Hungary, located in the heart of Europe and enchanting everyone with its history, culture, and nature, is one of the European countries. However, one of the country’s greatest features is its thermal water culture. Hungary is one of the countries with the most thermal water sources in the world, and therefore calling it the “Thermal Water Paradise” is entirely appropriate. In this article, we will present useful information and recommendations for those planning a trip to Hungary.
Hungary's Thermal Water Culture
Hungary’s thermal water culture dates back 2000 years, to the era of the Roman Empire. The Romans built the first thermal baths in this region and discovered the health benefits of water. Hungary’s underground treasures, especially its natural mineral water sources, are available throughout the country. These waters are used in the treatment of various diseases.
There are over 1000 thermal water sources in Hungary, and many of them are integrated with modern resorts. These resorts are ideal not only for health purposes but also for relaxation and entertainment. Famous places such as the Gellért Bath, Széchenyi Thermal Bath, and Lake Hévíz attract thousands of tourists every year.
Budapest: Capital of Thermal Waters
The capital of Hungary, Budapest, is known as the “Capital of Thermal Waters.” The city has more than 100 thermal water sources, many of which have been in use for centuries. One of Budapest’s most famous thermal baths is the Gellért Bath. Built in the Art Nouveau style, this bath is known for its exquisite architecture and comfort. The Gellért Bath offers hot and cold water pools, saunas, steam rooms, and spa services.
Another famous thermal bath is the Széchenyi Thermal Bath. This is the largest thermal bath complex in Europe and is located in the center of the city, in Városliget Park. The Széchenyi Bath is particularly renowned for its open-air pools during the winter. Swimming in warm water while it snows leaves an indelible impression on every tourist who visits.
Lake Hévíz: A Natural Thermal Miracle
Located about 200 km from Budapest, Lake Hévíz is the largest natural thermal lake in the world. The lake’s water is rich in minerals and is used in the treatment of various diseases. Lake Hévíz remains warm 365 days a year, and even during the winter the water temperature varies between 26–28 degrees.
Around the lake, there are modern resorts and spa centers. Here, in addition to the benefits of natural thermal water, various therapy and massage services are also offered.
Eger: A Combination of History and Thermal Water
Located in the northeast of Hungary, the city of Eger is famous for its historical monuments and thermal water sources. Eger Castle, its minaret, and its baroque-style churches are well known. Yet here too, thermal water resorts have maintained their popularity.
The Eger Thermal Bath, located in the center of the city, offers various therapy and spa services. In addition to hot water pools, saunas, and steam rooms, various medical treatment programs are also available. Eger is an ideal choice for both history enthusiasts and tourists who wish to take care of their health.
Debrecen: The Jewel of Eastern Hungary
Debrecen is Hungary’s second-largest city and is located in the eastern region. This city is known for its unique culture and natural beauty. Debrecen’s most famous thermal resort is the Debrecen Thermal Bath located in Nagyerdő Park.
The Debrecen Thermal Bath is known for its various thermal water pools, saunas, steam rooms, and spa services. Here, various therapy programs are offered for both relaxation and health purposes. If you wish to experience both city life and nature together, be sure to visit Debrecen.
Benefits of Thermal Water
Thermal water has many benefits for health. These waters are rich in various minerals and have a very positive effect on the body. The main benefits of thermal water are as follows:
- Beneficial for joints and muscles: Thermal water helps to reduce pain and spasms in joints and muscles.
- Good for skin problems: Thermal water is used in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, and other skin diseases.
- Reduces stress: Warm water relaxes the body and helps to reduce stress.
- Improves blood circulation: Thermal water stimulates blood circulation and improves overall health.
Tips for Traveling to Hungary
If you want to travel to Hungary, the following tips may be useful for you:
- Timing: The best time to travel to Hungary is during the spring and autumn months. During this period, the weather is mild and the flow of tourists is relatively low.
- Currency: The official currency in Hungary is the Forint (HUF). Do not forget to exchange currency before your trip.
