Most foreigners know the general rule: you can visit Romania for up to 90 days on a regular visa. But in 2026, the game has changed completely as Romania is now a full member of the Schengen zone, meaning that the 90-day “clock” now covers the entire Schengen Area, not just this country.
One thing remains unchanged: if you want to legally stay here more than 90 days, you will need a Residence Permit (Permis de ședere).
And today, I have for you the updated immigration guide for Romania, with everything you need to know about the process (and plenty of local tips scattered through).
NOTE: If you’re already a resident of the EU/EEA area, or if you are looking for other options, check out the two articles below instead:
Now, let’s move on and learn more about the residence permit, if that’s what you need/want to get.
How to get a residence permit in Romania as a non-EU citizen: The 2-step process
While it might seem a bit complicated at first, the sequential process makes sense and there’s a lot of overlap. Here are the two main steps you will need to go through before getting your “Permis de sedere”:
- Get a Long-Stay Visa (Type D): You apply for this at a Romanian consulate in your home country (or country of residence) before you travel to Romania.
- Get the Residence Permit: Once you arrive in Romania on that Long-Stay Visa, you apply for the actual plastic residence card.
Exceptions: Citizens of the USA, Canada, Japan, and a few others can technically enter Romania visa-free and apply for a permit directly in specific cases (like commercial activities), but I strongly recommend getting the Type D visa regardless. It simplifies the process and avoids “intent to migrate” questions at the border.
The process varies slightly based on the reason you will use for getting the permit. The most common are work, studies, or family reunification.
Other accepted reasons are business and professional activities, scientific research, religious activities, volunteering, administrator of a company, or long-term medical treatment.
Let’s get in-depth with the entire process below!
1. Step 1: Getting your Long-Stay Visa
MUST KNOW: You can’t apply for a residence permit unless you have this Long-Stay Visa! You are not allowed to apply with a short-stay/tourist visa.
The Long-Stay Visa in Romania is, despite its name, pretty short: valid for just 90 days. As I said before, you must get this visa before arriving in Romania. Depending on your purpose, the procedure will be different:
- If you plan to work in Romania, your employer must get a work authorization for you.
- If you plan to study in Romania, you must get your authorization from the Romanian Ministry of Education
- For family reunification, your spouse or sponsor must get authorization for you.
- If you want to be the administrator of a company, you need a varied set of documents.
The visa fee is 120 Euros (you will pay this at the embassy).
2. Step 2: Getting your residence permit
Once you are in Romania, the clock starts ticking and you must apply for your residence permit at least 30 days before your Long-Stay Visa expires, if you want to spend more than 90 days here.
It costs an additional 259 lei (around €51) to get the physical card – your permit.
You must submit your application online via the official website of the Immigration Office. You will still need to physically meet with an immigration officer, but submitting the documents online ensures you have all the required papers and everything is filled up completely and correctly.
I have a full guide on how to use the online form, but first, let’s check out the various types of situations and documents required for applying!
NOTE: To make it easier for you to navigate, you can click the links below to jump directly to the section you are interested in:
1. Starting a Company (Commercial Activities)
This was once the “easy route,” but requirements have tightened and, while it still works, it’s riskier this year.
Based on the official 2026 requirements from the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), you must prepare a comprehensive file. The most critical “gatekeeper” document here is the Technical Endorsement (Avizul tehnic), which confirms that your business is actually operating as planned.
Here is the full checklist you will need:
- Application form (Cerere).
- Passport – original and copy.
- Specialized Technical Endorsement (Avizul tehnic de specialitate) – issued by the Romanian Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (ARICE). This proves your activity matches your initial business plan.
- Company Registration Certificate (Certificat de înmatriculare al societății comerciale).
- Articles of Association.
- Court order of establishment of your company.
- Proof of financial means of support – You must show you have sufficient funds for the entire duration of the permit. In 2026, the specific amounts are €500 per month if you are an associate and €700 per month if you are a shareholder.
- Proof of registered office – original and copy.
- Proof of personal living space – original and copy. This must be a registered rental contract or ownership deed.
- Proof of social insurance.
- Medical certificate – stating you are fit for the community.
- Formal Declaration.
- Proof of paid taxes.
Note for 2026 Founders: While the financial maintenance requirements (the €500/€700 monthly amounts) are relatively low, do not forget that the Aviz tehnic (Technical Endorsement) from ARICE usually requires you to have fulfilled your initial investment promises, which typically involve a much larger capital injection or job creation targets.
2. Employment (Work Permit / EU Blue Card)
This is where a bit of chaos begins, because there are plenty of directions this could go. The most generic requirements are:
- Application form (Cerere).
- Passport – original and copy.
- Proof of housing – original and copy. Must be a contract registered at ANAF or a property deed.
- Employment Contract – signed and registered in REVISAL.
- REVISAL Extract – This is a document your employer’s HR must generate from the government registry showing your active status. A simple paper contract is usually not enough.
- Salary Proof: Your contract must show a salary of at least the Gross Minimum Wage (4,050 RON as of 2026, but they might update it, so double check!).
- Medical Certificate – issued by a Romanian doctor declaring you “clinically healthy”.
- Tax receipt.
You can learn more about various other particular situations from the official website here (in English language).
3. Students
IMPORTANT: You will need a “Letter of Acceptance” for the visa and a different, “Certificate of Enrollment” for the permit. Here are all the documents you’ll need:
- Application form.
