Passport Req'ts for Dual Citizens Entering Hungary for a Quick Visit

What other passports do you have?

USA and a couple of others also but for privacy, I'd like to keep it limited. Why do you ask? I would expect the same rules would apply regardless of which other passport. Perhaps different if the other is EU?

Depending on your passport it could limit you entering Hungary without a visa. I am still not sure the point of your question though. Are you asking should you get a Hungarian passport?

Well, you have no problem using the USA passport, and able to stay up to 90 days using that one.

Just get a tourist visa, usa and hungary have a bilateral agreement so just get a tourist visa and you are allowed three month's stay providing you have recourse to funds (i.e. you are not going to be a burden on we hungarian taxpayers), you should be able to get a tourist visa at the point of entry, equivalent to an I-94 visa waiver, as long as you show you have sufficient funds for your stay and are not intending to work, you just get a tourist visa. It lasts three months. You're a tourist, get a tourist visa, seems pretty obvious. You can do this at port of entry.

yes within the EU within "schengen" it is generally called there is free movement but not all members are part of "schengen", the UK is the prime example. Your HU visa strictly speaking will only allow you to stay in Hungary and so if you cross the border then the mad dogs and razor wires, illuminated lights etc will be on you, in practice that does not happen. But even if you are travelling via the UK then you will get either into a transit area in the UK and not get UK immigration, or will go through UK immigration where they will stamp for six months as a tourist, thence onto an internal EU flight, your passport will be checked in Hungary as non-EU but usually it is actually quicker as there are stacks of EU people and you are the only one in the non-EU lane... i tend to go into that lane anyway because they can actually manage to find out I am EU and it is quicker than going down the EU lane.

It is absolutely not a good idea to swap passports mid flight, to leave on one and arrive on another. That is absolutely not a good idea. As a minor it is OK, but as an adult you have to decide which one you want. It is absolutely a ridiculous idea to check in on one passport and arrive on another. I strongly warn you not to do that.

SimonTrew wrote:

......but usually it is actually quicker as there are stacks of EU people and you are the only one in the non-EU lane... i tend to go into that lane anyway because they can actually manage to find out I am EU and it is quicker than going down the EU lane.

It is absolutely not a good idea to swap passports mid flight, to leave on one and arrive on another. That is absolutely not a good idea. As a minor it is OK, but as an adult you have to decide which one you want. It is absolutely a ridiculous idea to check in on one passport and arrive on another. I strongly warn you not to do that.

What difference does it make?

We swap the kids passports all the time.  We always enter the UK on British passports.  We do it to assert our kids rights there as citizens. And when we come back here, we always use the HU passports for them to assert their rights here.   We are consistent when we check in and obtain our boarding cards. But no-one looks at them further when you arrive at the destination and they rarely bother at BUD asking where you came from.

In BUD Terminal 2B, there's not always an EU special queue now.  It's all one big jam at "any other passports". 

On entering the Schengen zone,  there's an EU directive that all passports have to be scanned, so there's not much time saving except for the numbers of people in the queue.  But my experience is that a lot of the time, they don't scan all EU passports but give them straight back.

Before 2004, when we entered the UK, Mrs Fluffy and I used to go together to the "other queue" in order for me to help out if the border Nazis wanted to ask stupid questions.  And coming back to HU, we'd do the reverse.  Really it wasn't needed to do that but  better we wait together than one of us wait on the other side not knowing what is going on.  We still do that if we're not going to somewhere like EU or UK etc.  We all stick together.

Guys, I appreciate your answers. But I think the jist of what I'm asking is still not clear. Have any HUNGARIAN citizens (such as myself), entered Hungary ON THEIR OTHER FOREIGN passport.

The reason I ask is because I don't want my entry to be interpreted in any way is "returning to Hungary." This is because I do not want to create the false impression that I am creating ties to Hungary. As a dual citizen who has never lived in Hungary, I do not want to ever be concerned that I should have any tax concerns.

I also am simple asking about the LEGALITY of Hungarians coming into Hungary on a foreign passport. For example, Australian, and American citizens MUST use their native passports when entering the country, even if they have a passport from their other citizenship.

