Due to the second wave of the coronavirus, the Hungarian government introduced travel restrictions that came into effect on September 1, 2020 to protect citizens in Hungary.
According to Government Decree 408/2020 (VIII.30.) on travel restrictions during the pandemical preparedness period (“Decree”) Hungarian citizens, holders of a residence permit and family members of these persons may be subjected to a medical examination upon entry into the territory of Hungary. After medical examination, person arriving to Hungary shall be quarantined by the authority for a period of 10 days. If the examination does not reveal any suspicion of COVID infection, upon request, the authority may allow the quarantine to be omitted for testing. The quarantine shall be lifted by the authority if the results of both of 2 PCR tests performed within 5 days, 48 hours apart, are negative. Compared to the original regulation, it is a relief that the results of the PCR test carried out in the Schengen States, the USA or Canada – to be presented in English or in Hungarian – are acknowledged by the authority as the first test required to lift the quarantine.
According to the Decree, a person without Hungarian citizenship or a residence permit may enter the country only if the competent police authority has granted an exemption. The police authority may grant entry on the basis of an application filed in English or Hungarian if the person concerned has to travel to Hungary due to official or court proceedings, has a student status, or attends family events (e.g. funeral, marriage). Upon entry, the original copy of the documents proving the reasons listed above must be presented by the non-Hungarian citizen at the request of the police authority. Also, non-Hungarian citizens may undergo a medical examination upon entering Hungary. If such reveals a suspicion of infection, the non-Hungarian citizen cannot enter the territory of Hungary, and if the examination does not reveal a suspicion of COVID, the authority will place the arriving person in quarantine for 10 days. The rules for lifting quarantine with negative test results are the same as for Hungarian citizens.
In some cases, however, the law allows unrestricted entry. Thus, a person coming from abroad can enter the territory of Hungary without restriction if this arriving person is an executive officer or employee of a company registered in a domestic or other state, which is considered as an affiliated undertaking with another company registered abroad. The entering person shall plausibly demonstrate the business nature of the trip.
According to the Regulation, commuters are also exempt from medical examination and quarantine. Citizens of neighboring states may enter the territory of the country within a 30 km area from the state border and for a period of 24 hours.
An important exemption from the general rule is that Hungarian citizens traveling abroad for business or economic purposes, may prove upon returning to Hungary that the purpose of the trip was doing business, in which case they may enter the country without restriction. This applies to non-Hungarian citizens entering Hungary too if they prove by letter of invitation that the purpose of entry is a business or economic activity.
It is important that if there is any doubt about the authenticity of the documents demonstrating the business nature of the travel, the authorities will act in accordance with the general rules and order quarantine following a medical examination or (in the case of a non-Hungarian citizen with a suspicion of COVID-19) forbid entry.
In addition to the above, the Decree also provides for those who would enter the country due to a sporting or cultural event, and also establishes special rules for those passing through Hungary.
The Decree does not apply for official border crossings, border crossings in freight traffic and persons who have recovered from COVID-19 during the 6 months prior to the date of application for crossing the border.