Self-Employed in Hungary

There are no special permit requirements for a foreigner to have a business in Hungary. Hungarians or foreign can establish a business, either as natural or legal entities. A person may also choose to have a stake in a joint-stock company and the only requirement is that the company's office is found in Hungary. 

There are four steps to take when registering a business in Hungary. First is hiring a lawyer to prepare legal documents and represent the company during legal proceedings. This usually takes 2 to 3 days but it is rather expensive, with a minimum cost of 100,000 FT. The second step is paying at least half of the business' capital in the business' bank account. Third, about 15,000 FT payment has to be made during business registration at Registration court, after which a business certificate and permit will be issued after 2-3 days. The fourth and last step is registering the business in social security.    

Companies which are legally registered in Hungary may operate and perform their obligations and have their own name. Foreign business applications are also allowed in Hungary without a need for permits or licenses.