The short answer is: Hungary does not limit the number of citizenships its citizen may hold at the same time. You can have Hungarian citizenship as your second or third citizenship. However, this does not automatically mean that you can hoard citizenships without consequences.
Before you apply for a new citizenship, consider
1. Existing citizenships
While Hungary does not limit how many citizenships you may hold at the same time, some countries do. Before you apply for an additional citizenship, check out the rules of the country you are already a citizen of.
- Some countries do not allow you to become a citizen of another country without forfeiting your existing citizenship.
- Some countries do not allow their citizens to gain additional citizenship in specific countries.
- Some countries do limit the number of additional citizenships their citizens may hold at the same time.
Of course, the benefits of gaining Hungarian citizenship might outweigh the disadvantages of losing your existing citizenship. If you are planning to relocate to Hungary, forfeiting your original citizenship might not be a problem, or it might even be desirable. In any case, this should be a conscious decision on your part, so make sure you consider your options well in advance.
2. Tax residency
Tax residency is about where you pay taxes after your income. Citizenship does not automatically entail tax residency – at least not in Hungary. Some countries, however, maintain that every citizen is a tax resident, so you might be required to pay taxes (or at least, submit an income report) in your original home country even if you fully relocate to Hungary.
Hungary has entered into a great number of agreements with other countries in order to avoid double taxation so tax residents will not have to pay taxes in two countries after the same income. However, the terms of each agreement are slightly different. As a result, make sure you consider your future tax residency status during the early stage of your Hungarian citizenship journey, especially if you have income from several sources.
What do I do?
Hungary allows multiple citizenships without limitations, and does not automatically extend tax residency to its new citizens. At the same time, before you apply for Hungarian citizenship, make sure to check the following:
- Check if your current home country allows multiple citizenships too
- Check the position of your current home country on tax residency – you might need to consult a tax advisor on the topic
- If you already have multiple citizenships, make sure to include each country in your evaluation
Get expert help
Our expert team offers assistance with every aspect of obtaining Hungarian citizenship, regardless which procedure applies to you. You can ask our colleagues and partners about administrative tasks, language requirements, and taxation alike (tax advisory is a separate service). We would be happy to ease your way towards becoming a Hungarian citizen.
Was this article useful? Follow us on Facebook and never miss an update.
