ETIAS Visa Waiver for Hungary

Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered on the North by Slovakia, Ukraine on the Northeast, Romania on the East, Serbia on the South, Austria to the west, Slovenia and Croatia on the Southwest. It has a total area of 93,030 km² and a population of 9.72 million in 2021. Budapest is the Hungarian capital city and the largest in the country. Debrecen, Pécs, Miskolc, Szeged and Győrare are the other major urban areas in Hungary.

Hungary is a member state of the Schengen zone. The Schengen zone is a combination of 26 countries in Europe that have open borders and allows its visitors and citizens to move across without hassle. Citizens of each member state of the Schengen area can work freely and live in other member states of the Schengen area.

Some non-European citizens are also allowed into Hungary because their governments have a no-visa policy with the European Union. However, from the end of 2022, these citizens would be required to provide an ETIAS visa waiver before entering Europe. ETIAS means Electronic Travel Information and Authorization System and is set to serve as a visa waiver system for eligible non-European citizens.

Non-European visitors to Hungary will need to provide an ETIAS visa waiver or a visa on entry. The ETIAS visa waiver is not a visa in itself but is a travel document for only eligible visitors. It will only be issued to eligible citizens from non-European countries with a visa liberalization consensus with the European Union. The ETIAS visa waiver will become a requirement starting at the end of 2022.

The application for a visa to Hungary should be carried out at the embassy or consulate in your home country. In the absence of an embassy in your home country, third-party organizations like Visa Facilitation Services (VFS Global) can handle the visa application on your behalf. If all of those are absent, you can apply to the embassy of other Schengen zone member states. The Schengen zone has open borders among themselves, so you can easily travel into your intended country.

At the embassy, applicants are required to submit the application form and the other required documents on the day of the interview. Applicants cannot do the interview later than 15 days before your expected travel date; it cannot also be done earlier than six months.

Different types of visas can give you access to Hungary; however, regardless of the type of visa you are applying for; some requirements remain constant such as your passport photographs, application form, and so on.

The Schengen visa is similar to other visa types but serves short-term purposes like tourism, business trips, and short medical trips. Holders of the Schengen visa can visit any member state of the Schengen zone for three months (90 days) every six months (180 days); it is called the 90/180 rule. The Schengen visa is cheaper to obtain and has a validity period of five years.

There are two main classes of visitors required to provide a Schengen Visa before entering Hungary. The first category is Citizens from a country whose governments have an agreement with Hungary and other countries in the Schengen zone on visa liberalization but have been rejected or deported from any of the Schengen countries previously. The second categories are Citizens and visitors from third countries whose governments have no visa liberalization agreement with the European Union.

Visitors who need a Schengen Visa can easily obtain it at the embassy or consulate in their home country. The application process is easy, and when the Schengen visa is obtained, it can last for five years, provided the holder obeys the 90/180 rule.

When applying for a Hungarian Schengen visa, here are the documents that you need to present at the consulate:

The application form and other required documents should be English, Hungarian or French. Every applicant must translate documents in different languages to these three languages before the interview process.

Hungary is landlocked; it is only accessible by air, rail, and road. Citizens of countries in the Schengen zone and citizens from countries with a visa liberalization agreement with the European Union can freely travel to Hungary without a visa.

When arriving by air, Budapest's Ferenc Liszt International Airport is your landing spot, and it is well connected to the other parts of the country. It is the leading international airport in Hungary. You can also travel into Budapest by road from other ETIAS Schengen countries. There are no border checks between any of the Schengen countries. However, visitors should always have their passport and Schengen Visa on their person at all times. Hungary can also be reached by rail. There are three main train stations in Hungary - Nyugati, Keleti, and Déli.

To get a great view of the country, visitors are advised to travel around by train or bus. If you plan to drive in Hungary, be sure to adhere to the traffic rules and have your valid driving license on you.

Starting at the end of 2022, visitors from countries with a no-visa agreement entering Hungary must have an ETIAS visa waiver. The ETIAS visa waiver will give its holders access to visit the Schengen zone and stay for a maximum of 90 days within six months. This arrangement is perfect for tourists and business people on trips to Europe.

In conclusion, Hungary is a sight to visit. To enjoy the scenery and landscape within the Hungarian borders, visitors should have a Schengen Visa or an ETIAS visa waiver, whichever applies to them.