The application must be submitted in person. Online, postal, or representative submissions are not accepted.
Where to apply
District offices in Hungary
At a district (county) office of the metropolitan or county government. In practice, this means either a city hall or a district administrative office. Updated addresses in Budapest can be found on the website of the city administration.
Currently, applications can be submitted at 23 district offices in Budapest:
- Budapest 01. Kerületi Hivatal — 1013, Budapest Attila út 12.
- Budapest 02. Kerületi Hivatal — 1024, Budapest Margit körút 47-49.
- Budapest 03. Kerületi Hivatal — 1033, Budapest Harrer Pál utca 9-11.
- Budapest 04. Kerületi Hivatal — 1042, Budapest IV. kerület István út 15.
- Budapest 05. Kerületi Hivatal — 1051, Budapest József nádor tér 10.
- Budapest 06. Kerületi Hivatal — 1063, Budapest Szív utca 53.
- Budapest 07. Kerületi Hivatal — 1076, Budapest Garay utca 5.
- Budapest 08. Kerületi Hivatal — 1082, Budapest Baross utca 76.
- Budapest 09. Kerületi Hivatal — 1096, Budapest Lenhossék utca 24-28.
- Budapest 10. Kerületi Hivatal — 1105, Budapest Kőrösi Csoma Sándor út 53-55.
- Budapest 11. Kerületi Hivatal — 1113, Budapest Bocskai út 39-41.
- Budapest 12. Kerületi Hivatal — 1126, Budapest Kiss János altábornagy utca 31-33/A.
- Budapest 13. Kerületi Hivatal — 1139, Budapest Pap Károly utca 4-6.
- Budapest 14. Kerületi Hivatal — 1145, Budapest Pétervárad utca 11-17.
- Budapest 15. Kerületi Hivatal — 1153, Budapest Bácska utca 14.
- Budapest 16. Kerületi Hivatal — 1165, Budapest Baross Gábor utca 28-30.
- Budapest 17. Kerületi Hivatal — 1173, Budapest Pesti út 163.
- Budapest 18. Kerületi Hivatal — 1181, Budapest XVIII. kerület Városház utca 16.
- Budapest 19. Kerületi Hivatal — 1195, Budapest Városház tér 18-20.
- Budapest 20. Kerületi Hivatal — 1201, Budapest Vörösmarty utca 3.
- Budapest 21. Kerületi Hivatal — 1211, Budapest XXI. kerület Szent Imre tér 11.
- Budapest 22. Kerületi Hivatal — 1221, Budapest Anna utca 15/B.
- Budapest 23. Kerületi Hivatal — 1238, Budapest Grassalkovich út 158.
Kormányablak
A convenient alternative is the integrated customer service offices of the metropolitan and county government — Kormányablak. These are found all across the country, in large cities and smaller towns alike. Some branches are even located inside railway stations.
The main advantage: no appointment needed. Usually it’s a walk-in queue with a ticket at the entrance, making the process simpler and faster. That said, many offices do allow pre-booking a time slot. One thing to keep in mind: booking an appointment often means a more structured procedure on the office’s end, which can mean stricter language checks.
The easiest way to find addresses and opening hours is Google Maps — just search “kormányablak”. If you’re in Budapest, offices in less touristy districts tend to be calmer. Branches in other major Hungarian cities are also a good option.
Outside Hungary
You don’t need to be in Hungary to apply. If you’re abroad, applications are submitted at Hungarian diplomatic missions — embassies and consulates in your country of residence. This is often more cost-effective since you avoid travel and accommodation expenses. However, based on applicant experiences, submissions abroad tend to be stricter and can take longer: checks are more thorough, and waiting times for appointments may be longer.
Which option is better?
Having correct documents and a confident basic level of Hungarian gets you most of the way there. But the place of submission also matters. If you have the opportunity to travel to Hungary and apply in person at a district office or Kormányablak, it can be a smart move: you’ll get to practice the language, and may encounter staff with less procedural fatigue than consulate officers who handle these applications every day.
