Oath of Hungarian Citizenship and Registration of Vital Acts: Final Procedure in 2026

Summary

After approval of the application, the President of Hungary signs a decree on admission to citizenship. Next, you must take the citizenship oath (állampolgársági eskü) - at the city hall in Hungary or at a consulate abroad, within one year from the date of notification. Then birth and marriage are entered into the Hungarian vital records registry (anyakönyvezés), and only after that are the ID card and first passport issued. Missing the oath nullifies the entire procedure.

This final stage is underestimated: people celebrate the decree and relax, but the most formal and time-sensitive part lies ahead. For detailed information about the entire path to a passport, see our guide to Hungarian citizenship.

What happens after approval: presidential decree

The decision on admission to citizenship is made by the President of Hungary - he signs the decree (köztársasági elnöki határozat). According to our observations, from document submission to decree takes approximately 14-18 months: about 5-9 months for review, plus approximately two months for the presidential decree itself. Do not believe promises of "passport in six months": the actual timelines are exactly as stated, and we speak about this from the start.

When the decree is signed, the applicant is officially notified - through the authority to which documents were submitted (city hall in Hungary or consulate). From the date of notification, the key deadline begins: One year for the oath. This is not a formality but a strict requirement under the citizenship law (Act LV of 1993). If the oath is not taken within one year due to the applicant's fault, the naturalization decision loses effect - and the procedure will have to be repeated from the beginning.

Important: the decree is not yet citizenship. Legally, a person becomes a citizen of Hungary at the moment of taking the oath, not on the date the decree is signed. A passport cannot be issued before the oath.

Where and how the oath is taken: deadlines, place, text

Citizenship oath (állampolgársági eskü) - a short official ceremony, after which a person legally becomes a citizen of Hungary. We will address three most frequently asked questions.

When. Within one year from the date of notification of the decree. An invitation to the ceremony is sent either by the city hall (polgármester) at the address specified in the application or by the Hungarian consulate abroad. One year is the deadline: waiting until the last moment is risky, it is better to schedule the date in advance.

Where. There are two options - and this is convenient:

• In Hungary - at the city hall (polgármester) of any municipality, usually at the place of application.
• Abroad - at the Hungarian embassy or consulate. You do not need to travel to Hungary specifically for the oath.

This is especially valuable for those who obtain citizenship by descent and do not live in Hungary - we discuss this option in the article on Hungarian citizenship by descent.

Text. The oath is taken in Hungarian language - this is part of the procedure. The applicant solemnly promises to consider Hungary as his homeland, to be a loyal citizen, and to comply with the laws of the country. After reciting the text, an oath protocol is signed (esküokirat / fogadalmi okirat) - this is the document confirming the moment of acquiring citizenship.

The exact procedure and text should be clarified at the specific consulate: wording may differ slightly. Official naturalization requirements are published by Hungarian government portal.

Registration of birth and marriage in the Hungarian registry: why and how

After the oath, a step emerges that few think about in advance - entry of vital records into the Hungarian registry (anyakönyvezés). According to Hungarian law, all key life events of a citizen - birth, marriage, divorce, death - must be registered in Hungary. Without a birth record (and if you are married - a marriage record), Hungarian citizenship cannot be "confirmed by documents," and you will not be issued a passport.

In other words: you became a citizen at the oath, but the system does not yet "see" your birth under Hungarian law. First, your foreign birth certificate needs to be transferred to the Hungarian registry.

What is required for birth registration:

• birth registration application (adatlap a születés hazai anyakönyvezéséhez);
• foreign birth certificate;
• apostille or legalization on it;
• certified translation into Hungarian.

For marriage registration - an equivalent set of documents: marriage registration application, foreign marriage certificate with apostille and certified translation. This is critical for those who obtained citizenship through a Hungarian spouse: more details on this path in our analysis of the transition from residence permit to Hungarian citizenship.

Registration documents are submitted through the consulate or, in Hungary, through a government office (kormányablak) or district office (járási hivatal). As a result, a Hungarian birth certificate (and marriage certificate) is issued - already in Hungarian. These documents will serve as the basis for the passport.

Obtaining the first passport and ID card

When the records are entered into the registry, you can obtain the first citizenship documents. There are two, and the order matters.

Identity card (személyi igazolvány). This is the internal ID card of a Hungarian citizen. It is often issued quickly - even on the day of application, since the data is already in the registry after record registration. The ID card is a basic document confirming that you are a citizen.

Foreign passport (útlevél). Based on the ID card and registry entry, an application for the first Hungarian passport is submitted. It is this document that opens the practical benefits of EU citizenship - visa-free travel, the right to live and work in any EU country. Hungary, by the way, allows dual citizenship, so there is no need to renounce your previous passport.

Documents are issued through a government office (kormányablak) in Hungary or through a consulate abroad. The logic is the same as with investment programs: first status, then documents - this is how the path also works through residence permit for investment in Hungary (golden visa), where the passport is a distant but achievable goal.

Address registration (lakcímkártya)

A separate document often confused with an ID card Address card (lakcímkártya). It is a plastic card with the registered address and personal identification number of the citizen. It is needed for numerous domestic transactions in Hungary: opening a bank account, obtaining a tax number, registering with a doctor, concluding contracts.

If you actually live in Hungary, the address is registered at your place of residence. If you live abroad and obtained citizenship by descent, you may be listed in the registry as a citizen Without a Hungarian address (külföldi cím / person without a place of residence in the country). This is normal and does not prevent you from having a passport—but it provides access to fewer domestic services.

Practical advice: if you plan to use Hungarian infrastructure—banks, healthcare, business—it is worth planning the address issue in advance. For those building a life in the country based on long-term residence, our material on Residence permits in Hungary.

What is often overlooked at the final stage: our support until you receive the passport

More people fail at the final stage than at the application stage—precisely because it seems "everything is already done." Here is what we at BRIDGES GLOBAL check and monitor until the passport is in your hands:

• Oath deadline. A year passes quickly, especially if the notification arrives while you are away. We track the notification date and book the ceremony in advance to avoid missing the deadline.
• Completeness of documents. The most common stopping point is unregistered birth or marriage. Without anyakönyvezés the passport will not be issued. We collect certificates, verify apostilles and certified translations in advance, before the oath.
• Quality of translations and legalization. An error in the name or date, an incorrect apostille, a translation without certification—and the document is rejected. We verify every document before submission.
• Order of steps. ID card—registry of documents—passport—address: the order cannot be violated, otherwise weeks are lost. We conduct the procedure by checklist.
• Registration with the correct authority. Consulate or kormányablak, different rules and schedules—we clarify the requirements of the specific institution in advance.

Compare the Hungarian route with alternatives in the EU in our review of Golden visas of Hungary, Greece, and Portugal.

Summary

The final stage of the procedure is not a single point but a chain of four steps: presidential decree, oath, document registration, and document issuance. Each has its own deadline and authority. The oath must take place within one year, otherwise naturalization is voided; birth and marriage must be registered in the Hungarian registry; and only then are the ID card and passport issued.

If you handle the matter yourself, create a deadline calendar and collect certificates with apostilles in advance. If you want to protect yourself from failures at the last moment—we guide clients from the decree to having the passport in hand. It is best to start with An overview of Hungarian citizenship Or the route through Golden visa.