Scientific Research Activities

If you want to carry out scientific research activities in Romania and you are a citizen of a state outside the European Union and of the European Economic Area, the research and development institution must obtain the opinion of the Ministry of Research and Innovation. This opinion can be obtained if the research-development unit is certified according to the law and if there is a reception agreement between it and you, as a researcher in which you have agreed to carry out activities in a scientific research project.

The next step is to obtain the long-stay visa for scientific research activities, from the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Romania.

LONG-TERM VISA

If you wish to obtain the long-stay visa for scientific research activities, you must submit the following documents:

- the reception agreement approved by the Ministry of Research and Innovation (the form and conditions under which the reception agreement is concluded are established by order of the Minister of Research and Innovation);

- the criminal record certificate or other document with the same legal value, issued by the authorities of the country of residence or residence;

- medical insurance valid during the validity period of the visa.

The visa fee is 120 Euro and is paid in the state where you apply.

As an internal procedure, the long-stay visa receives the approval of the National Visa Center only after obtaining the approval of the General Inspectorate for Immigration. The notice is issued no later than 30 days after receiving the request, with the possibility to extend the term by 15 days.

The long-stay visa is granted for a period of 90 days, with one or more trips.

Scientists who remain in Romania to pursue their research activities can consider their option to apply for Romanian citizenship once they have lawfully resided in the country for eight years under a long-term residence permit for their activities. If, during this time, the applicant is married to a Romanian citizen, the minimum period before application is reduced to only five years.

STAY PERMIT

After entering Romania you must obtain a residence permit. It attests your right to stay in Romania and you can obtain it from the territorial formations of the General Inspectorate for Immigration from the county in which you live. To obtain the residence permit you will personally submit a series of documents at least 30 days before the expiration of the residence permit granted by the visa. You can also submit documents via the online application, available at https://portaligi.mai.gov.ro/portaligi/

For the first extension of the right of residence (obtaining the first residence permit) for scientific research activities you must present the following documents:

- request;

- the original border crossing document (passport, travel document, etc.) and a copy;

- the acceptance agreement approved by the Ministry of Research and Innovation;

- proof of legal ownership of the living space (original and copy);

- proof of the means of maintenance at least at the level of the gross minimum wage in the economy;

- proof of social health insurance;

- medical certificate;

- taxes.

The right of residence for this purpose is extended for a period equal to the duration stipulated in the reception agreement, but not more than 5 years in a row.

The residence permit shall be renewed at least 30 days before the expiration of the previous one. For the further extension of the right of residence (obtaining a new residence permit) you must submit the following documents:

- request;

- the original border crossing document (passport, travel document, etc.) and a copy;

- the proof that you carry out the scientific research-development activity;

- proof of legal possession of the living space (original and copy);

- proof of the means of maintenance at least at the level of the gross minimum wage in the economy;

- proof of social health insurance;

- medical certificate;

- taxes.

Residence permit terms

The request for granting or extending the right of residence will be resolved within 30 days from the date of its submission. In cases where further checks are required, the deadline for solving the request can be extended up to 15 days. for Immigration communicates to the applicant the additional information requested and sets a reasonable deadline for sending them, but not more than 30 days. The term provided in par. (4) it is suspended until the General Inspectorate for Immigration receives the necessary additional information or documents. If no additional information or documents have been provided by the deadline, the request may be rejected.

The right of temporary residence for the conduct of scientific research activities can be extended by 9 months after the end of the research, in order to look for a job and perform the formalities of employment or open employmentstarting a business, presenting the documents attesting the completion of the scientific research activity. Subsequent extensions of the right of residence of foreigners who have been extended the right of temporary residence after the conclusion of the research are granted under the conditions of art. 55 or art. 56 of GEO 194/2002 regarding the regime of foreigners in Romania, with subsequent modifications and completions, as the case may be, without the obligation to obtain a long-stay visa.

Foreign holders of a right of residence for the conduct of scientific research activities may carry out didactic activities under the conditions of the law.

The right of temporary residence for the purpose of scientific research within a mobility

The foreigner, holder of a residence permit for the purpose of scientific research or a long-stay visa for the purpose of scientific research, valid, issued by another Member State of the European Union, may enter and remain in the territory of Romania to carry out activities of research for a period of up to 180 days in any 360-day period, hereinafter referred to as short-term mobility, without the obligation to obtain a visa, from the date of notification transmitted by the research-development unit to the territorial formation of the General Inspectorate for Immigration on which the foreigner is to work.

