Hungary
Last update 07 April 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 2: Increased attention (please be informed in detail about the current situation in the country)
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Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Budapest, Hungary
Address: 1062 Budapest, Andrassy ut. 115, Hungary
Telephone: +36 1 322 08 24; +36 1 322 08 36; +36 1 342 37 38
Out-of-hours hotline: + 36 20 534 4559
Fax: +36 1 322 52 15
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/hungary
Consular service
Address: 1062 Budapest, Andrassy ut. 115, Hungary
Telephone: +36 1 322 08 24; +36 1 322 08 36; +36 1 342 37 38
Out-of-hours hotline: + 36 20 534 4559
Office hours: 09.30 h - 12.30 h
Fax: +36 1 322 52 15
E-mail: [email protected]
Embassy of Hungary in Sofia
Address: 1000 Sofia, 57, 6th September Str.
Telephone: +359 2 963 11 35, 36
Fax: +359 2 963 21 10
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.gov.hu/kulkepviselet/BL
Honorary Consul of Hungary in Bulgaria
Jordan JORDANOV
9002 Varna, Primorski, 36, rue Vasil Drumev, ét. 1
Tél.: +359 52 61 29 81
Fax: +359 52 98 66 55
E-mail: [email protected]
General information
General information
Local currency
Forint (HUF)
Bill in use are 20 000, 10 000, 5 000, 2 000, 1 000, and 500 HUF. Coins: 200 (in two colors similar to the € 1), 100 (in two colours similar to the € 2), 50, 20, 10, 5 HUF.
Payment in Euro is already accepted in most of the hotels and some restaurants, but at exchange rate lower than the official, which is often due to the fluctuations in the rate of the Forint.
It is better to make all payments in Forint, because in some cases the margin could be significant. The official exchange rate Forint/ Euro often varies from 250 to 300 HUF/ 1 EUR.
You can use the main types of credit cards (Eurocard, Visa, Mastercard) in the big stores and big restaurants. ATMs are available even in the smallest towns.
Crime and security
The level of criminality is very low in Hungary.
Keep an eye on your personal belongings in the public transport. There is a danger of pick-pockets. Passports, equipment, mobile phones, cash and credit cards are usual targets of the thieves.
Keep in a safe place belongings which are not kept in a hotel safe or other place where you are residing.
Occasions of stolen luggage while the traveller is sleeping in the train are very often, as well as at gas stations near highways (especially on the route from Szegedto Hegyeshalom). Compared to other European countries, criminality in Hungary towards tourists is limited to pick-pocketing, overcharging of bills and fees.
Legislation specifics
According to the Hungarian Act № 39 of 2001 for entering and stay of foreign citizens in the territory of Hungary, Chapter VI, Art.86/1/ reads that the service owner who carries foreign citizens by air or by road bears administrative and financial responsibility for the validity of the travel documents and visas of the citizen he carries.
Customs requirements
Travellers from states outside the Schengen Area fall under strict customs control.
Importing of cigarettes in Hungary is allowed in quantity not more than two boxes per person.
It is allowed to bring into Hungary 1 litre alcohol of alcohol contents more than 22%; 2 litres alcohol with contents up to 22%; 4 litres wine; 16 litres beer. In case of violation of the law the whole amount of alcohol is confiscated and a fine is imposed of around 100 Euro.
Hunting weapon is allowed to be imported by citizen of EU country provided that he holds an European License and a Declaration he will not buy or sell his or new weapon in the territory of Hungary.
Transportation or carrying of automatic firearms and possession of drugs is forbidden.
Entering or leaving Hungary from/ to countries outside Schengen could take long time especially in the nonworking days in summer when the EU citizens are travelling back along the corridor E75 from and to Belgrade, Serbia. Using of alternative border posts is recommendable.
Demanding of unregulated money by the customs officers at some of the border posts (especially Nagylak), usually about 10-20 Euro, often happens. In such cases you can contact the Consulate at the Bulgarian Embassy in Budapest and describe the occasion in a complaint explicitly reporting the number on the customs officer’s badge who has demanded unregulated money.
Road traffic
The traffic, especially in Budapest and big cities, is heavy. Drive carefully, because the drivers are speeding unreasonably fast. Statistic shows 1200 casualties every year which to great extent is due to careless driving.
Traffic police patrols are not seen often on the highways. The maximum speed of a car in town is 50 km/h, for a first class road it is 110 km/h and for highways 130 km/h. According to the law, short lights must be on even during the daytime.
Hungary uses the vignette system similar to those in the neighbour Austria and Slovakia. From 2008 on the information about a paid vignette is kept electronically and verified directly by cameras that read the registration plates. Vignettes can be bought in every gas station and are valid for 4 days, 7 days, 1 month or 1 year. Control is exercised automatically by video cameras and for driving without vignette you will be fined with 70 000 HUF without any preliminary notice.
Children’s seats for car are necessary for small children and babies. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to be seated on the front seat. Safety belts are mandatory for all the passengers in the car.
Allowed left turn is rare, usually aiming at releasing the vehicles column and avoiding traffic jams in the big cities.
The Hungarian Law does not tolerate using alcohol while driving and the sanction for such breach is heavy fine. Consumption of alcoholic beverages before driving is not allowed and any alcohol contents in the blood different from zero is subject to fine or prison. If you don’t pay the fine, your passport could be confiscated or you can even go to jail until the fine is not paid.
Police regularly stops different vehicles for a document check.
Hungary has one of the most severe laws for people who have caused accidents. Involvement in car accidents leads to a fine and in some cases to sentence and jail from 1 to 5 years (depending on the aggravating circumstances).