Hope this helps clarify the question. Thanks!

marklivesinla wrote:

Guys, I appreciate your answers. But I think the jist of what I'm asking is still not clear. Have any HUNGARIAN citizens (such as myself), entered Hungary ON THEIR OTHER FOREIGN passport.

The reason I ask is because I don't want my entry to be interpreted in any way is "returning to Hungary." This is because I do not want to create the false impression that I am creating ties to Hungary. As a dual citizen who has never lived in Hungary, I do not want to ever be concerned that I should have any tax concerns.

I also am simple asking about the LEGALITY of Hungarians coming into Hungary on a foreign passport. For example, Australian, and American citizens MUST use their native passports when entering the country, even if they have a passport from their other citizenship.

Hope this helps clarify the question. Thanks!

I wouldn't worry about it.  I doubt they'd care to even ask you.  No-one cares about our kids using different passports.  It's even written on their Hungarian birth certificates that they are dual nationals. Nothing illegal about it.   Other dual nationals we know haven't had any problems either.  Things here are not quite as joined up as one might believe.

Besides, if you are an American citizen, live and work there, then you'll be taxed in the USA, not in Hungary. 

If you really are concerned, then fly to Vienna and get the bus or rent a car and drive. No-one will bother check you at the border as it's Schengen.  They might stop you if your eyes are too close together or you are wearing a Donald Trump mask. In which case they'll give you a bottle of palinka, a copy of Donny's latest book*,  some Trappist cheese and a police escort. 


* I originally wrote Mein Kampf but  decided that was a tad insulting.

Hilarious about Trump. I try to avoid thinking about him never mind wear a mask though the cheese might make it worthwhile!

I presume from your answer that your wife uses a HU passport.

Honestly, I'm not highly concerned. I am getting my HU passport because I like the EU freedoms it offers (not that I'll be taking advantage of them any time soon), but I'm just trying to get to the bottom of the actual laws around it.

I know Canada requires you to enter with a Canadian passport if Canadian, as of last year, with one particular exception - that of dual US/Canadian citizens. So I figured I'd just get the HU legal lay of the land!

Thanks for the answer. And the levity!

Actually what most people do is leave on one passport and arrive on another, this used to be standard procedure. It is not wise to do it these days.

fluffy2560 wrote:

[
What difference does it make?

We swap the kids passports all the time. .

The difference is that your children are not at the age of majority. That is the very big difference. "We swap" gives the game away, the children have no legal choice because the parents choose

marklivesinla wrote:

Hilarious about Trump. I try to avoid thinking about him never mind wear a mask though the cheese might make it worthwhile!

I presume from your answer that your wife uses a HU passport.

Honestly, I'm not highly concerned. I am getting my HU passport because I like the EU freedoms it offers (not that I'll be taking advantage of them any time soon), but I'm just trying to get to the bottom of the actual laws around it.

I know Canada requires you to enter with a Canadian passport if Canadian, as of last year, with one particular exception - that of dual US/Canadian citizens. So I figured I'd just get the HU legal lay of the land!

Thanks for the answer. And the levity!

Yes, Mrs Fluffy is a HU national and I'm from the UK, home of real football.

As far as I know, HU doesn't care about dual nationality when entering.  Even if you came in on a foreign passport, if they found out you were a HU citizen, they'd just treat you - in law - as one of their own, not one of the US.  In other words, should you need assistance from Uncle Sam, they'd probably say no, as you're a HU citizen.

A friend of mine is British, Swiss and Polish.  She just keeps stumm entering Poland on her other passports for similar reasons to the ones you describes. 

One of my relatives also has 3 passports and keeps stumm about those too, producing the right one depending on travel arrangements.    Another relative has Australian and UK nationality and regularly enters the UK on the Australian passport. Imagine the time the immigration authorities would  waste tracking that person down, only to find there was nothing to see there.  One can enjoy governmental schadenfreude sometimes.

Anyway, as anyone who lives here permanently and long term will tell you, the law here is sometimes flexible and sometimes rigid and seemingly random depending on who is enforcing it.

