Number of US visa applications from Hungary remains very low

In the last ten years, the number of applications for US visas from Hungary has not incurred any important changes. On the contrary, the total number of applications has never fallen below 5,000 and never risen above 7,000. As a result, the total number of Hungarians applying for a US visa in the last ten years is below 60 thousand. 

Despite that Hungary is one of the lucky countries under the US Visa Waiver Program, which means its citizens do not need a visa for business or tourism visits to the US, the highest number of applications from Hungary over the years, is for tourism and business visas.

According to VisaGuide.World, in 2018 alone, 1,180 applications out of 6,444 filed at the US Embassy in Hungary were for a combined purpose of business and tourism.

There were only nine applications for a Business Visa and only one for a Tourist Visa. These applicants are either, nationals of other countries not eligible for a US Visa Waiver residing in Hungary, or Hungarians who have been rejected from entering the country visa-free.

The number of persons applying for a J-1 visa from Hungary, which is for cultural and educational exchanges, is the second highest.  34.4% of the total number of applications filed at the Embassy in Budapest in 2018, were for a J-1 visa.

While the number of Hungarians studying abroad is continuously increasing, statistics show that the US is not among their top choices. In the last ten years, there were 3685 applications from Hungary for an F-1 Visa, which is for studying in the United States. There were 345 F-1 visa applications filed in 2018 by Hungarian nationals. They instead prefer Western Europe countries like Germany and Austria.

The number of visa applications from some neighboring countries of Hungary, like Romania, was several times higher. In 2018, Romanian nationals and residents filed 54,216 US visa applications. 38,248 of them were for a visa for tourism and business purposes. Unlike Hungary, Romania is not under the Visa Waiver Program, despite being part of the European Union.

On the other hand, the number or Romanians applying for a US study visa in 2018 was 340, five less than Hungary.

The highest number of students from European countries applying for a student visa to the US last year, was from Germany (6,239), France (5,491), Russia (4,350) and the UK (4,325).

The number of US visa applications from Hungary’s northern neighbor Slovakia, on the other hand, was much lower. Only 4,822 US visa applications were filed in 2018 at the embassy in Bratislava, about 13% of them for a business and tourism visa. 58% of the total number of applications from Slovakia were for a J-1 visa for cultural and educational exchanges. Slovakia is also under the US Visa Waiver Program.

Source: by Ella Worehead