Criminal Record Certificate in Hungary: obtaining, apostille and legalisation

A criminal record certificate is an official document issued by the competent internal affairs or justice authorities confirming that a person has no criminal convictions on record at the time of issue and is not wanted in connection with criminal proceedings, or that their convictions have been expunged.

A criminal record certificate may be required in the following situations:

• Applying for a visa;
• Applying for a temporary residence permit;
• Applying for a residence permit for long-term stay;
• Applying for citizenship;
• Applying for employment;
• Applying for admission to an educational institution;
• Background checks for adoption and guardianship proceedings;
• Submitting evidence in court proceedings;
• Getting married.

What is a Criminal Record Certificate in Hungary?

In Hungary, a criminal record certificate is officially called an “Official Certificate of Good Conduct” or “Official Certificate of Moral Character” (Hatósági erkölcsi bizonyítvány). It is also commonly referred to as an “extract from the criminal records register”. The authority responsible for maintaining the criminal records register and issuing certificates is the Criminal Records Authority (Bűnügyi Nyilvántartó Hatóság) under the Hungarian Ministry of the Interior (Belügyminisztérium).

The issuance of criminal record certificates in Hungary is governed by Act XLVII of 2009 on the Criminal Records System, the Registration of Criminal Judgments Delivered by the Courts of the Member States of the European Union against Hungarian Citizens, and the Registration of Biometric Data Used in Criminal and Law Enforcement Proceedings; Government Decree No. 419/2017 (XII. 19.) on the Detailed Rules Governing the Procedure for Issuing Official Certificates of Good Conduct; Ministry of Interior Decree No. 20/2009 (VI. 19.) on the Rules for Providing Data to Certain Registers of the Criminal Records System; and other legislation.

A criminal record certificate is a paper or electronic public document issued on the basis of information held in the criminal records database of the Hungarian Ministry of the Interior. The document is issued in Hungarian.

A Hungarian criminal record certificate contains the following information:

• First and last name;
• First and last name at birth;
• Place and date of birth;
• Mother’s first and last name at birth;
• The fact to be certified (the existence of criminal convictions, restrictions, etc.);
• Certificate number;
• Name of the issuing authority;
• Place and date of issue;
• Name of the official who issued the certificate.

If a court has prohibited the person concerned from engaging in a particular type of activity (public, professional, etc.), this information is also included in the certificate.

The validity period of a Hungarian criminal record certificate is 90 days.

In paper form, the certificate is issued as a standardised document on an official form; in electronic form, it is provided as a PDF file.

For apostille certification and subsequent use abroad, only a paper certificate bearing the signature of an authorised official is accepted. It must be issued directly by the Criminal Records Authority or received by post.

Cost of a Criminal Record Certificate in Hungary

For Hungarian citizens, the criminal record certificate is issued free of charge four times per calendar year. From the fifth request within a year, an administrative service fee (igazgatási szolgáltatási díj) applies:

• standard processing (from the 5th request in a year) — HUF 3,000;
• urgent processing — an additional HUF 4,400;
• via the DÁP mobile application — free of charge, with no limit on the number of requests.

The apostille, translation and delivery are charged separately. The state fee for the apostille issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is around HUF 5,500 per document; the exact amount should be confirmed at the time of application. Schmidt & Schmidt’s service fee is calculated individually, depending on the scope of services and the destination country.

Processing time for a Criminal Record Certificate in Hungary

The processing time depends on how the application is submitted:

• as a general rule — up to 8 calendar days from receipt of the request by the authority;
• via the DÁP mobile application — usually 1–2 working days;
• with urgent processing — typically 1–3 working days;
• postal delivery adds the time required for shipping.

The overall end-to-end turnaround (obtaining the certificate, apostille, translation and delivery) usually ranges from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the method of submission, whether legalisation is required, and the delivery address.

How to obtain a Criminal Record Certificate in Hungary

There are several main ways to obtain a criminal record certificate in Hungary:

1. Submit an application in person to the customer service office of the Criminal Records Authority;
2. Submit an application by post;
3. Submit an application by telephone;
4. Use the electronic service via the DÁP (“Digital Citizen”) mobile application;
5. Use the electronic service via the Client Gateway (Customer Portal+).

Paper Criminal Record Certificate in Hungary

To obtain a paper criminal record certificate in Hungary, you must make an appointment in advance and visit the authorised office (the customer service office of the Criminal Records Authority at 30/A Vaskapu Street, 1097 Budapest), present a valid identity document, and complete an application form. Alternatively, you can submit an application by post (special forms are available at post offices) or request delivery of the certificate by calling the government hotline at 1818.

How to Obtain a Criminal Record Certificate in Hungary in Electronic Form

To obtain a criminal record certificate through the DÁP (“Digital Citizen”) mobile application, open the app, complete biometric identification, select the type of certificate, and submit the request.

