Attention! All applications for Hungarian citizenship must be submitted in person at the Consulate after scheduling an appointment. We cannot accept applications via mail or walk-in.

Appointments can be booked directly through our online booking system. https://konzinfobooking.mfa.gov.hu

I. General information

Before going into details, you should take into consideration the following principles:

  1. The Hungarian citizenship law is based on the principles of ius sanguinis ("right of blood" in Latin), meaning that a person acquires Hungarian citizenship by birth from a parent who is a Hungarian citizen.
  2. Therefore, a Hungarian birth certificate proves only the fact of birth but NOT the Hungarian citizenship.
  3. As citizenship laws don't have retroactive effect (except in some very special cases), one always has to refer to the law which was in force at the date of his/her birth.
  4. Dual citizenship is permitted under Hungarian Law.

According to the present regulation in force - Act LV of 1993 - Hungarian citizenship can originate under two principles: the most significant one being the principle of origin: the child of every Hungarian citizen becomes a Hungarian citizen by birth (whether the mother or the father is a [or both are] Hungarian citizen [s]).

Prior to this date, rules for acquisition and loss of Hungarian citizenship may have been different. As a short - and by no means exhaustive - resumé concerning Hungarian citizenship, before applying, please consider the following:

 Between October 1st , 1957– October 1st,1993:

If one of the parents was a Hungarian citizen at the moment of birth, the child became Hungarian citizen.

 Before October 1st , 1957:

  • A child became a Hungarian citizen only if his legitimate father was a Hungarian citizen. The child of a Hungarian mother and a non-Hungarian father didn’t become Hungarian citizen by birth.
  • If the child was born out of wedlock (extramarital birth) and the mother had Hungarian citizenship, the child became Hungarian citizen. But if later on the child was recognized by a non-Hungarian father, he/she could have lost her/his citizenship.
  • The non-Hungarian wife of a Hungarian citizen husband became automatically Hungarian citizen after the marriage.
  • If a Hungarian citizen woman acquired by marriage the citizenship of her non-Hungarian husband, then she automatically lost her Hungarian citizenship.
  • Those, who left Hungary before September 1st, 1929 could lose their citizenship by living continuously abroad for a period exceeding 10 years. This 10 year period began after the expiry date in the person's last Hungarian passport. Therefore, in this case, a Hungarian official document (e.g. a passport, a written declaration made in a Hungarian Consulate, etc.) must be produced which would prove that the person kept his/her citizenship.
  • Effects of the Trianon treaty: in general those living outside of the present Hungarian borders lost their Hungarian citizenship and became citizens of the country which received the given territory (with some minor exceptions) after 1921.
  • From those who left Hungary before February 1st, 1949, a Hungarian document (any Hungarian identity document, school certificate, work certificate, diploma, etc.) proving that they lived in Hungary after September 1st, 1929 - especially for those who left in the 1930s, early 1940s - is required.
  • In some cases, the Acts of 1879 and 1939 entitled the Hungarian State to deprive Hungarians from their citizenship.

As you may see, the assessment of the citizenship of a person might be a very complicated task, due to the historical changes of borders and citizenships in Central Europe during the 20th century. 

II. Procedure - Verification of citizenship

What is proof of Hungarian citizenship?

The following are the proofs of Hungarian citizenship:

  1. A valid Hungarian ID card.
  2. A valid Hungarian passport. If your Hungarian passport has expired, you may still use it as proof of Hungarian citizenship for one year following the date of its expiry.
  3. A valid Hungarian citizenship certificate.  (usually valid for only three years)
  4. A certificate of naturalization, until proven otherwise.
  5. The registry of personal data and addresses. Your data is included in the registry if you have a so-called address card or if you previously had a Hungarian personal identification number.

Please note that Hungarian birth and marriage certificates are not proof of Hungarian citizenship.

If you do not have at least one of the above-mentioned documents you need to submit a verification of Hungarian citizenship application.

Verification of citizenship

For the verification of citizenship you must apply in person and a prior appointment must be booked.

The forms and supporting documents will be checked at the time of your appointment. We are not able to review forms and supporting documents prior to the appointment.

A minor is a person under 18 years old. Minors must have their applications signed by their parents at the time of the appointment. If both parents have joint custody, both must sign.

Please fill the forms out, (but do not sign) with a computer or by a blue ink pen in block capitals. Please use full legal names in the Hungarian name order, e.g., Smith John Thomas instead of John Smith or John T. Smith. When referring to US cities, please also specify the state.

Please find the necessary forms below.

Frequently asked questions

1. Which documents should I submit for the verification process?

Please fill out the necessary forms. The “form for verification of Hungarian citizenship” always has to be submitted, and depending on your marital status additional forms might be needed for your application, as detailed in the following points.

Usually it is sufficient to submit your own birth certificate and your parents' marriage certificate if:

•             you were or one of your parents was born in Hungary, or

•             you or at least one of your parents had a Hungarian passport or ID card (or booklet) before, or

•             your Hungarian citizenship or the Hungarian citizenship of at least one of your parents has been verified before (e.g. if you received a citizenship certificate).

If none of your parents is Hungarian, you have to provide us with your Hungarian grandparent’s birth certificate, grandparents’ marriage certificate. Your parents' birth and marriage certificate have to be submitted, as well.

Please note that only detailed certificates (including date of birth on them) are acceptable!

If the marriage certificate does not contain enough information you need to get the marriage license too. Some states do not have detailed versions of these documents, in that case you have to get a letter from the authority stating that they are not able to issue longer versions of the marriage certificate.

If you are unable to submit Hungarian birth or marriages certificates, the Hungarian authorities will retrieve them from the archives. If that applies, as a first step of your citizenship application you should apply for the certificate(s).

If you or your ancestors left Hungary before 1945, it is beneficial to provide other Hungarian documents, e.g., old Hungarian passports and ID booklets, certificates of domicile ("illetőségi bizonyítvány") or old citizenship certificates, other old Hungarian official documents like school records, labor booklets ("munkakönyv"), military booklets ("katonakönyv"), address registration sheets ("lakcímbejelentő nap"), legal name change certificates ("névváltoztatási okirat").

Please note that some certificates require Apostille certification!

If the certificates are not in Hungarian, English, French or German we ask for an official Hungarian translation with the documents submitted.

You can get the translation from the Hungarian Office for Translation and Attestation LTD or any other official translators (https://www.offi.hu/en)

2. Why is my marital status relevant?

Hungarian law stipulates that all vital events of a Hungarian citizen (birth, marriage, divorce, death) are registered in Hungary. Without this registration your Hungarian citizenship cannot be verified and you cannot get a Hungarian passport.

Therefore, in the citizenship verification process (in addition to the “form for verification of Hungarian citizenship” and depending on your current marital status) the following documents and forms shall be submitted.

a) In case your marital status is single (never married) 

If you were born in Hungary or your birth has already been registered in Hungary, you must simply attach your Hungarian-issued birth certificate.

If you were not born in Hungary or you do not have a Hungarian-issued birth certificate:

  • Please use full names in the Hungarian order.)

Attach the following documents:

• Your birth certificate. Only detailed („long-form”) certificates are acceptable!

• Your parents' marriage certificate. Only detailed ("long-form”) certificates are acceptable!

 • If you were not born in wedlock (and you are over 6 years old), the acknowledgement of paternity will be necessary . The applicant’s parents need to be present as well. Before you request an appointment we kindly ask you to check with us if you will need to have the acknowledgement of paternity.

 • The copy of the document proving the citizenship of your non-Hungarian parent, e.g. a passport or a citizenship certificate.

 b) In case your marital status is married

Please refer to point a) to see whether your birth has to be registered in Hungary.

If you were married in Hungary or your marriage has already been registered in Hungary, you will just have to attach your Hungarian-issued marriage certificate.

If you were not married in Hungary or you do not have a Hungarian-issued marriage certificate:

• Please fill out the form  “Form for domestic registration of marriage” (Please use full names in the Hungarian name order and make sure you put your preferred married name on this form,).

Attach the following documents:

• Your marriage certificate. Only detailed ("long-form”) certificates are acceptable! If the certificate only includes the names of the parties, please attach a copy of your application to marry.

• If the bride's or the groom's family status at the time of the marriage was divorced or widow, submit the Hungarian-issued or certified copy of foreign death certificate or divorce decree (Even if the spouse is not Hungarian or applying for citizenship).

