Lived experiences with Hungarian bureaucracy.

It has been quite some time since I last posted, but in a way, I miss Hungary. My wife and I lived near Hévíz for seven years, a time filled with both good and less-than-good memories. Throughout our lives, we have lived in the Netherlands, the UK, Luxembourg, Hungary, and now Türkiye. Looking back, I want to share two particularly challenging experiences we faced when moving away from Hungary.
...

Hungary’s OTP Bank, however, did nothing automatically. We kept our accounts active after leaving because my Hungarian company was still in liquidation. ...

To show we weren't alone, we know another ex-resident of Hévíz who had to physically travel back to Hungary two or three times just to close his bank account. That is an expensive trip and certainly no holiday.

- @cdw057

Why didn't you just take out all the money from the account and transfer it somewhere else?   If it's not there, they cannot take it.

We had an personal account in Austria.  They tried that cr*p on us and we just sent all the money (which wasn't a lot) to Hungary.  I then said, there's no money there, it's no longer viable, I suggest you close it. Ok, it was a personal account but the same thing could apply once far away.

@fluffy2560

But whenever I would enter Hungary (or the EU) again, it could be an issue (stopped at the border).

@fluffy2560
But whenever I would enter Hungary (or the EU) again, it could be an issue (stopped at the border). - @cdw057

Don't see why, it's not a criminal matter to close a bank account or leave it with nothing in it.

They love their paperwork here for sure.

My biggest issues were and are with immigration services but as I just received a letter from them last week stating all is good and I just need to wait to pick up my new card, I will not rant on about it.

Do not wish to throw a monkey wrench into things and get more paperwork issues!

We did however have to go into city hall 15 years ago and on paper get married in Hungary although we legally were married in 1978 in the US.

Some things I will never understand I suppose.

I recently asked my family doctor for some pain meds;

I take no meds at all;

Have had some serious health issues a couple years ago and find it speeded up osteoarthritis in my neck ans spine.

They seem to think I am going to become an addict or something if they give an old lady a few pain pills for the bad days.

In the US they hand out pain meds like candy to children.

I had treatments in which my fellow patients in the US were given moriphine during treatments. I had to ask for a few asprins in hospital here.

IDK about OTP bank;

Our HOA, common costs are in a common account at OTP where the house manager has an account.

We go in person every few months and pre pay our share.

One location we usually use is fine with taking our cash, they make a small fee on the transaction.

Used another of their locations one time, went back a couple weeks ago to pay again, only went there because they are closer to us.

Got our number to wait, they called numbers but kept passing on us.

A women came around to ask people what they wanted at the bank; My husband told her just to pay our fees.

She said we had to wait until a clerk wanted to help us because we had no account with them!

WTH??

Husband told her off and we walked out.

Great way for them to drum up new clients, being rude to them and forcing them to wait like they were doing us a huge favor.

Went to their other location and all went smoothly.

Guess that women was on some sort of power trip, should not be working with the public with her nasty attitude.

I told my husband to rat her out but he hates to get upset over idiots.

i have 2 accoubts, whr I lv n Austria, and my scond account in the UK where my family is.

@fluffy2560
But whenever I would enter Hungary (or the EU) again, it could be an issue (stopped at the border). - @cdw057
Don't see why, it's not a criminal matter to close a bank account or leave it with nothing in it. - @fluffy2560

OTP is a quite bad bank - but well actually i do not know a single one which is good at Hungary.

And you are right they did not wish to close account because the various fees to simply maintain an account hefty, and OTP especially famous about to upkeep NEGATIVE balances just from account fees.

Maybe the law changed but few years ago over 100 EUR debt, especially towards banks or like traffic controllers, the debt was enforceable EU wide - that was the exact reason why was the fine for no ticket in Austria Wien 103 EUR.

Still it is not like Israel where they keep you forcefully if there is any debt/ fines remaining, or block on the border to enter at all.