All Hungarian citizens whose marriage was dissolved by a foreign court has to have the divorce registered in Hungary.

If you're divorced and you want to revert to your birth/maiden name, a separate application must be submitted. It is possible to request for a name change on the same day when you apply for the registration of the divorce, however, please book accordingly. In this case an extra appointment is needed for the change of name and for the passport application as well. Please note that you do not need a British deed poll for this procedure.

Who can apply for the procedure

The condition for submitting the application is that one of the parties (spouse) can prove his/her Hungarian citizenship both at the time of the divorce and the submission of the application. (If it cannot be proven, a Hungarian citizenship verification process is required of the applicant(s) first.)

How to apply

The application may only be submitted in person. Appointments are required and can be scheduled online. 

If you wish to change your name as well (e.g. you want to use your maiden name again), please book accordingly, since in this case an extra appointment is needed for the change of name and for the passport application as well.

Documents to be submitted        

  • The original Hungarian-issued marriage certificate.      
    More information on how to obtain a Hungarian birth/marriage certificate can be found here.
    If the marriage was solemnised and terminated abroad and the marriage had not been registered in Hungary yet, the two applications (registration of marriage and divorce) should be submitted together. In this case, please book your appointment accordingly and make sure to check the list of necessary documents and general information here.       
  • The applicant must present their identity documents (ID card or passport) and prove their nationality.
  • Final court order (decree absolute) on the divorce with a Hungarian translation. The translation can be prepared by a UK-based Hungarian translator or even the applicants themselves. In this case, there is an extra authentication fee in addition. If you were divorced in a country other than the UK, please inquire in an e-mail sent to konz.edi@mfa.gov.hu to see if you will need to obtain an Apostille or diplomatic legalization or have the divorce decree translated to Hungarian by an official translator.
  • If the marriage was dissolved within the EU (including the UK) between 1 May 2004 and 31 December 2020, please also submit the certificate issued by the court in accordance with Brussels II regulation. You should either ask for
    • a D180 form: Certificate referred to in Article 39 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning judgments in matrimonial matters (available here)
    • a F42 form in Scotland: Form of Certificate under Article 39 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2201/2003 of November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility for children of both spouses

There is no need to complete an application form in advance, as all necessary forms will be provided during your appointment.

Translation of the documents

Please note that court decrees are to be submitted with Hungarian translation. The translation can be prepared by a UK-based Hungarian translator or even the applicants themselves. In this case, there is an extra consular authentication fee in addition. The translation could also be prepared by Hungarian Office for Translation and Attestation Ltd (OFFI) – in this case, it does not need to be further legalized.

If you were divorced in a country other than the UK, please inquire in an e-mail sent to konz.edi@mfa.gov.hu to see if you will need to obtain an Apostille or diplomatic legalization or have the divorce decree translated to Hungarian by an official translator.

Consular fee

The registration of divorce itself is free of charge. However, there is a consular fee to be paid for the authentication of any copies and translations. Please also note that if you wish to change your name as well, there is also a consular fee to be paid. Please note that we are a cashless office, card payment only!

Should you have any questions or if you can’t provide any of the listed documents, please contact us via konz.edi@mfa.gov.hu.