Hungary - Passport & Nationality - Hungarian Citizenship - Hungarian Ancestry
The current Hungarian nationality law came into force in 1993. Changes made in January 2011 meant that any person who was a descendant of a Hungarian citizen may apply to become a Hungarian citizen, even if they do not live in Hungary.
The key requirements are:
- you have Hungarian parents or grandparents; OR
- you can trace your heritage to Hungary through an ancestor.
You are only required to provide proof of your ancestry and pass a basic language test. The process is called "Simplified Naturalization", as opposed to the regular process where you have to be a resident of Hungary for 8 years before you can apply for citizenship. The relevant parent(s) or grandparent(s) do not need to still be alive.
Hungary is a member of the European Union. As a result, an Hungarian passport holder can live and work in any of the EU member states (including Ireland). Subject to what is written above, Dual Nationality (the right to hold a nother nationality) is allowed.