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Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ - General Information about Schengen visas

For detailed information about issuance of Schengen visa you can read EU Regulation 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a community code on visas (Visa Codex)

Please be advised that a Schengen visa does not confer an automatic right of entry into the Schengen area to the holders of Schengen visa since conditions of entry other than holding a Schengen visa must also be satisfied (see: Article 5 of Schengen Borders Code).


  • I am visiting two or several Schengen countries. Which is responsible for my visa application?

    If the visit includes more than one destination, the country whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit in terms of the length or purpose of stay is responsible for the visa application. Examples:

    • You are sent by your company on a 3-day business trip to Budapest. You decide to take 2 days off and use your weekend to see Prague. Since the main purpose of your travel is doing business, Hungary is responsible.
    • You are visiting your brother, who lives in Hungary, and your sister, who lives in the Netherlands. You plan to spend 6 days with your brother, and 4 days with your sister. The purpose of stay is the same, visiting family, but you will spend more time in Hungary. Hungary is responsible.

      • If no main destination can be determined, the country whose external border the applicant intends to cross in order to enter the territory of the Schengen area is responsible. Example:

    • You fly in to Budapest for a Danube river cruise. You will spend 2 days is Hungary, 2 in Slovakia, 2 in Austria and 2 in Germany. Hungary is responsible as the country which you will enter first.
  • Who can apply?

    You can only apply in Canada if you are legally resident in Canada, meaning if

    • you are a permanent resident or
    • you have a study permit or work permit or
    • you have a super visa and have not been able to apply in the country of your citizenship.

    In any other cases, e.g., if you live in the United States, you cannot apply in Canada. Exceptions can only be made in well justified cases, especially if in your country of citizenship there is no Hungarian consulate or consulate representing Hungary where you could apply, and you are a visitor in Canada.

    Refugee Travel Document (RTD - Convention of 1951) holders do not need visa in Hungary for short stays.

  • When to apply?

    It is strongly recommended to apply for a visa as early as possible but less than 6 months prior to the intended date of departure.

    Please note that visa applications are considered submitted when all the admissibility criteria are met. The date of the admissible visa application is considered the first day of the processing time by the Embassy that is normally 15 days but can be a maximum of 45 days. The Embassy will decide on admissibility of applications and the 15 days deadline commences on the day when the application is declared admissible by the Embassy.

    Admissibility criteria are as follows:

    — the application has been lodged by the embassy within the period of 15 days to 6 months prior to the intended date of departure,

    — the application contains:

    • application form filled out and signed by the applicant,
    • travel document with at least two blank pages (its validity shall extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States and it shall have been issued within the previous 10 years),
    • a passport photo— the biometric data of the applicant have been collected, and
    • travel insurance (refer to requirements below)
  • Which form shall I fill out?

    This Schengen visa application form. Make sure that it is complete and signed. Please, do not staple your documents.

  • What are the requirements for my passport?

    Your passport

    • must have been issued within the past 10 years,
    • must have 2 blank pages (adjacent pages preferably, but not necessarily), and
    • must be valid for at least 3 months after the end of your visit.
  • What are the requirements for travel medical insurance?

    You shall present a travel medical insurance that is

    • valid for the whole Schengen Area,
    • has a minimum coverage of 30 thousand EUR (around 43 thousand CAD).

    Please present a detailed policy for verifying the above requirements, and also your provincial health card, if necessary. Please note that your application is inadmissible if you do not present a travel medical insurance when submitting it.

  • What supporting documents are required?

    1. Proof of financial means (e.g., the 3 latest bank statements, proof of employment or 3 latest pay slips, proof of income. If you are self-employed a business license and tax return forms),

    2. Confirmed return flight ticket reservation,

    3. Proof of accommodation,

    4. Other supporting documents concerning the purpose of travel, for example:

    • When visiting relatives or friends, please submit an invitation letter;
    • For tourism, please submit confirmed hotel reservations, stating name, address and telephone number of the hotel, including confirmation number and/or proof of group travel participation, etc.
    • If the purpose of your trip is business, please present a letter of support from the company concerned in the Schengen country where you travel to, and a letter from your employer stating your position within the company and the reason for your business travel. Either letter should clarify who is responsible for expenses and where you will be staying (such as a hotel reservation).

