International cases

International pension cases involving a third country

WHAT DOES THE TERM "THIRD COUNTRY" MEAN FOR HUNGARIAN PENSIONS?

For the purposes of determining the Hungarian pension, a third country is a country with which Hungary has no international agreement on the assessment of pension claims and which is not covered by the territorial scope of the EU regulation or agreement on the coordination of social security systems.

In these cases, only the Hungarian legislation applies for the determination and payment of the pension, and the insurance periods completed in the third country are not relevant for the determination of Hungarian social security benefits.

The following are not considered third countries: Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Albania, the United States of America, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, the Republic of India, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Kosovo, the Republic of Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Turkey

Third countries are therefore defined as countries other than those listed.

HOW TO CLAIM HUNGARIAN BENEFITS IF THE APPLICANT HAS ALSO COMPLETED INSURANCE PERIODS IN A THIRD COUNTRY?

Applicants living in Hungary can claim benefits under the general rules by filling in the Hungarian claim form corresponding to the benefit applied for. More information on how to apply can be found in the information on the type of benefit concerned.

Applicants living in a third country can apply for benefits in accordance with the requested Hungarian benefit on the forms listed below:

The identity and signature of the applicant must be certified by a notary public or by a Hungarian diplomatic mission abroad. The contact details of the diplomatic missions and consular posts can be found online at konzinfo.mfa.gov.hu.

The completed and certified application for Hungarian benefits must be sent by post to the Hungarian pension administration body, the envelope must be addressed as follows:

  • Government Office of the Capital City of Budapest H-1916 Budapest
  • for a claim for a survivor's pension, when the deceased insured person was already receiving a pension: Pension Payment Directorate H-1820 Budapest

The claim may be submitted by the applicant's legal representative (guardian) or by their authorised representative, accompanied by a document proving the representation.

WHAT MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION?

The claim may be accompanied by documents relating to the applicant's, or in the case of a survivor's pension, the deceased's previously unrecognised Hungarian period of service. Such proof may include:

  • labour book, certificate of employment, certificate of insurance and health insurance benefits, outworker's book, membership book of agricultural or fishery cooperatives,
  • college or university course book, final certificate, diploma, industrial apprenticeship work record book, vocational apprenticeship certificate, certificate of vocational school in health or agriculture, diploma or vocational school student contract.

For all survivors' pensions, the death certificate, for widow(er)’s pensions, the marriage certificate or other document proving cohabitation, for orphans' allowance, the school certificate proving full-time education of the orphan must be submitted.

If you are claiming a work accident-related survivor's pension, if a decision recognising you as a Hungarian insured person who has suffered an accident at work is available, you must submit it at the same time as the application for the survivor's pension.

The application form may also need to be accompanied by the following additional forms:

  • a supplementary form to provide information on employment and early retirement periods can be downloaded here,
  • the supplementary form for self-employment can be downloaded here
  • the supplementary form for children can be downloaded here.

If the application is sent by post from abroad, copies of the documents accompanying the application must be certified by a public notary or by the diplomatic mission or consular post of Hungary. 

Since the insurance period completed in a third country is not relevant for the determination of the Hungarian benefit, it will be assessed solely on the basis of Hungarian rules. For detailed information on the benefit applied for, please consult the separate information.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR THE BENEFIT TO BE AWARDED?

The administrative time limit is 60 days.

The established benefit will be paid by the Pension Payment Directorate of the Hungarian State Treasury within 13 days of the decision being issued.

Detailed information on the payment of benefits abroad can be found in the information "Payment options for beneficiaries living abroad" and the annual reconciliation of data is available in the information "Data checking-up of beneficiaries living abroad".

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THE DECISION ISSUED IN THE PROCEDURE?

No appeal may be lodged. If the decision is unlawful, a statement of claim can be lodged against the decision within 30 days to have it reviewed by the court with jurisdiction over the administrative college of the place of residence.

If you are living abroad, you should apply to the Metropolitan Court, Budapest (Fővárosi Törvényszék) for the review of the decision.

The letter of claim must be submitted free of charge to the Government Office of the Capital City of Budapest or sent by registered post.

After electronic identification, the claim can also be filed electronically on the https://epapir.gov.hu interface. After entry, in the subject group "Jogorvoslat" the case type "Közigazgatási szerv határozatának bírósági felülvizsgálata iránti keresetlevél benyújtása" should be selected.