Author
In 2022, 2023, as well as in 2024 and 2025, asylum seekers were never left without accommodation due to a shortage of places in reception centres.
Overall conditions
There is no regulation on the minimum surface area, the minimum common areas or on the minimum sanitary fittings regarding reception centres.[1] In Vámosszabadi and Balassagyarmat, residents get 3 meals per day. Minor children, pregnant women and nursing mothers receive five meals a day.[2] In Fót, UaSC receive 5 meals per day.[3] The Decree 52/2007 stipulates the amount of nutritional value that must be provided at the open reception facilities and states that religious diets are to be respected in all facilities.[4] There were no related complaints reported regarding Fót in the last years, including 2025.
In all centres, regular cleaning is arranged, and the number of toilets and showers are sufficient in all facilities during regular occupancy. Menedék Association still sees it as a significant problem that the toilets and showers cannot be locked – the institution claims that this is to prevent suicidal tendencies and self-harm.[5]
Residents share rooms. Families are accommodated in family rooms. Every facility has computers, community rooms and sport fields. Children placed in Fót are not allowed to lock their room doors, however, the doors of the individual housing units, where those under 18 live mixed in terms of age and gender, are constantly closed.
There have been no problems reported regarding religious practices in Fót. Pork-free food is served, but not halal.
As none of the organisations visited Vámosszabadi or Balassagyarmat in 2024, the information on complains there are not available. There were no complaints reported from Balassagyarmat in 2025.
Activities in the centres
Since 2018 community activities have been mainly provided by NGOs in reception facilities. However, the number of organisations in the field has also decreased due to funding limitations. There is a community room with toys In Vámosszabadi and the internet room is accessible in both reception facilities. In spring 2021, an initiative aiming at providing Hungarian classes was proposed, but due to lack of interest by the residents it did not materialise. In 2023, 2024 and 2025, no activities were provided in neither of the two centres and no NGOs or church organisations visited the centres.
In Fót, there are a developmental teacher, psychologist and educators. They also organize leisure programs. In the summer of 2025, they took the minors to many outdoor programs, such as free beaches on the Danube, trips to the Danube Bend, and a vacation at Lake Balaton. According to Menedék Association, it raises serious concerns that only one educator accompanied the minors to a trip that often lasted for days.[6]
In 2022, as well as in 2023, 2024 Menedék Association was not present in Vámosszabadi neither in Balassagyarmat shelters. The organisation has been present in Fót twice a week. The focus of the sessions continued to be on creating a sense of safe space, as well as on information transfer, orientation and school integration. In 2025, Menedék Association visited Fót twice a week (until November) and Balassagyarmat on some occasions. Menedék no longer visits Fót.
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has been also present in Fót since autumn 2019. In 2020 and 2021 the organisation offered programs for the children on a weekly basis. In 2022, the organisation offered weekly Hungarian language as a foreign language classes and informal supportive conversations for unaccompanied minors. JRS continued with their activities in 2023, 2024 and 2025 as well.
In 2023, the Cordelia Foundation did not provide psychosocial services in Vámosszabadi, Balassagyarmat and Fót. In 2024, the Cordelia Foundation was present in Fót. In 2025, Cordelia Foundation visited Fót every 2-3 weeks.
[1] EASO, Description of the Hungarian asylum system, May 2015, available here, 10.
[2] Information received on 25 June 2024 in the context of the authorities’ comments on this report.
[3] Information received from Menedék Association on 26 February 2025.
[4] Section 3(1a) of Decree 52/2007.
[5] Information received from the Menedék Association on 1 February 2026.
[6] Information received from the Menedék Association on 1 February 2026.