Registration current situation

I think you are at 23.55h never mind 11th hour.

Get to BMBAH (immigration) asap to register (assuming not closed because of COVID19).  Off the top of my head, you need (at least) your house purchase or rental contract in Hungarian, official translation of marriage certificate, photos (not sure, might not have taken those, been a while, take some), plus passport obviously etc.   You'll get the registration card immediately and the address card will come in the post.

Don't forget you also need to do your DL and get the TAJ card.  The former you do at the admin office on a straight swap but DL comes in the post.  Be cautious on the retention of entitlements.  I'm over 60 and to drive a truck up to 7.5 tonnes (normal car level entitlement in UK licenses) means limited validity in Hungary (valid 2 years only). Renewal is every 5 years - so that's annoying.    To get  the swap you need a medical certificate - easy to do but do not delay.  Medical certificate is only valid 15 days! 

TAJ card you need copies of the registration card and address card and passport to attach to a form which has to be posted in.  This is supposed to be the form (click here) but you'd need to verify it's the right one.

Apart from that, you've got 10 days in quarantine before you can go anywhere.  They do enforce it.  And it's Xmas coming. And much is shut for COVID.  Some places are only by appointment.  Your Missus needs to be set up for e-government to make appointments for you.   

With the holidays coming up, you are really up against the deadline.  Those UK fools negotiating Brexit have done nothing to make it easy for us.  I feel for you.  I guess as soon as you have lodged an application, it might not matter post-December.   But that's just me supposing.

Just to 2nd Mr Fluffy has said. You are cutting it fine, so do everything ASAP. This side of the year you are still treated as an EU citizen, next year you will be a 3CN which comes with a heap of more paper work.

Thanks to all for some wonderfull advice, we  prepared to do the 3rd, but what with the big R suddenly, had only 1 hour before I need my parachute, we desided to try and run for the line, as, belive it or not, its better there than here. todays hedline is "Outlook for jobs in UK is weakest in Europe, says report" enough said...

SzimonH wrote:

Thanks to all for some wonderfull advice, we  prepared to do the 3rd, but what with the big R suddenly, had only 1 hour before I need my parachute, we desided to try and run for the line, as, belive it or not, its better there than here. todays hedline is "Outlook for jobs in UK is weakest in Europe, says report" enough said...

Big R is retirement?

You need to get on a plane and get here now to get this started because it's painful.  Worry about moving later.  You could wait a week for  an appointment to just do your DL.  No idea on BMBAH but you could be there hours - others say BMBAH is a zoo but they have a special Brexit queue. 

One thing you might find hard work - getting a plane here.  I  am trying to go back to the UK to see my elderly Dad but I cannot even get on the plane at an economically worthwhile cost.  It's just rubbish.

Forget about working here - the economy is sliding into oblivion and COVID19 is rampant. Politics here are poisonous.

No, its redundancy, after 13 years, and for the second time !

we already had the plane booked, Christmas visit, then I got the company present thanks, so we tried to get everything done by then, I checked the opening times this morning, after the first post and there are some Saturdays apparently !  not that I am being lax, but we have until the 30th, they are closed, for the normal Christmas days, but some offices are only open 1 day a week, depending on the area, we have 2 within driving distance, so are hoping to use one of these, even if I went now, there is still the quarantine, and we would have to come back to pack the house, which is a rental and is nearly done, as I said we have planned this for a while but not this quickly, I was hoping we could book the appointment online, for the very last days/week of the month, shot in the dark perhaps. The moving cost is eye watering, so I cannot change that now, we reduced it to 1 van only, the airport does not even let people on the plane if they think you do not satisfy the criteria, some have been told at the gate ! and you must tick an acceptance before they let you have a boarding pass. Worry you bet I am, though quite panic is what I am feeling., I agree with you, sooner than later would be the way to go, though I need to make sure the deed is done, so it doesn't bite me in the, well you know...

