A photo of Keleti Palyaudvar in Budapest, Hungary

Work Permit Application in Hungary

ByAngie Woolshie

Living in Hungary as a foreigner, a Filipina married to a Hungarian: My Family Reunification and Work Permit Experience

Moving forward with a residence permit application in Hungary can feel overwhelming, especially as a foreigner, wife, and mom navigating a system in another language. In this post, I share my personal experience applying for a Family Reunification residence permit with a Work Permit in Hungary, including the documents we prepared, the pre-contract requirement, and the timeline that led to approval.

This is not legal advice — it’s my real-life experience, written to help other foreigners better understand the process and feel less alone while applying.

Note: Everything written on this page is based on my experience. Please refer to the official site of Hungarian Immigration, read and understand the guidelines and requirements for this application.

For my case, I applied together the Family Reunification and Work Permit as one. As I know, living in Hungary as a foreigner, once you are a candidate of Family Reunification permit, you have the chance to apply for work permit as long as you have a job lined up and the employer surely will hire you and do their part.

Things I checked before starting my Residence Permit Application

living in Hungary as a foreigner residence permit checklist

Required Documents We Prepared

Based on official Hungarian immigration guidance and our own experience, applying for a residence permit for the purpose of employment usually requires several categories of documents. Requirements may vary depending on nationality, permit type, and individual circumstances.

Below, the general documents I submitted. I also explained and listed the exact documents.

  • Preliminary Employment Agreement (pre-contract/előzetes megállapodás)
  • Passport & IDs
  • Proof of means & Tax
  • Proof of Accommodation
  • Proof of Health Insurance
  • Photograph, filled form (online)
  • Proof of education/qualification related to the job

My Hungarian husband also prepared some documents. I listed it along in the Family Reunification Application blog.

Please read and understand the official guidelines on the official website of Hungarian Immigration.

Pre-contract

I acquired a sample of Pre-contract document from the immigration office. I emailed it to my potential employer and they provided their version of it signed both parties. The pre-contract is a statement of intent and is not the final employment contract. It shows the immigration authority that:

  • an employer intends to hire you
  • a specific job exists
  • employment will start only if the permit is approved

For legal and privacy reasons, I’m not sharing the official pre-contract document itself. Instead, I explain each section based on my personal experience. For the official format, always request it from your employer or the Hungarian immigration office.

This section identifies:

  • the employer (company name, address, tax number, activity code)
  • the foreign national (name, date of birth, nationality, passport number)

Purpose:
To clearly state who wants to enter into an employment relationship.

This part references Hungarian laws related to:

  • employment
  • third-country nationals
  • residence and work authorization

Purpose:
To show that the agreement follows Hungarian labor and immigration law.

This section confirms that:

  • the foreign national is legally present in Hungary
  • employment can only begin after approval of the combined residence and work permit

Purpose:
To make it clear that no work will start illegally or prematurely.

Here, both parties agree that:

  • they will proceed with the combined residence and work permit application
  • employment depends on the permit being granted

Purpose:
To link the pre-contract directly to the immigration process.

his section specifies:

  • whether the job will be an employment contract, assignment, posting, or other legal form

Purpose:
To clarify how the work relationship will be structured under Hungarian law.

his part describes:

  • the job title
  • the type of work
  • the FEOR code (Hungarian job classification)

Purpose:
To define what work the foreign national will perform.

his section lists:

  • education
  • professional qualifications
  • experience required for the role
    (if applicable)

Purpose:
To show that the applicant is qualified for the position.

s part states:

  • the agreed salary or monthly pay
  • confirmation that wages meet legal requirements

Purpose:
To ensure fair employment conditions and compliance with labor laws.

is section indicates:

  • the main workplace location
  • whether work may take place at multiple sites

Purpose:
To define where the work will be performed.

re, the document specifies:

  • weekly working hours

Purpose:
To show that employment conditions are clear and lawful.

employer confirms that:

  • working conditions are safe
  • professional and technical requirements are met

Purpose:
To protect the employee and confirm employer responsibility.

is section states that:

  • there is no ongoing strike or labor dispute affecting the position

Purpose:
To ensure employment stability and legality.

his part outlines:

  • how long the employment is expected to last
  • alignment with the validity of the residence permit

Purpose:
To match employment duration with immigration authorization.

e final section includes:

  • date
  • signatures of both parties

Purpose:
To formally confirm mutual intent.

This explanation is based on my personal experience and is meant to help others understand the structure of the document. For the official and most up-to-date format, it’s best to consult the immigration office or employer directly.

Passport & IDs

I submitted a scanned copy of my passport (full, cover-cover) and the residence permit I was holding at that time. If you have read my blog on Filipina-Hungarian Wedding, I mentioned that I translated as one all my documents, including my passport. We had further plans at that time, so all my official documents were translated to Hungarian through OFFI, to avoid delays and future problems. I also attached my Birth Certificate (Apostille and translated to Hungarian) as additional document.

Proof of means & Tax

This application was a long time work-in-progress. Let’s say 1 year before the application, we had visualizing everything for our plan. As mentioned above, I gathered my 12 months bank statement (through bank app). I also requested from my bank a certificate where they indicated the current amount of the account. My husband and I were really saving money in my account so it has a good flow of money. As how I have understood the guidelines, the immigration looks at the constant flow of money, not the one-time big amount deposited in the account.

For Tax certificate, we requested the document from Tax department office near us. As a foreigner living in Hungary, this is important.

Proof of Accommodation

Ownership certificate is what we prepared.

Proof of Health Insurance

We purchased a 1 year policy health insurance from Generali.

Photograph, filled form (online)

I took a self-photo at home using phone with white background and wore decent attire and made sure that the file was in JPEG format. I printed it as well in photo paper because it is needed to attach on the document sent in your case in Enter Hungary following the Schengen Visa Photo size.

Proof of education/qualification related to the job

Degree Diploma

There was a part on the application that asks what is your profession before coming to Hungary and your current profession, and in connection to my employment in Hungary as well, I submitted my degree diploma as a proof. I apostille the document to the DFA back in my country and had it translated to Hungarian via OFFI. For the professional license/certificates, only my employer asked a copy of it.

Hungarian Language Certificate

Not necessary, but I wanted to show proof to the Immigration that I have the full interest in staying in Hungary, and I think learning the Hungarian language is a considerable factor in this application.

Online Submission

Only on the official website of Hungarian Immigration I submitted my application (Enter Hungary).

enter hungary online application living in Hungary as a foreigner

Timeline and Approval

July 2021 – Started to save money and monitored the bank statement

February 2022 – Job hunt, sent my job application to companies, and had interviews

March 2022 – Potential employer offered a job

June 2022 – Gathered all the necessary documents

July 2022 – Submitted the application online

September 2022 – Approval of the Family Reunification with Work Permit

October 2022 – Received my residence card, my employer applied for TAJ card for me and it was given in this month as well

Applying for a residence permit in Hungary as a foreigner takes patience, preparation, and trust in the process. Looking back, the most important things for us were starting early, reading official guidance carefully, and keeping all documents organized.

Every case is different, and requirements may change, so always consult the official Hungarian Immigration Office or your local authority. I hope that sharing my experience helps you feel more prepared and confident as you begin your own journey living in Hungary as a foreigner.

If you’re interested, check out blogs on Living in Hungary as a Foreigner here or you can also read my detailed experience on Family Reunification where I explain the documents my Hungarian husband prepared as well.

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