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

[
What difference does it make?

We swap the kids passports all the time. .

The difference is that your children are not at the age of majority. That is the very big difference. "We swap" gives the game away, the children have no legal choice because the parents choose

I suppose we can ask them who they want to be on the day.

I think it makes no difference at all as it's not exactly an unusual occurrence.

I know of people that have dual citizenship with UK/USA and use the passport that is the country they are in. They have no problems at all.

SimCityAT wrote:

I know of people that have dual citizenship with UK/USA and use the passport that is the country they are in. They have no problems at all.

Yes, indeed.   There's no problem even showing both if there's a query. If you tried to enter Hungary on a US passport and there was also a HU one, they'd select the HU one.

BTW, it's not widely known but it's possible to have two valid UK passports at the same time.  I don't know any other country that does that.   

Moreover, a friend of mine was working on a contract visiting UK embassies installing some equipment and they were issued passports just for the individual jobs and had to give them back at the end.   I don't know if they were "service" passports or "diplomatic" passports but they always had to go back to the office on return.

you are drifting. The topic is .... "entering Hungary for a Quick Visit". Simple answer, get in on a tourist visa which is valid for three months. No need to veer off about dual or multiple citizenship. Tourist visa at point of entry, valid for three months stay with no recourse to public funds, done.

SimonTrew wrote:

you are drifting. The topic is .... "entering Hungary for a Quick Visit". Simple answer, get in on a tourist visa which is valid for three months. No need to veer off about dual or multiple citizenship. Tourist visa at point of entry, valid for three months stay with no recourse to public funds, done.

He does not need a visa for up to 90 days if using an American passport. If using a Hungarian Passport can stay indefinitely.

Hungary is a party to the Schengen Agreement. U.S. citizens may enter Hungary for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. Your U.S passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. You need sufficient funds and a return airline ticket.

SimonTrew wrote:

you are drifting. The topic is .... "entering Hungary for a Quick Visit". Simple answer, get in on a tourist visa which is valid for three months. No need to veer off about dual or multiple citizenship. Tourist visa at point of entry, valid for three months stay with no recourse to public funds, done.

I prefer the hitting on the head lessons.  But OK, for a minute....

Actually it was mostly on topic.

The OP was talking about entering HU on different nationality passports hence my asides. 

Anyway, he doesn't need a visa if he's got a US passport.  Certainly he doesn't need a visa for 90 days.

My point was that passports are not all their cracked up to be.

Just sayin'

Some direct answers (from a fellow American -- we like to get to the point):

marklivesinla wrote:

Guys, I appreciate your answers. But I think the jist of what I'm asking is still not clear. Have any HUNGARIAN citizens (such as myself), entered Hungary ON THEIR OTHER FOREIGN passport.

My wife is native Hungarian, but a dual citizen with Switzerland. She has entered using here Swiss passport in the past.

marklivesinla wrote:

The reason I ask is because I don't want my entry to be interpreted in any way is "returning to Hungary." This is because I do not want to create the false impression that I am creating ties to Hungary. As a dual citizen who has never lived in Hungary, I do not want to ever be concerned that I should have any tax concerns.

Hungary does not tax its citizens based on citizenship like the USA. Only on residence. A short visit to Hungary, no matter what passport you use, will not cause tax problems. Nor does it matter what passport you use, as your passport will be scanned at some point, and potentially cross referenced, so TPTB (the powers that be) if they really bother to check, will know who you are no matter what passport you use.

marklivesinla wrote:

I also am simple asking about the LEGALITY of Hungarians coming into Hungary on a foreign passport. For example, Australian, and American citizens MUST use their native passports when entering the country, even if they have a passport from their other citizenship.

Hungary has no such law that I know of. But I am not a lawyer.

klsallee wrote:

Some direct answers (from a fellow American -- we like to get to the point):

marklivesinla wrote:

Guys, I appreciate your answers. But I think the jist of what I'm asking is still not clear. Have any HUNGARIAN citizens (such as myself), entered Hungary ON THEIR OTHER FOREIGN passport.

