Author
| Name in English | Number of staff | Ministry responsible | Is there any political interference possible by the responsible Minister with the decision making in individual cases by the determining authority? |
| National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (NDGAP) | 70 (15 in asylum department) | Ministry of Interior | No |
Source: NDGAP, 9 March 2026.
The Asylum and Immigration Office ceased to exist on 1 July 2019 as the NDGAP was established taking over the responsibility for asylum and aliens policing matters.[1] The Directorate continues to be under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and having its own budget, but now operating as a law enforcement body under the Police Act.[2] The head of Directorate is the General Director who is appointed by the Minister.[3] In 2024, there were 16 case officers handling asylum cases.[4] In 2025 there were 15 case officers handling asylum cases.[5]
The NDGAP is in charge of the asylum procedure through its Directorate of Refugee Affairs (asylum authority). The NDGAP is also in charge of operating the transit zones (out of operation since 21 May 2020),[6] open reception centres and closed asylum detention facilities for asylum seekers.
According to the Justice and Law Enforcement Minister Decree no. 52/2007 (XII. 11.) on the institutional structure of asylum,[7] the authority provides regular training to its staff. Furthermore, the authority also makes sure that the personnel responsible for asylum cases obtains special knowledge on vulnerable asylum seekers, persons granted refugee status, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and beneficiaries of temporary protection.[8] According to the NDGAP, in 2020, 2021, 2022 2023, 2024 and 2025 there were two modules of the EASO (now EUAA) Training Curriculum available in Hungarian at the authority, titled as ‘Personal interview of vulnerable persons’ and ‘Personal interview of children’.[9] Neither is mandatory. Furthermore, according to the NDGAP, currently there is no EUAA training module that should be completed by all asylum case officers and social workers. The Documentation Centre is responsible for organising trainings to the personnel of the authority regarding countries of origin and third countries.
In 2023, 2 staff members of the Asylum Unit attended the EUAA training courses “Junior Information Provision/Junior Flow Expert” from 12 to 16 June, and “Junior Asylum Registration Expert” from 27 to 31 March. In addition, 2 other members of the Asylum Unit participated in the CEPOL training courses “Behaviour analysis in the context of migrant smuggling” from 24 to 28 April and “Police Cooperation in Addressing a High Influx of Displaced Populations and Migrants” from 23 to 27 October.[10] In 2024, the asylum sector participated in the international activities of the EUAA and the individual working groups. In this context, the staff members participated in several international conferences, broadening their professional horizons and gaining experience. The entire staff of the NDGAP and additional designated staff of the regional directorates participated in the “Asylum Professional Day” training event organized by the NDGAP on two occasions during the year for a duration of 1 day each. No person from the NDGAP staff participated in the official training based on the EUAA training material.[11] In 2025 the NDGAP held two one-day professional seminars on asylum issues, with the participation of its entire staff. The asylum department participated in the international activities of the EUAA and its various working groups. As part of this, staff members attended several international conferences. Three senior managers and four experts regularly participated in EUAA working group meetings, as well as various expert meetings and training sessions. 47 staff members of the NDGAP participated in a one-day training session titled “Intercultural Communication and the Assessment of Religion-Based Asylum Claims”, organized twice by UNHCR. 16 employees of the NDGAP participated on two occasions at the 2-day training organised by the National Education Centre of the Police, under the Internal Security Fund, entitled “Operational models of human trafficking criminal networks and their migratory routes in Europe“.[12]
The Order of the NDGAP no. 1/2019. (X. 17.) on the Structure and Operation of the National Directorate of Alien Policing does not specify a unit that deals specifically with the cases of vulnerable asylum seekers. However, according to the NDGAP, in 2025, 2 case officers were specialised in the identification of asylum seekers in need of special treatment, and 2 case officers were specialised in the assessment of applications of UaSC.[13]
According to the NDGAP, when making decisions, preliminary reviews are conducted for specific types of cases as defined within the scope of the specialist supervisor’s responsibilities. In addition, decisions are sometimes evaluated ex post in the context of quality assurance projects. The results of the audits are not public.[14]
[1] Sections 1, 2 and 4 of the Government Decree no. 126/2019 (V.30.) on the appointment of the aliens policing body and its powers.
[2] Act XXXIV of 1994 on the Police.
[3] Section 5 points g) and gd) of the Police Act.
[4] This information was provided by the NDGAP, 20 February 2025.
[5] This information was provided by the NDGAP, 9 March 2026.
[6] The transit zones do not host asylum seekers anymore, but they are still officially not closed, the NDGAP staff works there.
[7] Section 1(3) of the Decree 52/2007.
[8] Section 1(4) of the Decree 52/2007.
[9] Information provided by NDGAP on 2 March 2021, 7 February 2022, 19 February 2024 and 20 February 2025.
[10] Information provided by NDGAP on 19 February 2024.
[11] Information provided by NDGAP on 20 February 2025.
[12] Information provided by NDGAP on 9 March 2026.
[13] Information provided by NDGAP on 9 March 2026.
[14] Information provided by NDGAP on 9 March 2026.