    The applicant is expected to provide Information enabling an assessment of the applicant’s intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.

    The specific requirements depend on the purpose of travel, the length of intended stay and the personal circumstances of the applicant. Please bear in mind that the consul may require additional documents anytime during the visa procedure and applicants may be called for a personal interview, as well.

    You shall present the original and submit a photocopy of each document.

  • What if I am a family member of an EU/EEA citizen?

    The following persons qualify as family members:

    • the spouse;
    • the partner with whom the EEA citizen has contracted a registered partnership, on the basis of the legislation of any EEA country, if the legislation of the host Member State treats registered partnership as equivalent to marriage;
    • the direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependent as well as those of the spouse or partner as defined above; or
    • the dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner as defined above.

      • If you are a family member of an EU/EEA citizen, and you are travelling together or you wish to join him or her in Europe

    • the Schengen Visa is free of charge for you,
    • you do not need a travel medical insurance, although it is still recommended to have one,
    • supporting documents are your EU/EEA national family member's passport or ID card, an official certificate of the relationship (for spouses of Hungarian citizens, only a marriage certificate issued by Hungary is acceptable), and a flight ticket is you are travelling together, or an invitation letter from the family member, if not.
  • Where do I find more information?

    At the website of the Hungarian Consular Service. We have provided the most basic and Canada-specific information here, but we strongly recommend studying that site before you apply for a Schengen Visa. https://konzinfo.mfa.gov.hu/en

  • Rejection of visa application

    An appeal may be submitted against a rejected visa application only in Ottawa at the Embassy within 8 days as of the delivery of the decision on rejection to the applicant. A fee is payable in person upon appeal. In case of visa rejection, the applicant will be duly informed by the Embassy of her/his rights concerning the submission of an appeal.

Resident Permits (long stay D-type visa)


  • Who needs a residence permit?

    All non-Hungarian citizens with the exception of EU/EEA citizens have to have a residence permit if they wish to stay in Hungary for more than 90 days.

    Canadian citizens can enter the Schengen Area without a visa. If you are on a short stay, you can even stay an extra 90 days in Hungary (not in the other Schengen countries during this extra period). If you stay an additional 90 days you have to depart from Hungary directly to a non-Schengen country before the 180 days expires. This is under a bilateral visa waiver arrangement concluded between Hungary and Canada before Hungary’s Schengen accession (61/1991. (IV.19.) Govt. Decree).

  • Who can apply at the Embassy?

    Canadian citizens.

    Citizens other than Canadian citizens can only apply in Canada if they are legally resident in Canada, meaning if

    • you are a permanent resident or
    • you have a study permit or work permit or
    • you have a super visa and have not been able to apply in the country of your citizenship.

    In any other cases, e.g. if you live in the United States, you cannot apply in Canada. Exceptions can only be made in well justified cases, especially if in your country of citizenship there is no Hungarian consulate or consulate representing Hungary where you could apply, and you are a visitor in Canada.

    If you are a Canadian or the citizen of another Schengen visa-exempt country, you can apply for residence permit in Hungary directly at National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. For more information: Országos Idegenrendészeti Főigazgatóság.

  • How much is the fee of the residence permit visa application?

    Residence permit application fee is 155 CAD which is subject to change. We do not accept cash and cheques.

  • How do I get my residence permit?

    If your application is approved, you will have to collect the residence permit itself in Budapest. We will affix a "type D" visa in your passport which you can use to enter Hungary (the Schengen area).

  • Where do I find detailed information on the different types of residence permits, forms, lists of supporting documents etc.?

    At the website of the Országos Idegenrendészeti Főigazgatóság (National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing).