Hungary

The Hungarian Investment Immigration Program provides the opportunity to foreign nationals (non-EU citizens) to acquire permanent residence status in Hungary through an investment in Special Hungarian Government Bonds.

As of July 1st 2016, there is no longer a six-month temporary permit waiting period; applicants can now “fast track” their way to permanent residency within two months. In the new changes, the requirement for a Hungarian address has also been removed.

 A 300,000 EUR investment in government bonds  grants foreign investors and their accompanying family members  permanent residency in Hungary.

Family members include an applicant’s spouse, dependant children, and now include the dependant parents as well. A non-refundable administrative fee of 60,000 EUR applies for a family of four (principal applicant, spouse, and two minor children). For a total investment of 360,000 EUR, you and your family can become permanent residents of Hungary in as little as two months.

The sum invested in the bonds (300,000 EUR) is fully returned at the end of an initial five-year lockout period, without any accumulated interest. Even after the bond investment is refunded, the permanent residence permit can be kept indefinitely. The investment is completely risk-free as it is backed by the government. This means that in the end, Hungarian permanent residence can be obtained for only 60,000 EUR.

Financing option available

The Hungarian Investment Immigration Program, or Hungary Golden Visa, is the cheapest program of its kind in Europe. Making it even more appealing is that financing is again a possibility. This is a good option for investors who do not want to pay the whole investment amount of 300,000 EUR upfront, even though it will be refunded in five years. The financing option offers investors the opportunity of paying a one-time fee of 140,000 EUR  for the bond investment; however, this amount will not be returned. If the financing option is selected, the total fee for Hungarian permanent residence comes to 200,000 EUR.

The bank offering the financing for the program discontinued this option in the past. This means that even though it is available at present, it may be discontinued again at any time without advance notice. Those interested in immigrating to Hungary through the financing option are advised to do so while the offer is still on the table.

Why Hungary?

What are the benefits of Hungarian permanent residence? Permanent residence holders get to live, work, and study in Hungary and are granted visa-free travel to any Schengen country. Hungary is centrally located in Europe, is a very safe country to live and raise a family, and has a relatively low cost of living compared to the rest of Europe. In fact, Hungarian permanent residents have all the same rights and benefits as Hungarian citizens, with the exception of voting for national government elections and holding a Hungarian passport. Permanent residence holders can apply for Hungarian citizenship (and passport) after eight years.

The managing director of the Residency Bond Program, Laszlo Gaal, states, “Hungary stands out from the crowd with its easy, fast, safe program.” Compared to other European residency programs that require an investment in real estate, the Hungarian program offers investment in an interest-free government bond that is fully refunded after the lockup period of five years. Buying real estate can be risky business, especially considering the volatility of the market in many areas. Even in relatively stable markets, you can never be 100% sure about the future value of your property. Investing in government bonds, on the other hand, is a safe and secure investment.

Close to 4,000 Residence Government Bonds have been issued since the Hungary Golden Visa program’s inception in 2012, and the number of residence permits issued continues to increase. It is easy to understand why the program is so popular. The low cost and fast processing speed to become a lifelong permanent resident of Hungary adds value that other programs can’t compete with.

For more information on Hungary’s Investment Immigration Program, please click here.

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