Not all Hungarians get visa-free travel to the U.S. anymore

The U.S. authorities have recently changed Hungary’s entry condition. As a result, the U.S. visa waiver no longer applies to all Hungarian citizens.

Travel to the U.S. earlier

Until now, Hungarian citizens were not required to have a visa if they wanted to travel to the United States. They only needed a visa if they wanted to work, study or settle down there. Hungarians have been able to travel overseas for years without obtaining a visa for tourism or business purposes. The maximum stay was 90 days.

All you had to do to enter was to request an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) permit.

This document could be requested electronically through the government website. This procedure was simple, quick and inexpensive, as it cost only USD 14. In addition, this permit was valid for two years, so it could be used several times for travelling to the U.S., writes hellomagyar.hu.

Travel to the U.S. from now on

The U.S. authorities have changed the travel rules. The change took place back in February 2021, but not many were affected by the ban on entry due to the coronavirus. Since November, vaccinated Hungarian citizens have been able to enter the United States.

The visa waiver remains only for Hungarian citizens living in Hungary

Those Hungarian citizens who own a Hungarian passport but live outside of the country are required to apply for a visa from now on. For instance, Hungarians living in Transylvania are also required to obtain a visa before travelling, writes kronikaonline.hu.

ESTA applicants who were born outside of Hungary will automatically be notified of their visa application based on their place of birth. This is a useful and informative step, but a visa still makes it very difficult to travel.

For a USD 160 visa, an appointment must be requested at the U.S. Embassy.

In Budapest, only those Hungarian citizens who live in Hungary are accepted at the embassy. It is important to be aware that you will have to wait months for the interview. In many cases, the U.S. authority rejects the application. After that, no further application can be submitted for a long time.

Source: hellomagyar.hu, kronikaonline.hu