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EU Entry Changes: Distinguishing fact from fiction
Rumours are flying in Central Europe with regards to the fast-approaching European Union accession date. What impact will full-fledged EU membership have on me, is a question going through many an expat's mind in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and the other accession states. Official government channels have generally been silent on these issues, a fact that has only further contributed to expat anxieties regarding their status. However, while questions remain as to how customs and immigration procedures in these countries will change, one thing is clear: there’s no need to panic!
True, EU accession is a monumental event both symbolically and in practical terms. The process requires immense adjustments in the governmental, industrial and regulatory sectors. Because of this we can expect customs and immigration procedures to undergo considerable change. Indeed, the ministries responsible for customs and immigration in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland respectively, are starting to outline some of the forthcoming amendments. However, as ERC knows from experience, in this region what’s written on paper is often quite different from what’s happening on the ground.
For example, many people are under the impression that the 2001 Act on the Entry, Stay in Hungary, and Immigration of Foreigners, which stipulates that non-visa required foreign citizens are only allowed to stay in Hungary for a maximum of 90 days within a period of 6 months, has been effective since Jan. 1st, 2002. In fact, the ruling does not come into effect until May 1st, 2004, the date of Hungary's official entry into the EU. Until then, foreign citizens who are not required to hold a visa are allowed to stay for a maximum of 90 days without having to worry about a 6-month limitation period (There are some exceptions, such as British passport holders who are allowed to stay for a maximum of 6 months). This means that for the next 2 months the practice of "border-hopping" will still be a viable option for non-visa required citizens to enter Hungary and stay under a tourist status.
While the ruling is expected to curb "border-hopping" once it comes into effect, there is no clear indication from the authorities as to how the ruling will be implemented. Will the 90 days be counted from the date of Hungary's EU accession (May 1st, 2004)? Or, perhaps it will be implemented retroactively meaning that the 90 days would be counted from the last time a foreign citizen entered the country? These are questions that remain unanswered.
What’s the moral of the story? Be patient. In order to avoid leading our customers on with rumours and hearsay ERC will stick to the hardcore facts. Once legislative changes have been confirmed by our channels in the relevant government agencies they will be posted and explained on our website www.erceurope.com. Alternatively, you can always give us a call at (36 1) 266-0181 or drop us an email at info@erceurope.com.
Whichever way you choose please feel free to check in regularly with us and don’t fall victim to the rumour mill!
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European Commission Announces Pet Passport Program
However, status of EU accession states under Pet Travel Scheme yet to be decided
Not to be forgotten in the wave of new regulations and laws being issued in the run up to EU enlargement is the impact that these changes will have on the furry members of the family.
As part of its Pet Travel Scheme, the European Commission (EC) has announced legislation requiring all cats, dogs and ferrets to have a passport in order to travel within the EU. The regulation comes into effect July 3, 2004 at which point dogs, cats and ferrets meeting the necessary requirements will be able to move between qualifying Member States if they are accompanied by a passport. The final version of this passport was published 27 November and can be viewed on the European Union website.
Passports will be completed by vets and then issued to pet owners. The official documents will be published before the commencement of the Pet Travel Scheme on July 3 and are not yet available to the public. Member States now have to prepare their own version of this document.
However, it’s important to note that the Pet Travel Scheme does not yet apply to the 10 states that are joining the EU on May 1, 2004 (Hungary included). The status of these countries under the new regulation remains to be decided and will be announced in due course.
In the meantime, ERC is advising all pet owners currently residing in Hungary or other accession states to prepare themselves by treating their pets in accordance with the new protocol. The basic requirements are that owners must have their pet(s) micro chipped or tattooed, vaccinated at least 30 days later and then blood tested more than three months prior to movement (for the UK, the post-blood test waiting period is six months).
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Do you have the best health insurance coverage?
