Citizenship Procedure Through Marriage

LadiDadi wrote:

Can anyone tell me anything about what the procedure is for gaining residency and, ultimately, citizenship in Hungary for one who is married to a Hungarian citizen? ... only England where my mother is from but, unless things have changed considerably in the past ten years, that does me no good whatsoever for any EU citizenship.....

Hungarian citizenship cannot be had through marriage but you have a reduced time to citizenship, 3 years, but you have to live here.

If your mother is British with right of abode (and not naturalised when you were over 18), then you should have no problem whatsoever obtaining a British passport.  That gives you EU treaty rights. There's no such thing as EU citizenship as the EU is not a country.

I understand that I don't automatically gain citizenship via marriage in Hungary but I can't find any clear answer regarding specifically residency permit.

My mother was born in England and holds dual citizenship with England and the US.

I understand that there is no such thing as EU citizenship and that the EU is not a country. I was referencing gaining citizenship in an EU member country and using that to live and work in another EU member country.

LadiDadi wrote:

I understand that I don't automatically gain citizenship via marriage in Hungary but I can't find any clear answer regarding specifically residency permit.

My mother was born in England and holds dual citizenship with England and the US.

I understand that there is no such thing as EU citizenship and that the EU is not a country. I was referencing gaining citizenship in an EU member country and using that to live and work in another EU member country.

Well, OK then, just apply for British citizenship, then you have EU rights to live and work in any EEA state.  It's a lot easier to do that than trying to acquire HU citizenship.  You don't have to be in England to apply, you can apply from overseas.  Really your mother should have got you a UK passport the moment you were born.  The UK doesn't care how many passports you hold nor do they care what other citizenships you have.

I'll look into that again. Good to know that perhaps the process is easier than it was the last time I looked into it. My mother couldn't have gotten me or my sister citizenship in England when we were born because the law then didn't allow the mother to pass on citizenship. This has since changed.

I will still need to acquire Hungarian residency at the very least for my work when we relocate there in order to make my life smoother but, hey, a collection of passports can never be a bad thing, I don't think.

Thanks for the info!

LadiDadi wrote:

.... England when we were born because the law then didn't allow the mother to pass on citizenship. This has since changed....I will still need to acquire Hungarian residency at the very least for my work ...

As far as I know, it's never been the case that a mother could not pass on citizenship in the UK.  Both fathers and mothers can do it.  There have been odd situations over the past years since the handover of Hong Kong but there were some strange rules but as far as I know never a case where a British mother born in the UK could not pass on citizenship.  That would have rendered the kids stateless, which in the case of the UK, is not allowed.  If your mother was born outside of the UK, to British parents and lived less than 3 years in the UK, there could be a chance that you could not pass on your British citizenship to your kids. However, just going to the UK, staying there for a bit (~3 years), then you can pass it on. But you need to assert your British rights by using your UK passport.

Regarding your residency, if you get your British citizenship, once you have it and your passport you can simply come and live here. You don't need any special papers, visas or anything.  You only need to fulfil the same requirements as a Hungarian citizen. 

You can get a UK passport in about 6 weeks. If it's your first, then maybe you need an interview.  Otherwise, you'll need copies of your mother's birth certificate etc.  You can find everything about it online.

I hope you can let us know if you are successful obtaining your UK passport. Good luck!

There are two ways to gain residency. One is through employment, with proof of contract, etc. The other is through marriage. If your spouse is Hungarian s/he can simply sign a statement saying that s/he can provide sufficient funds for you to remain in the country without needing to claim benefits from the Hungarian state. This is what we did after my first contract came to an end. At present, this only applies to heterosexual couples, since Hungary does not recognise same-sex marriages involving Hungarian citizens.

With residency, you have the right to vote in local and European elections. To become a citizen, I think you need to prove intermediate competency in Hungarian (maybe basic), but it only adds the right to vote in national elections. We have never bothered in either country. Not worth the hassle and cost.

HungaryDragon wrote:

With residency, you have the right to vote in local and European elections

Depends on your nationality, and if your native country has a bi-lateral agreement for this with Hungary (all EU member states are included and I think a few other European states outside the EU).

For all others, residency is a non-voting condition. American residents in Hungary, for example, are not suppose to vote even in local elections.

klsallee wrote:

[......and I think a few other European states outside the EU).