SzimonH wrote:

No, its redundancy, after 13 years, and for the second time !

we already had the plane booked, Christmas visit, then I got the company present thanks, so we tried to get everything done by then, I checked the opening times this morning, after the first post and there are some Saturdays apparently !  not that I am being lax, but we have until the 30th, they are closed, for the normal Christmas days, but some offices are only open 1 day a week, depending on the area, we have 2 within driving distance, so are hoping to use one of these, even if I went now, there is still the quarantine, and we would have to come back to pack the house, which is a rental and is nearly done, as I said we have planned this for a while but not this quickly, I was hoping we could book the appointment online, for the very last days/week of the month, shot in the dark perhaps. The moving cost is eye watering, so I cannot change that now, we reduced it to 1 van only, the airport does not even let people on the plane if they think you do not satisfy the criteria, some have been told at the gate ! and you must tick an acceptance before they let you have a boarding pass. Worry you bet I am, though quite panic is what I am feeling., I agree with you, sooner than later would be the way to go, though I need to make sure the deed is done, so it doesn't bite me in the, well you know...

OK, R = Redundancy.  I hope you get more than statutory money for that.

You'll get sneers at BUD airport if you didn't have COVID19 tests on arrival.  Really unwelcoming but meh, I've been abused before by jobsworths. They really were being smug so and so-s.     I chose not to have the tests on cost grounds and being OK to stay at home for 14 days.

No-one asked me if I could go to Hungary or not.  I had to put up with the 2.5h wait standing up the whole time at Passports trying to get back in.  And I've got the address and registration cards.  Doesn't make any difference.   The system is pathetically slow, highly manual and there are no instructions.  I filled in the English form beforehand and brought it with me but they ignored that and filled it all in again.   

Warning is that they do come around randomly to test you are at home. Uselessly they don't speak English  so when they call you have no idea who or what they are or what they want.  Basically you have to show yourself at the door and wave at them.  Sometimes they ask who you are but it's ridiculous they don't know how to ask basic questions when clearly you entered through the airport or border and in all likelihood you're a foreigner. 

It'll make no difference all the COVID19 theatre, it's out of control here.   

Maybe things are better organised now at the airport.

Maybe it's worth storing your stuff temporarily and then move it yourself.   You have no time at all and no fallback position. 

If you can get that address and registration card, you will at least be "in the system" and perhaps other parts will come good.  No-one has a clue really.

This may be a far stretched solution, but don't quote me on it. If you are unable to get an appointment due to restrictions. If you can show travel documents that you arrived before 31st December. YOU could possibly be OK. Or at least have an appointment booked?

SimCityAT wrote:

This may be a far stretched solution, but don't quote me on it. If you are unable to get an appointment due to restrictions. If you can show travel documents that you arrived before 31st December. YOU could possibly be OK. Or at least have an appointment booked?

With a Hungarian speaker, it might just be possible to persuade but if it's 00:01 on January 1st 2021, I 'd expect there to be no way it could be processed into their systems.  No mandate or legal framework to do it.

Hungarians are sticklers for the paperwork when it suits them. Rather do nothing than take a chance.

Update: The Mrs, has registered, we managed to get a slot booked at the second selected place we can get to, the first location was fully booked, I belive its because its a city, or more of a city.

The other location, had alot more choice, but we are limited by the time we are quarantine, so I got the first day, and early slot availiable, dowloaded the form, its called "to issue registration certificate for EEA Nationals and to notify the first place of residence" can fill in the certificate on your computer, and print, not so many questions, so all good, the health question thew me a bit, I know I need this going forward, I suppose I need to look at this now though, I have my EU health card, but I suppose this is the next thing thats going to change.

The other question now in the back of my mind is what is the cost of medication, I did think before about this but in my rush kind of varnished over it,

So hopfully I have the correct form, I have the appointment to submit it, and there is another day after the one we have booked, incase I have fluffed it up, this being my first time. The cost is the next question, and where to pay, but I can check so no problem.

Hopefully no one will throw me a question or ask for something I haven't forseen, or you have made me aware of, so should be good to go.

SzimonH wrote:

Update: The Mrs, has registered, we managed to get a slot booked at the second selected place we can get to, the first location was fully booked, I belive its because its a city, or more of a city.

