Arrival Checklist for Hungary: Address Report, TAJ, Bank Account and BKK

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Hungary has one deadline that catches students out, the report of your address, and a few steps that are easier if you do them early. This checklist uses the immigration authority (OIF), BKK, the Budapest transport company, and the guidance published by Hungarian universities. It is written for students on a residence permit for study, with a section for EU citizens. The permit process is in the student visa guide for Hungary.

1. Know what you hold

OIF says the permit for study is posted to your educational institution, so ask your international office when it arrives. Students cannot be granted a national residence card, so do not wait for one. If you came on a type D visa, remember that it allows a single entry and a stay of up to 30 days, and that your permit cannot outlast your passport. Keep the passport valid, and keep copies of every document apart from the originals.

2. Report your address within 3 days

According to OIF, any change of accommodation must be notified to the regional directorate responsible for the new address within 3 days, electronically through the Enter Hungary platform. Third-country nationals can use an accommodation certificate to show they have registered, and OIF says they must keep it with them. Holders of a student residence permit do not have to attach the usual proof of accommodation, such as a lease, when registering. Do this again each time you move, and keep the new certificate.

3. If you are an EU citizen

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying more than 90 days must notify the authorities by the 93rd day after entry, in order to get a registration certificate. The fee is HUF 1,000 (about €3), and the certificate is valid indefinitely together with your travel or identity document. Your first Hungarian address is recorded during registration, and the Budapest Government Agency mails you an address card (lakcímkártya). Report later moves at the district office for the new address. See student housing in Hungary.

4. Arrange health cover

Your permit application needed proof of health coverage, and in Hungary the practical route is a TAJ card. Scholarship holders usually get it through the university, and fee-paying students sign an agreement with the National Health Insurance Fund and pay a monthly contribution. EU citizens use their EHIC or other insurance. The details are in health insurance for students in Hungary.

5. Open a bank account

ELTE's guidance for international students says banks decide whether to accept an application, and some may not accept non-resident customers because of extra due-diligence checks.

Bring your passport and a second form of identification.
Non-EEA students usually need a valid residence permit and an address card, although some banks accept only a passport.
Scholarship holders need a Hungarian bank account, because scholarship payments go there.
You do not need to exchange forint before arriving. ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard, and Hungarian banks charge a commission on withdrawals, more at another bank's machines.

Because the address card and the accommodation certificate are often requested, do the address report first.

6. Travel in Budapest

BKK sells a monthly Budapest pass for students at 3,450 forint (about €9), against 8,950 forint (about €24) for the ordinary monthly pass. BKK says the student pass is for EU citizens with an EU student ID and proof of an address in Hungary. Since 15 June 2026, student IDs from EU, EEA or Swiss schools also need an official document confirming your address in Hungary, either a lakcímkártya or an accommodation certificate from the immigration authorities. The page does not say what applies to students with a Hungarian student ID, so ask your university and a BKK customer point.

If you were checked without your pass or ID but owned both, you can settle the penalty within 5 working days at a BKK customer point, for a processing fee of 1,000 forint on annual and quarterly passes and 2,000 forint on other types.

A sensible order

Before you travel: copy your documents and ask your university how the permit is delivered.
Day 1: report your address through Enter Hungary, within 3 days.
First weeks: apply for the TAJ card, then open a bank account.
When you have your student ID and address document: buy the student pass.

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Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.