By Erika Clements
One of my brothers is in the insurance business and I always yawned when the subject of his work came up. I know he’ll hate me for admitting this – especially in writing – but it is true. Recently, however, I had to put my ignorance of the insurance business aside as it was time for us to begin a search for a new insurance provider for my family and expatriate staff. Naturally I went to my brother first to ask for some advice on how and where to begin my search. While health insurance is not my brother’s specialty he was able to point me in the right direction. The topic seemed to suddenly become a bit more interesting and I’m surprised to admit that today, I feel like a real pro on the subject – my brother will be so proud of me!
Coming up in Expat Success – Having a baby in Hungary
Giving birth and raising a child is a challenge in any environment and raises a number of questions for parents seeking to provide for their new family member in the best way possible. These questions multiply when parents are undergoing this process in a foreign country. In the next edition of Expat Success we examine some of the more pressing issues related to having a baby in Hungary from medical concerns to legal issues. Look for it in April!
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After a long struggle with trying to learn everything there was to learn in a 3 month period (twice the amount of time I anticipated it would take), I’m sharing my experience with you so that you too can find the best provider. Many of you may not care too much about reading any further but I urge you to do so as I will touch on many areas that you probably have never thought much about – especially if you are an expatriate or an employer of expatriates. This is an important issue as there is nothing more important than you and your family’s health, especially when you are not in the comfort of your own home, familiar doctors, familiar health care system, etc.
My search began after learning that the insurance provider we were using had some restrictions that we were not initially aware of. Most likely this happened because we jumped into a plan with an insurer that was recommended to us without first learning more about the type of coverage and benefits (or lack of). What I thought was going to be a one week project turned into an almost 3 month learning process. Some of the reasons for this large amount of research time turned out to be; 1) there were more providers then I had anticipated, 2) every provider had several packages to choose from and 3) I had to learn the insurance jargon in order to find out the truth about what was covered, what wasn’t and in what situations or countries they would simply refuse to assist.
Today, I am happy to say that I have selected a health insurance company who I think meets all of our family’s needs and expectations as well as the needs of our expat staff. In order to reach this decision, I had to define what exactly we were looking for in an insurance company and for which expatriates we needed to cover. As we have about 40 – 50 expatriates, we needed to carefully decide on all of the points below. I’m listing them out for you with an explanation as most likely you may have to go through, or assist in, a similar search.
- Deductible amount
- On top of your annual premium, you may have a deductible of anywhere from EUR 200 – 1000 (or more). This deductible is usually based on the calendar year and is required to be paid out of your pocket prior to your insurance coverage kicking in. So, for example, if you hadn’t yet seen a doctor and suddenly you were involved in a car accident where you needed to be hospitalized you would need to cover the cost of your deductible before your health insurance is activated. Once the deductible is covered it will cover you by either paying the hospital directly or reimbursing you for your bills. If you had a 200 Euro deductible, your insurance provider would only pay everything above and beyond this amount – assuming they are medical procedures that your plan covers.
- Medical evacuation
- It may not seem too important to you in a country such as Hungary which can offer private facilities and fairly advanced medical care, but what happens when you take that dream vacation to climb to Mt. Everest’s base camp? Or, you decide to adventure into Kenya for a true African safari? Do you want to be treated in Nepal for an unfortunate accident or would you rather be offered and have medical evacuation organized and paid for to the nearest location offering Western-standard medical care? This is why it may be worth the added premium (usually about 10% of the total) for medical evacuation coverage.
- Sports related injuries
- Read the fine print. You may not believe it but there are many health insurance providers that do not cover skiing! Bungee jumping and rock climbing maybe a bit more understandable and expected but check that your favorite Sunday afternoon activity of flying the gliders off of Hidegkuti are covered!
- Out-patient coverage
- Most plans cover hospitalizations but have you received coverage for out-patient appointments? These can add up at a considerable cost if your insurance package doesn't provide such coverage.