To obtain a criminal record certificate through the Customer Portal+ (Ügyfélkapu+), access the portal and authenticate your identity, select the subject of the request and the type of certificate, verify the information, and submit the request.

The certificate can be obtained as a PDF file by clicking the “Download Certificate” button. Official government services also provide electronic tools for verifying the authenticity of certificates.

Certificate through a representative under a power of attorney

In Hungary, special rules apply when obtaining a criminal record certificate on behalf of another person. If the application is submitted in person at the customer service office of the Criminal Records Authority, only the applicant may sign it personally. If the application is submitted by post or by telephone, the applicant may designate another person to receive the certificate. If the application is submitted remotely but the certificate must be collected in person, collection is possible under a notarised power of attorney.

Criminal Record Certificate through a consulate

To obtain a criminal record certificate through a consulate or the consular section of a Hungarian embassy abroad, the following documents must be provided:

• Application form;
• Identity document;
• Receipt confirming payment of the applicable fee.

Apostille for a Hungarian Criminal Record Certificate

Hungary acceded to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents on 18 April 1972, and the Convention entered into force on 18 January 1973.

An apostille is an internationally standardised form of authentication used to certify a document for presentation in countries that recognise this form of legalisation. It usually takes the form of a special stamp or certificate. In recent years, electronic apostilles (e-Apostilles) have also become more widespread — a digital certification confirming the authenticity of documents issued in electronic form.

Apostilles for Hungarian criminal record certificates are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Külgazdasági és Külügyminisztérium), Consular Service. Documents issued by judicial authorities and notaries are apostilled by the Ministry of Justice (Igazságügyi Minisztérium). To apply for an apostille, you must provide the complete set of required documents, an application form, and a receipt confirming payment of the applicable fee. The certificate may be submitted for apostille certification in person by prior appointment or by post.

Consular legalisation of a Hungarian Criminal Record Certificate

If the country in which the Hungarian criminal record certificate is intended to be used is not a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the document must undergo the more complex and costly procedure of consular legalisation.

Consular legalisation is a multi-stage procedure for verifying the authenticity of a document for use in countries that are not parties to the 1961 Hague Convention.

To complete the consular legalisation of a Hungarian criminal record certificate, the following steps must be followed:

1. Obtain the criminal record certificate;
2. Have the certificate legalised by the competent notarial authority;
3. Arrange an official translation of the document;
4. Have the document legalised by the consulate or consular section of the embassy of the destination country.

Due to the number of steps involved, this procedure is time-consuming and relatively expensive. Some countries do not have consulates in Hungary, meaning that the final stage of legalisation may need to be completed in another country where the relevant consulate is located.

Official translation of a Hungarian Criminal Record Certificate

A Hungarian criminal record certificate is issued in Hungarian. To use it abroad, an official translation must be prepared in accordance with the laws of the country where the document will be submitted. Depending on the destination country’s requirements, the translation may need to be completed by a sworn, certified, notarised, or court-appointed translator in the destination country.

Translations of the certificate prepared in Hungary are unlikely to be accepted abroad, except where they are made as part of the consular legalisation procedure.

Useful links: official resources in Hungary

• nyilvantarto.hu — Criminal Records Authority (Bűnügyi Nyilvántartó Hatóság): how to obtain the certificate of good conduct;
• magyarorszag.hu — the central government service portal and electronic submission of applications;
• konzinfo.mfa.gov.hu — Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: apostille and legalisation (felülhitelesítés);
• hcch.net — the up-to-date list of States party to the Hague Convention and their competent authorities.

Document delivery

After obtaining a criminal record certificate and having it apostilled or legalised, it is often necessary to send the document to another country. In such cases, both the speed and security of delivery are important, particularly when original official documents are involved.

Schmidt & Schmidt arranges international document delivery worldwide. We use reliable logistics solutions and modern tracking systems, allowing shipments to be monitored at every stage of transit and helping ensure timely delivery to the recipient.

Our specialists handle documents carefully and confidentially and assist with any issues that may arise during international shipping, including carrier requirements and customs clearance procedures.

We can arrange delivery of completed criminal record certificates, apostilled documents, translations, and other official papers to most countries worldwide, serving both private clients and law firms and other organisations.

How can we help?

We will be happy to assist you in obtaining a criminal record certificate in Hungary, including apostille certification and legalisation for use abroad, as well as translation and delivery anywhere in the world.

You can always contact Schmidt & Schmidt. We have extensive experience in obtaining and legalising a wide range of documents and provide all the necessary services in this area, including obtaining notarised copies, translation, preparing the required powers of attorney, legalising documents with government authorities and consulates of foreign countries, and delivering completed documents to most countries worldwide.

You can find more information about the legalisation and apostille procedures on our website.