The other location, had alot more choice, but we are limited by the time we are quarantine, so I got the first day, and early slot availiable, dowloaded the form, its called "to issue registration certificate for EEA Nationals and to notify the first place of residence" can fill in the certificate on your computer, and print, not so many questions, so all good, the health question thew me a bit, I know I need this going forward, I suppose I need to look at this now though, I have my EU health card, but I suppose this is the next thing thats going to change.

The other question now in the back of my mind is what is the cost of medication, I did think before about this but in my rush kind of varnished over it,

So hopfully I have the correct form, I have the appointment to submit it, and there is another day after the one we have booked, incase I have fluffed it up, this being my first time. The cost is the next question, and where to pay, but I can check so no problem.

Hopefully no one will throw me a question or ask for something I haven't forseen, or you have made me aware of, so should be good to go.

You pay at the counter for the registration/address card.   You can pay by debit card. Don't know about cash.

Medications is tricky, there's a subsidy on the local health service but the medications subsidised are the ones on the essential list.  Anything else is on you.  I don't have a link but a Hungarian speaker could find it on the NEAK website.   It's not like the UK where - if you are over 60 - medicines are free.  Not very good.  MIght be more subsidised if over 67 (retirement age).

EHICs are invalid from 31 December 2020 as far as we know.  However, if you have an registered S1 form for retirees then your EHIC would still be valid.  You need to check that out but that's my understanding.  We've had quite a few discussions on this forum about it.   

For local treatment, you need a TAJ card.  The minimum payment to the tax admin (NAV) payments system is 7500 HUF per month for voluntary payments.  Bills come in the post. 

A word of caution.  NAV is unable to understand if you live in Hungary but work in another country for periods.  They will always say that you pay in the other country which is of course nonsensical at worse, incorrect at best.  There's no workable information on how UK cross border workers living in Hungary would be treated post-2020.   In theory, the registration and address card will allow you to retain your rights but total retention is never likely - no voting rights for example. 

No-one REALLY knows what Boris and the EU have actually been agreeing behind our backs or what the UK sold us out on.  Unfortunately another Brexit screw up.

I suggest that you have a look at this site and book an appointment. http://www.bmbah.hu/index.php?option=co … mp;lang=en . If I remember correctly you should go to the office in the tenth district but I just checked and there are no appointments this year. On the website, you could send a message as a way of recording that you have arrived before the end of the year. I hope that helps. Unfortunately, this website isn't kept properly up to date and you'll probably have to go backwards and forwards a bit.  Best of luck.

Just to say (rather obviously) the situation is so fast moving, no-one really knows what is going on in any detail.

As of yesterday (20th December), many flights via third (EU) countries UK-Hungary are now banned but we're not hearing that flights UK-Hungary direct are banned. 

So it could still be possible to come in and out of here until HU decides otherwise.  They want to coordinate the EU policy. UK nationals without residence cards/permission or HU relatives were banned anyway.  So not much different to what other countries are doing.  But it's like Monday evening and that could be all different by tomorrow.

BTW,  only my opinion, it could be expected that all public services will become inaccessible by Thursday 24th December PM and won't really start up again rather intermittently until Monday 28th December, closing down again on Thursday 31st PM and then it'll back again on Monday 4th January (and then too late).   


IMHO, it's really dire for people are not registered or standing in the queue to be registered right now.

Just a follow up, I have landed now, well 3 days ago, and I we got out by the skin of our teeth, now they are imposing LEVEL 4 !! when we left, there was only 3 levels.

I submitted the application online, and have confirmation its recieved online.

Amazingly, we managed to get through the airport, without getting a quarantine, Amazing wife, paper is paper and will be ok, doubtful me it will never work, but YES paper is paper. Oh, and last thing, the removal lorry, drove across Europe and did not have one stop, until he arrived at the Hungary border, full search for immigrants !

WONDERFULL CHRISTMAS to everyone....

SzimonH wrote:

Just a follow up, I have landed now, well 3 days ago, and I we got out by the skin of our teeth, now they are imposing LEVEL 4 !! when we left, there was only 3 levels.

I submitted the application online, and have confirmation its recieved online.

Amazingly, we managed to get through the airport, without getting a quarantine, Amazing wife, paper is paper and will be ok, doubtful me it will never work, but YES paper is paper. Oh, and last thing, the removal lorry, drove across Europe and did not have one stop, until he arrived at the Hungary border, full search for immigrants !