- Countries of coverage
- Believe it or not, most health insurance companies say they offer ‘worldwide coverage’. But, when I came straight out and asked, “Are there any countries you do not cover?” almost all of them had a list of at least 3 – 5! It’s better to be safe than sorry. Especially if your work (or in my case, my husband’s work) takes you to some of the world’s least-developed countries.
- Pharmaceutical coverage
- It’s not always a very big expense but, again, you may want to pay the extra few dollars into your annual premium to get the coverage. Unless your employer pays into the Hungarian Health Authority (see below).
- Choice of specialists, hospitals, etc.
- It’s always nice to have the freedom not only to choose which country you’d like to receive treatment in but also to be able to go to any doctor, clinic, hospital, etc according to your medical needs.
- Especially look for specific types of treatments. With our new health insurance provider we are even covered to a certain percentage for psychiatrists, chiropractors, speech therapists, dietetic guidance and more! Most providers will not cover any of these types of specialists.
- 24-hour emergency service
- Can you call your insurance provider any time of day and any day of the week? This is important – not only to get a medical consultants advice but also in case that unforeseeable accident does arise while on a beach holiday in Thailand where you know no one and wouldn’t even know how to begin guessing where to receive medical attention.
- Pre-existing condition acceptance
- The older we get the more likely it is that we’ve developed high cholesterol, high blood pressure or had some sort of sports related injury, surgery or other health condition. All of these can be reasons for an insurer not accepting you as a client, or possibly charging you a higher premium.
- Group policies often make health insurance providers a bit more flexible.
- Once you are accepted, make sure that your insurer cannot drop you due to any future illnesses or change your premium.
- Waiting periods
- Most insurance providers do have some sort of waiting period for treatment such as baby delivery – anywhere from 6 months to 1 year. Or, for chronic illnesses. Pay attention to these waiting periods so that you don’t end up with no coverage at a critical (and expensive) time.
- Maximum amount of coverage
- This is often overlooked until you reach that maximum level. A reasonable level is at least EUR 1 million – 1.5 of coverage per year for hospital services and around EUR 35,000 for non-hospitalization (i.e. check ups, x-rays, lab tests, vaccinations, GP consultations, therapists, etc.) benefits.
- Dental and optical coverage
- This is usually an added benefit that is not part of a standard health insurance package. Look for the percentage of coverage for routine and special dental treatment as well as the coverage for glasses and contact lenses. A respectable maximum coverage is between EUR 5,000 – 7,500.
- Direct Billing
- It can be extremely helpful if your insurer accepts bills directly from your health care provider. However, the added administration linked to this service benefit may be reflected in higher premium rates.
Employer Obligations
In addition to all of the above we had to take into account what we, as a company, were legally obligated to offer. My search led me to something that many of you (as expatriates and employers) may not know. While many foreigners working in Hungary do not pay into the country's health plan or receive Hungarian health benefits there are several notable exceptions. Expats who come from "social security states" such as Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and, from May 1, all EU country citizens must be insured in Hungary. In other words, they (or their employers) are obligated to make payments to the Hungarian Health Authority (a.k.a. Egészségbiztosítási Pénztár or Társadalombiztosító „TB”) and should receive a TB card that can be used at state health care clinics, hospitals as well as when buying pharmaceuticals. Persons from the aforementioned countries can opt out of this system if they are able to provide a 101 certificate issued by a foreign social security institution.
On the otherhand, if you are from a country like the USA, Japan, South Africa, etc, you will not have access to this reciprocal agreement. Instead, you’ll have to make sure you have appropriate private health insurance coverage. If you find yourself in this category, take the time to research the insurance options available and read the fine print to ensure that you’re getting what you pay for.
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ERC Bucharest Bound
 At a time when the European Union is preparing to welcome new member states from the Baltics and Eastern Europe, ERC is also moving eastward with the establishment of a new Romania office located in the capital of Bucharest. Romania itself is scheduled to join the EU in the “second wave” of enlargement in 2007. This is contributing to substantial growth in Romania’s manufacturing sector, a fact that is reflected in the recent upsurge in corporate relocations into the country.
