The Hungarian parliament approved a new immigration law concerning entry and stays for third-country nationals that will take effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Key Points:

• The new legislation will update key provisions of existing law pertaining to residence permits for foreign nationals, as well as employment of migrant workers.
• Officials clarified the interim regulations surrounding residence permit and settlement permit applications:
  
  • From Jan. 1 to Feb. 29, 2024, new residence permit applications will not be accepted at the immigration office.
  • Applications that are submitted prior to Jan. 1 will be held for processing until after Feb. 29.
  • Residence and settlement permits that expire between Jan. 1 and Feb. 29, 2024, will be automatically extended to April 30, 2024.

BAL Analysis: Employers should be aware of the important changes on Jan. 1. It is recommended that renewal applications be submitted by Dec. 31 for resident permits that expire in March or April 2024 to avoid potential processing delays due to the implementation of the new regulations and procedures.