Short stays and the 90/180-day rule in Hungary (2026)

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026

In short: Visa-exempt visitors may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Travel documents must be valid for three months after departure. Third-country nationals are recorded in the Entry/Exit System at the external borders.

RuleWhat applies
Maximum length of a short stayShort visit as a tourist or visitorUp to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, counting the 180 days before each day of stay. [1]
Visa or travel authorisation for entryShort visit as a tourist or visitorvalue.visa-free [2]
Passport or travel document requirementShort visit as a tourist or visitorA travel document valid for at least three months after the intended departure and issued within the previous 10 years, unless there is a justified emergency (Article 6(1)(a) of the Schengen Borders Code). [1]
Entry/Exit System recordingShort visit as a tourist or visitorThird-country nationals entering Hungary for a short stay at the external borders are recorded in the Entry/Exit System: data from the travel document, place and time of crossing, facial image and fingerprints, and any refusal of entry. [3]

Notes

  • Applies to nationals of the third countries listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, which includes Australia and the United States. The United Kingdom was added by a later amendment that was not read. Nationals of other countries need a visa.
  • The Hungarian police page says the EES was to begin full operation in all EES countries, including Hungary, on 10 April 2026 (the page was written before that date). It names the data recorded and says the place and time of crossing or refusal are generally stored for three years.

Sources

  1. Publications Office of the European Union (Cellar): Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code), as published in OJ L 77, 23.3.2016 (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  2. Publications Office of the European Union (Cellar): Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as published in OJ L 303, 28.11.2018 (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  3. Rendőrség (Hungarian Police): Európai Határregisztrációs Rendszer (EES) (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources

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General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.