For all others, residency is a non-voting condition. American residents in Hungary, for example, are not suppose to vote even in local elections.

I think you mean EEA/EFTA countries like Norway, Iceland etc. It's EU membership "lite".  Basically the rights are the same but those countries have not handed competence in many areas to Brussels. Switzerland is different mainly bilateral.

Definitely no voting in HU for non-EU/EEA/EFTA citizens. No voting in national elections either for EU citizens, only HU citizens.

fluffy2560 wrote:

have not handed competence in many areas to Brussels

competence?

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

have not handed competence in many areas to Brussels

competence?

Yes, oxymoron when referring to Brussels.

Competence is a eupheimism for powers and scope, i.e. member states devolved power to Brussels in certain areas.

Yes, of course. But his mother is English, and therefore s/he is a subject of the UK and a citizen of the EU (at present), like me. I agree with the contributor who said that parentage automatically conveys nationality. My sons have both had both Hungarian and British passports, and as a historian of migration I can state that the English and Scottish law has ever been thus for as long the UK has existed.

HungaryDragon wrote:

Yes, of course. But his mother is English, and therefore s/he is a subject of the UK and a citizen of the EU (at present), like me. I agree with the contributor who said that parentage automatically conveys nationality. My sons have both had both Hungarian and British passports, and as a historian of migration I can state that the English and Scottish law has ever been thus for as long the UK has existed.

UK nationality laws are a total mess.

But we (here in the forum) had hardly any information. It really depends if he was born before or after 1983. I assumed after 1983 but before 1983, the laws were stupidly different.  If his mother was born in the UK, she's not British by descent but by birth. In which case, based on limited info, the OP is British.  If he's not British other than by descent (clumsy term), then he needs to be registered. At least, as far as I understand it.

There was a change also in about 2000 which means a British man has to be married or become married at some point to the foreign (non-British) mother of the child for the child to be British. I know that from experience (my kids are dual nationals too).   I think there's no requirement now to be married to pass on the British citizenship. 

It's a half-assed muddle.  Needs a revamp to eliminate all the weird British types of "half-citizen" which seems an anathema for persons human rights (British subject without right of abode etc). They cleared up the issue for the Falklands, Gibraltar, Monserrat etc. Just make everyone with a British claim to be full citizen and tidy the whole mess up.

LadiDadi wrote:

Can anyone tell me anything about what the procedure is for gaining residency and, ultimately, citizenship in Hungary for one who is married to a Hungarian citizen? I have scoured multiple websites - consular, government, etc. - and have found the true-to-Hungarian-form conflicting information.

Aside from pursuing UK citizenship, someone married to a Hungarian citizen can request residency in Hungary via the family re-unification law. However, how easy or difficult that may be will depend on your actual nationality, where your spouse has residency, etc. Your "bio" here states you are currently living in the USA. And from your declaration your mother is a US citizen I assume you are too. Then the procedure is rather "simple": simply contact the nearest Hungarian consulate in the USA and ask for the paperwork to start the request to move to Hungary. They should provide you a written list of all paperwork that you need to provide. You may have to show proof of marriage, current citizenship, health insurance, income, no criminal record, a place to live in Hungary, etc. Your spouse may also need to declare they will take care of you in cases of fiscal despair so you do not become a social burden in Hungary. This entire paperwork process may take several months to complete -- at which time you will get either an aye or nay to your request for residency.

Only after you have residency in Hungary, and actually lived in Hungary consistently for some years, and you can prove proficiency in speaking Hungarian, can you then consider applying for citizenship.

klsallee wrote:

.... and you can prove proficiency in speaking Hungarian, can you then consider applying for citizenship.

This is the one which doesn't work for me. But as an EU person, I realised that being Hungarian is not actually of much use apart from having another passport.  The treaty rights basically give EU persons the same day to day rights as Hungarians so actual HU citizenship would not really add so much value. Not really a hill worth climbing.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Not really a hill worth climbing.

Residency of a US citizen via a Hungarian spouse is also enough, in my opinion. But one may then have put a lot of trust in one's spouse to do some things in Hungary if one does not speak the language or is not a citizen.

None-the-less, the question of citizenship was asked, and my answer provided.

klsallee wrote:

....But one may then have put a lot of trust in one's spouse to do some things in Hungary if one does not speak the language or is not a citizen.....

