Residency & Golden Visas / Hungary / Route
Hungary · Residency route
Donate €1,000,000 to a Hungarian higher education institution maintained by a public trust and obtain a residence permit of up to 10 years, extendable once by another 10
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Programme overviewنظرة عامة
Advising UAE residents on European residency from our Dubai office.
Two qualifying investments — direct property purchase is not one of them
Hungary's Guest Investor Programme opened on 1 July 2024. There are exactly two qualifying investments:
| Option | Amount |
|---|---|
| Units in a real estate investment fund registered with the Hungarian National Bank | €250,000 |
| Donation to a Hungarian higher education institution maintained by a public trust | €1,000,000 |
Buying a house or flat directly does not qualify. It is not on the official list of qualifying investments.
The fund must hold at least 40% of its net asset value in Hungarian residential property, and the units must be held for five years.
The permit itself is unusually long: 10 years, extendable once by another 10. At extension the fund investor must still hold the units; the donor needs no further investment. Family members can join on family reunification permits. Naturalisation is a separate process that requires eight years of continuous residence in Hungary.
One thing to settle before you start
These are residency programmes, not citizenship. That distinction matters more for an Indian passport holder than for most, because India does not permit dual citizenship: under Section 9(1) of the Citizenship Act 1955, voluntarily acquiring another citizenship ends your Indian citizenship automatically.
Holding European residency does not affect your Indian citizenship at all. Only naturalising would. So the residence permit is the safe part; the decision point comes years later, if and when you choose to naturalise.
Talk to a European residency consultant in Dubai
XIPHIAS Immigration has guided families into Europe since 2009, and our Dubai team works with UAE residents. We were named Best Immigration Consultant by The Times of India in 2022. Our immigration consultants in Dubai will take you through the current rules, costs and timeline.
Sources
- Hungarian National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing — guest investor residence permit
- Magyar Közlöny — Hungarian official gazette
Verified against government and EU sources on 30 September 2026.
What you getالمزايا
Residence permit of up to 10 years for the main applicant, extendable once by another 10
Schengen mobility (90/180 rule) for residence permit holders
Family members can join on family reunification permits
No further investment needed when the permit is extended
Naturalisation possible after 8 years of continuous residence
No real-estate management risk; donation is administrative and straightforward
Investment & costsالتكاليف
Qualifying investment
Minimum donation
Before filing the residence application · To a Hungarian higher education institution maintained by a public-interest trust foundation, for educational, scientific research or artistic purposes. Non-refundable.
Figures are indicative and exclusive of professional fees. Your advisor confirms an exact, written cost breakdown for your family size.
Eligibilityالأهلية
Requirements
Donate at least €1,000,000 to a Hungarian higher education institution maintained by a public trust
Provide a clean criminal record and pass security screening (no SIS alerts)
Demonstrate sufficient means to support the family without local employment
Provide biometrics and maintain a valid address in Hungary
Proof of funds
Who cannot apply
Entry bans, SIS alerts, or national security concerns
Unverifiable or illicit source of funds
Material misrepresentation in the application
The processكيف نعمل
Preliminary check
Preliminary check by a certified AML officer
Choose the beneficiary institution
Select a Hungarian higher education institution maintained by a public trust, in line with programme rules
Type D visa & pre-clearance
File long-stay visa with KYC/AML package and source-of-funds proofs
Travel & identity verification
Arrive in Hungary and complete in-person checks as directed
Complete donation
Pay the €1,000,000 donation and obtain official payment confirmation
Residence cards
Receive residence cards for a permit of up to 10 years after approval
Risk notes
Direct purchase of residential property does not qualify. It is not on the official list of qualifying investments.
The fund unit route requires an MNB-registered real estate fund that holds at least 40% of its net asset value in Hungarian residential property, and the units must be held for 5 years.
Hungary is a Schengen member, but a residence permit is not citizenship. Naturalisation is a separate process requiring 8 years of continuous residence.
Compliance
Two qualifying options only: €250,000 in units of a real estate investment fund registered with the Magyar Nemzeti Bank, or a €1,000,000 donation to a Hungarian higher education institution maintained by a public trust.
The fund must hold at least 40% of its net asset value in Hungarian residential property, and units must be held for 5 years.
The guest investor residence permit runs for 10 years and can be extended once by a further 10 years.
The programme opened on 1 July 2024.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
This route, answered.
At least €1,000,000 to a Hungarian higher education institution maintained by a public trust, for educational, scientific research or artistic purposes.
Start the Hungary route.
A senior advisor will confirm the exact costs, timeline and documents for your case — privately, and entirely off the record.