How to obtain a certificate of good conduct in Hungary
When you are taking care of official paperwork in Hungary, you might be required to submit a certificate of good conduct to verify that you are a law-abiding person. Obtaining this document is quite easy and free of charge. Let’s see how it is done.
What exactly is a certificate of good conduct?
The certificate of good conduct or “erkölcsi bizonyítvány” in Hungarian is an official document you can obtain from the Ministry of Interior of Hungary. It contains information about your criminal record, or rather the lack of it, proving to banks, employers, or authorities that you are a law-abiding person and not banned from specific activities.
Since a variation of this document exists in most countries around the world, the name of the document may vary, just like the information displayed upon it or the issuing authority. You might still be in the right place if you are looking for one of the following documents:
- criminal record
- no-criminal record
- clean criminal record
- criminal record certificate
- criminal certificate
- criminal background check
- police clearance
- extract from the penal register
- no criminal activity certification
Alongside your personal data, the certificate of good conduct verifies that you do not have a criminal record, you are not being prosecuted, and you are not banned from certain jobs. If you have been fined for drunk driving, or running a red light, don’t worry: such minor things are not going to be listed.
The data displayed on the certificate include:
- Name
- Nationality
- Mother’s maiden name
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- The information you requested to be verified on the application form (to be detailed below)
When do you need a certificate of good conduct?
You need a certificate of good conduct if an institution or authority asks for it. Typical examples include:
- Banks if you are applying for a loan within a government subsidy program (e.g. CSOK)
- Immigration
- Authorities giving out certificates for specific activities
- Some employers
Please note that not all employers are allowed to manage data about your criminal record. Jobs that may require this include jobs at government institutions, working with minors, or working in law enforcement or security.
If you are an employer who is entitled to ask for a certificate of good conduct, you can check its validity online here.
How to obtain a certificate of good conduct?
In Hungary, the certificate of good conduct can be obtained from the Ministry of Interior
- In person at the customer service of the Criminal Records Office.
- On the phone if you have an option for identification via phone (available to registered users, a phone-based alternative of the Ügyfélkapu or Client Gate access).
- In mail by getting the relevant form at the post office, filling it in, and submitting it to the post office clerk.
- Online with the help of your Ügyfélkapu or Client Gate registration.
If you are not in Hungary, you can still obtain this document from the local Hungarian consulate or embassy.
Upon application, the document is created within 8 days (or within 5 days if you apply in person), and then it is mailed to your address, which takes another 2-3 days.
Cost and validity
When you are required to submit a certificate of good conduct, the description will probably say that it must not be older than 90 days – which is another way for saying it must be valid, since the document is valid for 90 days. It can be obtained free of charge 4 times a year (so you are covered if you need a valid document all year round). Additional applications cost HUF 3,000 (below EUR 10).
Obtain the certificate of good conduct online
Obtaining the certificate of good conduct is easiest online, through the portal for electronic administration at magyarorszag.hu. The application form for this document is available in English, so you can easily click through it in a few minutes and have the document mailed to you within 10 days or so.
After you start the procedure, the first question will be whether you need a general or a special certificate. Unless you were given specific instructions about this, you can simply ask for the general certificate. The special certificate might be necessary for specific purposes, e.g. verifying that you are not banned from one specific activity.
If you select the general certificate, below you will see a list of things you might want to verify. Feel free to select every option on the left:
- I have no prior criminal record
- I am not prohibited from participating in public affairs
- I am not prohibited from a profession/activity
If you need to verify that you are banned from an activity, select the option on the right:
- I am prohibited from a profession or activity
If you click next, you will be redirected to a screen where you can indicate your data for delivery. First you must indicate if the recipient is a natural or a legal person – if it is you, choose natural person.
The default address is your registered permanent address in Hungary, but you can also ask for delivery to another Hungarian address or a PO box of yours or another person.
On the next screen, you can indicate if you want a status update once there is a decision about your certificate. It is best to have the notification delivered to your online inbox (accessible with your Ügyfélkapu login), but you can also ask for an email or regular mail.
Once done, click next to see a summary of all your relevant data. If all looks fine, hit submit to finalize your application. You can also download the filled in application form to prove that you have submitted it. Then you can lay back and wait for your certificate of good conduct to be delivered right to you.
Expert help with paperwork in Hungary
Is there anything else you need help with? If you need assistance with your Hungarian residency document or any other paperwork related to living, working, or operating a business in Hungary, you can always count on us. Helpers Hungary has an expert team of professionals who will be happy to help you take care of administration while you focus on what matters the most to you.
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