Hungary Residence Permit Through Company Formation

A 2-year National Card for the owner of a Hungarian Kft: renewals in 3-year steps, permanent residency in 3 years, and Europe's lowest 9% corporate tax. The full process runs 3 to 6 months.

  • Permanent residency in 3 years, the only fast-PR route among Hungary’s options
  • Your own EU company: the Kft is live in 3 to 10 working days, no separate work permit
  • Honest math: on €100,000 of profit you keep about €77,350 (Germany: €51,500)
  • Family included, Schengen 90/180, transparent packages from €6,900
Chain Bridge over the Danube and St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest

Why the National Card

A real company, not a points game

The basis is your own operating Kft: no endorsement, no points table, no investment fund. The share capital stays in the company as working funds.

Run your own business, legally

The card explicitly lets you direct your own Hungarian Kft. No separate work permit is required.

A long horizon

A 2-year card, renewed in 3-year steps with no upper limit on the number of renewals.

A genuinely fast PR

3 years to the National Residence Card. The investor and self-employment routes have no such path.

A fast start

A Kft is registered in 3 to 10 working days, with operational readiness in 2 to 6 weeks.

A clear price

A package from €6,900, with every related cost shown in full lower on this page.

The benefits of moving to Hungary

  • The lowest corporate tax in the EU

    9% corporate income tax, a 10% KIVA alternative, and an effective 4.5% for IT companies using the IP box.

  • More money in hand

    On €100,000 of profit the owner keeps about €77,350, against roughly €51,500 in Germany.

  • Affordable tech hiring

    An employee on €3,500 net costs about €5,605 a month, versus €8,127 in Germany.

  • A clear long-term track

    Schengen 90/180 from day one, permanent residency in 3 years, and citizenship in 8 years with Hungarian at A2.

Hungarian Parliament on the Danube embankment at sunset
Pedestrian street with cafe terraces leading to St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest

How it works

3 to 6 months from start to card.

  1. 1. Consultation and profile check

    We assess the case, plan the company structure, and hand you the exact document list before anything is paid.

  2. 2. Open the Kft

    2 to 4 weeks: share capital of 3 million HUF (half before registration), plus a registered address.

  3. 3. National Card file

    Business rationale, certified translations, health insurance, and the consular appointment booking.

  4. 4. File in person at the consulate

    At the Hungarian consulate serving your country of residence: review runs 30 to 90 days, after which the type D visa is issued.

  5. 5. Collecting the card

    2 to 4 weeks to issue. Biometrics are taken at the consulate when you file; the card is delivered to a Hungarian address and can be collected in person or by power of attorney.

  6. 6. After the card

    Accounting and reporting, renewal at 2 years, and the permanent-residency application at 3 years.

Let your personal case manager and lawyer handle all the paperwork

No more dealing with bureaucracy, we take care of every detail.

1. Understand Your Immigration Options

During a consultation, our expert evaluates your profile and outlines pathways, helping you make an informed decision.

2. Tailored Strategy for Approval

Lawyer analyzes your case, identifies challenges, and creates a step-by-step roadmap to maximize success.

3. Complete Document Preparation

With minimal input from you, we handle certificates, translations, and applications.

4. Smooth Application Process

Your manager schedules appointments, ensures compliance, communicates with authorities, and tracks progress.

5. Bureaucratic Tasks Solved

We handle finding housing, tax registrations, and residence permits, eliminating paperwork stress.

Book a
consultation

Not sure which visa or country suits your needs?
Want to learn more about our services?
Talk with an immigration consultant!

What you get

The National Card (Nemzeti Kartya, sections 50 to 53 of Act XC of 2023) is a residence permit built for people who own and run their own Hungarian company. Under the Kft route it packages a working company and a fast track to permanent residency into one file.

A 2-year National Card

Residence as the director of your own company, renewed in 3-year steps with no upper limit.

