What is a short stay?
A short stay is one not exceeding 90 days/any 180 days period. If you wish to stay in Hungary for longer, you will need a residence permit.
What is the Schengen Area?
It is an area without internal border controls in Europe, comprised by 26 countries, including Hungary.
How long can I stay in the Schengen Area?
You are free to visit all these countries during your stay, which shall not exceed 90 days in any given 180-day period. If you have visited Europe recently, you can consult this calculator to see how long you can stay in the Schengen Area on your next trip.
If you are travelling with a Schengen visa, the visa will include the maximum days of stay allowed and any limitations to the countries you can visit.
I am a Canadian citizen. Do I need a visa?
No, Canadian citizens can enter the Schengen Area without a visa. If you are on a short stay, you can even stay an extra 90 days in Hungary (not in the other Schengen countries during this extra period). If you stay an additional 90 days you have to depart from Hungary directly to a non-Schengen country before the 180 days expires. This is under a bilateral visa waiver arrangement concluded between Hungary and Canada before Hungary’s Schengen accession (61/1991. (IV.19.) Govt. Decree).
Your Canadian passport’s validity must exceed the date when you intend to leave the Schengen Area by at least three months.
You can also consult the Canadian Government’s information page on the Schengen Area.
Please be advised that exemption from Schengen visa does not confer an automatic right of entry into the Schengen area since all conditions of entry must also be satisfied (see: Article 5 of Schengen Borders Code).
I am a Canadian-Hungarian dual citizen. Can I use my Hungarian passport for traveling?
Yes, of course, as a Hungarian citizen it is your constitutional right to stay in Hungary indefinitely. On information about returning to Canada, please consult the webpage of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
I am a protected person with a Canadian refugee travel document. Can I travel to Hungary?
You enjoy short stay visa-free travel to Hungary with your Refugee Travel Document (RTD - Convention of 1951) issued by Canada. Please check the requirements of all other Schengen countries you intend to visit, you might need a visa for those.
I am not a Canadian citizen. Do I need a visa?
Find out here. If your country of citizenship and your passport’s type is not on the list, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa.