Tell me about it.  I tend to think about it as outsourcing with a substantial chunk of "fixing" attached.

fluffy2560 wrote:

I tend to think about it as outsourcing with a substantial chunk of "fixing" attached.

I call it a "mutual international integration pact for regional social-economic sustainable development". Improves chances for EU grant funding.....

klsallee wrote:

I call it a "mutual international integration pact for regional social-economic sustainable development". Improves chances for EU grant funding.....

Haha. You pass the test to work in government (anywhere).

Is it a capital investment with a return (% ?) or simply recurrent costs? Returns needs to cover costs. EU grant funding means submitting to an audit and an awful lot of paperwork. And then there's the issue of bribery to smooth day to day operations..

Thank you all for your information.

Yes, I was born before 1983 so there was that weirdness which seems to now be cleared up. I don't really understand it all and, unfortunately at the moment, don't have the time to research it but I will. All I know is that about eight or so years ago when I looked into it, I didn't qualify for British citizenship according to the Los Angeles consulate.

I have absolute faith and confidence in my husband and our relationship so I don't have one single worry or doubt there but I need, at the very minimum, residency so that I can work in my profession in Hungary. Citizenship would be best. Best for a lot of reasons not just professionally but personally and socially. If I am going to live in a country I want to participate in all facets of life in that country and citizenship is needed in order to do that. I am learning the language, slowly and steadily, and it's an uphill climb for sure. Whether I gain citizenship or end up with just residency, living there without speaking as much Hungarian as possible - while learning more and more all the time - is unacceptable to me.

I (we) have the income, insurance, finances, domicile, and I have no criminal record taken care of. Our marriage is already registered in Hungary as is my birth certificate - so they kind of already know who I am.

Again, thanks for all your information and input.

V.

LadiDadi wrote:

Thank you all for your information. ...All I know is that about eight or so years ago when I looked into it, I didn't qualify for British citizenship according to the Los Angeles consulate...

Nah, that sounds like nonsense as far as the rules go. I wouldn't believe anything people in consulates say. They are not always knowledgeable and if you ask the wrong question, you get the wrong answer.

As I said, as far as I understand it, if your mother is born in the UK to British parents, then she's British by birth, not by descent and that makes you directly and without doubt British as well, regardless of where you were born.  If your mother is still alive, you can get a copy of her birth from her and if not, you can get copies of all her paperwork online - birth, marriage and your grandparents birth and marriage certificates, then you should be able to apply for the passport and it's an easy job done.   If you have any kids with your HU partner, then they are also British, USA and Hungarian citizens as well,

As a general comment, to save future hassles, I urge all readers with dual national kids to apply immediately for passports in both nationalities as quickly as possible after the birth of their kids.

I wouldn't mess around trying to become a HU citizen, it's more trouble than it's worth if you have an easy alternative.  It'll take you years to achieve citizenship and you can easily integrate without proving your nationality to anyone anyway.    The key is to speak the language but even then, you'll never be as fluent as a local. If that matters or not depends on who you associate with.

BTW, to correct some posters here, there's no such thing as being a citizen of England. We're all British regardless of which constituient country we come from.

Good luck and please let us know if you finally "come home" to the (British) mothership.

"There was a change also in about 2000 which means a British man has to be married or become married at some point to the foreign (non-British) mother of the child for the child to be British. I know that from experience (my kids are dual nationals too).   I think there's no requirement now to be married to pass on the British citizenship.  "
That changed again in 2006 and no such requirements since then.
And you saying laws in Hungary changing too often

keine wrote:

"There was a change also in about 2000 which means a British man has to be married or become married at some point to the foreign (non-British) mother of the child for the child to be British. I know that from experience (my kids are dual nationals too).   I think there's no requirement now to be married to pass on the British citizenship.  "
That changed again in 2006 and no such requirements since then.
And you saying laws in Hungary changing too often

Yes, it's awful. As I said it's a muddle in the UK. It's not a muddle here.  If you are ethinic Hungarian, you can apply to be a Hungarian passport holder. Unlike the British who have a sliding scale of Britishness with varying degrees of privilege.

One of my kids was caught up in the British muddle.  My other half and I had to get married so our kid was British as well as Hungarian. 

