Registration
Registration
The number of out-of-country voters registered in the electoral register is information of public interest, which is continuously published by the National Election Office on its website.
The personal data of out-of-country voters may not be disclosed; only members of the National Election Commission (both elected and delegated members) may view such data, but they may not make copies or take notes.
Who can register?
You can request to be added to the register if you are
- a Hungarian citizen and have
- a personal identification number (found on the back of your residence card) or
- a valid passport issued by a Hungarian authority, or
- an identity card, or
- a driving license.
- you have reached
- at least 17 years of age, or
- at least 16 years of age and are married, and your marriage has been registered in Hungary
- you have not been disqualified from voting by a Hungarian court
- according to the Hungarian civil registry
- you reside abroad,
- you have neither a domicile nor a temporary place of residence in Hungary
- you are not listed in the address register
Whether Hungarian citizens are registered in the electoral register automatically or through application for enrolment to the register depends on their domicile or temporary place of residence according to the Hungarian civil registry. The table below provides guidance on this issue:
For example, if a foreign address is registered as the voter's domicile in the register (listed on the address card), he/she must register to exercise his/her right to vote, even if he/she has a temporary place of residence in Hungary (line 3) and even if he/she does not (line 4).
A voter can also apply for registration if, according to the register, the voter has neither a domicile nor a temporary place of residence in Hungary (line 6), or is not listed in the Hungarian civil registry (line 7).
No registration is required if you are a resident of Hungary (lines 1 and 2) or if you have no registered address in Hungary or abroad, but your address card shows that you have a valid temporary place of residence in Hungary (line 5). In these cases, you will automatically be enrolled to the electoral register, so you do not need to do anything.
If you are a registered voter and continue to meet the eligibility requirements for inclusion in the central electoral register, you will not need to reapply for inclusion in the central electoral register for 10 years from the date of your inclusion in the register. The 10-year period starts again if you change or extend your registration, or if you vote by mail.
When can I register?
Applications for inclusion in the electoral register may be submitted at any time.
However, in order to exercise your right to vote in a given election, the application must be received by the National Election Office at least 25 days before the date of the election. If your application is received later than this, you will only be able to exercise your right to vote in the next election or national referendum.
How can I register?
Applications for inclusion in the electoral register can be submitted here:
Submit your application online
The form downloaded from the website and printed out can be submitted by post to the National Election Office at the following address:1397 Budapest, P.O: 547
Downloadable form for submission in person, by post or by authorized representative
What information do I need to provide when registering?
Downloadable form for submission in person, by post or by authorized representative
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING the application for inclusion in the register
The application may be submitted
a) online, with or without electronic identification, at www.valasztas.hu,
b) in person at any foreign representation or local election office,
c) by proxy at any foreign representation or local election office,
d) by letter sent by post to the National Election Office or any foreign representation.
This form is for submitting the application by proxy or by mail.
The application must be signed by the voter, the proxy is only authorized to deliver the application.
1. Voter details
Fill in sections (a)-(e) with the details that appear on your ID card issued by the Hungarian authorities.
2. Declaration
Please select only one of the options listed!
3. Receipt of voting package
If you select option (f), you must specify where you wish to receive the voting package. It is important that you select either option (j) or option (k)! If you select option (g), you can specify a new delivery address here.
In point (k), please provide your postal address in a language and format that will facilitate the successful delivery of the voting package!
For point (j), you can choose one of the foreign representations listed below and one of the Hungarian municipalities listed in the table.
4. Notification address
If you have the Digital Citizenship Program mobile application or Client Gate+, the National Election Office will send the decision on your request to your account. In this section, you can request that we also send you the decision by email or post. Please select no more than one of the options in sections (l) and (m).
If you do not have a storage place of Client Gate+ system or Digital Citizenship Program mobile application, you must provide your notification address in this section if you select option (f). Please select no more than one of the options in sections (l) and (m).
In point (m), please provide the postal address in a language and format that will facilitate the successful delivery! When specifying the delivery method, please also consider the protection of our environment!
5. Domicile abroad
Here you can enter your foreign domicile (optional). In the case of the European Parliamentary elections, you can only vote by mail if you reside outside the European Union.
6. Signature
The voter's signature is a condition for the validity of the application.
7. Authorization
If the application is submitted to the foreign representation or local election office by a proxy, this section must also be completed.
In point (o), enter the number of the proxy's ID card that will be used to verify their identity at the election office.
In section (p), the voter must sign the authorization separately and indicate the place and date of the signature.
The authorization is valid if two witnesses sign it and provide their data.
Foreign representations:
Croatia: Osijek
Romania: Bucharest, Miercurea Ciuc, Cluj-Napoca
Serbia: Belgrade, Subotica
Slovakia: Košice, Bratislava
Slovenia: Lendava
Ukraine: Berehove, Kyiv, Uzhhorod
Municipalities in Hungary: (If you wish to collect your ballot paper in Budapest, please be sure to indicate the district!)
Evaluation of the registration
The National Election Office
- checks whether the application has been completed in full,
- checks whether the personal data provided in the application match exactly (letter for letter) the data recorded by the Hungarian authorities
- checks whether the applicant is at least 17 years of age and has not been disqualified from voting by a Hungarian court.
The National Election Office shall decide on the application immediately, but no later than 24 hours after its submission or the initiation of the procedure.
In cases where the application cannot be fully assessed within the framework of automatic decision-making procedure, the Office shall make a decision within three working days of the submission of the application or the initiation of the procedure.
If you haveDigital Citizenship Program mobile application or Client Gate+ account, the National Election Office will forward the decision on your request to that account. In section 4 of the request form, you can request the decision to be sent to you by email or post in addition to sending it to your account.