Hungary White Card income requirement
The Hungary White Card income requirement is EUR 3,000 net a month, earned for the six months before you enter and kept up for the whole stay, not a one-time bank balance.
At the October 29, 2026 rate that is about $3,343 a month. The law sets the bar in euros, so the dollar figure moves with the exchange rate, and your income should clear it with room.
What counts as EUR 3,000 net
Net, not gross, and from legal income. The route is for remote work for a foreign employer, or for a share in a profitable foreign company you manage remotely.
The employer has to be real: the checklist asks for a certified statement of its activities, the remote-work arrangement and your role, plus proof that the company actually operates.
The six-month look-back and the ongoing test
Proof is six months of bank statements, or an income certificate from your employer or the tax authority.
Approval does not end the test. The official factsheet says the income has to be maintained throughout the stay, so a contract that ends halfway through is a problem, not a footnote.
- 01Verified remote employment with a foreign (non-Hungarian) employer, OR ownership of a share in a profitable foreign company managed remotelyEmployer: certified statement covering scope of employer's activities, the remote/electronic-work provision and its authorised duration, and the applicant's duties/position, plus proof of the employer's real and actual operation. Company owner: documents proving the company's real operation (registration certificate, tax authority certificate of regular income/profit), job title/position, scope of activities, and share ownership.
- 02Proof of means of subsistence - EUR 3,000 net/month for the prior 6 months6-month bank statements, or an income certificate from the employer or tax authority.
- 03Proof of accommodation in HungaryResidential lease, accommodation-by-courtesy document, proof of ownership, or evidence of a paid/reserved accommodation.
- 04Comprehensive health insurance covering all healthcare services (or ability to cover costs)
- 05Valid passport and proof of exit/onward-travel conditionsValid passport plus a valid return/onward ticket or funds to cover the travel. Passport must remain valid at least 3 months beyond the permit's expiry.
- 06One facial photograph; biometrics (photo + fingerprints) captured at submission
- 07Not disqualified by category exclusionsNot granted to anyone eligible for guest self-employment / guest investor / employment-for-investment / employment / guest-worker / National Card / Hungarian Card / Corporate Card permits, students, posted workers, asylum seekers/beneficiaries, EC/EU long-term residents, intra-corporate transferees, or highly qualified workers. Applicant must not pursue gainful activity in Hungary or hold a share in a Hungarian company.
Fees and the 21-day decision clock
Practitioners report about EUR 110 at a Hungarian mission abroad, about HUF 39,000 in person in Hungary and about HUF 26,000 through Enter Hungary. The factsheet links a fee schedule without printing the amount, so treat those as reported, not official.
The statutory administrative period is 21 days, and the authority must decide within 30 days of a complete submission. Time spent fixing gaps in your file does not count.
One year, one extension, no residence path
The card runs one year and can be extended once for another year, filed from inside Hungary through Enter Hungary, after at least 90 days of residence in the previous 180. Two years is the ceiling.
There is no route from it to a national residence card, and you cannot apply for another residence purpose while it is valid. Plan the exit before you arrive.
Tax is a separate question
The card is an immigration status, not a tax status. Hungarian tax residence follows Hungarian tax law, including a 183-day presence test.
We found no official source for the "first six months tax-free" claims on blogs. Hungary's flat personal income tax is 15%.
Sources and last verified date
Every rule above comes from our White Card record, verified August 3, 2026 against the official OIF factsheet and the professional sources below. Check the factsheet again before you file.
Rules last verified August 3, 2026 (evidence grade A). Dollar figure at 0.8974 EUR per US dollar on October 29, 2026.
This is a plain-English reading of published rules, not legal advice. Offices interpret, consulates differ and rules change. Confirm with the OIF or a Hungarian immigration lawyer before you commit money.