The person to blame is David Blunkett, home secretary (Interior Minister) who deserves to be nominated as tosser of the decade for the hassle and distress he caused.  It only ended up changing because he had a kid where he was not married to the mother (she was American) and the kid was therefore not British. If you don't know who David Blunkett is, you're lucky.   

Some foreign born Australian citizens also lost their citizenship for a bit in the mid-80s and they got it back again in the 1990s. Bonkers!

I would think being from another EU country would make it easy for you to live and work in Hungary without dealing with changing your citizenship.
I live with my Hungarian/American husband here in Hungary as a US citizen only.
Our son is also a dual citizen, born in Hawaii which is suppose to grant him a slight edge on the Islands for jobs and social programs. Not sure even about that since we all know nothing really is free.
I had a super hard time even getting a resident permit to live with my husband of 40 plus years here in Hungary.
Seems everyone outside of another EU country is called a person from a 3rd country. Immigration doesn't really like us 3rd country people very well, at least in my personal nightmare with them.
My son was also married at another HU citizen in Hungary before I even applied for a resident permit.
i have a friend from the UK that is retiring here in HU and has some property in HU. She so far has had no issues with being allowed to stay in HU without having to change her citizenship.
My husband does not really see any advantage these days with the bother of being a HU citizen, even our son has no interest in HU any longer as he lives in the US.
I would think you would be better off if one of you was a citizen of the UK, from what my UK friend says it seems like the UK has better benefits for their citizens then HU does.
In any case you need to first be a resident of HU before you can apply to be a citizen unless you have actual blood ties to HU through family on your side.
If you have any real issues with getting a resident permit at all or any issues with job paperwork then I would hire a lawyer, you can find them standing around like vultures in the immigration office.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

I would think you would be better off if one of you was a citizen of the UK, from what my UK friend says it seems like the UK has better benefits for their citizens then HU does..

It's a bit variable.  Salaries are much higher in the UK than in HU but there's a huge amount of work pressure there.  The lifestyle is much faster and costs are higher, particularly housing.  House or property ownership is very high in the UK, rental property hard to come by and expensive. It's a small island with a very high population density. There's severe house price inflation and there are fears it's a bubble.  Younger people cannot  afford to buy a house.  Traffic is appallingly bad and there is a great deal to complain about. The economy in the UK is actually pretty good and its very diverse but there are social issues with healthcare and education. 

Things are much slower and laid back here in HU which some UK people will find very attractive. In particular, retirees will find it cheap to live here in HU but I would always suggest that people do not sell their UK property because renting it out will generate income and the house price inflation assures a capital gain for a nest egg.

I can really understand how attractive it first seems to live in HU after going through the BS lifestyle of the west.
The thing for me at least is, Hungary is not like it used to be say 35 years ago when were first visited here. Even back in 2000 it looked like things were going upwards in HU.
Lately we find it getting a bit depressing here.
Beleive me, we both know high pressure of living in Calif and Las Vegas, the 9 to 5 world without any days off, working sometimes 11 days in a row etc.
When we first moved over and bought our property in Budapest, we felt "rich". After actually physically retiring and not working for the past 6 years and trying to save up to take the vacations one dreams of as a young worker, we realize, after all we would be better off working in the uS 6 months a year on the cheap and saving to travel the world. After living in HU for awhile you see that the prices for everyday items are low but when you wish to replace items like good quality clothing and good quality beauty supplies that it really isn't so cheap here in HU after all.
Even the medical treatments here are not all that cheap, only the dental work is a bargin here.
We are seriously thinking of moving away although we are getting up there in years, just not the soft fuzzy sweet place for aging after all.
When one is young you do not seem to notice the many issues as much as when you age and the thought of going out, fighting for a parking place  in any district and walking on the sidewalk with bikers, skateboarders and beggars.
The set up in the US is much more comfortable for older people.
never thought I would be looking to just be comfy but it happens as one ages and gets tired of putting up with stuff.
it may seem a bit snobby to say but the senior centers in HU just are not at all like in the US.
Here it seems every older person is just waiting to be buried not looking to take on a second career or go skydiving.It's too low energy for us as older people.
Sorry for the rant. I would never give up my UK citizenship if I were you, you never know what the future will bring and perhaps you will be sorry later if you give it up.
Making a ton of money was never our trip although in years past we did rather well, owned several businesses and used to treat HU to vacations to the US for months on end at our expense. We know if we wanted to even as older workers we could make money in the US doing what we know. Here in HU, forget about it, not even worth looking for a job of any sort.
My friend from the UK is going to have to quit her high pay job in the UK when she moves over here to stay.. Sort of freaking her out a bit with good reason.