WONDERFULL CHRISTMAS to everyone....

Wow, you really managed the great escape there.  Congratulations and welcome to here. 

I hope your truck driver managed to get back to the UK. 

Unless something changed and you already had the COVID19 test results ready to go at the border, you should stay at home for 10 days.   The cops might come around to check on you.

BTW, those Hungarian partners - smooth talkers or something magic because it's like hocus pocus to me how they manage to agree things.

p.s. just a few hours after I posted about HU still being open, they've already stopping flights.

I hope your truck driver managed to get back to the UK.

That was the thing, the driver, came from Hungary ! he drove to the UK, loaded. and drove back ! So I didn't think there was going to be a problem, you would think ..right, Naaa, Hungarian lorry, and driver, but...

And yes, we have many boxes for christmas, so should keep us here for some time, not going anywhere soon, it could be a few months, while I have one eye on the Mail, waiting for a reply.

Take care..

SzimonH wrote:

I hope your truck driver managed to get back to the UK.

That was the thing, the driver, came from Hungary ! he drove to the UK, loaded. and drove back ! So I didn't think there was going to be a problem, you would think ..right, Naaa, Hungarian lorry, and driver, but...

And yes, we have many boxes for christmas, so should keep us here for some time, not going anywhere soon, it could be a few months, while I have one eye on the Mail, waiting for a reply.

Take care..

EU (Barnier) was talking of extending talks. 

No-one knows if that means extension of final exit from the single market/transition and therefore more time to complete any formalities.   Let's hope so for any stragglers.

And of course, HMG and Bo-Jo continues to engage in mushroom management.

On the upside, it's supposed to be sunny today.

Reading the News of the Brexit deal this morning I came across this:-

" In another development following the deal announcement, the UK Mission to the EU said that people with a driving licence issued in the UK will not need to use an International Drivers Licence in the EU, and that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is to be replaced by a similar scheme. Current EHIC cards will remain valid until their expiry date."

I wait with intrest for further details, and what "a similar scheme" is exactly...

SzimonH wrote:

Reading the News of the Brexit deal this morning I came across this:-

" In another development following the deal announcement, the UK Mission to the EU said that people with a driving licence issued in the UK will not need to use an International Drivers Licence in the EU, and that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is to be replaced by a similar scheme. Current EHIC cards will remain valid until their expiry date."

I wait with interest for further details, and what "a similar scheme" is exactly...

Indeed.

One thing I've realised - very slowly - is that HMG's advice on their web site represents the most basic fallback situation.  It's on the assumption that nothing is agreed.  On the basis we know nothing, we have to assume the worst case.  No-one likes uncertainty. I think it's given some people real despair as they have no idea what they should do.   They could have said things at the beginning of the negotiations like "we aim to make sure UK folk can use their DLs and EHICs will continue as before" to at least given people some confidence. 

But now we have an agreement of sorts maybe the gist of it will start to be published.  They have been an absolute shower in updating any of us on the contents of this agreement. 

Moreover, it won't be tested in a referendum and those of us who have not been in the UK for the past 15 years (or longer) lost the right to vote.  So we're disenfranchised along with about 1M others who bought into the EU system.

Apparently the agreement is 2000 pages long - said on LBC radio - and I plan to read it all in detail when it gets published.   Might be one of those "not in my name" scenarios.