- Language: The official language in Hungary is Hungarian, but in places frequented by tourists, English is also spoken.
How Can I Get a Hungarian Visa?
Every year, Hungary, which has become famous for its unique architectural monuments and travel regions in the capital Budapest and is known as the gateway to Europe, can be discovered through a travel visa. By reading the rest of this blog, you can learn all the ways to obtain a Hungarian visa.
Types of Hungarian Visas
To travel to Hungary, which is included in the list of Schengen countries, you can obtain a visa by applying for the Hungarian Tourist Visa. The reasons for applying for this type of visa include travel, meeting with family or friends, business trips, medical examination or treatment, short-term education, exchange programs, and other temporary cases. In recent years, many young people who wish to pursue long-term education (such as undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral studies) exceeding 90 days in Hungary or work permanently in an organization located here have applied for a Hungarian national visa based on official invitation or acceptance letters obtained from the relevant educational or work authorities.
Hungarian Travel Visa
Similar to visas for other travel countries, there are both single-entry and multiple-entry types of the Hungarian Travel Visa. In addition, you have the option to apply for visas covering 3 months, 6 months, one year, two years, or five years. Once you obtain the Hungarian Travel Visa, you can freely enter any Schengen country during your travel period. However, we always recommend that you make your first entry into the travel area from the country where you obtained your visa, namely Hungary. Otherwise, if you do not consider this when applying for a visa and attempt to enter the Schengen area from another country with a Hungarian visa, in rare cases, the border service of that country may turn you back and may not allow you to enter. Such cases have already been observed in some experiences, and we advise you to avoid this risk.
Document Checklist for Hungarian Schengen Visa Application
When applying for a Hungarian Schengen visa, you must present the following documents:
- The original of your foreign passport and a copy of the first page
- If available, copies of your previous visas and entry-exit stamps
- A copy of your identity card
- A certificate from your workplace* and, if available, a bank statement from your salary card (for students, a certificate from the educational institution)
- A work-related certificate from the electronic government portal
- A bank statement* and extract from the bank account in your name (this bank account can be in both your and your sponsor’s name), with detailed information about the amount as noted below
- If available, extracts of properties in your name* and a copy of your vehicle’s tax passport
- Proof of your marital status* (if you are married, a copy of your marriage certificate; if you have children under 18, copies of their birth certificates; or if your marriage is dissolved, a copy of the divorce decree)
- 2 biometric photos of size 3.5x4.5, on a white background
- Flight ticket reservations for your trip
- Hotel reservations for your trip
- Travel insurance in accordance with Schengen rules that fully covers your trip
- The application form filled out in English
- A printed version of the document provided by the system confirming your appointment
- If you are applying for a visa for business trips rather than tourism, an official invitation letter related to the business, event, or meeting
The documents marked with “*” must be presented to the embassy in English. If the original language of the document is not English and you obtained it in Azerbaijani, then each of these documents must be translated and certified into English in a notarial manner.
Once your documents are accepted, the embassy may call you to request additional documents based on your visa procedure. In some cases, within the framework of the Hungarian embassy’s visa procedure, applicants have been required to present a confirmation letter regarding hotel bookings or reservations.
The amount in your bank account varies depending on the travel dates you have provided – that is, the duration you will stay in the Schengen area, the cost of the flight tickets you have booked, and the hotels. Overall, it is advisable that for a one-week trip your bank account shows an amount ranging from 1,500–3,000 AZN (or the equivalent in euros or US dollars). This amount should fully cover your travel plan. When calculating, it is recommended to plan for an amount slightly higher than the sum obtained by considering the cost of your flight and hotel reservations and the average daily expenses of 60–70 euros for each day spent in the Schengen area.
