Coronavirus immunity card in Hungary – Freedom from pandemic related restrictions
Last updated on 14 January 2022.
UPDATE: Starting from 15 February 2022, the immunity certificate is converted into a vaccination certificate. Those who received the immunity card based on having recovered from the infection will no longer be considered immune. Moreover, you will be considered properly vaccinated only if you have received your third dose, or if less than 6 months have passed since your second dose. For minors, only two doses are enough for now, since vaccinating them started later. The old immunity card remains valid, since your status can be checked based on the QR code on the card.
Originally, those who have received their first dose of a vaccine against the coronavirus and those who have already recovered from the disease were eligible for an immunity card. Holders were immune not only to COVID-19 but also to some of the pandemic-related restrictions.
Learn who is eligible for an immunity card, how to get it, and how to use it.
Notice: As of 4 May vaccine registration is available without a TAJ number. Since then, those registering for vaccinatin are added to the EESZT with a Personal Identification Number, PID, instead of a TAJ number. This PID can be used for booking an appointment for vaccination and for accessing the updated EESZT app to have the Hungarian immunity card and the EU green pass on your phone.
Some people who are eligible have been waiting for the card in vain; if you are eligible based on one of the categories below, please scroll down to “How to get an immunity card”.
Who can get an immunity card?
You are eligible if
- you are vaccinated in Hungary: you have already received the first dose of one of the available vaccines
- you have officially recovered from COVID-19 and you were tested for that at the time in Hungary (and this is recorded in EESZT)
- you are currently immune, either because you have recovered from COVID-19 or you have been vaccinated abroad, and you present a positive antibody test done in Hungary now
- you are a Hungarian citizen vaccinated abroad (read more here)
1. When you are vaccinated in Hungary
In Hungary, for now you can get vaccinated only if you have a valid Hungarian Social Security Number (SSN, or TAJ number in Hungarian). After you receive your first dose of any of the available vaccines, the authorities will automatically mail your immunity card for free to your mailing address within 8 days – so you will receive it within 2 weeks or so. If you have not yet received it for any reason, please scroll down to “How to get an immunity card”.
In this case, there is no expiry date on the immunity card.
2. If you have officially recovered from COVID-19
If you have been infected with the coronavirus and you were tested at the time in Hungary, after recovery you are considered immune for some time. Your test results should already be available in EESZT, the healthcare-related official database of Hungary. In this case, the authorities will automatically mail your immunity card for free to your mailing address within 8 days after your confirmed recovery – so you will receive it within 2 weeks or so. If you have not yet received it for any reason, please scroll down to “How to get an immunity card”.
In this case, there is an expiry date on the immunity card of 6 months, after which you are supposed to get vaccinated to uphold your immunity. The 6-month period starts either
- on the day of the first negative test showing the absence of the coronavirus in your body after a series of positive tests, OR
- 10 days after your last positive test
3. If you are currently immune
Whether you have contracted COVID-19 and then recovered from it (possibly without symptoms), or you have been vaccinated abroad, your body may have antibodies against the coronavirus. You can get evidence for that with a Hungarian antibody test (find a list of official testing sites here) for a fixed price of HUF 11,000. When you have your positive test results, you can apply for your immunity card through e-administration (see below) for a fee of HUF 3,000, and your card will be mailed to your mailing address within 8 days, so you should receive it within 2 weeks or so.
In this case, there is an expiry date on the immunity card of 4 months, after which you are supposed to get vaccinated to uphold your immunity. (If you were vaccinated abroad, by then new legislation might become effective to handle your situation.) The 4-month period starts on the day of the antibody test.
4. If you are a Hungarian citizen vaccinated abroad
You can apply for a Hungarian immunity card starting from 21 May, free of charge, and the card will have no expiry date. You can apply for it online, or in person at any government office or consulate. Learn more here.
Validity of the immunity card
The immunity card is valid together with your Hungarian ID card or your passport – your ID card and/or passport number is indicated on it. This means that if your ID or passport expires, you should get a new card with updated data, independent of the expiry date on the immunity card itself.
How to get an immunity card?
How you can get an immunity card depends on your basis of eligibility, and whether it is your first card.
- A: Members of groups 1 (vaccinated in Hungary) and 2 (verifiably recovered from COVID-19 in Hungary) should receive the card automatically, for free in the mail.
- A-1: Members of group 4 (Hungarian citizen vaccinated abroad) can apply for the immunity card separately, free of charge.
- B: Members of group 3 (eligible based on an antibody test) can apply for the immunity card separately, after taking an antibody test for HUF 11,000, and paying an application processing fee of HUF 3,000.
- C: If you should have received your card already, but it never arrived, you can ask for a resend, for free.
- D: If your card was lost, you can apply for a replacement after paying an application fee of HUF 3,000.
Moreover, the Hungarian immunity card is available in the EESZT app. Find out more here.
A: Group 1 (vaccinated in Hungary) or Group 2 (verifiably recovered from COVID-19 in Hungary)
You should receive the card for free in the mail (to your official mailing address) within 2-3 weeks after vaccination or after your official recovery. You have nothing else to do.
If your identification document tied to the immunity card (e.g. Hungarian ID or passport) expires and you get a new one, you should automatically get a new immunity card with the updated data mailed to you, for free.
A-1: Group 4 (Hungarian citizen vaccinated abroad)
Starting from 21 May, you can apply for an immunity card through magyarorszag.hu (details coming later) or in person at any government office in Hungary or Hungarian consulate abroad. Application is free of charge, and the card will be created within 15 days. Read more here.