A bit about getting your Taj card.
Even for your Hungarian wife it will be of no good to have a Taj card for the first year.
I am a 3rd country national from the US who is married to a HU citizen. Almost the same sort of senario you find yourself in.
We had property in HU but lived between HU and the US for a few years.
Husband turned 62 and took early retirement, the 2008 crash was around that time so we hit the highway to Hungary to stay.
Long story but in my case I as a 3rd country person had to buy private health coverage for a full year before I could apply for a Taj card.
My husband who is a citizen was given a card right away BUT not allowed to use it fr a full year unless of an emergency. He was sent a bill every month they first year, had to pay into the system for at least one full year before his card was activated.
Second year he could use the Taj card and didn't get a bill that year since he had pre-paid, 3rd year was normal, he could use it.
After one year I was given a Taj card and sent a monthly bill as was able to use it straight away since I had coverage even though it was private for the first year.
I do not know how they will handle UK cizitens but as an American I had to do everything at the immigration office in person.
Bring a book... A snack, water and some nerve pills will also be useful there!
My US friend here in HU went to immigration a month or so back. She had to make an appointment online first, they are not taking walk-ins right now.
I was in my early 50's when we came to stay on paper.
Now at age 65 they were giving free transportation to EU citizens and locals.
I am now a registered permanent resident and on file as a dependant of a HU citizen. Since I was too young when we moved here I became a dependant, now I get my own retirement.
Ok so I traveled last summer all over to varius places, they just ask to see your permit and or ID.
Never had any issues until as it happened the last time we went to the lake towards the end of summer.
The train agent wanted t charge me for my seat. My husband  told him off as I am a perm resident depnadant and legally living in HU full time as my home. A couple passengers heard the conversation and jumped in telling the agent to get lost. This guy was a real pain s my husband told him to ticket us as we were not buying any tickets and we would settle it later with BKK. The guy just walked off.
He said anyone who is not an EU citizen can not ride for free, so it is not totally clear if he was righr or we were right, he just walked away and dropped it. Maybe he was looking for some money in his own pocket or maybe UK senior aged people in HU will lose their travel rights after age 65?
We are half way finished will filling out forms for me to be a HU citizen and only because of this issue . Makes us think if this is an issue what else is coming?
Think maybe HU is getting a bit to much with some things.
ON my card it states that I was born in America. That made the agent say Americans can not travel as they are not from the EU. Think he was hard core or just a maniac.
UK citizens may also get hassled when traveling now once they leave the EU.
Never had any issues since that day so who knows.
If you are a HU citizen with a min. of a 15 year work history in HU then after age 65 or 66 the Taj card is free. You still must pay for meds out of pocket though. My husband is shy of 15 years but the price is very low for a Taj card.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

A bit about getting your Taj card.
Even for your Hungarian wife it will be of no good to have a Taj card for the first year.
I am a 3rd country national from the US who is married to a HU citizen. Almost the same sort of senario you find yourself in.
We had property in HU but lived between HU and the US for a few years.
Husband turned 62 and took early retirement, the 2008 crash was around that time so we hit the highway to Hungary to stay.
Long story but in my case I as a 3rd country person had to buy private health coverage for a full year before I could apply for a Taj card.
My husband who is a citizen was given a card right away BUT not allowed to use it fr a full year unless of an emergency. He was sent a bill every month they first year, had to pay into the system for at least one full year before his card was activated.
Second year he could use the Taj card and didn't get a bill that year since he had pre-paid, 3rd year was normal, he could use it.
After one year I was given a Taj card and sent a monthly bill as was able to use it straight away since I had coverage even though it was private for the first year.
I do not know how they will handle UK cizitens but as an American I had to do everything at the immigration office in person.
Bring a book... A snack, water and some nerve pills will also be useful there!
My US friend here in HU went to immigration a month or so back. She had to make an appointment online first, they are not taking walk-ins right now.
I was in my early 50's when we came to stay on paper.
Now at age 65 they were giving free transportation to EU citizens and locals.
I am now a registered permanent resident and on file as a dependant of a HU citizen. Since I was too young when we moved here I became a dependant, now I get my own retirement.
Ok so I traveled last summer all over to varius places, they just ask to see your permit and or ID.
Never had any issues until as it happened the last time we went to the lake towards the end of summer.
The train agent wanted t charge me for my seat. My husband  told him off as I am a perm resident depnadant and legally living in HU full time as my home. A couple passengers heard the conversation and jumped in telling the agent to get lost. This guy was a real pain s my husband told him to ticket us as we were not buying any tickets and we would settle it later with BKK. The guy just walked off.
He said anyone who is not an EU citizen can not ride for free, so it is not totally clear if he was righr or we were right, he just walked away and dropped it. Maybe he was looking for some money in his own pocket or maybe UK senior aged people in HU will lose their travel rights after age 65?
We are half way finished will filling out forms for me to be a HU citizen and only because of this issue . Makes us think if this is an issue what else is coming?
Think maybe HU is getting a bit to much with some things.
ON my card it states that I was born in America. That made the agent say Americans can not travel as they are not from the EU. Think he was hard core or just a maniac.
UK citizens may also get hassled when traveling now once they leave the EU.
Never had any issues since that day so who knows.
If you are a HU citizen with a min. of a 15 year work history in HU then after age 65 or 66 the Taj card is free. You still must pay for meds out of pocket though. My husband is shy of 15 years but the price is very low for a Taj card.

