Obtaining residence in Romania is possible for long-term and short-term purposes, with differences between EU/EEA foreign nationals and non-EU/EEA citizens.
If you want to move to Romania in 2024 from a country that is an EU Member State, you will not need a visa, however, for relocation purposes you will spend more than 3 months in the country and thus you will need to register as a resident with the authorities.
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Quick Facts |
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Short stay visa |
The short-stay visa is for individuals who plan to stay in Romania for a short period of time, not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period. |
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Available types of short-term visas
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- tourism,
- business,
- sport activities,
- transportation,
- short-term medical treatment,
- cultural activities.
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Short-term visa exemptions
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Citizens of certain states may enter Romania without a visa if they meet specific criteria;
Our immigration lawyers can provide those exceptions.
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Invitation requirement (YES/NO) |
YES, depending on the country of origin |
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Long-term visa for employment |
Valid for 90 days with one or multiple entries.
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Documents required for immigration |
- application form,
- ID documents,
- criminal record,
- proof of income,
- visa,
- proof of fee payment, etc.
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Conditions for long-term residence in Romania |
Continuous residence for the last 5 years (less than 6 consecutive months and not exceeding a total of 10 months).
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Validity for long-term residence permit |
5 years, with a 10-year exception for family members of Romanian citizens.
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Obtaining residence permit |
Submit documents at least 30 days before the expiration of the residence right granted by the visa.
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Visa revoked or annulled (YES/NO) |
YES |
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Ineligible categories for residence visa |
- foreigners with temporary study visa,
- individuals seeking asylum,
- individuals receiving humanitarian protection,
- diplomatic workers.
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How to obtain Romanian citizenship |
- by birth,
- by adoption,
- by request.
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Residency requirements for citizenship |
at least 8 years
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Advantages of moving to Romania |
- EU member,
- visa-free travel,
- affordable cost of living,
- cultural experience,
- public education system, etc.
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Assistance |
If you wish to relocate to Romania, we can help you with the procedures. |
What can I do to obtain my residence visa for Romania?
The residence visa for citizens of EU Member States and for other foreign nationals is granted according to the general compliance requirements and following the submission of a set of documents and their evaluation by the Romanian authorities.
In order to immigrate to Romania, a foreign national will need to remain in the country lawfully (meaning that he or she will have a valid residence permit at all times) for a minimum period of time, as prescribe by the immigration laws.
In order to obtain residence in Romania in 2024, the foreign national will either have to:
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- register as a resident with the General Inspectorate for Immigration if he/she and the family members are EU/EEA nationals;
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- apply for a long-term residence permit according to the purpose of stay (employment, business, etc.) if the applicant is a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country.
Short-term residence in Romania is the common way to start the immigration process for non-EU/EEA foreign nationals.
In order to apply for such a permit, the individual will need to submit supporting documentation. Below, our immigration lawyer in Romania lists the documents needed for a business short-term residence visa:
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- filled-in application form;
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- identification document (passport);
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- approval from the Ministry of Business, Commerce and Entrepreneurship concerning the business activities that will be performed in the country, as well other company details;
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- certificate concerning the financial indicators of the company and proof of the fact that the business will comply with the condition to hire employees in Romania;
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- proof of financial means for the applicant (in most cases, this amount is EUR 500 for business associated and EUR 700 for company shareholders, for the entire duration of the residence permit);
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- proof of social insurance and living space ownership.
Other documents may be required by the authorities for a proper evaluation of the application.
If a foreign national plans to move to Romania for employment purposes, the following documents are generally required for the long-stay visa for employment:
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- work permit copy (if the type of work requires one);
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- proof of financial means;
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- criminal record and medical insurance valid for the entire duration of the visa;
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- identification documents for the applicant and other supporting documents, as may be required by the authorities.
Foreign investors who plan to relocate to Romania can discuss the residency requirements in greater detail with our team. If you are ready to relocate in 2024, our team will give you all the needed details on the needed documents for work, study, or business purposes, and we will guide you along the way, as well as represent you (when and if needed) in front of the authorities.
According to the National Statistical Institute, the resident population was 19,038,098 persons at the start fi 2022 (in January), a decrease of more than 163,000 people compared to the first month of 2021. The international migration trend continues to point to more emigration, compared to immigration (therefore, the number of emigrants is larger than that of the immigrants).
