1. Eligibility

There are two separate routes

Hungary’s simplified naturalization (egyszerűsített honosítás) has two independent ways in. You only need to qualify for one.

Route A — Hungarian ancestry

You qualify if an ancestor of yours was a Hungarian citizen, or if you can make your Hungarian origin plausible (valószínűsíti). [Act LV of 1993, § 4(3)] If you were once a Hungarian citizen yourself, the same simplified procedure applies as re-naturalization. [§ 5] Neither the Act nor the official information sheet sets a generation limit; what matters is whether you can document the link from that ancestor to you, generation by generation (see the Documents chapter).

The “plausible origin” wording gives the authority room to accept less than a complete citizenship paper trail, but how much less is not spelled out. Treat it as a fallback and pursue the full paper trail first.

The law does not restrict this route to particular countries of residence: it requires Hungarian ancestry or origin, not a connection to any specific territory, which is why diaspora descendants in the US, Canada, South America, and elsewhere can use it too.

Route B — Marriage to a Hungarian citizen

You also qualify, independent of ancestry, if your spouse is a Hungarian citizen when you apply and you: [Act LV of 1993, § 4(3a)]

• have been validly married for at least 10 years, or
• have been validly married for at least 5 years and a child has been born to you both.

Your Hungarian spouse also has to confirm, in front of the authority, that the marriage is valid and ongoing. Registered partners are treated like spouses. [official information sheet, section 2]

Requirements that apply either way

• No criminal record under Hungarian law, and no criminal case pending against you before a Hungarian court. [§ 4(1)(b)]
• Your naturalization must not harm Hungary’s public security or national security. [§ 4(1)(d)]
• You do not need to live in, or have ever visited, Hungary: unlike ordinary naturalization, these routes carry no residence requirement. You do have to file in person (see The application). [§ 4(1)(a) vs. § 4(3)–(3a)]
• You must show you speak Hungarian; the official who receives your application checks it in conversation. Covered in The language requirement. [§ 4(3)–(3a)]
• You do not have to give up your current citizenship, but some countries take away their own citizenship from people who acquire another, so check your country’s rules. [official information sheet, section 1]