Translation of Work Documents for Hungary

What the Official Translation Monopoly Means for a Work File

Hungary’s arrangements for official translation are unusual by European standards: the power to issue a hiteles fordítás, that is a certified translation, is gathered for the most part in one body, OFFI. Translations made by private agencies are accepted for some purposes, yet in official applications an institution may insist on a certified translation. For a candidate putting a work file together the implication is plain: a translation obtained in Türkiye or in some other country cannot be used as it stands if the Hungarian authority is asking for a certified translation. The first step with a Hungarian file is therefore to establish in writing which kind of translation the institution concerned accepts; that single question often heads off a translation bill that need never have been incurred.

Residence and Work Procedures before the OIF

Residence and work procedures for foreign nationals in Hungary are conducted by the OIF. The genuineness of the employment relationship, the accommodation arrangements and the means of subsistence are weighed together in the file, and the employer too has obligations to notify. The candidate submits the documents evidencing their qualifications, and their identity papers, through this channel. Most of the documents have to be current, and the authority looks for consistency between them. The general scope of these documents is set out on our document types page.

Diploma Recognition and Regulated Professions

Where a foreign diploma sits within the Hungarian system is assessed by Oktatási Hivatal. That assessment establishes the level and the field of the education; in regulated professions the right to practise the profession is granted separately by the competent authority, which asks for the syllabus and for evidence of practice. The mistake candidates make most often is to treat the recognition decision as a substitute for professional authorisation. Whether the translations to be submitted with the recognition file are themselves subject to the certified translation requirement should also be asked in advance.

Document, Channel and Type of Translation

Document	Which channel	Type of translation expected
Diploma	Oktatási Hivatal	A certified translation may be required
Syllabus	The authorising body	A certified translation may be required
Employment contract	OIF	Varies with the institution
Employment record	OIF, the employer	Varies with the institution
Criminal record certificate	OIF	Apostille and translation

The Ground for Refusal Met with Most Often

The commonest negative outcome in Hungarian files is that the translation submitted does not carry the form of approval the institution expected; the file then comes back without its substance being examined at all. Next in order come gaps in the accommodation and subsistence documents. Third, because Hungarian inflects names, identity details can appear differently from one document to another, which makes matching a person harder; the spelling of the name has to be given in the same form on every document.

Ways of Keeping the Cost of Translation in Check

In a system that carries a certified translation requirement the expense can mount quickly, which is why telling apart the documents that genuinely need a certified translation is itself a saving in Hungarian files. For some procedures the institution is content with a translation for information only, while for documents that will form the basis of an official decision it looks for a certified translation. When a candidate asks this question document by document, more often than not half the file turns out to be covered by a standard translation. When it is not asked, everything is certified for safety’s sake and the cost doubles for no reason.

The second area of saving is the size of the document. With course contents or academic transcripts running to many pages, there are cases where the institution wants only a particular section; settling the scope in advance brings down the number of pages to be translated. Third, where it is known that the same document will go to more than one institution, the extra copies should be asked for with the first order; obtaining a copy afterwards attracts a fresh handling fee. Finally, ask at the outset whether a translation made in Türkiye will be accepted in Hungary; if it will not be, no money should be spent on that translation at all.

Time is a resource as much as money is, and in a certified translation system the two are bound together. Because requests for certified translation join a queue, sending the documents in instalments means waiting afresh each time. Handing the whole set over at once both lowers the unit cost and brings the delivery date forward. A second saving of time comes from working out which documents need no translation at all: no further translation may be asked for international examination certificates issued in English, or for official documents already printed in two languages. Third, where the same document will go to different institutions, the extra copies should be asked for with the first order. Applied together, these three simple decisions visibly shrink both the time and the budget given over to translation in Hungarian files.

The decisive question in a Hungarian file is a simple one, yet it is often skipped: which kind of translation does this institution accept? Translations begun before an answer has been had are the file’s most frequently repeated item of expense. Putting the question in writing and keeping the answer also forestalls the arguments that arise at later stages. This page is intended as general information; because the practice on certified translation and the conditions for a permit can change, confirm the current requirements from the official announcements of the OIF and Oktatási Hivatal. You can obtain a quotation for your documents, see the rates on our pricing page and look at other countries in our country directory.