Again, I thank you all for your replies and for taking the time to reply. Forgive me if I miss something as well as for taking so long to respond in kind as I'm currently working and today is my one day off - we work six days on and one off with 12 to 14 hour days. My day off is really not a day off but, rather a day to catch up. When this is over, I'll go home and sleep and relax for two or three weeks and then head out to do it again!

I currently only hold US citizenship whereas my husband holds both US and Hungarian citizenships. I only brought up the possibility of acquiring UK citizenship through my mother as an easy way of residency in Hungary while fulfilling requirements for my own citizenship in Hungary. I can't imagine living in a country and not doing all I can in order to participate fully in every aspect of life, including both the privileges and the responsibilities that come with being a citizen. I am working on that elusive piece of the puzzle even harder than ever, the language, though right now it's coming in fits and starts since my work takes me away from home and my husband - the native speaker and language instructor. I did buy some books over the Christmas holiday while in Hungary that are in the age 8-12 year old range that I am attempting to translate but, again, 12 to 14 hour days, six days a week generally lead to falling asleep with food in my hand.

At the very minimum, I absolutely have to have Hungarian residency, specifically Hungarian residency, in order to work in my profession in the manner in which I plan to work in Hungary with citizenship being ideal and making for a better deal for me. I, technically, don't have to have either in order to work there but it benefits me greatly if I do. I am a filmmaker and there are myriad layers within the government specific to filmmakers and it's just a heap easier if I'm, as I said, a resident at least, better, a citizen. Regardless, I can work in Hungary as a filmmaker. They will let me. I've done it before. As for my husband, his job goes where he goes so no worries there.

I'm not concerned with "rich" or things of that nature, never have been. We are financially independent and comfortable which is not at all how either of us grew up and we still have strong tendencies to live as if we don't have much. How others view us isn't really any of our business, is it? That being said, we can afford the things we need as well as the things we want. We've worked very hard to be able to do that.

My husband and I will also probably never really retire. We're just that way. We don't have children so we're free to move about the world as we like -- and we like!

And, no, one never knows what the future will bring but I'm not going to sit in one place. There's a great big world out there. I'm not planning on missing anything if I can help it!

LadiDadi wrote:

... only brought up the possibility of acquiring UK citizenship through my mother as an easy way of residency in Hungary while fulfilling requirements for my own citizenship in Hungary.....At the very minimum, I absolutely have to have Hungarian residency, specifically Hungarian residency, in order to work in my profession in the manner in which I plan to work in Hungary with citizenship being ideal and making for a better deal for me.

Don't confuse this concept of residency with your (assumed) EU treaty rights. As Marilyn says, everyone non-EU is a 3rd country national and there's no allowances procedurally if you are from the US, Canada, Australia etc.   If you are able to obtain/assert  British citizenship, then you are just the same administratively as a Hungarian citizen, other than your ability to vote in national elections and perhaps hold certain offices, like President etc.  So you do not have to obtain "residency" as an EU citizen. You are entitled to be in HU without going to immigration etc. You only have to register yourself with the appropriate units of government.  Believe me, I was here before HU became part of the EU and I spent quite a bit of time at Immigration and I can only say, it's a very degrading and demeaning experience carried out by resentful civil servants. Not for the faint hearted..

LadiDadi wrote:

I can't imagine living in a country and not doing all I can in order to participate fully in every aspect of life, including both the privileges and the responsibilities that come with being a citizen.

If you can not get UK citizenship (which does not seem to be, from what you write, the point -- as you seem to want specifically Hungarian citizenship to participate in all aspects of Hungarian society (e.g. vote in National elections, etc.)) to make living in Hungary easier, then: The basic rule is if you are married to a Hungarian citizen to gain residency via your husband and live in Hungary as a resident for at least three (3) years; only after those three years can you apply for citizenship. It will not come any faster. Exception: If you had minor children there may be a loophole to get citizenship via your children --- but you said you did not have children so that is not (currently) an option.

To gain citizenship you will have to take a naturalization test, just like in most any country, in Hungarian about Hungarian history, society, etc. . So those three years are a good time to study and practice for the test, especially if your work schedule continues to be as hectic as it seems now.

