Birth certificate

Birth Certificates in Hungary

Registering a child’s birth in Hungary is a legal requirement and an essential step to accessing various rights and services—such as healthcare, residency, and family benefits. However, many migrant parents find the process confusing, especially if they don’t speak Hungarian or are unfamiliar with local procedures.

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you understand how to register a birth and obtain a birth certificate in Hungary.

Who Handles Birth Registration?

All births in Hungary must be reported to the local registry office (Anyakönyvi Hivatal) for official registration (anyakönyvezés). This is where the birth certificate (születési anyakönyvi kivonat) is issued.

The registry office responsible is located in the municipality where the birth occurred.

Births in a Hospital or Medical Facility

If your baby is born in a hospital (intézet), the hospital reports the birth to the local registry office. This is done automatically by the hospital staff (usually the director), so you as parents don’t need to initiate the report.

However, parents must visit the registry office to:

• Provide proof of identity (passport, ID card, residence permit)
• Confirm the baby’s name (according to Hungarian naming rules)
• Sign any necessary forms
• Confirm or provide details for the child’s personal ID issuance (for Hungarian citizens)

If both parents are non-Hungarian, you may need to submit documents translated into Hungarian (e.g. marriage certificate or passports) by an officially recognized translator.

The birth is registered immediately once all required data is available and confirmed. A birth certificate is issued shortly afterward.

Important: The process is free of charge and a formal record (jegyzőkönyv) of the registration is created.

Births Outside a Hospital

If the birth takes place outside a hospital, there are different procedures depending on whether the birth was planned or unplanned:

1. Planned out-of-hospital birth
   The person responsible (such as a licensed midwife or doctor) must report the birth to the local registry office.
2. Unplanned out-of-hospital birth
   If the birth occurs unexpectedly (e.g. at home without medical assistance), the parents themselves must report the birth to the registry office on the next working day.

In all cases, the registration must be done as soon as possible, ideally by the first working day after the birth.

Required Documents

To register a birth, you will need:

• Valid ID or passport for both parents
• Residence permit or address card (if available)
• Marriage certificate (if married)
• The birth notification form (from the hospital or attending midwife)
• Translations of foreign documents, if required

Acceptable IDs include: Hungarian ID card, passport, or driver’s license.

Naming Your Baby in Hungary

When registering a child’s name:

• You can choose up to two given names that match the baby’s gender
• Names must be chosen from the official list (https://nytud.hu/oldal/utonevjegyzek) published by the Nyelvtudományi Kutatóközpont (Research Centre for Linguistics)

If your preferred name is not on the list, you may request an official opinion from the Research Centre, who will decide whether the name can be accepted.

For children with multiple citizenships or at least one foreign parent, parents may ask the registry office to record the name according to foreign naming laws, but must prove that the name complies with those rules.

Special Cases for Migrant Families

If one or both parents are non-Hungarian or the child has dual citizenship, the registry office can include the child’s name in the registry according to the foreign country’s laws, if the parents provide evidence of the foreign naming convention.

Also, if a parent is a Hungarian citizen with dual nationality, they can choose the name format based on any of their nationalities.

Deadlines and Appeals

• The registry office registers the birth immediately if all required information is available.
• The process is free.
• There is no appeal process for registry decisions, but if a serious issue arises, you can initiate an administrative court case within 30 days. The court fee is 30,000 HUF.

Need Help?

If you face language barriers, uncertainty, or difficulties getting an appointment, it may help to:

• Ask a Hungarian-speaking friend to come with you
• Seek help from legal aid services or migrant support NGOs (e.g. Artemisszió, Menedék)
• Check whether your municipality offers translation services or family support officers