Who can acquire a residence permit alongside the investor?
The Hungary Golden Visa program allows investors to extend residency rights to their families. As a general rule, the main applicant first receives residence status and then sponsors family members. This differs from the residency obtained by opening a company, where family members can join only after a year.
Spouse. For the spouse to qualify, the couple must be in an official marriage or registered partnership, which can be proved with documents. If not registered, this can be done later in Hungary for the spouse to join the investor. Same-sex couples also qualify.
Children. As of now, the Hungary residence permit can only be extended to minor children of the investor. Children over 18 do not qualify, even if they are university students.
Parents. The investor’s parents can obtain residency if they are financially dependent on the investor, with no age restrictions.
Siblings. The investor’s brothers or sisters qualify only if they are dependent on the main applicant due to their health conditions.
How to obtain the Hungary Golden Visa with the family?
To be granted Hungarian residency, a foreign investor must choose one of three investment options:
- purchasing of real estate fund units for at least €250,000;
- buying residential property costing €500,000 or more — the option becomes available since January 1st, 2025;
- making a charitable donation to a higher education institution for at least €1,000,000.
The investment amount does not depend on the family composition.
To initiate the process of obtaining a Hungary Golden Visa, a candidate must apply for a national D type visa, called a Guest Investor Visa, which is valid for up to 6 months.
Within 93 days of first entering Hungary with the visa, the investor is obliged to fulfil the investment condition and apply for a residence permit. The application is submitted in person at the regional office of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing or online via the Enter Hungary platform.
Once the application is approved, the investor and family members included in the application visit the migration office in Hungary to provide their passports and originals of documents, submit biometrics, and take photos for residence permit cards. The cards are issued within 21 days and mailed to the investor’s address.
