Hungary’s COVID passport eases restrictions

Author: Louise Pieterse

Last update: September 27th, 2021.

The Hungarian COVID Protection Card is now compatible with the EU Digital COVID Certificate to help Hungarian citizens regain free movement through the EU.

Following the announcement, football fans flooded the stands to experience the Euro2020 football tournament first-hand.

The Hungarian vaccine card is still being used for citizens locally, to gain entrance to large outdoor events despite most restrictions being eased. It can also be used in various bilateral agreements with countries like Albania, Turkey, and Morocco.

After piloting one of the most successful vaccination schemes in Europe, Hungary was dragging its feet implementing the EUDCC but has now caught up with the rest of the bloc.

Vaccine uptake has been slowing down and Hungary is fast becoming one of the least vaccinated countries in Europe, a relative number as most African nations are still below the 10% mark.

EU Digital COVID Certificate or Hungarian vaccine card?

The Hungarian vaccination certificate is available in the form of a plastic card with a barcode.

The card was used to grant access to a long host of public attractions in Hungary but is now only used for outdoor events with more than 500 people.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC) is available online and saved on a mobile device for easy access. It can be printed out in paper form, too. It indicates the holder’s vaccination or recovery status, as well as test results.

To obtain the EUDCC from Hungary, visit the Electronic Healthcare Services Platform app (EESZT application) and log on with a social security number.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate in Hungary is available as soon as the first dose has been administered. It is updated as soon as an individual receives a second dose. The Hungarian vaccination card is issued after full vaccination.

As per EUDCC regulation, the Hungarian COVID pass will be issued in both English and Hungarian. It indicates which vaccine a person has received, their full name, and date of birth.

EU Digital COVID Certificate in Hungary: accepted vaccines

The European Union has fully launched the EU Digital COVID Certificate, but there is still widespread confusion amongst those who have received the Chinese or Russian Vaccines.

Hungary is currently the only country administering Chinese and Russian vaccines in the European Union. A large percentage of Hungary’s citizens are receiving these vaccines, which could exclude them from travel to certain member states.

The EMA-approved vaccines are accepted for EU COVID certificates around the EU. Vaccines on the WHO’s emergency list, like Coronavac and Covishield, are only accepted by certain countries. Travelers should check their destination country’s government website.

Bilateral agreements for travel are making it easier for Hungarians to travel outside of the EU too. These travel bubbles allow Hungarians to travel to the following countries:

Although some of these countries are a part of the EUDCC scheme, others may have different testing, vaccine or quarantine requirements for incoming travelers. Always stay updated on the latest restrictions and epidemiological situation in your destination country.

Can I travel to Hungary with my own COVID certificate?

Hungary has been one of the easiest countries to get into over the summer, and there are still various criteria that would allow you to enter the country for tourism purposes.

This includes people who have recovered from the virus and people entering through land borders from Serbia.

Travelers arriving from the following countries are allowed to enter the country with only a PCR test:

Hungary accepts travelers with EU Digital COVID Certificates and they will not be subjected to testing on arrival or quarantine. They will also accept vaccination certificates from the following countries:

Hungary is also vaccinating foreigners: you do not need to have a local identification number to get vaccinated.

Hungary has also made provisions for people who have received their first shot in another country. They will provide a second shot in Hungary if it is a recognized vaccine, they will not be mixing vaccines at this stage due to safety concerns.

Is it safe to travel to Hungary now?

Hungary has been able to keep its COVID infection rate low for the last few months despite lower vaccine uptake than other countries in Europe.

They have also lifted most COVID restrictions including mask mandates and social distancing measures. The government is also not planning new lockdown restrictions but has advised that they will re-introduce them if the epidemiological situation gets worse.

Hungary is one of the least strict countries in Europe with their measures, with only Estonia being more lenient with their measures.

When comparing the stringency index with the number of new cases, Hungary still scores the second lowest behind Poland. This indicator bodes well for how Hungary is handling the pandemic.

The prime minister, Viktor Orbán, said on national radio that vaccination is their only solution. “Isolation, quarantine, masks, and so on, do not solve our problem,” he said. He also added that they will not mandate vaccinations as “the stomach of the Hungarians could not take it.”

Current COVID-19 health situation in Hungary

Hungary has suffered the highest COVID-19 mortality rate in Europe. In April 2021, Hungary’s third wave of COVID started to sharply decline. By September 24th, just over 30,000 people had died from COVID-19.

The peak infection rate came in March with over 11,000 new cases per day, but by mid-July numbers have dropped to less than 1% of the peak.

Since the third wave ended in May, numbers have remained steady and by the end of September, they were recording around 500 new cases per day.

Over 11,500,000 vaccine doses have been administered and over 57% of the population is fully vaccinated.