UK Citizens After Brexit: Living in Hungary Legally

Can UK citizens still live in Hungary after Brexit?

Yes. United Kingdom citizens can live in Hungary legally after Brexit, and thousands already do. The rules split into two clear tracks, and which one applies to you comes down to a single date: whether you were legally resident in Hungary before 1 January 2021.

If you settled in Hungary before the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020, you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and keep broadly the same rights you held as an EU citizen. If you are moving now, you are treated as a non-EU (third country) national and follow the standard residence permit rules. This guide covers both tracks, plus the 2026 card renewal that affects long-standing residents.

Not sure which category fits you? Our guide to EU versus non-EU residence routes sorts the two paths in a couple of minutes.

What is the Withdrawal Agreement and who does it cover?

The Withdrawal Agreement is the treaty that protected UK nationals already living in the EU when Brexit took effect. In Hungary it covers UK citizens and their family members who lawfully resided in the country under EU free movement rules on 31 December 2020, the last day of the transition period. Those residents can continue to live, work and study in Hungary on broadly the same terms as before, according to the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing.

Hungary applied what is known as a constitutive system. Beneficiaries were not registered automatically: they had to apply for a new residence status during 2021 to have their rights recognised. Registration certificates and permanent residence cards issued before Brexit stayed valid only until 31 December 2021, after which the new document became the proof that matters.

One reassuring point runs through the whole scheme: your rights come from your status under the treaty, not from the plastic card. Even if a card expires, the underlying right to live in Hungary is not lost, although you still need to renew the document to travel and to prove your status.

What residence document do Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries hold?

Beneficiaries hold a biometric residence card issued in the EU's uniform format, printed with a reference to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union and to Article 18 of the Withdrawal Agreement. In Hungarian the status was documented as a national settlement permit (nemzeti letelepedési engedély, national settlement permit), and since 2024 beneficiaries can hold a national residence card version instead, according to the immigration authority.

The national residence card is valid for 10 years and can be renewed for a further 10-year period (source). It is your single most important document, so keep it safe and current.

Carry it whenever you cross a border. The UK government warns that you need the residence card when entering or leaving Hungary, because without it you could be wrongly flagged as overstaying the 90-day Schengen limit. Dual nationals should travel on their EU or EFTA passport where possible.

Do the 2021 cards need renewing in 2026?

Yes. As a general rule, the national settlement permits issued to Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries in 2021 are due for renewal in 2026. Renewing keeps your status current and gives you an up-to-date travel document.

The process is straightforward and, importantly, free: the immigration authority confirms the proceeding is exempt from charges. Key points as of 2026:

• File the application electronically through Enter Hungary, the online platform of the immigration authority.
• Submit up to 90 days before your current card expires (source).
• Expect a processing time of around 70 days from the confirmation of receipt, and attend a regional directorate in person for biometrics (source).

Because your rights survive an expired card, a lapsed document does not end your residence, but it can cause real friction at borders and with banks or employers, so renewing on time is the safe course.

What are the rules for UK citizens moving to Hungary now?

If you move to Hungary in 2026, you arrive as a non-EU third country national. You can enter without a visa, but to settle you apply for a residence permit that matches your reason for being here, under the general rules described by the immigration authority.

The main routes mirror those open to other non-EU nationals:

• Employment: a job with a Hungarian employer, usually sponsored.
• Business or self-employment: running a company or working as a sole trader.
• Study: enrolment at a Hungarian institution.
• Family reunification: joining a spouse or a close relative.
• Remote work: the White Card, Hungary's digital nomad permit, aimed at non-EU remote workers earning at least 3,000€ net per month (source).

Because UK passport holders are visa-exempt for short stays, many applicants enter first and then lodge the residence permit application from inside Hungary through Enter Hungary. If remote work is your plan, our White Card guide walks through the income threshold and the paperwork.

How does the 90/180-day rule work for UK visitors?

UK citizens can visit Hungary and the wider Schengen Area without a visa for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. This covers tourism, family visits, business meetings and short study, but not taking up work (source).

The 90 days are shared across every Schengen country, so time spent in France, Germany, Spain or anywhere else in the zone counts toward the same allowance. Practical entry rules as of 2026:

• Your passport must be issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive, and valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen area (source).
• The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) records fingerprints and a photo on entry, with children aged 11 and under giving a photo only.
• A Hungarian residence permit or long-stay visa stops your days counting toward the 90-day visa-free limit.

If your plans run beyond 90 days or involve working, you need a residence permit rather than a visitor stay.

What about healthcare, driving and the address card?

Healthcare has two routes. If you contribute to Hungarian social security through work, you are registered with the National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK) and receive a TAJ card (társadalombiztosítási azonosító jel, the health insurance identifier) for state care. UK State Pensioners and certain workers can instead register a UK-issued S1 form with NEAK to access state healthcare, and students can use a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) for temporary stays (source).

For driving, you can use a UK licence for up to 12 months after becoming resident, then you must exchange it for a Hungarian one, with no test required for UK licences (source).

Whichever track you are on, the lakcímkártya (address card) is the document that unlocks banking, tax and healthcare, and it costs under 10€ (around 3,700 HUF, source). See our guide to the Hungarian address card for the registration steps, and the rest of our Moving and Residency guides for the full sequence.

Frequently asked questions

Do UK citizens need a visa to visit Hungary in 2026?

No. UK passport holders can enter Hungary and the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, family or business, provided the passport was issued within the last 10 years and is valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure (source).

Can UK citizens who arrived before Brexit still stay in Hungary?

Yes. Those legally resident before 31 December 2020 keep their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement and hold an Article 50 residence card, which is due for renewal in 2026 (source).

How much does the 2026 residence card renewal cost?

The renewal proceeding for Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries is exempt from charges, so it is free. It is filed online through Enter Hungary, with processing of around 70 days and an in-person visit for biometrics (source).

Can a UK citizen move to Hungary now without a job?

Yes, through routes such as study, family reunification or the White Card for remote workers earning at least 3,000€ net per month (source). Otherwise most new arrivals use an employment or business-based residence permit.

Does a Withdrawal Agreement card let me live anywhere in the EU?

No. It secures your rights in Hungary only. It does not restore EU-wide free movement, so living or working in another EU country follows that country's own third-country national rules.