Only detailed ("long-form”) certificates are acceptable! The foreign divorce decree has to be submitted with a Hungarian translation.

Please note that your spouse needs to be present at the time of your appointment to sign the forms.

If you were married/divorced more than once you have to get those life events registered as well by filling out the “form for domestic registration of marriage” and the “form for domestic registration of divorce” to that respective marriage and attaching the supporting documents mentioned above.

 c) If your marital status is divorced

Please refer to points a) and b) to see whether your birth and/or your previous dissolved marriage have to be first registered in Hungary.

If the divorce was pronounced by a Hungarian court, or if your Hungarian-issued certificate has a remark saying that the marriage was dissolved by a foreign court, just attach the marriage certificate.

  • If you do not have such marriage certificate, please fill out the “Form for domestic registration of divorce”.
  • Attach a certified copy of decree of divorce from the US court that dissolved the marriage specifying the exact date on which the divorce took effect and its Hungarian translation.

 d) If your marital status is widowed

Please refer to points a) ,b) and c) to see whether your birth and/or your marriage, which was dissolved by the death of your spouse, have to be first registered in Hungary.

If your spouse was a Hungarian citizen, please submit his or her Hungarian-issued death certificate. If you do not have one, please fill the form for registering the death.

If your spouse was not a Hungarian citizen, please submit his or her original/certified copy of death certificate.

3. What Hungarian governmental agency is responsible and where can I find more information?

 The Budapest Főváros Kormányhivatala (Budapest Metropolitan Government Office) is responsible for the verification of citizenship and the vital statistics registration.

The verification of citizenship procedure takes an average of 8 -12 months. The Consulate is unable to speed up the proceedings.

4. I am a Hungarian citizen and would like my underage child to get Hungarian citizenship.

If you have proof of your Hungarian citizenship, you do not have to apply for the verification of the citizenship of your child under the age of 18; simply initiate the registration of his or her birth.

 5. How do I become a Hungarian citizen if...

a) I immigrated to the US as a Hungarian citizen?

If you do not have proof of citizenship (see above), then you can apply for the verification of your Hungarian citizenship.

Many Hungarian citizens immigrated to the USA after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Their Hungarian citizenships are still intact, with some rare exceptions.

b) my parents or grandparents immigrated to the USA as Hungarian citizens, but I myself was born in the US?

Hungarian citizenship law is based on the principles of jus sanguinis (right of blood). Descendants of Hungarian citizens are eligible to request Hungarian citizenship verification, regardless of the country of birth. However, there are some notable exceptions from this general rule.

c) I lost my Hungarian citizenship, or my parents/grandparents lost theirs?

You can become a Hungarian citizen through the simplified naturalization procedure. This situation usually arises as a ramification of the peace treaties that followed the First and Second World Wars. If you or your ancestors originate from the present-day territory of Hungary, it is more likely that either point a) or b) applies to you.

If you have lost your Hungarian citizenship for any of the reasons listed below, you may reacquire it by means of a statement, and your children and grandchildren may apply for naturalization (if they speak Hungarian):

  • you were deprived of your Hungarian citizenship by virtue of Act X of 1947 and Act XXVI of 1948, of Act LX of 1948 on Hungarian Citizenship or of Act V of 1957 on Citizenship;
  • your Hungarian citizenship ceased by expatriation between September 15, 1947 and May 2, 1990;
  • you were a person obliged to resettle in Germany.

d) my spouse is a Hungarian citizen?

You can apply for Hungarian citizenship by basing your claim on your marriage, through the simplified naturalization procedure. The following conditions must be met:

  • you speak and understand Hungarian at an intermediate level, and
  • you have been married for at least 10 years, or
  • you have been married for at least 5 years and you have a child together.

e) none of the above applies to my case?

The examples above are common cases our office encounters, and therefore the provided information is incomplete. If you are interested in Hungarian citizenship and would like to obtain specific information relevant to your case, please email us at info.ny@mfa.gov.hu

6. How does Hungarian citizenship affect my US citizenship?

Both Hungary and the United States accept dual citizenship. Dual citizens owe allegiance to both Hungary and the United States. They are required to obey the laws of both countries, and either country has the right to enforce its laws.