The Bulgarian truck drivers and carriers are subject of particular treatment and strict inspections at the borders of Hungary. The fines that are imposed even for disputable breaches as shortening the given name of the driver in the tachometer of the truck are from 200 000 to 400 000 Forints (730 – 1500 Euro). There is a possibility to appeal immediately in place, but only after payment of the fine.
If stopped by the specialised police and established breach, drivers should know that as participants in administrative-criminal proceeding they have the right to demand the report submitted to him for signature to be in Bulgarian or alternatively, a translator to be called to translate the report.
Changes in the Traffic Law in force from 1st July 2011.
In case of the following breaches:
- overspeeding;
- failure to use the safety belts;
- passing at “red light”;
- driving after consuming of alcohol
The perpetrators may be fined.
In case the perpetrator has been caught in the place of accident within the execution of the traffic control he could be fined from 10 000 to 300 000 HUF (Hungarian Forints) without issuing of official statement.
The vehicle may be confiscated and retained without issuing of statement until the fine is paid or deposit is made to cover the receivable. The authority taking action for the case notifies the driver about the amount of the imposed fine, the place where the vehicle will be retained and the route to reach that place, as well as the regulations related to the procedure. The information shall be submitted in written in one of the following languages: Hungarian, English, German or Russian.
In case the authority determines that the vehicle should be confiscated the registration certificate should be handed over to the authority for the period of retaining. In the same time the driver receives a receipt in confirmation that the vehicle has been confiscated and retained and the registration certificate seized. If the driver does not claim back the registration certificate within three days after the vehicle has been released, the authority in charge for the case will send the registration certificate to its issuing authority.
If during performance of traffic control it appears that the driver or the owner of the vehicle hasn’t paid a fine imposed with a previous procedure, the authority in charge for the case confiscates and retains the vehicle.
HU-GO - The Hungarian Electronic Toll Collection System
Beginning on 1 July 2013, the electronic, distance-based toll system (DBT), with toll fees proportional to the actually travelled distance,will be introduced on the designated, altogether 6,513 km length road sections of the Hungarian public road network (motorways, highways, main routes). The new system named HU-GO will comply with the European Union requirements and the directives of the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS).
The toll payment is mandatory for cargo vehicles with a maximum authorised gross weight of over 3.5 tons.The rate of toll payment proportional to the actually travelled distance depends on the used road type (motorway, highway or main route), the category of the motor vehicle (J2, J3, J4), as well as its environmental classification.
Gross price of road use (HUF / km)
|
Enviromental protection category |
J2 |
J3 |
J4 |
|||
|
Expressway |
Main route |
Expressway |
Main route |
Expressway |
Main route |
|
|
A (≥ EURO III.) |
42,41 |
18,04 |
59,52 |
31,23 |
86,70 |
54,07 |
|
B (EURO II.) |
49,89 |
21,23 |
70,02 |
36,75 |
108,38 |
67,60 |
|
C (EURO I.) |
57,38 |
24,41 |
80,53 |
42,26 |
130,06 |
81,11 |
Healthcare
Private health institutions in the country offer high quality service, but most of them are in Budapest. If you have to communicate your medical needs to doctors out of the capital, you would most probably need an interpreter. Public health care is free of charge for people with health insurance and in the town areas is of satisfactory quality.
Prior to your travel check the coverage of your health insurance. EU citizens applying for free medical treatment are required to have European health insurance card, however it covers the emergency aid only.
The coverage with pharmacies and pharmaceutical products is good. The communication with the pharmaceutist would be difficult, as most of them speak Hungarian only.
If you don’t dispose of the necessary funds you should seek for the assistance of close friends or relatives so that the fee is transferred to the account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or sent to the place where you are through Western Union, MoneyGrammor to your bank account.
You need to know that the Embassy has no possibilities to provide financial aid, to buy tickets, to pay for hotels or hostels, etc.
Travel papers and visas
Bulgarian citizens travel to Hungary with ID card or passport.
Hungaryis a member of the Schengen Agreement. Bulgarian citizens travel to and through Hungary with a valid ID or passport.
Check the validity of your documents before your journey. In case the validity of your ID expires while you are in the territory of Hungary you will need temporary identification document issued by the Consular Service at the Embassy.
Practical advice
Any traveller to Hungary is obliged to bring a passport or ID card with him. The Police forces are professionals and well trained. However, you should have good knowledge of Hungarian language when you call them for help, as most of the policemen speak little English or other languages.
Competitive service
Certifications and Legalisations
According to the actual agreement for legal aid and arranging the relations on civil, family and criminal suits between Bulgaria and Hungary the documents executed or certified by a competent authority in compliance with the established form and bearing a seal shall be accepted in the territory of the other country without the need of additional legalisation (“Apostille” is not required).
Bulgarian identity documents
The Consular Office at the Embassy accepts applications for issuing of passport, ID card and temporary passport.
Civic status
Issuance of documents
The initial certificate of civic status is issued by the competent local authorities – Hungarian Service for civic status at the relevant municipality; the relevant terms for registration should be observed. Particular attention should be paid to observing the terms for registration of child's birth.
After getting the relevant local certificate of civic status it should be submitted to the Consular Service for translation and legalisation according to the established procedure in case the concerned people are not able to do the registration of birth, marriage before the registrar or death.
When the concerned person is able and wishes to make the registration personally or through authorised person, he/ she should present the relevant certification document translated and certified as per the established procedures, to the relevant municipality in Bulgaria, as follows:
- the certificate for child’s birth should be submitted to the municipality of the mother’s permanent address and, if she is a foreigner – to the municipality of the father’s permanent address;
- marriage certificate should be submitted to the local authorities of the permanent address of the husband, and if he is a foreigner – to the local authorities of the permanent address of the wife;
- Death certificate should be submitted to the local authorities of the permanent address of the deceased person.