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Act LV of 1993 on Hungarian Citizenship

Act LV of 1993 is the primary law governing Hungarian citizenship. It defines who is a Hungarian citizen, how citizenship is acquired, how it can be lost, and the procedure for applications. For anyone pursuing citizenship by descent, this is the foundational legal document.

The Act has been amended several times since 1993. The most significant amendment for the purposes of this knowledge base was the introduction of simplified naturalization (egyszerűsített honosítás) for descendants of Hungarian citizens.

Key Provisions​

Acquisition of Citizenship at Birth (§3)​

A child acquires Hungarian citizenship at birth if at least one parent is a Hungarian citizen at the time of the child's birth. This applies regardless of where the child is born.

This is the mechanism through which citizenship is transmitted from generation to generation — and the basis for both simplified naturalization (when the chain was interrupted) and verification (when it was not).

Simplified Naturalization (§4(3))​

The provision that enables citizenship by descent for people whose generational chain was interrupted. Key conditions:

  • The applicant has at least one Hungarian citizen ancestor
  • The applicant can communicate in Hungarian
  • The applicant's naturalization does not threaten Hungarian national security or public order

The language requirement ("communicate in Hungarian") is intentionally less specific than a formal proficiency level. In practice, consulates assess this through an interview. See Language Requirement.

Verification of Citizenship (§13)​

Establishes the procedure by which a person can formally confirm that they already hold Hungarian citizenship. This applies when citizenship was never interrupted — typically when a parent or grandparent remained a Hungarian citizen throughout.

Key characteristics under the Act:

  • No language requirement
  • The procedure confirms existing status rather than granting new status
  • A different form (állampolgárság igazolása) is used

Loss of Citizenship​

The Act defines several grounds on which citizenship can be lost. The two most relevant for ancestry research:

Voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship. Acquiring citizenship of another country voluntarily can result in loss of Hungarian citizenship, depending on the law in force at the time and the specific circumstances. This is particularly relevant for analyzing ancestors' citizenship status.

Marriage rule (pre-1957). Under the Act as it stood until 1 October 1957, a Hungarian woman who married a foreign national automatically lost her citizenship upon marriage. This rule was repealed for marriages after that date, but remains legally significant for historical chains. See Eligibility for Verification.

Application Procedure (§14)​

Sets out what must be included in a citizenship petition:

  • Birth certificate of the applicant
  • Documents establishing the ancestral chain (birth certificates, marriage certificates)
  • Documents proving the Hungarian citizenship of the qualifying ancestor
  • The applicant's declaration

The Act also permits the authorities to request additional documents where the submitted evidence is insufficient.

The 1929 Emigration Rule​

The Act (and its predecessors) provided that Hungarian citizens residing abroad could lose citizenship if they failed to maintain it. The relevant date is 1 September 1929 — citizens who emigrated before that date and did not register with a Hungarian consulate within 10 years may have lost citizenship automatically. This rule is the single most common reason applicants discover they do not qualify for verification. See Verification Eligibility.

What the Act Does Not Specify​

The Act establishes the legal framework but leaves procedural details to implementing regulations. Document formats, specific submission requirements at consulates, and administrative timelines are governed by Government Decree No. 125/1993.

Full Text​

Act LV of 1993 is available in English translation (as of January 2009) through official Hungarian government sources. The PDF is available in the public domain and reproduced in various legal reference collections. Note that amendments after 2009 may not be reflected in older translations — verify current provisions for any legally significant question.