Your first 90 days in Hungary: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · July 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The 2024 immigration law replaced most permit categories and blocked many in-country status switches; foreign documents need apostille plus certified Hungarian (OFFI) translation — both take time and money.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Report accommodation + give biometrics at OIF (aliens policing) to collect the residence permit card
Commonly within days of arrival; any change of address must be reported within 3 days
Runs through the Enter Hungary portal since the 2024 overhaul; the address card (lakcímkártya) it produces is what every other office asks for.
Get your adóazonosító jel (tax identification number), issued by NAV
Required for employment, invoicing, some bank products and any dealing with the tax authority.
Issued free by NAV (form 'T34) on presentation of passport and the address card; the tax card arrives by post.
Open a bank account
Banks generally ask for passport, residence permit and the lakcímkártya (address card); US persons face extra FATCA paperwork and a few banks decline them. Wise/Revolut bridging is standard until the address card exists.
Enrol in healthcare
A job enrols you in social security and yields a TAJ card (state care on citizen terms); non-working third-country residents mostly carry private insurance — state monthly-contribution routes exist but are restrictive.
Sort your driver's license
A US license (with certified translation or an IDP) is honoured for 1 year after arrival; then honosítás applies — as a non-Vienna-Convention license it takes at least the traffic-rules exam, sometimes a practical too.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Hungary: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Hungary?
Report accommodation + give biometrics at OIF (aliens policing) to collect the residence permit card — Commonly within days of arrival; any change of address must be reported within 3 days. Runs through the Enter Hungary portal since the 2024 overhaul; the address card (lakcímkártya) it produces is what every other office asks for. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the adóazonosító jel and do I need one?
adóazonosító jel (tax identification number), issued by NAV is Hungary's personal tax/ID number. Required for employment, invoicing, some bank products and any dealing with the tax authority. Issued free by NAV (form 'T34) on presentation of passport and the address card; the tax card arrives by post.
Can I drive in Hungary on a US license?
A US license (with certified translation or an IDP) is honoured for 1 year after arrival; then honosítás applies — as a non-Vienna-Convention license it takes at least the traffic-rules exam, sometimes a practical too. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Hungary?
A job enrols you in social security and yields a TAJ card (state care on citizen terms); non-working third-country residents mostly carry private insurance — state monthly-contribution routes exist but are restrictive. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Hungary's system treats foreign residents.