Obtaining a business visa in Romania in 2024 is a process that involves several steps and can be fully assisted by our team of immigration lawyers.
Foreign investment promotion and facilitation is an important goal for the Romanian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business.
Romania is a country that offers numerous opportunities for business and investment, offers lower costs for doing business compared to other Eastern European countries and allows for full foreign ownership for investors who open legal entities.
Much like other countries in Europe that have implemented visa and residency programs to attract foreign investors, Romania offers a long-stay visa for entrepreneurs. This visa can represent a springboard for those who wish to immigrate to Romania.
The visa-type D shares similarities with other investment visas in European countries, in the sense that a certain investment amount is required, the investor can choose to renew the visa to continue to remain in the country and that he can also choose to bring his family to Romania (spouse and children), if applicable.
Once a foreign entrepreneur enters the country with a business visa in 2024, an application for a
residence permit in Romania will need to be submitted with the General Inspectorate for Immigration in the county where the business owner will reside. The permit is applied for before the expiration of the right to stay in the country granted by the visa (at least 30 days prior to this date).
In this article, our immigration lawyers in Romania answer a series of important questions about the long-stay business visa.
If you wish to know more about this type of visa, and if you need assistance for application, you are welcomed to reach out to our
immigration lawyer in Romania at any time during the application process.
WHO CAN APPLY FOR A BUSINESS VISA IN ROMANIA?
Entrepreneurs can apply for one of two
long-term stay visas, according to the activity they will undertake in the country in 2024:
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- For carrying out economic activities (symbol D/AE) – the visa is issued to foreigners who plan on engaging in economic activities on the territory of Romania that are regulated by special laws;
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- For carrying out commercial activities (symbol D/AC) – the visa is issued to foreign nationals who act as shareholders or associates, have management or administrative duties, within commercial companies, Romanian legal entities, which are going to invest in Romania.
Foreign nationals also have the option to apply for the D/AP long-stay visa which will allow them to engage in liberal professional activities within the territory of Romanian (according to the applicable local regulations for the respective activity).
The requirements for the
business visa in Romania differ according to the type of company one creates, as well as the field in which the investment is made. If you have questions about particular laws that govern a certain industry or business sector, our
lawyers in Romania can give you more information about the regulations, as well as special permits and licenses.
Industry-specific rules also apply to foreign nationals who open a company in Romania, and they primarily have to do with applying for and obtaining the right types of special permits and licenses for their business.
We can give you more details if you wish to immigrate to Romania via this route.
If you are interested in other types of visas, or perhaps other topics, such as how to apply for
Romanian citizenship, our team can assist you. businesspeople who have started a company in Romania and have been living in the country lawfully for eight years can decide if they wish to apply for citizenship. In addition to the minimum lawful stay, they will also need to have sufficient language knowledge, and meet other criteria.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BUSINESS VISA IN ROMANIA?
Non-EU/EEA foreign investors who wish to open a business in Romania need to apply for the adequate long-stay visa type D at the Romanian Embassy or Consular Office in their country of origin, before arriving in the country.
Not all non-EU/EEA foreign nationals require a visa to enter the country for short-term purposes not exceeding days.
Examples of countries that are not subject to a visa requirement for entering Romania for short-term purposes include: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, New Zealand, The United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore or Hong Kong, among others.
While short-term business stays for these foreign nationals might suffice in order to open a company in Romania, for longer terms, as in the case of company management by the foreign national, applying for the long-stay visa type D for business purposes is required for those who wish to move to Romania for business purposes.
Moreover, foreign investors who apply for a business visa can also bring their family members, as stated above.
To obtain a long-stay visa for commercial activities, you must submit the following documents:
The visa fees applicable to those who relocate to Romania, at the time this article was written, are the following:
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- 120 EUR for the long-stay visa;
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- 80 EUR for the short-stay visa (for investors who are not subject to the visa exemption for short-term stays);
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- 40 EUR for children (for A, B, and C visa categories).
All these documents are submitted to diplomatic missions or consular offices of Romania by those who wish to move to Romania. The visa fees are payable in advance, in euros, but can also be paid for in USD or in the country’s currency.
Entrepreneurs from certain countries are subject to reduced short-term visa fees. For example, Russian investors pay a visa fee of EUR 35, as do those from Georgia and other non-EU countries.
