Shooting in Hungary
Visa & Work Permit
Regulations and Process for International Film Crews
Last updated on July 20th, 2026
Last updated on July 20th, 2026
Since Hungary is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, the rules and regulations regarding foreign crew members’ visas and work permits follow the guidelines of the EU and the Schengen Agreement. Due to the increasing economic weight of the country’s film industry during the last few years, multiple laws and regulations have been made to simplify travel for international productions and to help them obtain the necessary permits.
Since Hungary is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, the rules and regulations regarding foreign crew members’ visas and work permits follow the guidelines of the EU and the Schengen Agreement. Due to the increasing economic weight of the country’s film industry during the last few years, multiple laws and regulations have been made to simplify travel for international productions and to help them obtain the necessary permits.
Visas for Hungary
When applying for a visa needed to enter Hungary, countries can be classified into two different categories.
The first category includes citizens of third countries that are neither members of the EU nor part of the Schengen Area, but which benefit from simplified travel rights under various agreements. These citizens are exempt from visa requirements for stays of up to 90 days within the Schengen Area and, consequently, in Hungary. These provisions are set out in REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL (previously 539/2001/EK regulation), together with a list of the third countries falling within this category (Annex II).
“Article 4
Nationals of third countries listed in Annex II shall be exempt from the requirement set out in Article 3(1) for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180 day period.” REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
However, Article 6 (3) allows the given country to independently regulate the case when an individual arrives to earn income, but Hungary has not generally exercised this option, as can be seen in the Law No. II of 2007 on the Admission and Right of Residence of Third-Country Nationals.
"Section 7/A
Third-country nationals holding a visa for a planned duration not exceeding ninety days, and persons lawfully residing in the territory of Hungary as nationals of the states listed in Annex II of Council Regulation 539/2001/EC may undertake to pursue an occupational activity in accordance with Subsections (1) and (2) of Section 20, unless this Act contains provisions to the contrary.“ Law No. II of 2007 on the Admission and Right of Residence of Third-Country Nationals
These two laws jointly enable those crew members who are citizens of countries in this category to work in Hungary without any visa obligation. The entire list of these countries can be found in the previously mentioned Annex II, but here are a few examples of non-EU countries that belong to this category: United States, South Korea, Japan, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Argentina, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Malaysia, Peru and Venezuela.
The second category includes countries that are neither members of the EU nor covered by agreements that simplify entry into the Schengen Area. Citizens of these countries must obtain a visa before travelling to Hungary, whether as tourists or for work purposes. These respective regulations can be found in the previously mentioned REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806.
Article 3
Nationals of third countries listed in Annex I shall be required to be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States.” REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806
The individual wishing to travel has to request the necessary documents in the country where they hold citizenship. This can be done at the given country’s Hungarian embassy, consulate or other visa-issuing institutions. The evaluation may take up to 15 days, due to which it is highly recommended to start the procedure in time, insuring that the required permits can be granted by the date of travel.
Progressive Productions does everything possible to assist this procedure and provides all the necessary documents, let that be the letter of invitation or the proof of booked accommodation. The list of countries whose citizens are required to apply for a visa can be found in the Annex I of the REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806 mentioned above. Here are a few examples of these countries: China, India, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Vietnam, Thailand, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Qatar and South Africa.
Work Permits for Hungary
The employment of international crew members can also be separated into two categories, similar to the categories of visa requirements.
Those fall into the first category whose period of residence does not exceed 90 days, who are not resident of Hungary and are not employed by Hungarian companies, and are therefore paid in their home country for their work performed in Hungary. In this case, there is no need for a work permit, nor do they have any taxation obligations to the Hungarian State. This applies to both the citizens of visa-exempt countries and those requiring visas, as stated in Section 7/A of the Law No. II of 2007 on the Admission and Right of Residence of Third-Country Nationals: “Third-country nationals holding a visa for a planned duration not exceeding ninety days, and persons lawfully residing in the territory of Hungary as nationals of the states listed in Annex II of Council Regulation 539/2001/EC may undertake to pursue an occupational activity…”
The second category is for cases when a production’s duration is long or when it would be necessary for some reason (tax break, co-production, etc.) for an international crew member to be employed by a Hungarian company. The Hungarian law has undergone changes to ensure this process to be as seamless as possible. The most important factor in these cases is for there to be a registered film production company that fulfill all the legal conditions and are entitled to submit such applications. Since Progressive Productions is such a company, we are able to gain authorization for a crew member from a third country by simply submitting one application, without needing to provide justification or undergo a long evaluation process. This opportunity is stated in the 445/2013. (XI. 28.) Government Decree.
"Section 9
Subsection (1) states that a work permit is to be granted without examining the aspects that are stated in Section 3 Subsections (2)-(7), as well as the Section 5 Subsections (1)’s a) and e) points:
(...)
13. to a citizen of a third country to be employed by a film production company registered by the authority of the film industry based on the law on film.” 445/2013. (XI. 28.) Government Decree
In this case, it is important to keep in mind the laws regulating taxation, to avoid the given individual’s double taxation. This issue is managed thanks to the agreements made between Hungary and other states to ensure that double taxation is avoided by these legal procedures.
The regulations and laws presented above prove how much energy and resources Hungary has invested to create the most ideal conditions for international productions even on the level of acquiring visas and work permits. The attention given to such details shows how production-friendly Hungary’s mentality is, not only on the part of production companies but also on the part of the state itself.