My wife is native Hungarian, but a dual citizen with Switzerland. She has entered using here Swiss passport in the past.

marklivesinla wrote:

The reason I ask is because I don't want my entry to be interpreted in any way is "returning to Hungary." This is because I do not want to create the false impression that I am creating ties to Hungary. As a dual citizen who has never lived in Hungary, I do not want to ever be concerned that I should have any tax concerns.

Hungary does not tax its citizens based on citizenship like the USA. Only on residence. A short visit to Hungary, no matter what passport you use, will not cause tax problems. Nor does it matter what passport you use, as your passport will be scanned at some point, and potentially cross referenced, so TPTB (the powers that be) if they really bother to check, will know who you are no matter what passport you use.

marklivesinla wrote:

I also am simple asking about the LEGALITY of Hungarians coming into Hungary on a foreign passport. For example, Australian, and American citizens MUST use their native passports when entering the country, even if they have a passport from their other citizenship.

Hungary has no such law that I know of. But I am not a lawyer.

I am not an immigration lawyer either, but as far as I know you can enter on any passport (that Hungary allows you to), but then don't go claiming you are Hungarian when you want to go to hospital etc, that is usually how it works, if you come in on a foreign passport, tough, you said you were American or Australian or whatever, so why suddenly are you saying you are Hungarian? The records are actually cross-checked quite frequently. So it is better if you have a "native" passport to enter on that passport. But we are going around the houses, dual/multiple citizenship recognition varies enormously by jurisdiction and that is definitely off topic.

By the way in Hungary you are supposed to carry ID on you at all times, I dunno if anyone actually does this because I certainly don't, but theoretically that means you and the kiddiwinks etc will have to carry their passports with them at all times to be able to show to the police on request.

SimonTrew wrote:

By the way in Hungary you are supposed to carry ID on you at all times, I dunno if anyone actually does this because I certainly don't, but theoretically that means you and the kiddiwinks etc will have to carry their passports with them at all times to be able to show to the police on request.

Not everyone carries their ID but it's common for adults to have it in a handbag.  On the other hand, I don't know of anyone who has been pulled up on it.   

Our kids don't have ID cards as it's not compulsory for them but there's encouragement to get in the scheme for kids by making it free.  They have student cards which gives them discounts at the cinema or proves they are studying and asking for discounts at museums etc.

I carry a reduced size photo copy of my passport in the back cover of my phone.  I've never had to actually show it to anyone.   I carry it when I go cycling in case of problems.

I do carry my documents when I'm driving the car as the chances of being interfered with by cops is much higher.

SimonTrew wrote:

...
I am not an immigration lawyer either, but as far as I know you can enter on any passport (that Hungary allows you to), but then don't go claiming you are Hungarian when you want to go to hospital etc, that is usually how it works, if you come in on a foreign passport, tough, you said you were American or Australian or whatever, so why suddenly are you saying you are Hungarian? The records are actually cross-checked quite frequently. So it is better if you have a "native" passport to enter on that passport. But we are going around the houses, dual/multiple citizenship recognition varies enormously by jurisdiction and that is definitely off topic.

If you end up in hospital you'd need the EHIC or travel insurance or the TAJ card.  But they aren't going to refuse treatment on those grounds if the condition was life threatening.  They'd stabilise you first then try and get the cash out of you.

But, we're only interested in dual nationality in HU and that's easy.  There's absolutely nothing to stop anyone being Hungarian and Australian or whatever at the same time.  There's no suddenly about it either.  It's simply a fact and it's that person's right to be both.  Nothing illegal about it so it doesn't matter what and if they check - it's not like there's any fraud going on (unless there is but even then, that's another matter - doesn't stop a right to citizenship existing).

p.s. What grounds/evidence do you have for them cross-checking? Cross-checking with what?

As its been brought up, people generally carry some form of ID, whether it be a driving license, medical card, and others.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Not everyone carries their ID but it's common for adults to have it in a handbag.  On the other hand, I don't know of anyone who has been pulled up on it.

Carrying ID is mandatory in Hungary.

