The Hungarian government is launching its digital citizenship programme starting from 1 September 2024. Despite what the name suggests, this is not a scheme to let foreign citizens acquire Hungarian citizenship through a digital process. Rather, the main goal of the initiative is to conduct more of the citizens’ miscellaneous administrative errands digitally; and not to have to rely on physical copies of one’s paperwork.
For example, each Hungarian citizen’s social security (TAJ) number, the number assigned to them in the public health care system, will be available in a mobile app, and so will be their personal ID number, and the registration of their vehicles.
MP and State Secretary for the ruling Fidesz party Csaba Dömötör talked about the programme on his Facebook page last month. In it, he called the mobile application ‘the soul of the programme’, and pointed out that over 70,000 people had downloaded and registered on it as of 16 August, even before the initiative officially started.
‘The first services provided via the app will be gradually made available from September. For example, many people will be able to take advantage of the easier login process to government websites, such as Magyarorszag.hu, the digital public health care platform, or the digital personal income tax platform. Instead of complicated usernames and passwords, all that will be needed is to pull out your phone, and read the QR code displayed on the website with the Digital Citizenship app.
This will make it easy, comfortable, and secure, since the app can also be protected with facial recognition or fingerprint recognition features…The app will have other advantages as well.
For example,
we will be able to identify ourselves to the police with the mobile app, we won’t have to keep our ID cards on us at all times.
It will also be possible to access, download, authenticate, and send our vehicle registration information online,’ State Secretary Dömötör highlighted.
He went on to point out that users will be able to make in-person appointments at government windows through the app; or request a so-called certificate of good conduct (proving that one has no criminal record), which some employers require in the hiring process in Hungary.
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