Family members, holders of residence permits for the purpose of family reunification or long-stay visas for the purpose of family reunification, issued by the first Member State and accompanying aliens referred to in para. (1), they can enter and remain on the territory of Romania under the same conditions with them.

The notification shall include at least the following documents:

    a) copy of the document of the border crossing of the researcher, respectively of his family members;

    b) a copy of the researcher's residence permit or the long-stay visa, issued by the first Member State, respectively of its family members;

    c) the reception agreement concluded with the host entity in Romania;

    d) the proof of the duration and the data planned for mobility, if they are not specified in the reception agreement;

    e) copy of the opinion of the Ministry of Research and Innovation.

Within a maximum of 30 days from the transmission of the notification, the competent territorial formation of the General Inspectorate for Immigration may raise objections to the mobility of the researcher and of the family members, when:

Following the verifications carried out by the General Inspectorate for Immigration or the notifications received from other competent authorities, according to the law, it is found that the foreigner no longer fulfills the conditions under which he was granted the right of residence or no longer respects the purpose for which he was granted this Right

• - it is found that the foreigner has illegally crossed or tried to cross the state border or has violated the regulations regarding the employment of foreigners;
• - it is found that the stranger suffers from a disease that endangers the public health and is not subject to the medical treatment measures established by the competent authorities. In the event that the illness occurred after obtaining the temporary residence permit, the revocation will be ordered if the foreigner does not submit to the medical treatment measures established by the competent authorities, and the illness is likely to prevent the foreigner from fulfilling the obligations established in his task by the provisions the present emergency ordinance;
• - the foreigner has passed or tried to illegally cross the state border of Romania;
• - the foreigner entered Romania during the period of the entry prohibition in Romania previously stipulated;
• - the alien no longer fulfills the conditions of entry and / or stay provided by this emergency ordinance;
• - the right of residence of the foreigner, established by visa, on the basis of international conventions or norms of visa cancellation, or, as the case may be, by the residence permit or small border traffic, has ceased;
•  - the stranger was declared undesirable;
• - the notification does not contain the documents provided in art.67 ^ 1 para. (3), respectively the copy of the document of the border crossing of the researcher, respectively of his family members; a copy of the residence permit of the researcher or of the long-stay visa, issued by the first Member State, respectively of its family members; the reception agreement concluded with the host entity in Romania; proof of the duration and dates planned for mobility, if they are not specified in the receiving agreement; the copy of the opinion of the Ministry of Research and Innovation or the validity of these documents has expired.

The objections raised to the mobility of researchers and family members are communicated in writing to the competent authorities of the first Member State and to the research-development unit that transmitted the notification and have as a consequence the prohibition to carry out the activityresearcher on the territory of Romania.

For the purpose of conducting scientific research activities for a period greater than 180 days, hereinafter referred to as long-term mobility, the foreign holder of a residence permit for scientific research or a long-stay visa for scientific research purposes , valid, issued by another EU Member State, as well as the accompanying family members, holders of residence permits for family reunification or long-stay visas for family reunification issued by the first Member State , they can enter and request the extension of the right of residence on the territory of Romania, without the obligation to obtain a long-stay visa.

They are extended the right of temporary stay for the purpose of scientific research, respectively for the purpose of family reunification, as the case may be, in the framework of long-term mobility if they present the following documents:

a) residence permit or long-stay visa, issued by the first Member State;

b) the reception agreement concluded with the R&D unit in Romania;

c) the proof of the duration and of the data planned for mobility if they are not specified in the reception agreement;

d) the opinion of the Ministry of Research and Innovation;

e) the proof of having the means of maintenance, in the amount of at least the minimum gross basic wage in the country guaranteed for payment for a period of at least 6 months.

Within the framework of long-term mobility, the researcher may carry out scientific research activities from the date of submission of the request for the extension of the right of residence. The right of residence for research purposes is extended for a period equal to the duration provided in the acceptance agreement. The extension, revocation or cancellation of the right of residence for foreigners carrying out scientific research activities in the framework of long-term mobility is communicated by the General Inspectorate for Immigration to the competent authorities of the first Member State, within 30 days from the date of the measure.