Persons being subject to the Personal Data and Address Register, living in Hungary and whose identity and details on the identity card can be verified by public documents defined by government decree on the issue of identity cards and registration are entitled to apply for permanent ID card. These persons are as follows:
- Hungarian nationals,
- immigrants,
- settled persons,
- persons recognized as refugees and
- foreign citizens with protected legal status (beneficiaries of subsidiary protection)
The following persons are obliged to apply for issuing the permanent ID card:
- Hungarian citizens living in the territory of Hungary who do not have any valid passport or card format driving licence
- immigrants
- settled persons
- persons recognized as refugees and
- foreign citizens with protected legal status (beneficiaries of subsidiary protection)
The permanent ID card can be applied for in person:
- in any of the district offices
- in addition the application can be submitted to the competent Municipality Clerk of the self-government of his/her registered place of domicile or place of residence if the applicant is
- not able to attend personally because of his/her state of health
- under the age of 14 years
- the permanent ID card can be applied for in the competent district office of the place of detention if the applicant is
- sentenced to imprisonment
- under involuntary treatment in a mental institution
- under involuntary temporary treatment in a mental institution
- in a pre-trial detention
Settled persons, persons recognized as refugees, foreign citizens with protected legal status are obliged to apply for the first issuance of the ID card in the immigration office or in the asylum authority upon the receipt of the document certifying the settled legal status, or recognition of either the refugee or the protected legal status.
The first ID card for the new born infant citizen born in Hungary can be applied by the legal representative in the maternity clinics or hospitals through the registrar registering the birth.
Proxy can act if the applicant is unable to attend personally due to his/her state of health.
Proxy can act if the applicant is
- sentenced to imprisonment
- under involuntary treatment in a mental institution
- under involuntary temporary treatment in a mental institution
- in a pre-trial detention
In case of minor customers lacking legal capacity (in principle under 14 years) his/her legal representative shall act.
Minors having diminished (legal) capacity (in principle between 14 and 18 years) can act independently as well.
Generally the minor customers are legally represented by their parents. The submission of the application does not require the presence of both parents. When signing the application form the representing parent is obliged to declare that the application is submitted with the consent of the other parent or that the legal representation shall be carried out by himself/herself. Instead of a legal representative a proxy can act as well.
The applicant - in case of applicants lacking legal capacity the parent (legal representative) - must certify the verification of the application and the authenticity of the data with his/her signature.
The ready document can be received according to the applicant’s choice
- in the district office
- by mail
If the document has not been received by mail (unsuccessful delivery) the applicant can pick it up personally in the competent district office by his/her mailing address.
The ready document can be received solely in the district office if a temporary ID card has been issued during the proceedings.
The following documents must be presented at the administration:
- any other valid or within one year expired identifying documents (passport or card format driving licence)
If the applicant does not have any of the above mentioned documents or his/her data has been changed the following documents must be presented at the administration:
- the birth certificate, marriage certificate appropriate for determining name bearing (with the view to the exeptions set forth in legislation),
- the document authorizing to bear doctor’s degree; if the doctoral title had been acquired abroad the deed evidencing its naturalization,
- in case of Hungarian nationals returning home from abroad with the intention of settle down in Hungary the Official Certificate on the Personal Identifier and Address of Domicile
- the immigrants, persons recognized as refugees, foreign citizens with protected legal status and settled persons are obliged to present the following documents: the immigration permit, documents certifying recognition of the refugee and protected legal status, or the document certifying the settled legal status and Official Certificate on the Personal Identifier and Address of Domicile
During the application procedure the applicant is not obliged to present the birth certificate and the marriage certificate appropriate for determining name bearing if the birth and marriage had been registered in Hungary.
The deed must be presented in original or in a certified copy of original; in case of deed issued abroad the authentic Hungarian translation must be attached.
If a citizen is sentenced to imprisonment, under involuntary treatment in a mental institution, under involuntary temporary treatment in a mental institution, in a pre-trial detention the acting proxy must present
- the authorization letter and
- his/her valid identity document.
In addition the applicant’s photo must be attached as well. In case of these customers the head of the authority ordering the coercive measures certifies that the photograph is identical with the applicant and the signature is originated with him/her.
In case of applicants unable to attend personally due to his/her state of health the acting proxy must present
- a certificate issued by his/her attendant doctor
- the authorization letter
- his/her valid identity document.
In case of applicants being under guardianship excluding legal capacity the following documents must be attached:
- birth certificate (with a view to the exeptions set forth in the legislation),
- legally binding court decision certifiying the guardianship,
- the legally binding decision of guardianship authority certifying the legal representation,
- the legal representative’s ID document.
The applicant can attach a photo (ID card photo) if
- he/she is not able to attend personally because of his/her state of health,
- he/she is under the age of 14 years and submits the application to the competent Municipality Clerk of the self-government of his/her registered place of domicile or place of residence,
- he/she is sentenced to imprisonment, under involuntary treatment in a mental institution, under involuntary temporary treatment in a mental institution, in a pre-trial detention,
- the permanent ID card for a new born infant citizen born in Hungary is applied by the legal representative – without personal appearance – at/through the registrar registering the birth.
In any other cases the district office, the acting immigration office or the asylum authority shall record the applicant’s facial image upon the personal submission of the application for the ID card. Exceptionally – when the facial image cannot be recorded – the applicant can attach one photo (ID card photograph) to the application.
The administration fee is 1 500 HUF after 14 years of age.
The application for the first ID card is free of charge if the citizen
- is younger than 14 years of age or
- reached 65 years of age and he/she has got neither passport nor card format driving licence.
The customer is entitled to submit a free of charge request, if he/she is not or only partly able to bear the total administration costs due to his/her financial conditions.
The detailed rules of a free of charge request are determined by the Government Decree 180/2005 (IX.9.).
The ID card will be ready within 20 days.
Urgent administration procedure is not possible.
There is an opportunity to request a sms or e-mail notification about the mailing or arrival time to the document office of the ready ID card.
The validity period of the permanent ID card
- is 3 years from the date of issuance if the holder is younger than 6 years of age,
- if the holder is 6 years and older but younger than 14 years the ID card is valid until the holder turns 14 years of age,
- 8 years from the date of issuance if the holder has reached 14 years of age but has not reached 18 years of age yet,
- 10 years from the date of issuance if the holder has reached 18 years of age,
- unlimited after the age of 65.
In case of settled persons the validity period of the permanent ID card is corresponding to the validity period registered in
- residence permit
- temporary residence permit
- national residence permit and
- EC residence permit
In case of immigrants the validity period of the permanent ID card is corresponding to the validity period registered in immigration permit.
Those citizens who have Customer Gate registration and access receive electronic notification about the expiry of their card type ID card. These e-mail notifications are sent three times, two months before the expiry, one month before the expiry and at last on the day of the expiry.
Temporary ID card should be issued if the ID card applicant does not have a valid passport or card format driving licence and
- the applicant’s permanent ID card had expired or
- the applicant has requested the exchange of the ID card due to manmufacturing defect or data change or
- the applicant’s ID card has been stolen, lost or destroyed or
- the permanent ID card can not be issued temporarily because of the need for data verification and data clarification
The temporary ID card is valid for 30 days from its issuance. In case of data verification and data clarification the validity period is 120 days. The temporary identity card of 120-day validity period can be issued secondly for 120 days.
Due to changes in data (e.g. name change caused by marriage) it is unnecessary to issue a temporary ID card if the citizen applies for exchange of the ID card within eight days following the date of data change.
The temporary ID card is invalid if the applicant has obtained a permanent ID card.
Except for the replacement the ID cards cannot be applied for electronically.
