Employment in Hungary
A residence permit for the purpose of employment may be obtained basically by any Korean citizen whose purpose of residence is to perform actual work for or under the supervision of another person or company in Hungary in return for payment. The definition of employment not only involves e.g. an employment contract concluded with the senior official or a traineeship/vocational training program, but any legal relationship aimed at employment.
This requires applying for a visa first, which is issued by the Hungarian Embassy in Seoul. Since the typical consular duties are also handled at the Embassy, the residence permit must also be applied for here or online – so it’s good to know and note that in both cases the process starts in South Korea.
If HU’s immigration authority approves the application for the residence permit (submitted in Seoul), it will simultaneously authorize the issuance of such a visa that entitles the applicants to receive the residence permit too. It’s a 2 in 1. The immigration authority notifies the Hungarian consular officer accordingly and the „visa complex” will be issued then by the consular officer in Seoul.
After that, within a short period of time (30 days at most) after entering Hungary with a visa, You must appear in person at least once before the immigration office, now called the „National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing” (OIF). Its purpose is twofold: on the one hand, personal identification takes place, on the other hand, the residence permit (i.e. specific ID card) is issued.
Although the main rule is that the procedure for settling in Hungary with the aim to work starts in Seoul (visa, residence permit), in certain exceptional cases Hungarian law provides for the possibility to acquire a residence permit after the arrival to HU. Even in this case, an entry visa is definitely required.
The procedure partially differs from the above when the employer is classified as a so-called „Preferred Employer” in Hungary. These are, for example, companies that have entered into a strategic partnership agreement with the Government or are participating in an investment that is highly important from the viewpoint of the national economy. In such cases, it is also possible for the application to be submitted by the host organization or the Preferred Employer.
Entry to Hungary for the purpose of tourism
Korean citizens can stay in Hungary visa-free for a total of 90 days for tourism purposes. In order to enter, they must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the end of the planned stay, as well as the amount of money necessary for staying in Hungary, and a valid ticket for the return trip.
Our law office is at your disposal
It is clear that the regulation concerning the entry to Hungary for work is quite complex, and it is easy to get lost in the bureaucratic maze. If you want to avoid unexpected and unpleasant surprises and want to be sure about the legality of your stay here, our law firm serves many Korean companies, let us help you too.
If we can be of your assistance, feel free to contact us at balazs.acs@nzp.de.