In theory and supposedly in practice, EU citizens should be issued with a usable TAJ card provided they pay at least the minimum amount - that's about 7500 HUF a month.  They have to be deregistered and non-covered in their home country.  Cannot be covered twice. For UK nationals, for the next 6 days, it would be possible to register.  But who knows really what will happen as they are all on C19 holidays.  Anyone who has the address card and the EEA registration card doesn't need to go to BMBAH  but that might change any time.  Could be withdrawn and I think UK citizens no longer have recourse to the ECJ. In the agreement I believe EU citizens in the UK will still have ECJ protection.  That seems total BS and a two speed legal situation.

BTW, I don't know if it's possible to back pay on HUF social contributions voluntarily.  We can in the UK but I think only 7 years.  I think Class 3 voluntary contributions are around £800 per year or so.

That thing about the travel - the agent was only partially right and confused overall.  Being a non-EU tourist means one would have to pay, even if a pensioner. 

Permanent resident I think is a grey area.  Imagine being born outside Hungary but holding a HU passport and being a pensioner would surely not exclude them.  That would be ridiculous.

We've had visitors from the UK and they were all pensioners and could travel for free on the Budapest metro.  Alas no more for them. But unlikely to be back anyway what with C19 etc. 

British people will have to queue up at the non-EU queue at passports and I expect to be constantly hassled at the airport with bag searches for all arrivals from the UK (assuming normal flight service).  The  thing about their searches is they make a big thing out of it, lots of "customs theatre" and the apparent tough and visible approach but when it hardly gets any results but costs a lot of money, they end up fizzling out after a few days.  Same with that blockage from HU to Austria on the highway to Vienna.   Intelligence led customs or profiling is far more effective.   

Rant On - Whenever I've transited the USA and more recently Canada, they've  always searched my bags.  I know because they always leave  a note to say they checked my underwear or my socks for dangerous goods. All utter nonsense as I do not fit any kind of profile of danger - WASP and over 60 and not even a parking ticket.  Last hassle was last year in transit via Toronto when they insisted on copying random bits of my working papers.  Yes, that'll do you some good you stupid idiots. They made me late getting to the hotel bar to meet my colleague.  I feel like I've been violated or burgled - all part of making the victim dehumanised.  Sorry US friends but when I went to Canada in the 1990s they  were really friendly but it seems they've become staffed and infected with DHS maniacs and disrespect for just about anyone. Rant off!

Overall, that and C19 will put people off travelling if it's a major hassle.  If it ain't easy, just easier to stay at home or local.

Yes, we flew into Canada once and they were really friendly at the airport.
My husband today said that A*8 this past summer was wrong about my travel on the train hench everyone around us was screaming at him to Pi** off.
It does help to have a smart native speaker with you.I just got upset thinking what if I was traveling alone and met up with an idiot?
I am not a super  US  patriotic person by any means but at times I do get upset thinking over how much we pay out in taxes to help less fortunate countries only to be dumped on later..
Who do they call when all heck breaks loose? Not Ghost Busters, but the USA.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Yes, we flew into Canada once and they were really friendly at the airport.
My husband today said that A*8 this past summer was wrong about my travel on the train hench everyone around us was screaming at him to Pi** off.
It does help to have a smart native speaker with you.I just got upset thinking what if I was traveling alone and met up with an idiot?

Absolutely.  They would have tried to take advantage of you.  Anyone at a disadvantage and they are at you like rabid dogs.  In the UK we call them jobsworths as in "more than my jobs worth", i.e. too much effort to help or try to understand or something like that.  Usually someone who is trying to enforce some rules. 