A working Hungarian Kft

A turnkey company with a registered address, ready to invoice, sits at the centre of the case.

Director status, no work permit

The card itself authorises you to manage the company. No separate work permit is needed.

Schengen 90/180

Travel across the Schengen Area on the standard 90-days-in-180 basis from day one.

The 3-year PR clock starts

Time on the National Card counts toward the National Residence Card at 3 years.

Renewals in 3-year steps

After the first 2 years, the permit renews in 3-year blocks with no cap on renewals.

Who we file for

This route rewards people who genuinely want to run a company in the EU. Three profiles fit it best.

Freelancers and consultants

You have business-to-business contracts and want to route that income through a Hungarian company with predictable taxes.

Founders moving a business

You are relocating a company or a team and want a low-tax EU base with a clear route to residency.

Families who want EU PR fast

You want permanent residency in the EU in 3 years, with your spouse and children on the same file.

It is not a fit if

  • You are not ready to run a real company with proper accounting and reporting.
  • You do not plan to spend time in Hungary at all: renewing the card requires 90 of 180 days in the country.

What Relovisa does, and what you do

The work splits cleanly. We and our lawyers in Budapest carry the structure and the paperwork; you provide documents and make the visits only you can make.

Relovisa handles

  • The company structure and Kft registration, with our lawyers in Hungary
  • The full National Card file: business rationale, certified translations, insurance
  • The consular appointment, interview prep, and case management to card issuance and after

You provide

  • Your documents: passport, background, and proof for the business rationale
  • The in-person filing at the Hungarian consulate, where biometrics are taken
  • The Kft share capital; the card is collected in person or by power of attorney

How the procedure works

The timeline is 3 to 6 months, and payment follows the work rather than running ahead of it.

The timeline

Kft in 2 to 4 weeks, consular review 30 to 90 days, card issued in another 2 to 4 weeks.

Payment 50/50

Half to start the work, half on the stage result. No large upfront lump sum.

Consulate and Enter Hungary

The visa is filed at the Hungarian consulate abroad; the finished card is delivered to a Hungarian address, collected in person or by power of attorney.

The 2026 cost, itemised

We separate what you actually pay from the capital you set aside but keep. Grey is money you spend; blue is money that stays yours.

You pay
From €6,900

The Relovisa package for the owner, paid in two stages, 50/50.

You pay
+€1,900

Per family member added to the application.

Proof of funds
≈€7,700

Kft share capital of 3 million HUF. It is paid into the company account and stays as its working capital, not a fee.

Other mandatory costs you pay directly

  • Government fees: type D visa €110 plus a residence permit fee of HUF 26,000-39,000 (about €65-100, depending on how you file)
  • Registered address from €600 a year
  • Address rental about €500 per person
  • Medical insurance up to €200 per person
  • Accounting from about €1,000 to €2,000 a year
  • Certified document translations

Add it up and the realistic first year is the package plus mandatory costs, accounting and government fees, without counting the capital you keep inside the company.

Most agencies do not publish a price at all and answer only on request. We show the cost items as a list, so there are no surprises once you start.

When you should call Relovisa

Four situations where this route earns its place.

01

You are a B2B freelancer who wants to legalise EU income and pay predictable taxes.

02

You are choosing a jurisdiction for an IT company and want the IP box at an effective 4.5%.

03

Your family wants permanent residency in the EU within 3 years.

04

You want a backup Schengen status without a €250,000 investment.

Book a consultation

Run a relocation agency or an incubator? You can refer clients or offer the National Card under your own brand through the Relovisa partner program.

Three routes into Hungary: an honest comparison

The National Card is not the only way in, and it is not right for everyone. Here is how the three routes actually compare.