The office is offering a broad range of relocation services and the same type of quality customer service that clients have come to expect from ERC. From home and school searches to work permits and vehicle registrations, ERC Romania’s comprehensive relocation packages are tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. In partnership with sister-company Move One International Movers, ERC is also able to offer full housegoods removals, storage and delivery. For further information about ERC Romania please contact Marta Wegier at marta@erceurope.com
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Docs In Hand
A question commonly posed by our clients concerns what type of identification papers they are obliged to carry with them by law in Hungary. While the question is certainly simple enough, like most things regarding expat living in Hungary the answer is not so straightforward.
For the record, according to Hungary’s Ministry of the Interior, Immigration & Citizenship Office, foreigners living in Hungary need to keep the following original documents on them at all times*:
- Passport
- Residence permit
- Visa
- Accommodation registration form
- Temporary residence permit (if no visa has been issued)
However, as was noted above, in Hungary the written law does not always correspond with what police are actually enforcing on the ground (particularly in the run-up to the country’s EU entry).
Indeed, getting stopped without these documents in hand does not automatically translate into trouble with the authorities. Anecdotal evidence from our clients and staff suggests that the local authorities are often lenient when it comes to enforcing this regulation with foreigners. However, don’t count on the Budapest police to turn a blind eye to this regulation every time. Carrying your docs at all times!
Understandably, many people are uneasy about carrying the originals around with them at all times. However, while the regulation states that the original docs are to be presented when requested, carrying photocopies of passports and work visas is considered acceptable.
Tibor Balogh, a former Budapest police officer currently working at ERC’s sister-company Move One International Movers, had this advice to give: “When it comes to simply getting around the city, carrying a photocopy of the first two pages of your passport and the visa is sufficient,” said Tibor. “If, after examining the photocopies, the police officer still wants to see the originals they will simply ask you to report to your district police station to present them. However, this is highly unlikely and the photocopies will often suffice.”
* In the next issue of Expat Success we'll cover the type of documents that expats should keep with them while driving.
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Surveying the Local School Scene
For many parents, choosing a school for their children is one of the biggest decisions they will face during their relocation. A number of factors need to be taken into account, from the type of curriculum offered to the school’s location. Budapest is host to a large number of high-quality international schools, offering a wide variety of curriculums in several different languages.
However, the sheer number of international schools in Budapest can make the selection process a daunting task. While the internet is a useful way of familiarizing yourself with the options,  the final decision often hinges on paying a trip to the facilities of the candidate schools. And it’s never too early to start. Indeed, the size of Budapest’s expat community coupled with demand from Hungarians means that spots on the enrollment lists of international schools are often filled quickly. As such, many schools recommend enrolling early in the calendar year for children that will be beginning classes in September.
A good way to tackle this is to take advantage of the open houses that a number of international schools host at this time of year. Even if you’re unable to attend the open house events, most schools will be more than happy to give you a tour of their facilities by appointment. To assist you with your search, ERC has compiled a list of the contact details of international schools in Budapest along with the dates of some open houses taking place in the near future. Simply click on the PDF link below to view open house information and contact details for international schools located in Budapest. Additionally, information on local kindergartens and nursery schools can be found on the ERC website at http://www.erceurope.com.
Open Houses
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LOCAL LIVING
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Spring Cleaning Days in Budapest
Spring is just around the corner and with it comes the prospect of getting rid of those useless items that have been taking up space in your attic or garage simply because they're too big for the regular trash. Like most cities, Budapest has designated "spring cleaning days" when citizens are permitted to drag their oversized garbage to the curb for pick-up by the city's garbage disposal service.
