EMERGENCY: YES (on 4.11.2020 the state of emergency was declared at national level).
The Hungarian government has announced additional restrictions, which apply throughout the country from March 8, 2021. Thus, between March 8 and 22, 2021, shops (with some exceptions, including food), pharmacies and gas stations are closed. Also, during this period, the activity of companies providing services is prohibited, except for financial, postal, social assistance and private health care services.
The measures applied from 11 November 2020 have been extended until 22 March 2021. The measures include restricting the movement of persons outside the home between the hours of 20:00 and 05:00. Travel during this period is only allowed to go to work, for medical purposes or in emergency situations.
The state of emergency has been extended by Parliament
Restrictions on entry into Hungary - applied from 1 September 2020 - have been extended until 22 March 2021. Thus, control measures are maintained at all sections of Hungary's land and air border. In this context, foreign nationals may not enter Hungary for the purpose of residence, except in strictly regulated situations.
Categories of persons who can travel to Hungary without restrictions:
- holders of diplomatic / service passports or seaman's card;
- drivers in freight traffic;
- holders of simple passports in case they request entry in an official visit (certified by presenting official documents);
- persons who, on entering Hungary, certify that they were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus within 6 months before the date of the border crossing application and are currently cured.
Exceptions / Situations subject to a derogation (foreign nationals may enter Hungary):
- for participating in an administrative or judicial procedure, by presenting a document issued by a court or institution;
- for carrying out a business or other professional activity, justified by an invitation issued by central, local or autonomous public authorities (see below for conditions for economic and business travel):
- if the presence in Hungary is justified by medical purposes, by presenting a medical letter or other medical certificate;
- for the participation in examinations of pupils and students, if the educational institution attests this fact by a certificate;
- Exemptions may also be granted to employees working in the field of freight transport when entry into the country concerns travel to the place of work (departure of transport), respectively return to the country after completion of transport of goods, proven by a certificate from the employer;
- for participating in the ceremonies of close relatives (marriage, death, baptism);
- for the care of relatives, according to the provisions of Article V of the Hungarian Civil Code;
- for participation in international events in the fields of sports, culture or religion (see conditions below);
- for other justified reasons.
The request for a derogation will be addressed to the competent local police, depending on the point of entry into Hungarian territory. In the case of people arriving by plane at Budapest airport, the competent police is that of Sector XVIII Budapest. Requests for derogation shall be sent exclusively by electronic means in Hungarian or English to the address https://ugyintezes.police.hu/en/home.
Applications may be rejected if:
- there are suspicions about the real purpose of entering Hungary;
- there are epidemiological, public security or national security risks on the part of the person wishing to enter Hungary.
The documents underlying the justification for the derogation will have to be submitted in original to the Hungarian border authorities on the date of entry into that state.
Conditions for economic and business travel
Foreign nationals may enter Hungary without restriction for the purpose of carrying out commercial or economic activities if they certify this upon entry. In this regard, business people will present documents that will justify the purpose of the trip. Travel can have various purposes (trade negotiations, participation in an exhibition, purchase of raw materials, etc.), so the entity in whose interest the entry is to take place must certify in a document (signed on behalf of the company) that the entry will have place for commercial or economic purposes, also indicating the concrete reason. The Hungarian authorities recommend the following model certificate (certified), which, if completed in full and presented at the time of entry, will make it possible to verify the business purpose more quickly.
Conditions for participation in sporting and cultural events
1. Foreign nationals may participate in an international sporting event held on the territory of Hungary (this hypothesis does not refer to participation as a spectator), under the following conditions;
- holds a letter of invitation issued by the official organizer of a sporting event to be held in Hungary;
- at the invitation of a Hungarian sports organization or a national sports union;
- has the quality of an athlete with a competition license;
- is a sports professional or a person involved in organizing a sporting event.
At cultural events the foreign citizen who has the quality of artist within the respective cultural event or member of the technical staff can participate.
Access is allowed on the territory of Hungary if a PCR molecular test with negative result for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, written in Hungarian or English, performed twice within 5 days prior to entry into the territory of Hungary (at least 48 hours between them are required). As an exception, a person may enter the territory of Hungary if the negative result of a PCR-type molecular test for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection it is performed once in the 3 days prior to the sporting event or cultural event (the result of the negative test must be presented in Hungarian or English).
2. Spectators at an international sporting event or cultural event can enter if:
- at the time of entry accepts a medical examination;
- presents a ticket to participate in an international sporting event or cultural event;
- hold the certification in a document, in Hungarian or English, of the negative result of a PCR molecular test for SARS-CoV-2 infection, performed within 3 days prior to entry.
The participant as a spectator is obliged to leave the territory of Hungary within 72 hours of entry.
Entry into the territory of Hungary may be refused if:
- health examination reveals suspicions of SARS-CoV-2 infection;
- the person does not present the participation ticket;
- there are doubts about the authenticity of the ticket.
Provisions regarding access within a maximum radius of 30 kilometers from the border
The Hungarian authorities may allow access to Hungary, for a maximum period of 24 hours, for citizens of Hungary's neighboring states, within a maximum radius of 30 kilometers from the border. They are obliged to remain within a radius of 30 km and must leave the territory of Hungary within a maximum of 24 hours.
Provisions regarding seasonal workers
Seasonal workers in Romania may also enter Hungarian territory, provided that the Hungarian employer submits an electronic form with their identification data to the Hungarian police. The border crossing points for this purpose are set by the Hungarian police.
EXCEPTIONS AND PROVISIONS CONCERNING TRANSIT
PASSENGER TRAFFIC
The MFA reiterates the recommendation addressed to the Romanian citizens to be thoroughly informed before traveling abroad and to strictly observe the measures adopted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With regard to transit, the Hungarian authorities stated that it is allowed, under the following conditions:
- the duration of the transit should not exceed 24 hours;
- people do not show symptoms specific to SARS-CoV-2 infection;
- persons in transit must present a document showing unequivocally the purpose of the trip and the country of destination, respectively to have secured entry into the territory of the neighboring state of Hungary, on the transit route to the country of destination.
The transit will be carried out only on the designated routes and published on the website of the Hungarian police (below), being explicitly indicated the places of stop / rest.
The following border crossing points are open for the transit of Romanian citizens:
BORS II - NAGYKEREKI, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods;
PETEA - CSENGERSIMA, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods (transit);
URZICENI - VÁLLAJ, intended for international trafficking in human beings (transit);
MIHAI VALLEY - NYÍRÁBRÁNY, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods (transit);
BORŞ - ÁRTÁND, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods (transit);
VĂRŞAND - GYULA, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods (transit);
TURNU - BATONYA, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods (transit);
NĂDLAC (NAGYLAK) - MAKO, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods (transit);
NĂDLAC 2 (motorway) - CSANÁDPALOTA, intended for the international trafficking of persons and goods (transit);
CURTICI - LOKOSHAZA - intended for rail traffic of people and goods;
SALONTA - MÉHKERÉK, intended for rail traffic.