Foreign nationals may stay in Hungary temporarily, or live permanently in the country. In this latter case, the foreign national has moved his residence to Hungary for the purpose of taking up employment, or as an old-age pensioner, or for the purpose of pursuing studies, or as the dependent of a Hungarian worker (insured person), or having a refugee, asylum seeker or admitted status. From the point of view of health insurance, entitlement to health care differs by specific groups of foreigners. 

Foreigners qualifying as insured must prove entitlement to benefits of the Hungarian health insurance scheme by the form "Certificate of entitlement to healthcare benefit", or in other cases, in keeping with the relevant agreements (e.g. by their passports).

A natural person who does not qualify as a national shall be deemed a foreigner (for social insurance purposes). The following persons qualify as nationals (for social insurance purposes):

• Hungarian nationals residing on the territory of the Republic of Hungary
• Immigrants, holding an immigration permit
• holders of permanent residence permit (residents)
• persons recognized as refugees
• EEA citizens (citizens of European Economic Area member states)
• family members of EEA citizens (provided they are holders of EEA residence permit issued by the Hungarian alien policing authority)
• citizens of third countries who enjoy identical status with citizens of EEA states, provided they are in possession of a residence permit
• stateless persons.

On the basis of specific agreements, State Parties to such agreements provide for entitlement to a range of health care services on a mutual basis for their citizens during their stay in each other?s countries. Nationals of State Parties to such agreements who are not insured in Hungary are entitled to health care benefits free of charge (with expenses borne by the health insurance fund on the basis of different methods of accounting) during their stay in Hungary, to the extent such care is necessary due to an acute illness episode or urgent need, upon production of their passport. The benefits include basic health services, outpatient care and inpatient (hospital) treatment.

The Republic of Hungary has bilateral agreements in effect with Angola, Bulgaria, North-Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Serbia-Montenegro, Cuba, Kuwait, Mongolia, Romania, and the legal successor states of the former Soviet Union except the Baltic States. With the Member States of the European Union Hungary applies European Community Law, namely Regulation 1408/71/EEC on the coordination of social security schemes. With Croatia, as from 1 March 2006 a new agreement entered into force which applies the same principles as those enshrining in Regulation 1408/71/EEC.

In keeping with the general rule, foreign nationals who come to Hungary with the aim of taking up employment shall qualify as insured from the beginning of their employment relationship with an employer deemed a national in Hungary and the employer is required to make contribution to the insurance fund on behalf of these workers. By virtue of the contributions made on their behalf, these workers shall acquire entitlement to all benefits of the health insurance scheme.

Furthermore, dependant close relatives and common law partner of the insured person shall be entitled to health services, provided their monthly income does not exceed 30% of the minimum wage for any specific year, which currently means a cap of 18,750 HUF/month, based on the minimum wage of 62,500 HUF/month in 2006. Dependant relatives must be notified to the county health insurance fund that is competent by the place of residence of the persons concerned.

The Social Insurance Identification Number (in Hungarian: TAJ-szám) and the entitlement of foreigners who are entitled to health care in Hungary are certified by the form "Certificate of entitlement to health care in Hungary", on which the employer certifies entitlement to use health services (or rather, the payment of contribution every 3 months) by affixing its stamp onto it. Upon termination of the employment relationship, the employer withdraws the certificate.

In the case of foreigners studying in Hungary, entitlement to health care services in Hungary is restricted to foreign nationals who pursue full-time studies at an institution of secondary or higher education and whose student status is based on an international agreement or a fellowship granted by the Hungarian Ministry of Education.

Non-national students who fail to meet these requirements may become entitled to health care services only may if they sign an "Agreement" with the Health Insurance Fund.

The Act on entitlement to social insurance benefits takes out certain categories of non-national workers from the scope of the main rule on the insured. The statutory health insurance scheme does not cover non-national employees at diplomatic representations, in other words, diplomats, non-national members of the staff at diplomatic representations and non-national spouses and children living together with them.

Only nationals and assimilated groups are entitled to health care services. Persons who are in one of the types of legal relationship listed below only will become entitled to using healthcare services if they qualify as nationals, in addition to meeting other entitlement criteria:

• Beneficiaries of sick-pay, maternity benefit, child-care allowance, accident sick-pay or accident annuity and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of pension of own right, or survivor?s pension benefit and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of old-age, work incapacity or survivor?s annuity, of old-age, work incapacity or survivor?s annuity of an increased amount, temporary annuity, regular social welfare annuity, health impairment annuity, disability support or disability annuity and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of war veteran?s allowance and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of miners? wage supplement and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of child-care allowance and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of child raising support and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of pension from churches or religious denominations registered in Hungary and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of regular social welfare assistance and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of elders? annuity and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of carers? allowance and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Beneficiaries of income replacement support of the unemployed [the unemployment benefit scheme changed as of 1 November 2005, and the support scheme of job seekers was introduced (see the insured)] and their dependent close relative and common law partner;
• Socially indigent persons whose entitlement to healthcare services is certified by the mayor of the local self-government by means of an official certificate;
• The dependent close relative and common law partner of a person obliged to pay health insurance contribution and having residence in Hungary, whose monthly income does not exceed 30% of the minimum wage in effect on the first day of the year concerned, i.e. currently HUF 18,750;
• Persons engaged in activities as foster parents.