Today I have decided to take you on a breath-taking trip to one of the most colorful countries in eastern Europe, to Hungary. Hungary is a landlocked Central European republic with the Danube River running through the capital of Hungary- Budapest. The city ensures to impress its visitors, starting with Buda's medieval Castle Hill to Pest's grand neoclassical houses in historic quarters of the old city to the 19th-century Chain Bridge, and the cityscape is studded with architectural landmarks. Although Budapest is rightfully comparable to cities such as Prague and even Paris and is the country's most popular tourist destination, the capital does not include all of Hungary's best attractions. For example, the 598-square-kilometer Lake Balaton is one of Hungary's most popular tourist destinations. Since the lake's average depth is two to three meters, the water warms up easily in the summer, automatically turning the lake into a beloved chilling spot for visitors. In short, we can say that if one starts talking about the tourism potential of Hungary, they will likely not stop for at least a day. However, today our main focus is not beautiful or attractive places in Hungary, as we are focusing more on one of the most important parts of pre-trip challenges, on the visa. In this blog post questions as “Is Hungary part of Schengen visa?”, “How to get a visa for Hungary?”, also you will get detailed information about Hungary visa requirements and what are the main points that you should not forget by any chance. I bet every single traveler has at least once heard the word “Schengen” once in their whole lifetime. So what does it even mean and is Hungary part of Schengen visa? Schengen is the EU passport-free region that encompasses the majority of European nations. In fact, It is the world's biggest free travel zone. Not surprisingly, the Schengen visa is Europe's most common visa. It allows the holder to access, freely move inside, and exit the Schengen zone from any Schengen member country. Also, I think it worth mentioning that under the Schengen Zone, there are no border controls. To answer the question, yes, Hungary is part of the area too. In 2004, Hungary entered the European Union, and in 2007, it joined the Schengen Zone. Currently, there are 26 countries that make up the Schengen Region. This area's goal is to serve as a single authority for international travel. Before planning your trip to Hungary, I would kindly ask you to check online if nationals from your country need a visa at all or not. By this list, we can separate countries into two groups 1. With the availability of visa-free entrance to Hungary and 2. The ones that need a visa for entrance to the state. You can check the complete list also on our website. How to get a visa for Hungary? There are various categories of Hungary visa types that may appeal during your visit to the country, depending on the reason for your visit. For example, if you want to travel, study, or work in Hungary, you may need to apply for a separate Hungarian Schengen Visa. For the duration of stay, Hungary visa falls into two categories: short-stay which is up to 90 days and long-stay for stays more than 90 days. Since 2007, when Hungary became a member of the Schengen Area as well as a member of the European Union, you can apply for a Hungarian Schengen Visa. A Schengen visa can be single-entry, double-entry, or multi-entry depending on the Hungary visa application form and frequency of travel to Hungary. A single Schengen visa's validity period normally corresponds to the travel period stated on the Hungary visa application form. Depending on the country’s consulate, you might be able to receive from a one- to five-year-long multi-entry Schengen visa if you regularly travel to the Schengen region. However, travellers who want to visit Hungary solely for the purpose of tourism, such as for fun, relaxation, or sightseeing, must apply for a Hungary tourist visa. However, what are the Hungary visa requirements for the short-time visit? First of all, most importantly, you need to fill in the Hungary visa application form, foreign passport and copy of the main page. The passport should be at least three months longer than the intended stay or, in case of multiple journeys, the date on which you intend to leave for the last time. You will also be asked to submit a copy of your national identity card, one-colour photo (size 3,5x4,5), hotel reservation, flight reservation confirmation. Hungary visa processing time for tourist visa usually takes between 3-20 working days. However, of course, the exact period might vary depending on your visa application country. Every traveller who wants to be considered for a Hungarian visa is asked to pay Hungary visa fees when applying. Also, I think it is important to remind you that this charge is non-refundable even if the applicant will not get their visa. For Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia citizens, the Schengen visa charge is officially 35 euro thanks to an agreement with the Schengen countries that allows nationals of these three countries to benefit from lower visa fees. And for everyone the age of 12 in other parts of the world, the Hungary visa fee is 80 EUR in other countries. By submitting supporting papers, you can avoid paying visa fees if you fall into one of the following categories. Pensioners, people with disabilities and their supporting individuals, as well as official visits from journalists and professional workers, are only three of the names on a lengthy list that you can check on our website. In order to officially apply for a visa, you will need to book a Hungary visa appointment, as well. Tourist visas in Hungary can be obtained at visa application centres, embassies, or consulates in your home country, it depends on your homeland whichever accepts visa applications. If none exist in your area, you must apply to the embassy or consulate closest to your place for your Hungary visa appointment. How to get a visa for Hungary when you want it for business purposes? Hungary visa application form must be signed and filled out fully without any inaccuracies, and the length of stay must be specified precisely. A copy of the main page of a foreign passport is needed. You are also expected to bring a backup of all previous Schengen visas, as well as a one-colour photo (size 3,5x4,5). Last but not least you also need some professional documents such as proof of professional status and a letter of invitation from the partner company in Hungary which includes information about the company and general information about the partnership with the invited party. Hungary visa processing time on a usual basis takes 3-20 working days to completely process. It is dependent on the country from which you are applying for a visa, however, and that is why it might vary. In all countries except Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia (35 euros) visa fee amounts to 80 EUR for people over 12 years old, 40 EUR for children 6-12 years old, and free for children under six years old. You can apply Hungary visa appointment for business purposes at either of the Hungary visa application centres, embassies, or consulates in your country of residence that accept visa applications. Except for the general documentation required, accompanying should be other additional documents depending on the purpose of your Hungary visa application. For all the visitors wishing to stay in Hungary longer than 90 days, it is a requirement to actually obtain a long-term visa. Apart from standard documents that are needed for each type of Hungarian visa mentioned above (standard Hungary visa requirements), when you travel to Hungary for a university degree, for example, you will need to present the following documents: a certificate of admission that allows you to attend classes, a certificate of completion or attendance at a school, and a source of income if you plan to study in Hungary without a scholarship. You will be required to pay a fee when you apply your application for a Hungary Study visa. For foreign nationals, the visa fee ranges from 60 to 120 euros. Also worth mentioning that the fee can differ depending on your nationality or the country where you submit your application. Hungary visa application for educational purposes usually takes 10-40 working days to process. It is dependent on the country from which you are applying for a visa. You may apply for a long-term study visa in embassies or consulates in your home country that accept visa applications. If none exists in your area, you must apply to the embassy or consulate closest to your place, which is usually located in one of the neighbouring countries of your homeland. Now that we have explored all the most applied visa type by travelers coming to Hungary, there is absolutely no boundary between you and this beautiful country! And even if you have any problems or questions do not hesitate to contact “pickvisa.com”. With the guidance of our professional team, getting a visa to any part of the world has never been this easy and fast!