How to Help Ukraine
EN

Information for Ukrainian refugees in Hungary

Protection until 4 March 2028, cards extended automatically; men liable for military service are still accepted

Information checked in October–November 2026.

Compare with other countries

Important to know

Hungary has not applied the EU rule of August 2026 excluding men who have not met Ukrainian military obligations: protection is still granted under the 2022 rules. But it is valid only in Hungary — a new application in another EU country would require proof. All cards are valid until 4.03.2028 by law. State accommodation is only for people from the listed war-affected oblasts (Zakarpattia, Lviv and other western regions are not on it), and only if you ask in time. The monthly allowance requires a personal visit to the district office every month and accepting job offers. Hungarian dual citizens cannot get protection but receive the same benefits. OIF: information in Ukrainian

Status and documents

How long protection lasts
Temporary protection ('menedékes' status). By law every TP card is valid until 4 March 2028 whatever date is printed on it (Gov. Decree 196/2025 as amended on 4 Sep 2026) — no need to renew. While the application is processed you hold a 60-day certificate, then a plastic residence card.
Documents
Any passport (also old-type or expired — Ukrainian passports that expired after 24.02.2022 count as valid) or another ID: ID card, driving licence, birth certificate; papers proving citizenship, residence in Ukraine before 24.02.2022, family ties and date of entry; a completed data form. Photo and fingerprints (age 14+) are taken on the spot. Hungary does not ask for proof of military obligations.
Where and how to apply
In person at a client office of the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF); in Budapest at Budafoki út 60, building A (Mon–Thu 8:00–14:00, Fri 8:00–11:30). If you first enter your data in the OIF online form, you can apply at any government window (kormányablak). Family members should apply together; apply within a month of arrival if you need state accommodation.
Processing time
By law the decision is due within 45 days; as a rule there is no interview. The plastic card is posted to your Hungarian address, so keep your name on the mailbox and report any change of address to the OIF.
When protection ends
Ends with EU protection (now 4.03.2028) or when you obtain long-term residence, Hungarian citizenship, refugee or subsidiary protection. Withdrawn if you get temporary protection in another EU country, renounce it in writing, commit a serious crime or never met the conditions. Short trips to Ukraine do not end it.

Travel, pets and language

How to get there
Direct sleeper train Kyiv–Budapest via Chop–Záhony and daily trains from Chop/Mukachevo; MÁV still lists free 2nd-class 'Solidarity' tickets Záhony–Budapest for Ukrainian citizens. Road crossings: Záhony–Chop, Beregsurány–Luzhanka, Tiszabecs–Vylok (24/7), Barabás–Kosyno (7:00–19:00) and Lónya–Dzvinkove (7:00–18:00, no buses). No flights from Ukraine.
Pets
Since 1 June 2023 the normal EU rules apply again: microchip, rabies vaccination, rabies antibody test (blood taken at least 30 days after vaccination) and a 3-month wait from the blood sample, recorded in the pet passport/EU health certificate. Rabbits, rodents and birds only need a registration form.
Languages
Hungarian (needed for most jobs and offices); English helps in Budapest. Free Hungarian classes are offered mainly by NGOs, e.g. Artemisszió's Mira House, Next Step Hungary and Dévai Fogadó in Budapest. The Ukrainian minority self-government runs the Lesya Ukrainka Ukrainian language school.

Work, healthcare and education

Right to work
Yes, without a work permit from the day you apply, including agency work; the employer reports the job. TP holders cannot register as sole traders or found a company. District offices (járási hivatal) help with job search.
Jobs in demand
Welders, truck drivers, CNC machinists, factory machine operators, logistics and warehouse workers, technicians, maintenance workers; also agriculture (Hajdú-Bihar Chamber of Commerce, May 2026).
Healthcare
Yes, from the application: GP care, specialist and hospital care in emergencies, pregnancy and childbirth, oncology and chronic-disease treatment with subsidised medicines, emergency dental care; vulnerable people (e.g. elderly, disabled, pregnant) also get non-urgent specialist care. Employees are fully insured through work (TAJ). Show your card and the OIF address certificate.
Kindergarten
Yes, on the same terms as Hungarians: kindergarten is free and compulsory from age 3; public nurseries (bölcsőde) take children of TP holders on the same terms as local children. Meals are free or discounted on request.
School
Yes, free. School is compulsory from 6 to 16 from the day you apply for protection; enrol at a school near your accommodation. TP holders may study at universities on Hungarian state scholarships or as fee-payers.

Benefits

Housing support
Free state accommodation with meals only if your home was in one of the oblasts on the 'war-affected' list (Kyiv city and region, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Crimea): 1 month after entry, until the month after recognition if you apply within it; pregnant women, children with one parent, people with disabilities and over-65s indefinitely if they move in within 90 days. Employers can get up to HUF 80,000 (~€220)/month for a TP worker's housing. No rent subsidy for private tenants.
One-time payment
No state lump-sum payment. On prior request the OIF pays for translating your diplomas and birth or marriage certificates into Hungarian.
Monthly allowance for adults
HUF 22,800 (~€63)/month per adult, only once the TP card is issued and in months without work or pension income. You must appear at your district office (járási hivatal) every month; from age 16 register with the employment service and, after 45 days, accept a suitable job offered (incl. public works) or the payment stops.
Monthly allowance for children
HUF 13,700 (~€38)/month per child (a child aged 6+ or a parent must appear at the district office monthly). TP holders are not entitled to the Hungarian family allowance (családi pótlék). Free or discounted meals at nursery, kindergarten and school on request.

Cost of living

Average rent
Median rent for a flat, January 2026: Budapest HUF 260,000 (~€710)/month; Debrecen 230,000, Győr 200,000, Szeged 180,000, Pécs 175,000, Miskolc 130,000 (ingatlan.com data); utilities extra.
Groceries per person per month
Approx. $470/month per person for food in Budapest (livingcost.org, June 2026, partly user data).
Kindergarten fees
Private kindergartens in Budapest: from approx. HUF 100,000–120,000/month, top ones over HUF 200,000 (2023); livingcost.org: ~$550/month (2026, user data).
Private school fees
Public school free. International primary school in Budapest approx. $17,000 a year (livingcost.org, 2026, user data).
Health insurance cost
Usually not needed: TP holders get basic care paid by the state, employees are insured through work. Voluntary agreement with the state health insurer: 50% of the minimum wage — HUF 161,400 (~€440)/month per adult, HUF 96,840 per child (2026); existing illnesses are not covered.
Documents, consulates, legal helpThe same in every country: e-Consul, Diia, free legal aid, a psychologist.

All information is for reference only. Rules and benefits change often, so some of it may be out of date. Always check with official sources before making a decision.

If you spot an inaccuracy, please write to us at howtohelpuacom@gmail.com.