUR 35.00;
- The online renewal of a large passport plus passport card costs EUR 135.00.
You can reach out to our Hungarian attorneys for details about their legal services in this country. They can provide you with legal support in obtaining citizenship by descent in Hungary and several other matters that require legal resolution.
If you successfully obtain citizenship by descent you can further rely on our lawyers to obtain a work permit in this country.
Foreign citizens in Hungary
Along with citizenship by descent, Hungary also offers other kinds of citizenship programs that individuals can obtain. The share of foreign citizens in Hungary’s population has slightly increased in 2020. Please find below the share of EU-foreigners and non-EU foreigners in the total population of Hungary from 2017 to 2020:
- In 2017, Hungary accommodated 0.81% EU foreigners and 0.73% non-EU foreigners;
- In 2018, the population of EU foreigners in Hungary was 0.8%, while the share of non-EU foreigners was 0.85%;
- In 2019, the share of EU foreigners in Hungary was 0.76% and, of non-EU foreigners was 1.08%;
- In 2020, Hungary had 0.79% EU foreigners and 1.25% non-EU foreigners in its total population.
Contact our lawyers without any hesitation if you are eligible for citizenship by descent in Hungary. You can also get legal assistance from our lawyers if you are planning to open a company in Hungary.