National Card via Kft
Entry threshold
Package from €6,900 plus capital about €7,700
Card term
2 years, then 3-year renewals
Permanent residency
In 3 years
Residence requirement
90 of 180 days in Hungary at renewal
Work
Your own Kft, hiring allowed
Family
Yes
Main risk
Political fluidity of the category
Golden Visa
Entry threshold
€250,000 investment plus a service fee
Card term
10 years, plus a 10-year renewal
Permanent residency
Only via the EU Residence Card at 5 years
Residence requirement
None
Work
Not required
Family
Yes
Main risk
Enhanced vetting; approval is never guaranteed
Self-employment
Entry threshold
About €2,000
Card term
1 year, capped at 3 years total
Permanent residency
None on this route
Residence requirement
90 of 180 days in Hungary
Work
Your own services only; KATA needs individual clients
Family
From the second year
Main risk
The KATA trap for business-to-business income

Legal context and what we monitor

Hungarian rules move, so here is the current picture in plain facts, without any political read.

Who the card covers

Eligibility is a fixed list of nationalities set by Government Decree 179/2024, last extended in July 2024 and in force as of July 2026. We check your passport against the current list first.

The June 2026 suspension

Decree 92/2026 suspended a different category, employer-sponsored guest workers. It does not affect the National Card.

We keep watch

We monitor oif.gov.hu and the government decrees, and we warn clients who are mid-process the moment anything changes.

Pricing and services

Recommended

Kft owner

From €6,900

paid in two stages, 50/50 (start / stage result)

Your own Hungarian company under the National Card. We register the Kft, build the National Card file, prepare the consular filing, and run the case through to card issuance and beyond.

  • Turnkey Kft registration, share capital guidance and registered address arranged
  • Full National Card document file: business rationale, certified translations, insurance
  • Consular appointment booking and interview preparation
  • End-to-end case management through card issuance
  • Support after the move: accounting setup, reporting, renewal and PR planning
  • Payment in two stages, 50% to start and 50% on the stage result
Book a consultation

Family

+€1,900

per family member, added to the owner package

Bring your spouse and children into the same application. We prepare each dossier and file it alongside the main applicant.

  • Document pack prepared for each family member
  • Health insurance and certified translations arranged
  • Filed together with the main applicant on one timeline
  • Priced per relative, added on top of the owner package
Book a consultation

Company with a team

Price on request

scoped after a consultation

Moving a founder together with employees, with payroll and accounting stood up for the company. We confirm the category boundaries for each hire.

  • Relocation of your employees alongside the founder
  • Payroll and accounting setup for the company
  • Category scope and boundaries confirmed case by case
  • A firm quote prepared after a consultation
Book a consultation

About “Relovisa Advisors”

Relovisa is a premium full-service immigration consultancy (HQ Portugal, "Made in Portugal"). It is not a law firm: it works with licensed immigration lawyers and tax advisors per jurisdiction. Relovisa delivers EU/UK/US residency and citizenship to founders, skilled professionals, investors, and remote workers, handling the paperwork end-to-end. Distinctive: its own Portuguese EOR/payroll entity, packaged with the Portugal D3 and Spain DNV routes, plus deep specialist depth on the France Talent (Passeport Talent) innovative-project route, including DRIEETS dossiers and the no-incubator route with two letters of support.

99.2%
Average success rate

99.2% of clients get their visas and residence permits

7000+
Cases · 30+ countries

Clients across North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the CIS

80+
Experts and lawyers

Professionals from around the world

8 years
Average experience

In immigration law & consulting

Our team, lawyers and partners

Our legal experts and professionals take care of everything, from document preparation to final approval, with 24/7 support, so you don't have to worry about a thing.

Vlad Shifter

Vlad Shifter

Founder

Entrepreneur and corporate consultant with 10+ years of experience with PwC, P&G, Coca Cola, Unilever and others. TechCrunch 200 Alum.

Olia Nemirovski

Olia Nemirovski

COO

10+ years specialist in client and partner relations, driving innovation through deep customer understanding.

