Who can apply for a Hungarian passport?
All Hungarian citizens can apply for a passport.
Your photo and your fingerprints are captured on site when you apply for a passport, therefore you will have to apply in person.
The average processing time is 6-8 weeks. If you have no proof of citizenship, you must have your citizenship verified before applying for a passport. This procedure takes an average of 6-8 months, but could take much longer.
Please do not plan any journey (i.e., do not buy flight tickets) before your passport is delivered, as there is no guarantee that your passport is delivered within the above mentioned timeframe.
How do I prove my identity and my Hungarian citizenship?
If you have
- a valid Hungarian passport, or
- a valid Hungarian ID card
these prove both.
If you have
- a Hungarian passport expired within one year or
- a valid certificate of citizenship
these only prove your citizenship, therefore in addition you shall prove your identity by presenting a valid foreign photo identification.
Should I present my previous Hungarian passport with me?
If you have had a Hungarian passport before, and it is still valid, you will have to present it. If it was lost, stolen or damaged, you will have to show a police report on this or report it to the consul.
If you have a valid visa in your passport you can request that we give the passport back to you after invalidating it.
What other documents should I bring?
You will have to bring
- your Hungarian-issued birth certificate,
- and also your Hungarian-issued marriage certificate if you bear a married name.
If you have a valid Hungarian passport, ID card or driver's license it is not a necessity to have the above written certificates with you. For an application of a minor (under the age of 18), presenting a birth certificate is always compulsory.
If a procedure affecting your name (e.g. a marriage registration or a legal name change) is ongoing, your passport will not be issued before it is complete.
What special rules apply to applications of minors..
a) ..who are under the age of 6?
In case of a passport application of a child under the age of 6, the Hungarian parent who can prove his or her citizenship can sign a statement, on the basis of which the Hungarian citizenship of the child will be presumed.
- The registration of the child's birth has to be initiated in parallel with the passport application.
- Your child can get his or her Hungarian passport before his or her birth is registered. In this case, however, the name of the passport will be the same as the name on his or her birth certificate (e.g. John instead of János). If this is against your will, do not submit the passport application yet.
b) in general?
All passport applications of children under the age of 18 has to be submitted by both parents in person as a general rule.
- If only one of the parents is able to be present, the other should sign this consent letter. His or her signature on the letter may be authenticated by a notary public or a Hungarian consul, or by a Hungarian passport issuing authority, a Hungarian notary public or a Hungarian guardianship office.
- Parents must identify themselves (preferably with a Hungarian passport, ID card or driver's license of a Hungarian parent and a passport of a foreign parent).
- A child under the age of 12 does not have to be present at the time of the application. Please bring a passport photo of the child in this case.
- If only one parent has custody over the child, a document (court decree or death certificate) must be presented as proof.
- Please always bring the birth certificate of the child.
What biometric data does the passport contain?
Your passport will store your facial image and fingerprints on an RFID chip. If you consent to having your fingerprints stored in a database in Hungary, as well, you will be able to apply for a replacement passport online in case your passport is lost, stolen or damaged.
I have an urgent travel coming up. How do I apply for expedited processing?
Expedited passport processing is only available for applications submitted in Hungary. Processing usually takes 4-6 weeks.