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

I am not a super  US  patriotic person by any means but at times I do get upset thinking over how much we pay out in taxes to help less fortunate countries only to be dumped on later..
Who do they call when all heck breaks loose? Not Ghost Busters, but the USA.

ooo...that could end up as fighting talk.  That movie U571 has a lot to answer for - parallel universe maybe that happened. Unfortunately people thought it was real history.   The US is not always in the lead.  But wherever the US goes, the UK will follow - except to Syria in one recent instance.  Probably a lucky escape on that one.

I personally do not resent monies sent to help other countries develop. It's a way of winning friends and influencing people.  At the end of the day, people should look kindly on whoever helped them along.   BTW, USA does not spend its aid money on foreign businesses.  Only US businesses can win contracts paid for by USAID (or businesses of the target country, i.e bilateral) so the money always comes back into the country.  It's effectively a subsidy.  It's not the same with other aid agencies whose aid is untied to nationality.  Japan and Korea are the same as the USA and that situation is more like the exception these days.  Others like DFID (UK), the EU and some others are not tied.  This is much more the norm.

Just to throw some oil on the fire, the ones who never turn out to help is the EU.  At one point they wanted a European Army.  That would never work.  They'd be too busy squabbling amongst themselves or trying to build a consensus while Rome burnt. 

Woefully off topic!

What seems like would be  easy isn't always easy.
With the Taj you must be paid up or have coverage for a full year before you can use it.
A HU citizen can get the card right away but it will not be activated for a year. They know when you use the card if you are paid up or not by checking the numbers on the card.
HU citizens living outside of HUngary must keep their Taj coverage paid up or they will have to pre pay for a full year to catch up.
The thing was many years back some HU citizens who left Hungary even as far back as 1956 would come to Hungary in their death throws and expect free health care. They drained the system so these new rules came into play. Many came with cancers and serious heart issues and had money stocked away from living in the west but expected their fellow countrymen to pay for their care at the end of their lives.
I get it, no biggie.
They won't turn you away if it is a real emergency.
You can backpay for the years of not working in Hungary if you wanted to.
Wasn't worth it for my husband to even consider. Would pay 6 years worth of taxes only to collect something like 48,000 forints per month. We can live without it.
Didn't feel like handing over thousands of bucks to get back 48,000 a month.We calculated what we have already collected from the US and so far, we are ahead of the game. Guess they didn't count on us sticking around so long! Fine with me, I know more people who passed before ever get a penny back.
My HU MIL had a really good retirement here in Hungary for the time.
Now it doesn't seem like much but it was pretty good in the 80's and 90's.
Something like $500. per month and no rent since she owned her land and home.She worked super hard all her life and got extra because her husband had been a HU POW for 5 or 6 years, plus he had a god retirement income which she received when he passed.
She never seemed to waste any money, only her 3 HU grandchildren and her crazy daughter were always asking her for money.
Still makes us mad to think about how they all drained her dry.
When my husband was 18 all young men had to do 2 years military service in Hungary. He had some health issues with his heart from getting ill as a 5 year old. His heart rate was not regualr. He was 4F for service. Not his fault but he was fined for 4 years for not going into the military.He had to pay extra taxes for 4 years to offset not going isnt service. Life isn't fair , never was never will be.
If my MIL wasn't forced to work when my husband was a child then maybe she would of had time to notice him burning with fever and turning red.He passed out in school age 5 and went into hospital for 6 months. I wonder if my MIL was still chared for after school care while he was laid up?

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

What seems like would be  easy isn't always easy.
With the Taj you must be paid up or have coverage for a full year before you can use it.
A HU citizen can get the card right away but it will not be activated for a year. They know when you use the card if you are paid up or not by checking the numbers on the card.
HU citizens living outside of HUngary must keep their Taj coverage paid up or they will have to pre pay for a full year to catch up.
The thing was many years back some HU citizens who left Hungary even as far back as 1956 would come to Hungary in their death throws and expect free health care. They drained the system so these new rules came into play. Many came with cancers and serious heart issues and had money stocked away from living in the west but expected their fellow countrymen to pay for their care at the end of their lives.
I get it, no biggie.
They won't turn you away if it is a real emergency.
You can backpay for the years of not working in Hungary if you wanted to.
Wasn't worth it for my husband to even consider. Would pay 6 years worth of taxes only to collect something like 48,000 forints per month. We can live without it.
Didn't feel like handing over thousands of bucks to get back 48,000 a month.We calculated what we have already collected from the US and so far, we are ahead of the game. Guess they didn't count on us sticking around so long! Fine with me, I know more people who passed before ever get a penny back.
...