Nope. No children. That loophole will never be an option. Nope! That ship was never commissioned for sailing, so to speak and is as we wish it to be.

We were there in December and the first week of January and had a rented flat a block from the Opera house and our balconies faced the Opera house. New Year's Eve was quite a show there. That was absolutely nothing compared to the protest/rally that took place there, as far as I was concerned. My husband's uncle is a former district mayor so I asked to tag along with him and his wife. It was absolutely thrilling for me. Far more exciting than New Year's Eve. I couldn't understand 90% of what anyone was saying but I understood 100% of what was happening. When you consider, especially, that I had come from the US where there had been riots all over the country in which people chose to show their displeasure at policies by looting and burning and injuring the uninvolved and un-responsible, to see and be in the middle of people coming together to intelligently and eloquently state their displeasure and then - shocking! - leave without setting anything on fire?!? What?!? No shop windows broken? No police cars turned over and set alight?

Yeah. That combined with my conversations with people in the film industry, as well as some officials within the film commission, and research into the incentives and benefits for filmmakers really cemented the desire for me. I don't want to live anywhere forever but I would really like to hang my hat there for a while.

I'm an Army brat and an immigrant's kid. The two things I do know how to do extremely well are travel and move.

When I get back home from this shoot, I'll get on that UK application. As I said before, a collection of passports really doesn't seem like a bad idea.

LadiDadi wrote:

....
When I get back home from this shoot, I'll get on that UK application. As I said before, a collection of passports really doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Good luck!  Let us know how you get on.

LadiDadi wrote:

No shop windows broken?

You missed the window breaking by about 2 months. Windows were broken at  Fidesz party headquarters during the protests in October.

I have been to a lot of places on five continents. And I have found people are similar everywhere. No place is perfect. And a short visit will never give you a complete picture.

But I hope you enjoy your time in Hungary. Despite your wanderings, you may find you love it here, and it will become where you then forever call home.

LadiDadi wrote:

a collection of passports really doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Multiple passports can have multiple consequences. It can affect your US Consular protection in a foreign country if you have foreign Citizenship, funding of projects you have from US sources may be affected, as well as having added social and tax liabilities.

Each country, and its citizens, of which you are a citizen may question your allegiance to that country despite your "legal" status as a citizen. Making your status always somewhat, to some, in a gray area.

For this and other reasons, the US Government "frowns" on multiple citizenship (but currently does not disallow them).

http://www.uscitizenship.info/citizensh … y-dual.htm

Weren't there  riots on Rakoczi about 3 years back? I was in the US at the time but remember seeing some rowdy stuff on line from Budapest.police cars being turned over and gasoline cocktails.Tons of rocks being thrown at police.
Guess everyone has forgotten about 1956, not exactly a sit in protest.
I had a home in s. Calif during the Rodney King trial. I actually grew up in the small town where his case was being heard.
At that time our area was upper middle class homes and we had a curfew just like in downtown LA.
All the store shelves were empty of water, bread and TP for over a week. This was a good 50 miles from the big riots.
You are right, under the right circumstances people everywhere will and can go nuts.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Weren't there  riots on Rakoczi about 3 years back?

I certainly remember the 2006 Budapest riots:

http://riotsinhungary.blog.hu/

I recommend you to go to the immigration office and ask for information. They will give you detailed info and papers to fill in English.
There is a new regulation (from last Fall) - it is called Egyszerűsített honosítás / Simplified nationalization. If you have a Hungarian spouse for at least 3 years and you speak Hungarian you can apply for citizenship. You don't even need to live in Hungary nor need to take citizenship exam (only having an interview in Hungarian language to check if you really speak the language).

szamira wrote:

...There is a new regulation (from last Fall) - it is called Egyszerűsített honosítás / Simplified nationalization. If you have a Hungarian spouse for at least 3 years and you speak Hungarian you can apply for citizenship. You don't even need to live in Hungary nor need to take citizenship exam (only having an interview in Hungarian language to check if you really speak the language).

That's really interesting.  Is it only Hungarian or can it be German as well?

I ask because of the significant German minority.

No, I'm afraid Hungarian ony. But it wasn't difficult as I heard from my friend who has just gone through the procedure. They had a simple conversation with the interviewer when they handed in the application.