As they say, one man's junk is another man's treasure and these 'spring cleaning days' are always abuzz with activity as antique hunters and others scavenge for rare finds in the discarded piles of junk. To ensure that you don't miss the chance to clean house (or search for your treasure!), ERC has compiled a list of spring cleaning days that can be accessed by clicking on the link below. Note that spring-cleaning days are designated according to the district that you live in.
Spring Cleaning Days (PDF)
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Arts & Crafts Classes for Children
Arts & crafts classes offer creative fun for children
 Ildi Sinka, an experienced art teacher and the owner of CRAFTY CUBS, currently has class openings for children of all ages.
- 5 week sessions
- Classes run weekly
- Each class is for a 2 hour period
- Take home projects
- Snacks and juice offered for children
- Children under 3 years of age require parental supervision
- Coffee and tea offered to parent
Ildi is also available for children's parties or for painting murals on bedroom / bathroom walls.
For more information, contact Ildi on her mobile: 06-30-473-6616
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Relaxing Retreat Just Next Door
 Treat your body and spirit at Uhu Villa
Two nights' hotel accomodation in a double room, buffet breakfasts, one candle-lit dinner in the restaurant of the hotel, use of indoor swimming pool and sauna.
Treatment include aroma therapy, one body massage, facial massage, manicure, pedicure for two.
Price for this fabulous weekend: from 450 Euro
Rooms are available in limited numbers
Contact UHU Villa at:
Tel: +36 1 275 1002
Fax: +36 1 398 0571
Budapest 1025
Keselyu utca 1/a
E-mail: uhuvilla@uhuvilla.hu
www.uhuvilla.hu
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All proceeds will go to the IWC of Budapest's “Outreach Countryside” program to help the Children’s Health Clinic of Miskolc’s Burn Unit where they are in desperate need of a ‘burn bed’ to treat serious burn wounds.
For information on tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact:
Tasleem Lalji 06-23-414-786 | Maria Lacey 391-0645 | Christine Hegedus 247-0371
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Summer Concert Calendar
Snow is still a threat in the local weather forecasts so thoughts of Budapest’s vibrant summer concert scene should be far from the mind… Yet, with tickets for major spring and summer shows already on sale, many music lovers are starting to pencil in dates for upcoming shows.
One of the best resources for keeping up-to-date with the latest concert announcements can be found at http://www.musicmix.hu/. The site has an English language section and gives a useful overview of all the upcoming rock, jazz, and classical music concerts, as well listings of sporting and theater events. Better yet, tickets can be purchased online and delivered to your door. Registration is required in order to make purchases online.
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2004 IWC Food Festival
As in previous years, the 2004 IWC Food Festival will feature a wide array of food tables offering up delicious dishes from all over the world. This year’s festival will also have all sorts of fun activities on hand for the entire family, including:
- Tombola prizes to be won
- Lucky dip prizes for the children
- Face painting
- and much more...
All festival proceeds will go towards the purchase of an air-fluidized therapy unit, or burn bed, for the BORSOD-ABAUJ-ZEMPLEN COUNTRY HOSPITAL AND TEACHING CENTER IN MISKOLC – CHILDREN’S HEALTH CARE AND SURGICAL DEPARTMENT.
Please contact LETTIE DOBSON (Tel: 376 9262/ 06 303 707 014) or JOANNA VAN STAALDUINE (Tel: 392 0216/06 204 289 800) to reserve your table if you haven’t done so yet!
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Expat Success is published by the
Expat Relocation Center for our expat customers and the international community of Budapest.
Send comments, questions, and ideas for this publication
to editor@erceurope.com
for other assistance, contact the ERC headquarters at:
Millennium Center Building
Pesti Barnabás u. 4, 3rd floor
1052 Budapest, Hungary
Tel.: +36-1-266-0181
Fax: +36-1-266-3280
info@erceurope.com
www.erceurope.com
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The AES family:
Editor: Matt Enticknap
| Design: David McInnes
AES Cargo website
| Move One website
| Expat Relocation Center website
| email
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