Trainee in Hungary

Conditions

You can apply to carry out a traineeship in Hungary if you have a higher education degree for no longer than 2 years or if you are pursuing a higher education degree in a non-EU country. You must have a training agreement with an approved host entity/company defined by another specific act in Hungary.

If you fulfil the conditions, you will be issued a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship.

Procedures

Where and how to apply

Visa entitling you to a residence permit

You have to apply for a long-stay visa, which entitles you to receive the residence permit, before admission to the country at the embassy or consulate in your country of origin or, in certain cases, in the country of legal residence.

Residence permit

Upon your arrival, you have to obtain your residence permit for the purpose of traineeship at the competent regional directorate of the immigration authority of your place of residence.

Fees

Procedural fee for issuing a residence permit and issuing an entry visa for the purpose of receiving the residence permit: EUR 110.
Procedural fee for issuing a residence permit in case of an application submitted in Hungary in person: HUF 39 000.
Procedural fee for issuing a residence permit in case of an application submitted in Hungary via the Enter Hungary platform: HUF 26 000.
Procedural fee for extension of the residence permit: HUF 26 000.

Documents required

Documents proving the purpose of residence

The following documents may serve as proof of the purpose of residence:

employment contract or letter of assignment between the applicant and the company established in the third country, stating that the intra-corporate transfer was immediately preceded by three months of continuous employment at the same company or group of companies;
evidence that the Hungarian host entity and the company established in a third country belong to the same company or group of companies;
evidence, in the case of executive employees and specialists that the third-country national has the university degree or vocational training, or in the case of trainee employees, the university degree required;
statement issued by a Hungarian host entity stating that the executive employee or specialist has the experience needed for the intra-corporate transfer;
declaration by the company established in a third country of the planned duration of the intra-corporate transfer in a Member State of the European Union (to prove that among the Member States of the European Union, Hungary is the country with the longest period of intra-corporate transfer).

Documents proving means of subsistence in Hungary

One of the following documents must be submitted as proof that the applicant has sufficient resources, i.e. (s)he can cover costs related to his/her subsistence, accommodation, return/onward travel (i.e. exit from Hungary) and healthcare services from legally acquired income and savings:

an employment contract or a letter of assignment;
a certificate from a credit institution under the applicant’s name (e.g. a bank account statement, an account statement on savings or stocks and bonds, bank balance statement);
a document on regular income issued by the employer or the tax authority.

Documents proving that the applicant has a place of accommodation in Hungary

The applicant shall declare a real Hungarian address as an accommodation on the application form. A separate document will not be required to be attached to the declaration.

Documents proving that the applicant has health insurance

Documentary evidence must be submitted as proof that the applicant has access to comprehensive health insurance services covering all healthcare services or that (s)he can cover the costs of such services.

An applicant meets this condition in the following cases:

(s)he qualifies as a person with health insurance services under social security;
(s)he has access to the Hungarian health insurance services within the framework of an international convention/treaty or agreement;
(s)he can cover the costs of his/her healthcare services based on documents proving his/her means of subsistence available in Hungary.

Documents proving that the applicant meets the conditions of exit (i.e. conditions to a return/onward travel)

Meeting the conditions of exit may be proved by:

a valid passport;
having a valid ticket/valid tickets for the relevant travel or the amount of money to cover the costs of the travel.

Further requirements

You cannot be subject to an entry ban or an alert in the Schengen Information System for the purposes of refusing entry, nor can your entry and stay threaten public policy, public health or public security in Hungary.

A residence permit for the purpose of traineeship may not be issued to a person:

who submitted an application for refugee status or temporary protection or subsidiary protection to the asylum authority;
who has been granted a refugee status or temporary protection or subsidiary protection in Hungary; a person with tolerated status; whose expulsion has been suspended for factual or legal reasons;
who has the right of free movement and residence;
who is a holder of an EC permanent residence permit certifying long-term residence status granted by any Member State of the European Union;
who comes to the territory of the European Union as a trainee-employee in the context of an intra-corporate transfer;
who is entered the territory of the European Union for the purpose of employment as highly qualified workers.

Duration of validity of permits

The validity period of a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship:

is maximum six months, and it may not be extended;
corresponds to the duration of traineeship, if the duration of the training agreement is shorter than six months.

However, the validity of the travel document should be taken into consideration, and the validity period of the third-country national’s travel document must have at least three months remaining at the time the authorised duration of residence expires.

Conditions for renewal

The application for extension of the residence permit shall be submitted in person at the regional directorate of the immigration authority responsible for the place where the place of accommodation is located 30 days before it expires at the latest, with the necessary documents attached. You can find the competent regional directorate on the website of the immigration authority.

As of 1 January 2019, natural persons or their authorised legal representatives may submit an application for a residence permit (issue or extension) electronically via Enter Hungary, available here.

Appeals

Appeals against decisions of regional offices regarding residence permits can be brought within 8 days of delivery to the immigration authority, or to the Hungarian diplomatic or consular mission where the application was submitted.

Further information

More on residence permit for the purpose of traineeship

Rights

Change of status

Change of status may be possible depending on the purpose of stay and your personal circumstances.

Family members

Family members of a third-country national who is a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship or an applicant for a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship may not be granted a residence permit for family reunification.

An exception to this is if a third-country national holding a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship gives birth to a third-country national child in Hungary during the period of validity of the residence permit, as in this case the child will receive a residence permit issued for the purpose of family reunification after notification on the child’s birth.

Long-term residence

The third-country national who is a holder of a residence permit for the purpose of traineeship may not be granted a national residence card.

EC long-term residence permit

You are entitled to hold an EC long-term resident status if you lived continuously and legally in Hungary for five years.

General conditions for residence permits apply.

This permit authorises you to reside in Hungary for an indefinite period of time and also grants the right of intra-EU mobility under certain conditions. The EC long-term residence permit is issued for five years and is renewed for five years at a time.