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The Hungarian government has published a draft law proposing the complete abolition of the Guest Investor Visa programme and its associated residence permits. If adopted, the legislation would close the Golden Visa programme to new applications from 1 January 2027.
Applications for Guest Investor Visas and initial residence permits will remain open until 31 December 2026. To qualify under the existing rules, applicants must pay the administrative fee in full before this deadline.
Those who obtain a Guest Investor Visa before 1 January 2027 will retain the right to apply for a residence permit under the previous procedure, even after the programme formally closes.
Residence permits already issued to investors will remain valid until their stated expiry dates. However, renewals will no longer be possible after 1 January 2027.
Investors' family members will also retain their residence rights for up to 10 years, but without the option of renewal.
Throughout the validity of their permits, investors and their family members will continue to have the right to work in Hungary.
However, residence permits may be revoked early if the underlying investment ceases to meet the programme's requirements — for example, if an investor withdraws from a qualifying fund before the mandatory five-year holding period expires.
Launched in 2024, Hungary's investment residency programme offered non-EU nationals 10-year residence permits with the possibility of renewal, without strict physical residence requirements.
The programme provided several benefits and investment options:
Source: IMI