B: Group 3 (eligible based on an antibody test)
Based on the official decree, foreigners without a TAJ number (vaccinated out of Hungary or recovered from the illness outside the Hungarian social security system) should fall in this category. However, due to an anomaly, currently it seems you cannot apply for an immunity card without a TAJ number. Since as of 4 May vaccine registration is available without a TAJ number, immunity card application should also become available soon. Watch this space for updates.
You can apply for an immunity card through magyarorszag.hu (where you can log in with your Ügyfélkapu account for electronic administration), or in person at any government office (called “kormányablak”). An appointment is requested easiest through the Ügyfélkapu access. (If you do not yet have an account, click here to learn how to register.) However, for issues related to the immunity card, you do not need an appointment to visit the government office.
For taking care of this online, you must pay the processing fee via bank transfer before you start the process, and save a verification of the transfer on your computer (download it from your bank). The recipient should be:
Budapest Főváros Kormányhivatala
10023002-00301253-00000000 (transfer in HUF)
Go to the “Egészségügy” (Healthcare) item of the menu, and scroll down to the last item: “Utólag elvégzett koronavírus elleni ellenanyag-vizsgálaton alapuló védettségi igazolvány kérelme, pótlása, cseréje” (Application for or replacement of the immunity certificate based on an antibody test) – or simply search “védettségi igazolvány” in the search bar on top and choose the second option. On the next screen, hit the big blue button with the text “Ügyintézés indítása” (Start process).
To verify that you are eligible, you will have to upload your positive antibody test result. You will also need to attach the verification of transferring the HUF 3,000 processing fee.
C: If you you should have received your immunity card, but it never arrived
You can indicate to the Authorities that you never received your immunity card through magyarorszag.hu. (If you do not yet have an account, click here to learn how to register.) Related to this, you can also go and visit the government office in person, even without an appointment.
On magyarorszag.hu, ho to the “Egészségügy” (Healthcare) item of the menu, and scroll down to the item: “Koronavírus elleni védettségi igazolvánnyal kapcsolatos ügybejelentés” (Reporting an issue with the immunity certificate) – or simply search “védettségi igazolvány” in the search bar on top and choose the third option. On the next screen, hit the big blue button with the text “Ügyintézés indítása” (Start process).
You will have to confirm your contact data and the address where you want the card delivered. You can also indicate whether you want to receive it by regular mail (into your mailbox), or by certified mail (meaning either the mailman gives it to you directly or you have to pick it up at the nearest post office). There is an option for attaching supporting documents, but so far it is not clear what you should attach, since there is no processing fee indicated, and proof that you were vaccinated or have recovered should be available to the Authorities. If you originally applied based on an antibody test, you might need to attach your result again here.
D: You need a replacement card
You might need a replacement card if you received your card but then lost it. In this case, you can apply for a replacement online or in person (without an appointment), after transferring the HUF 3,000 processing fee to the following recipient:
Budapest Főváros Kormányhivatala
10023002-00301253-00000000 (transfer in HUF)
If you belong to groups 1 (vaccinated in Hungary) or 2 (verifiably recovered from COVID-19 in Hungary), go to the “Egészségügy” (Healthcare) item of the menu, and select the third item: “Alapimmunizáltságon (oltottságon) vagy felgyógyuláson alapuló védettségi igazolvány pótlása, cseréje” (Replacing the immunity certificate based on vaccination or recovery) – or simply search “védettségi igazolvány” in the search bar on top and choose the first option. On the next screen, hit the big blue button with the text “Ügyintézés indítása” (Start process).
To verify that you are eligible, your data will be pulled from EESZT, so you do not have to attach any proof that you are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. However, you will need to attach the verification of transferring the HUF 3,000 processing fee.
If you belong to group 3 (eligible based on an antibody test), go to the “Egészségügy” (Healthcare) item of the menu, and scroll down to the last item: “Utólag elvégzett koronavírus elleni ellenanyag-vizsgálaton alapuló védettségi igazolvány kérelme, pótlása, cseréje” (Application for or replacement of the immunity certificate based on an antibody test) – or simply search “védettségi igazolvány” in the search bar on top and choose the second option. On the next screen, hit the big blue button with the text “Ügyintézés indítása” (Start process).
To verify that you are eligible, you will have to upload your positive antibody test result. You will also need to attach the verification of transferring the HUF 3,000 processing fee.
What is the immunity card good for?
The immunity card is intended as a pass for certain events and spaces where crowds may gather. Since the immunity card is supposed to be a proof that you are not a threat to the health of others, you may go to the theater, the cinema, the gym, the zoo, etc, once they reopen. (Read more about the current pandemic related restrictions and planned relaxation.)
Please note that if you received your immunity card after the first dose of a vaccine, you are not yet immune to the coronavirus.
Immunity develops gradually after your first dose, but you can be considered immune only after 2-3 weeks of receiving the second dose. This means that you should avoid crowded places, practice social distancing, and wear a mask that covers both your mouth and nose until then, even if you are technically not required anymore to observe these safety measures.
For now, even with relaxations, wearing a mask in public places remains compulsory, except for the outdoor spaces of restaurants and bars, etc. You should still try and keep a distance wherever possible, and be considerate of others.
Need more info? Let us know!
You can get an immunity card in the mail, for free, after you have received your first dose a vaccine of recovered from COVID-19. You can also apply for a card through e-administration. In either case, use it wisely, and consider other people when entering crowded spaces.
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