In my own country, £800 yearly back paying of the fixed price SS voluntary payments adds about £4 a week to a state pension. Assuming one is eligible to do it. So that means about £16 a month.  Payback is therefore 50 months or about 4 years.  This is then is a no-brainer if one is intending to live at least 4 years past retirement pension collection age.  it's definitely worth back paying.     

I don't know if it's the same here but assuming the voluntary/minimum SS contribution is 7500 HUF.  So to get 6 years back payment settled, the total would be 6 years * 12 months * 7500 = 540,000 HUF.  That's about $1800.  48000 HUF a month is around $160 just now, so that would mean a yearly uplift of $1920 (12 * $160).  So to get back $1800 (540K HUF) would take less than one year.

Assuming my thinking is correct and the minimum voluntary payment is HUF 7500 for all SS, eligibility etc., that would mean less than 1 year for payback.  It's pretty good really, better than the UK. I'd say definitely worth looking at. 

Maybe someone knows more about the rules than I do.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

What seems like would be  easy isn't always easy.
With the Taj you must be paid up or have coverage for a full year before you can use it.
A HU citizen can get the card right away but it will not be activated for a year. They know when you use the card if you are paid up or not by checking the numbers on the card.
HU citizens living outside of HUngary must keep their Taj coverage paid up or they will have to pre pay for a full year to catch up.
The thing was many years back some HU citizens who left Hungary even as far back as 1956 would come to Hungary in their death throws and expect free health care. They drained the system so these new rules came into play. Many came with cancers and serious heart issues and had money stocked away from living in the west but expected their fellow countrymen to pay for their care at the end of their lives.
I get it, no biggie.
They won't turn you away if it is a real emergency.
You can backpay for the years of not working in Hungary if you wanted to.
Wasn't worth it for my husband to even consider. Would pay 6 years worth of taxes only to collect something like 48,000 forints per month. We can live without it.
Didn't feel like handing over thousands of bucks to get back 48,000 a month.We calculated what we have already collected from the US and so far, we are ahead of the game. Guess they didn't count on us sticking around so long! Fine with me, I know more people who passed before ever get a penny back.
...

In my own country, £800 yearly back paying of the fixed price SS voluntary payments adds about £4 a week to a state pension. Assuming one is eligible to do it. So that means about £16 a month.  Payback is therefore 50 months or about 4 years.  This is then is a no-brainer if one is intending to live at least 4 years past retirement pension collection age.  it's definitely worth back paying.     

I don't know if it's the same here but assuming the voluntary/minimum SS contribution is 7500 HUF.  So to get 6 years back payment settled, the total would be 6 years * 12 months * 7500 = 540,000 HUF.  That's about $1800.  48000 HUF a month is around $160 just now, so that would mean a yearly uplift of $1920 (12 * $160).  So to get back $1800 (540K HUF) would take less than one year.

Assuming my thinking is correct and the minimum voluntary payment is HUF 7500 for all SS, eligibility etc., that would mean less than 1 year for payback.  It's pretty good really, better than the UK. I'd say definitely worth looking at. 

Maybe someone knows more about the rules than I do.

I defo see your point but as life goes, once you get into the Matrix, then things get a bit iffy.
We always lived like today is our last day, the future even just one year away is not for certain.
Believe me, if we were 100^ into getting ahead we had more then a few chances to do so and  a few hundred thousand forints one way or the other would not of counted.
Penny wise and a pound  short, maybe?
Like I've said so many times, I need a time machine.Just a few months back we were thinking of investing in Bit coin , it was already high at $9.500. Now it is over $25,000. We tend to over think everything.
It's all good, can't take it with you.