Hungarian Citizenship by Descent
If you have a Hungarian ancestor, you may already be a Hungarian citizen without knowing it, or you may qualify through simplified naturalisation. We connect you with a licensed Hungarian immigration attorney who traces the line, obtains the records, and handles the application from start to finish.
What This Service Covers
Hungarian citizenship passes down by descent. If you can trace a documented line back to a Hungarian ancestor, you may qualify, and there is no generation limit and no requirement to live in Hungary. The route that applies to you depends on whether that line was ever broken.
There are two routes, and they are different procedures:
- Verification of citizenship. Your line is unbroken and you are already a Hungarian citizen by law. What you need is for that to be recognised on paper, which usually means registering a birth that was never registered in Hungary and obtaining the underlying civil records.
- Simplified naturalisation. Your line was broken at some point, so you are not automatically a citizen and you apply to become one on the basis of your Hungarian ancestry. This route involves an interview conducted in Hungarian.
Good to know
Most people do not know which route applies to them until someone examines the documents. That is the single most useful outcome of a consultation, because the two routes differ in what is required of you, how long they take, and what they cost.
Who This Is For
- People with a Hungarian parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, or a more distant Hungarian ancestor
- People born abroad to Hungarian citizens whose birth was never registered in Hungary
- Descendants of families who left the historic Kingdom of Hungary, including areas that are now in Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Ukraine, Austria, Croatia, and Slovenia
- People who want an EU passport through ancestry and can obtain, or already hold, the family documents
Not suitable for: people with no documented Hungarian ancestor, and people looking to acquire citizenship through residence rather than descent. Naturalisation through long-term residence is a separate service.
If you are still working out whether you qualify, start with our free guide to Hungarian citizenship by descent.
Not sure which permit fits your situation?
Book a one-hour consultation with a licensed immigration lawyer. €150, credited toward full service if you proceed.
Book ConsultationHow the Process Works
With a licensed Hungarian immigration attorney:
- Map out your family line and identify the Hungarian ancestor
- Establish which of the two routes applies to your case
- Identify which records exist, which are missing, and where they are held
- Receive a realistic timeline and a document checklist for your situation
Consultation fee (€150) is credited toward full service if you proceed.
This is the part most people cannot do from abroad. Your attorney:
- Requests birth, marriage, and other civil records from the Hungarian registries
- Works with archival and historical records where the documents are old
- Assembles the documented chain back to your Hungarian ancestor
- Identifies gaps early and advises on how to close them
Once the file is complete:
- Your attorney prepares and submits the application, which is completed in Hungarian
- Registers your birth in Hungary where that step is required
- Monitors the procedure throughout
- Liaises with the Hungarian authorities until the case is fully completed
What Your Fee Includes
- A full legal consultation with no time limit
- Ongoing communication by email, phone, online, or in person
- Obtaining the necessary documents, including birth, marriage, and other relevant civil records
- Preparing and submitting the application
- Monitoring the entire procedure
- Liaising with the Hungarian authorities until the case is fully completed
Typical Requirements
Heads up
Descent cases vary more than any other permit type, because everything depends on which records survive and where. The list below is the usual starting point. Your attorney will give you a complete, personalised checklist during consultation.
Proving the line
- An unbroken chain of birth certificates from you back to your Hungarian ancestor
- Marriage certificates linking each generation
- Proof of the ancestor’s Hungarian citizenship or origin, such as an old passport, identity document, military record, or archival entry
Your own documents
- Valid passport and proof of current identity
- Your own birth and, if applicable, marriage certificates
- Certified translations where documents are not in Hungarian
For simplified naturalisation cases only
- Conversational Hungarian, assessed at interview. There is no formal written language exam for ancestry-based applicants.
Indicative Fees
Pricing
Legal Consultation: from €150
Full Citizenship by Descent Assistance: from €2,000
The €2,000 figure covers the verification and registration route, where the line is unbroken and the work is obtaining the records and registering the birth. Simplified naturalisation cases are more involved and are quoted individually after the documents have been reviewed. Consultation fee is fully credited toward the full service if you proceed. These figures are indicative and subject to change. Final pricing confirmed after case review.
Why Work With Us
Hungarian registries and archives approached directly, in Hungarian, by someone who does it regularly
Find out whether you are already a citizen or need to naturalise before you spend anything else
Qualified Hungarian immigration lawyers who handle citizenship and descent cases as part of their practice
No requirement to live in or move to Hungary. Most clients never need to be here for the process
We manage the administrative side so you deal with one point of contact, not several offices
Fixed fees with no surprises. Consultation fee credited toward full service.
What’s Not Included
Government and administrative fees
- Official fees payable to the Hungarian authorities
- Consular fees if any step is handled through a Hungarian consulate
- Fees charged by foreign registries or archives for issuing copies of records held outside Hungary
Additional costs paid directly by you
- Document apostille and authentication costs, which vary by country
- Certified Hungarian translations of documents not already in Hungarian
- Any travel, if your case requires you to attend in person
- Hungarian language tuition, if you are on the simplified naturalisation route
Disclaimer: Hungary Visa is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. All legal services are provided by independent, licensed Hungarian immigration attorneys.