If you operate as an entrepreneur, you may present documents that substitute for the certificate obtained from your workplace (a copy of the TIN, a certificate regarding your periodic turnover from the Ministry of Taxes, an extract from your company’s registry) to the embassy. If you are unemployed, a student, or have another personal sponsor who covers your travel expenses, then you must also provide a copy of that person’s identity card, a certificate from the workplace (if the sponsor is an entrepreneur, the documents listed above), a bank statement and extract from the bank account (this bank account can be in both your and the sponsor’s name), a document confirming your familial relationship if applicable (for example, if you are a parent, your own birth certificate; if you are a sibling, both birth certificates), and a paper regarding sponsorship.
If the applicant is under 18 and is traveling alone or with one parent, a copy of the exit permission document from the other parent must also be provided.
Note that each of the documents such as the TIN, the certificate regarding your periodic turnover from the Ministry of Taxes, the extract from your company’s registry, or the sponsorship paper that you have submitted must be translated and certified into English in a notarial manner.
Visa Procedure
The application for a Hungarian Schengen visa is carried out at the consular section of the Hungarian Embassy or at the visa application center called BLS International. The decision regarding the visa is made by the consul at the consular section of the Hungarian Embassy in Baku.
To schedule a visa appointment for document submission, the appointment is set online via the official website of the embassy.
To submit the documents to the visa center, you must call +994 12 511 12 18 to schedule an appointment in advance at the visa center. The visa center accepts documents from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 to 14:30.
The visa application can be submitted up to 3 months before the travel date, and personal attendance is mandatory during the application. Children under 12 do not need to be brought to the Consular Section of the Hungarian Embassy, as their fingerprints are not taken (however, separate time must be allocated for them, as the review of the application takes a certain amount of time).
The Schengen visa procedure usually takes 5–15 calendar days (excluding official non-working days related to holidays) from the date of application.
If the applicant applies directly to the consulate, a visa fee of only 35 euros is paid. After submitting your documents to the consulate, you are given a corresponding receipt for the visa fee. Based on this receipt, the applicant must make the payment at the Main Building of Azerbaijan International Bank (Nizami St. 67) and present the receipt confirming the completion of the payment to the consulate on the same day.
If the applicant applies through the visa center, in addition to 35 euros, a service fee of 29 euros is also paid, and this payment is made on the spot when the documents are submitted.
Chances of Obtaining a Hungarian Schengen Visa
As with visa applications for any country, your chances of obtaining a visa in Hungary depend on your personal profile. The stability of your employment and the normalcy of your position, having a monthly income within the standard salary range (in practice, visas have been granted to individuals earning a monthly income in the range of 300–500 AZN), showing that you have a sufficient amount in your bank account to cover all your travel expenses, the existence of factors binding you to the country (for example, having property in your name, having your family and children), and the richness of your travel history are the main factors that increase your chances of obtaining a Hungarian Schengen visa. For those who have not previously obtained a Schengen visa, the Hungarian embassy is known to be one of the consulates with the highest visa issuance rates compared to other embassies. However, in any case, the existence of previous Schengen visas is a significant factor that substantially increases your chances of obtaining a visa from the Hungarian embassy.
Hungarian Visa Support
At Vizam.az, we are ready to provide you with full support during your Hungarian Schengen visa application. If you use our visa support services, our services include scheduling an appointment on your behalf at the visa center, filling out the application form, professionally preparing and submitting your documents, booking flight tickets that cover your travel, booking hotels or selecting them according to your requirements, arranging a travel tour plan that fully covers your trip, providing travel insurance that fully covers your travel, consultation, and monitoring your visa procedure. Note that the fee for travel insurance is calculated in addition to our service fee; usually, for a one-week trip, the insurance fee ranges between 16–18 AZN, and you can also obtain this insurance on your own. In addition, we can assist you with the notarized translation and certification of your documents into English; for each document, the additional fee is 16 AZN. Overall, the cost of our Hungarian Schengen visa support service is 79 AZN per person.
You can click here to place your order. For additional information, please contact 010/50/55-3000135.
Hungary is closer than you think! Have a nice trip!