Lawful residence of at least 8 years in the country allows a foreign national to apply for
citizenship in Romania. This is a process based on one’s minimum stay, but also on his knowledge of Romanian language, his integration in the community, good conduct, as well as having lawful financial means. Other conditions apply and, in some cases, the minimum residence period can be shorter.
Do you want to reside in Romania for business purposes, employment, or study? Perhaps you are interested in other legal solutions. If you have questions about real estate laws, commercial and business laws, and others, our
lawyers in Romania can assist you.
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR OBTAINING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE IN ROMANIA?
For non-EU/EEA foreign nationals, the immigration process will start with a temporary stay permit, renewed as needed, followed by the application for permanent residency once the 5-year period is complete.
Our Romanian immigration lawyer knows that each relocation is different and has certain particulars, especially when family members join the foreign national in Romania.
This is why we advise foreign citizens in the country to reach out to our immigration specialists before applying for permanent residency.
Some issues concerning permanent residence in Romania that applicants are advised to keep in mind include the following:
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The long-term residence permit for EU/EEA nationals is valid for 5 years in most cases; non-EU/EEA nationals will need to continue to extend their right to stay, according to their purpose, until they meet the 5-year period;
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In Romania, in order to get the long-term residence permit, you need to have stayed in the country continuously in the last 5 years, meaning that you haven’t left Romania for more than 6 consecutive months and no more than 10 months per year;
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In addition, no order of removal from the national territory should have been issued against you;
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The travels abroad for which you can provide written evidence will not be considered absence;
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Also, it is important to know that the study visa is taking into account at half of the long-term residence visa and the employment or diplomatic visa, as well as seasonal work activities will not be taken into consideration.
If you want to relocate to Romania, our team can assist you from the earliest stages if the relocation process. In 2024, the immigration process remains the same, meaning that certain foreign nationals will need a visa to enter the country, while EU/EEA nationals will not. You can check the entry requirements with our team.
Are there are any restrictions for obtaining the residence visa in Romania?
There are some categories of foreigners that cannot obtain a residence visa in Romania, such as:
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- The ones who have the right for temporary study visa;
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- You are seeking for asylum or benefit from a temporary humanitarian; protection, or protection from the Romanian state;
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- You have a diplomatic or work visa, or you have a short-stay visa.
Understanding the differences between the available types of visas is important for foreign national planning on remaining the Romania for long-term purposes.
Our Romanian immigration lawyer can provide an initial consultation, following which you will find out the type of permit you need to apply for, according to your purpose of stay in the country.
What are the required documents for the long-term residence visa in Romania?
If the ones from above are not your cases, than you can apply for a long-term residence visa, but you will have to provide a long list of documents:
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- The application form;
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- The passport or any other border crossing document (original or certified copy);
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- Proof of living space (original or certified copy);
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- Proof for fees payment.
These documents are also necessary in the case of renewal of the log-term visa for residence.
All types of long-term and short-term visas for Romania are subject to taxes. We list some of these below, however, please be mindful of the fact that they can be subject to change:
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- 120 euros (the equivalent in lei, approx. 596 lei) for the consular tax (payable in cash or via a bank transfer in designated state budget account);
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- 52 euros (the approximate equivalent of the 259 lei fee) for the issuance of the residence permit card (multiple payment options are available in this case).
What rights do I have as a holder of the long-term residence Romanian Visa?
As a holder of the long-term residence Romanian visa, you have equal rights to Romanian citizens.
This means, you can work without an authorization if you have an individual contract approved by the Territorial Labor Inspectorate, you have access to education and professional development with full rights and you can benefit from tax deductions or exemptions on your global income.
Additionally, you have access to public services and goods and also to social protection and security, social assistance and healthcare.
Foreign nationals who wish to know more about the right to stay in Romania, both for short-term and long-term purposes, can reach out to our team.
According to a 2023 report by the National Statistical Institute, Romania’s permanent resident population was estimated at 21,922,000 inhabitants. Other statistical data shows that:
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- approx. 12.3 million people were living in urban areas, which is approximately 56.2% of the entire population;
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- approx. 62.1% of the total population was comprised of adults (between 15 and 59 years), followed by the elderly population (approx. 23.4%)
Contact our immigration lawyer in Romania today if you have questions about the residence permit, permanent residency or citizenship.
For more information, and guidance in obtaining the long-term residence permit that allows you to immigrate to Romania, please do not hesitate to contact our immigration lawyers in Bucharest. We offer free judicial consultation.
