Get ready for Brexit campaign launches in Hungary

Press release – The UK Government has on Monday (16 September) launched a major information campaign urging UK nationals living in Hungary to get ready for Brexit on 31 October. It is part of a wider communications campaign effort across Europe.

UK nationals in Hungary will receive information about specific actions they need to take to keep their rights and access to services in Hungary, including around residency, healthcare, driving licences and passports.

The campaign will use multiple channels – including Facebook posts urging people to take action ahead of 31 October.

The British Embassy has already been doing a lot over recent months to inform UK nationals, including town hall information meetings with the Ambassador, Consular experts and Hungarian government officials. Our next town hall meeting will take place in Budapest on 24 September and you can register here.

Iain Lindsay, British Ambassador to Hungary, said:

Protecting the rights of UK nationals is an absolute priority as we leave the European Union. I’d urge UK nationals to visit our Living in Guide for Hungary where they can find out about the steps they need to take and get specific information about residency, healthcare, passports and driving in Hungary.

There are more than one million UK nationals living in the EU, with around 5000 living in Hungary.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

We are stepping up efforts to ensure Britons abroad are prepared for Brexit on 31 October. This campaign provides practical advice to the more than one million British people living in the EU, as well as British tourists and business travellers.

The UK Government recently announced up to £3 million in grant funding for charities and other voluntary organisations who can inform UK nationals about the need to register or apply for residency and to support them as they complete their applications.

The Government also allocated an extra £300,000 to British Embassies and Consulates across the EU to engage with ‘hard to reach’ UK nationals such as disabled people, those living in remote areas or people who might need extra help to complete any paperwork in preparation for Brexit.

• After Brexit: 40 thousand Hungarians would like to remain in the UK

This extra assistance will build on the support that British Embassies are already providing with more than 541 outreach events with UK nationals since November 2017.

The new information campaign asks UK nationals to take action to prepare for Brexit by checking the Living in Hungary Guide at gov.uk/livinginhungary and:

• apply for residency
• register for healthcare
• check their passport is valid for travel