A uniform Schengen (short-stay) visa allows its holder to stay in the Schengen area for the duration identified in the visa, not exceeding total of 90 days in any 180-day period. The visa can be issued for one, two or multiple entries.

(In case you have already obtained a two or multiple entry visa but you are not sure about the available travel days remained from the 90 days, please check the Calculator for help.)

If your stay in Hungary will exceed 90 consecutive days, please see our site „Applying for a long-term stay visa – residence permit”.

 

 

Who needs to apply for a Schengen Visa?

Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 includes the list of third countries whose nationals are subject to, or exempt from possessing a visa while crossing the external border of the Schengen area. Palestinian nationals DO NEED a visa to enter the Schengen area and can apply for it at our Office. If you hold an Israeli Travel Document with Jordanian nationality, you will need to apply for a visa. Other nationals can only apply for a visa at our Office in Ramallah if they have legal permanent residency in Palestine.

Please note that the visa is only a preliminary permission for entry, which does not authorize its bearer automatically to enter the country. The traveller may be requested to provide proof of the existence of the conditions of his/her entry and stay in Hungary and, if he/she is not able to fulfil this, he/she may be returned from the border.

 

What is the application process?

In order to process your visa application at our Office, your travel itinerary must fulfill the below criteria:

  • The main or only destination of your stay is Hungary within the Schengen Area. If you are visiting multiple countries, the highest number of nights spent in the Schengen Area is in Hungary. In the case of stays in different Schengen countries with equal length, Hungary is the first port of entry.
  • The date of your planned departure to the Schengen Area is within 6 months of the date of application.

Applicants shall appear in person when submitting an application there is no opportunity for online applications.

It is strongly recommended to apply for a visa as early as possible but not more than six months before your planned departure time. The application has to be presented at least 15 days prior to the planned date of travel.

 

Prior consultation - Article 22 of the Visa Code:

In accordance with Art. 22 of the Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas, a Member State may require the central authorities of other Member States to consult its central authorities during the examination of applications submitted by nationals of specific third countries or specific categories of such nation. Palestine is among those third countries whose nationals or specific categories of such are subject to prior consultation.

 

What documents do I have to bring to submit an application?

  • Schengen-Visa application form (you can download the form by clicking here)
    Please keep in mind that you can download the form in any language but you should fill it out in English. Personal presence and duly completed visa application form is required when submitting the application.
  • Photo: Passport-size, 2 pieces
  • Passport: Valid for at least 3 more months from the time of return. If you are applying for a multiple-entry visa, the travel document must be valid three months after the last intended date of departure. The travel document must contain at least two blank pages.
  • Supporting documents (see below)

 

List of the (minimum required) supporting documents for all visa applicants:

The following list is not exhaustive, each applicant can submit further supporting evidence, or may be asked to provide additional proof. All requested evidence must be produced in original and photocopy. All papers presented in Arabic should be accompanied by a translation into English or French. However, handing in a complete set of documentation does not guarantee the delivery of the requested visa.

  • Proof of accommodation in the Member State of destination: hotel booking for whole duration of the stay in the Member State if accommodation is not provided by host or official form/invitation letter confirming accommodation by the host (in case the host resides in a leased apartment: declaration of the owner).
  • Evidence of income confirming that they cover all costs related to travel and stay: bank statements for the last three months, and/or copies of salary slips of the last three months and/or a letter of invitation by the company/institution. In case of sponsorship: bank account statement for the last 3 months of the person financing your trip + a written statement from him/her taking responsibility for all your costs + a copy of his/her valid passport.
  • Information about travel arrangements: outbound and return flight booking with intended dates of travel. In case of visiting multiple Schengen states: tickets of travel within the Schengen area.
  • Proof of studies/retirement/employment with a confirmation of the possibility to return to work. The person signing the proof should be identified by name and surname, position and contact details.
  • Travel medical insurance, valid throughout the territory of the Member States and covering the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit. The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30 000.

 

Documents to be submitted depending on the purpose of the visit:

Business visit

  • Signed invitation from the company in Hungary including the full name of the applicant, the purpose of the visit, who will cover travel and accommodation costs, the company’s contact details. Job description and dates of the visits should be explicitly stated in the letter from the sponsor company.

Visiting a friend/relative

  • Signed invitation from a friend/relative including full name of the applicant, the purpose and duration of the visit, address during the stay in Hungary, contact details of the host.

Seminar/course/scientific, cultural, sports or religious events

  • Signed invitation from the organiser of the event, including the applicants full name, the purpose of the visit, address during the stay in Hungary, who will cover travel and accommodation costs, contact details of the organiser.

     

Minors (children below the age of 18)

The consent of the parents/legal guardians should be required only if the minor travels alone or with only one parent. The form can be found here. The visa form must be signed by both parents in person when the application is handed in.

 

How long will it take for me to get my visa?

Visa decisions are made within 15 calendar days (may be extended up to a maximum of 30 or 60 calendar days in individual cases) of which the applicant will be notified. In order to have enough time for the process, we recommend booking an appointment at least 1-2 months before the intended date of travel.

For reasons of data protection, information about individual visa applications may only be provided to the applicant personally or to a person whom the applicant has authorized in writing to receive such information.

 

How much do I have to pay for my visa?

For an up-to-date list of visa fees, please visit our Visa Fees site.

Please note: you can only pay the fee via credit/debit card, no cash payment is accepted.

 

What can you do if your visa gets refused?

You may appeal against this decision. The decision to refuse a Schengen Visa and the reasons for the refusal are provided by using a standard form. The notification of the refusal will include the reasons on which the refusal was based and information on the applicant’s right to appeal the decision.

The visa fee is not refunded if the visa is refused. The visa fee covers the cost of the examination of the visa application.

If a visa application is rejected, the applicant or his legally authorized representative has the right to appeal in writing within a period of 8 days after the date on which the applicant is notified of the refusal of the visa. The appeal containing the reasons for appealing must be handed in in person at our Office. For the fee of appeal procedure, please check the Visa Fees site for updated prices at all times.

The decision regarding the appeal will be made by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary within 15 days.

In case of refusal of the appeal, the applicant may appeal this decision within 3 days by filing a legal action at our Office with the Administrative and Labour Court in Budapest. There is no further legal remedy against the decision of the Administrative and Labour Court in Budapest.

 

Other information

Please be advised that for family members of an EEA member state citizen, the Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 and all related national regulations will apply.

General Visa Information: https://konzuliszolgalat.kormany.hu/how-to-apply-for-visa