Evgenia

Evgenia

Immigration lawyer

Licensed lawyer with deep knowledge of UK immigration law, she excels as a case manager for Talent Visas with 99.8% success rate.

Vladimir

Vladimir

Immigration consultant

Over three years of project management experience in German work immigration processes.

Daniela

Daniela

Immigration Lawyer

Her expertise includes legal representation in court proceedings, expedited solutions for delayed residence processes, and all visa programs.

Petra

Petra

Immigration consultant

Specializes in D visas: Digital Nomad, D7, D2, D3, etc. She has experience working with various types of income.

Marilia

Marilia

Immigration Attorney

Lawyer with 4 years experience works with global mobility processes for self-employed individuals through D8, D2, or IT workers through D3/Blue Card.

Thiago

Thiago

Immigration Attorney

Relocated more than 300 high-qualified professionals to Portugal since 2018. Currently holding 100% success in lawsuits against AIMA (200+).

Vladislav

Vladislav

Tax Advisor

A licensed tax consultant with thousands of cases handled worldwide, from EU countries to Hong Kong and the USA. Specializes in finding solutions in the most unique and challenging situations.

Thomas

Thomas

Tax Advisor

Thomas specializes in crypto business consultancy, with notable projects including market research for Bit2Me, a major Southern European cryptocurrency exchange.

FAQs

Can everything be arranged fully remotely?
Yes. The Kft is incorporated by power of attorney, the type D visa is filed with biometrics at the Hungarian consulate serving your country of residence, and the finished card is delivered to a Hungarian address, where our lawyers collect it by power of attorney and forward it to you. We map the details for your case at the consultation.
Who is eligible for the National Card?
The category is open to a fixed list of nationalities set by Government Decree 179/2024: Serbia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Belarus and Russia. The list is set by decree and can change, so we verify your passport against the current version before any payment.
I heard Hungary suspended residence permits. Is that true?
Partly. From 6 June 2026, Decree 92/2026 suspended the guest-worker category (employer-sponsored hires). The National Card is a separate category and was not affected. We track the government decrees and flag any change to clients who are mid-process.
Is the tax really just 9%?
9% is the corporate income tax, the lowest headline rate in the EU. When you pay out dividends you add 15% personal income tax plus a 13% social contribution up to a cap, so the real burden on larger sums is about 22 to 23%, and up to about 34% on small ones. IT companies can use the IP box for an effective 4.5% corporate rate. We show the full math before you commit.
When do permanent residency and citizenship come?
Permanent residency (the National Residence Card) is available in 3 years; since 2025 there is a written cultural exam in Hungarian: 60 minutes, pass mark 16 of 30, up to three attempts. Citizenship follows after 8 years of residence, with Hungarian at A2 level and a constitution exam.
How long does the whole process take?
3 to 6 months end to end: the Kft takes 2 to 4 weeks, consular review runs 30 to 90 days, and the card takes another 2 to 4 weeks to issue.
What about my family?
Your spouse and children can be included, at +€1,900 per person on top of the owner package. We confirm the exact reunification procedure for your case, since documentation varies by family situation.
Do I have to live in Hungary full-time?
Renewing the National Card, like the self-employment category, requires under immigration-office rules at least 90 days in Hungary within any 180-day period at the time of renewal. We do not promise a stay-free renewal; how the requirement is checked in practice is something we walk through at the consultation.
How is this better than Hungarian self-employment?
Self-employment caps out at 3 years with no path to permanent residency, and its low KATA tax applies only when your clients are individuals: a single invoice to a company removes the right, and above about €46,000 a year a further 40% applies. Kft plus National Card gives unlimited renewals, PR in 3 years, and full business-to-business work. A detailed comparison is coming as a blog article.
Do you guarantee approval?
No, and nobody honestly can: the decision rests with Hungary’s immigration authority. Promises of 100% approval on the market are marketing. Our model is an honest profile assessment before you pay, and staged payments tied to results.

Still have questions?

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