For investors from the Republic of Moldova, there is no visa fee if they wish to relocate to Romania.
As an internal procedure, the long-stay visa shall be approved by the National Visa Center only after obtaining the opinion of the General Inspectorate for Immigration. The notice shall be issued no later than 30 days after the receipt of the request, with the possibility of extending the term by 15 days.
The long-stay visa is granted for a period of 90 days with one or more trips.
IS IT TRUE THAT FOREIGN INVESTORS CAN EASILY APPLY FOR A BUSINESS VISA?
Foreign investors who are subject to a short-term visa can apply for this in their country of origin before they travel to Romania.
Obtaining a business visa in Romania is not subject to stringent requirements, nor are there nationality restrictions.
Foreign entrepreneurs who choose to open a business in Romania have the same ownership rights and follow the same steps for company creation as local investors.
Compared to other European countries, the minimum investment amounts in Romania are overall lower. Moreover, business costs such as those for employment can also be lower (given Romania’s minimum and medium wages, compared to those in other European countries).
While it is true that the granting of specialized technical advice on the business plan of foreign investors, in order to obtain a long-stay visa in Romania for carrying out commercial activities is mandatory, this is performed according to a set of regulations.
Foreign investors who choose to work with our immigration lawyers in Romania will receive updated information and assistance for application, so that their business proposal to the General Directorates for Foreign Investments receives a favorable evaluation.
TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN ROMANIA
After you have entered Romania, you must obtain a residence permit. It certifies your right to stay in Romania and you can obtain it from the territorial units of the General Inspectorate for Immigration in the county where you live.
To obtain a temporary residence permit, you will personally submit a set of documents at least 30 days before the long-term visa expiry date.
For the first extension of the right of residence (obtaining the first residence permit) for commercial activities, you must submit the following documents:
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- request form;
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- identification document (passport, travel document, etc.) in original and copy;
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- certificate of attestation;
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- the specialized technical opinion issued by the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment;
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- company registration certificate (original and copy);
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- the company's constitutive act (original and copy);
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- the court order of establishment (original and copy);
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- proof of the means of subsistence (the minimum gross basic income at the time of the application in most cases);
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- proof of legal ownership of the registered office space (original and copy);
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- proof of legal possession of the living space (original and copy);
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- proof of social security;
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- medical certificate;
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- proof of tax payment.
The authorities may require other documents from those who immigrate to Romania.
Foreign investors who have obtained a business visa in Romania, followed by a temporary residence permit, can apply for permanent residence when they meet the following conditions:
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they have resided in the country continuously for the lest 5 years prior to submitting the application;
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during the 5-year period they have not been absent from the country for more than 6 consecutive months or 10 months of absence in total;
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those who have actively participated to the country’s economy (as may very well be the case for those who have a business visa) benefit from a reduced period if 4 years before they can apply for permanent residence;
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for foreign investors who have been married for at least 5 years to a Romanian citizen, the period is reduced by half.
Foreign entrepreneurs who invest more than 1,000,000 EUR in Romania can apply for Romanian citizenship in half of the normally prescribed time.
The citizenship requirements include not acquiring permanent residency, but also having sufficient knowledge of the Romania language, culture, history and law.
Our immigration lawyers in Romania can give you more details about the business visa, as well as remaining in the country for temporary or permanent business purposes.
In December 2023, the General Inspectorate for Immigration issues 7,470 work permits. The data shows that:
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7,414 permits were issued for permanent workers;
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27 for highly skilled workers;
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20 for posted workers;
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1 permit was issued for an intra-corporate transferee;
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5 permits were issued for seasonal workers and 3 permits for cross-border workers.
Moreover, between December 29, 2023 and January 3, 2024, a total of 800 temporary and long-term permits were issued to applicants from various countries, and 754 applications for the extension of an existing permit were registered by the Romanian authorities. 23 foreign nationals were removed from national territory during the same period.
If you want to start a business in Romania, Darie, Manea and Associates Law Firm offers professional legal services in the main areas of law of interest to investors.
We assist foreign investors who wish to immigrate to Romania and need to apply for visas, residence permits and citizenship.
With our help, you will be able to decide on the most suitable type of investment and start your activities in Romania as soon as possible.
The data on visas and residence permits presented above is for informational proposes only. For more details about obtaining an investor visa in Romania, please contact us. Our immigration lawyer in Romania can offer you a free consultation.