Not carrying ID was one of the excuses Hungary used to arrest, hold, and then deport Richard Spencer.

http://hungarianspectrum.org/tag/richard-spencer/

SimonTrew wrote:

So it is better if you have a "native" passport to enter on that passport.

Unless one is an American citizen, and then if one needs help from the American consulate. You get turned away for the same reasons -- entered as if you were Hungarian so get no USA help. So "better" is not good advice at all. The world is a sloppy place. Few straight lines. In the end, it always instead comes down to the same answer: "it depends....."

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Not everyone carries their ID but it's common for adults to have it in a handbag.  On the other hand, I don't know of anyone who has been pulled up on it.

Well now you do. Because I am pretty nocturnal and tend to wander around when I have all Budapest to myself, I have at least four times, I lose count, been pulled  the rendorszeg what are you doing,. can I see your identity card. I have never been arrested or anything, just it must seem quite rightly a bit strange that a man is walking around in the middle of the night admiring the architecture,, it is not as if I am casing the joint for a break-in but I can imagine it would seem like that, it must look a bit suspicious. But during the day I don't bother to carry any ID.

fluffy2560 wrote:

p.s. What grounds/evidence do you have for them cross-checking? Cross-checking with what?

I can't tell you that.

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

p.s. What grounds/evidence do you have for them cross-checking? Cross-checking with what?

I can't tell you that.

Why not?   

I cannot tell you about passive radar detection but I can tell you what's in the public domain.

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Not everyone carries their ID but it's common for adults to have it in a handbag.  On the other hand, I don't know of anyone who has been pulled up on it.

Carrying ID is mandatory in Hungary.

Not carrying ID was one of the excuses Hungary used to arrest, hold, and then deport Richard Spencer.

http://hungarianspectrum.org/tag/richard-spencer/

Interesting post. Never knew about that.  But I don't move in those circles.

SimCityAT wrote:

As its been brought up, people generally carry some form of ID, whether it be a driving license, medical card, and others.

and I must assume when they are on the beach at Lake Balaton they wear special bikinis or trunks  with cardholders? We should make a new fashion line.

As for fluffster's idea that I buy a handbag to put them in... i dunno what to make of that. I have a wallet like men do.

I have always regarded a woman's handbag as a mathematical description of a set, "a possibly infinite collection of objects, no two of which are alike".

And you never know, you might find a baby in it which is unlikely to happen with your wallet/billfold.

Ok, we really are going off topic now.

SimonTrew wrote:

....

As for fluffster's idea that I buy a handbag to put them in... i dunno what to make of that. I have a wallet like men do.....

Off topic but I'll throw in....

You ain't European enough.  You need to get with the programme and get yourself a manbag.  Where are you to keep your smartphone. As for Balaton, there enough of people with inappropriate bulges (or hiding their budgies) in their too tight Speedos.  Is that your ID card or are you just pleased to see me?   

And I rest my case m'lud.

fluffy2560 wrote:

And I rest my case m'lud.

You are hoist with your own petard. You rest your case. You do not rest your handbag or manbag. judgment for the plaintiff.

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

p.s. What grounds/evidence do you have for them cross-checking? Cross-checking with what?

I can't tell you that.

Why not?   

I cannot tell you about passive radar detection but I can tell you what's in the public domain.

there is by defintion no such thing as passive radar,. if you send a pulse out and it bounces then you are saying "i am here". it is just a contracdiction in terms. yes you can get passive radar that does not send signals out but receives signals from the active radar, but you are still bouncing signals out, it just happens not to be that particular bit of equipment. For truly passive you need electro optical.

this ios way off topic. Finished. done, stop-

I'm going the full on "Absolutely Anything Else" from here on....Gone to here

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

....

As for fluffster's idea that I buy a handbag to put them in... i dunno what to make of that. I have a wallet like men do.....

Where are you to keep your smartphone.
And I rest my case m'lud.

Welll i dont have a smartphone but my phone goes oin the left hands side of my jacket, the BKK pass in the ticket pocket left hand side at the bottom. Patently you are not up with modern taioliring,.,.,. but at home when I am not wearing clothes I tend to put it between my bum cheeks so I can suggest to Fluffster you just shove it up your arse....