- Passport – original and copy.
- Certificate of Enrollment – issued by your university secretariat after you arrive and physically register. It must specify that you are enrolled for daytime courses (other types are not accepted).
- Proof of Financial Means – A Romanian bank statement showing you have funds equal to the Gross Minimum Wage (4,050 RON currently, but double check as they might update it) x 6 Months (approx. 24,300 RON total or around €4,860).
- Proof of Housing:
- If in a dorm: Contract with the university/dorm administration.
- If private: ANAF-registered rental contract.
- Medical Certificate – stating you are “clinically healthy.”
- Civil Status Documents (if applicable) – e.g., marriage certificate if you changed your name.
- Health Insurance:
- Under 26: The university certificate usually covers this (you are insured by the state).
- Over 26: You must provide proof of a private health insurance policy or contribution to the Romanian state health fund (CASS).
If you’re planning to study here, make sure to also read my previous article detailing monthly expenses for international students in Romania.
4. Family Reunification
This is the most complex category because it requires documents from both the sponsor (the resident) and the applicant (the family member).
A. Documents from the Applicant (Family Member):
- Application form.
- Passport – original and copy.
- Marriage Certificate / Birth Certificate – issued by authorities in your home country. This must be translated and apostilled or legalized. Also, if you were married abroad, you usually need to transcribe the marriage certificate into the Romanian civil registry first.
- Criminal Record – issued by authorities in your home country (translated and apostilled).
- Medical Certificate – stating “clinically healthy.”
- Written Declaration – stating you will live together with the sponsor.
B. Documents from the Sponsor (The Romanian resident):
- Sponsor’s ID/Passport/Permit – copy.
- Proof of Housing: Registered rental contract or property deed large enough for the whole family.
- Proof of Means of Support: The sponsor must prove they earn enough to support themselves PLUS the family member. (Minimum wage for Sponsor + Minimum wage for the Family Member – read all about salaries in Romania here).
- Written Declaration: Stating they do not live in a state of bigamy/polygamy.
IMPORTANT: Children are guaranteed to get the residence permit as part of the family reunification process, but they can only apply after the parent(s) get their own permit.
In other words, make sure to time this correctly if your child arrived in the country at the same date as you did, otherwise you risk them overstaying their visa!
How to Use the Online Portal
As mentioned above, before you visit any office, you will use the online system. This is where you upload your documents for a “pre-check” by an officer – and usually, this means that after getting the OK, actually getting the residence permit will be a breeze. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Go to: portal.igi.mai.gov.ro (Note: you can change the language to English by clicking the cogwheel in the upper right corner and hovering over “Selectati limba”)
- Create an Account: Click “Registration” (top right). You will need a valid email address. Then log in and follow the next steps.
- Start Application: Select “Online Application” -> “Temporary Stay Permit” -> Choose your category (Student, Family, Work, etc.).
- Upload: Scan the required documents (Passport, Proof of Housing, Insurance, etc.) and upload them as PDFs.
- Submit & Wait: Once submitted, an officer will review the file (usually takes 1-3 weeks).
- If incomplete: They will email you telling you exactly what is missing.
- If approved: You will get a notification to schedule your physical appointment to give fingerprints and take your photo.
How difficult is it to get your residence permit in Romania?
As long as you have all the necessary paperwork, everything is easy, although the online portal won’t always work as expected. Now it’s even easier to check all documents before you visit to the physical office by submitting them online (use the official site I mentioned above).
For example, our reader John K said this:
“So much easier to make contact with a non-profit school or charity and arrange a volunteer contract which is sufficient for imigrare.
Of course you still need health insurance, lease, doctors note, possibly proof of income (my pension record), volunteer contract (I tutor kids), but its far cheaper than opening a dummy company.
I’m applying for my third renewal next month. I suggest you visit imigrare and get a print-out of what you need and submit a copy with your package, they will use it as a checklist. I suggest you submit on the earliest day they accept it.”
Some of our readers also had success contacting various NGOs and getting the necessary paperwork from them. So you have your options, but it’s not always easy.
What if you don’t get a residence permit?
f you stay in Romania (and by extension, the Schengen Area) past your legal limit without a permit:
- The Fine: Usually between 600 and 1,200 RON ($130–$260).
- The Ban: You may be banned from entering any Schengen country for 6 months to 5 years.
Do not risk this. If you have a medical emergency preventing your departure, you must apply for a “Return Decision” at the Immigration Office before your time runs out.
If you want to find out even more, you can check out this article which fully details how an US family moved to Romania and what they had to do to make their stay legal and permanent.
Also, make sure to read the comments below this article for extra useful information on the matter, shared by our readers who went through this process.
How to Renew an Existing Residence Permit in Romania
Renewing your residence permit is very similar to getting a new one, as you will have to provide the same documentation once again.
NOTE: the amount of time you are given on your initial residence permit starts to be counted from the day you APPLY for the said permit, and not when you receive it. So always check the dates on your permit!
Your permit must be renewed at least 30 days before the expiration date of the previous one (usually, you’re given 1 year, but make sure to double check on your permit).
Getting a Long Term Residence Permit
Called “Permis de ÅŸedere pe termen lung” in Romanian, this permit is valid for 5 years in most cases. In one situation it’s valid for 10 years – if you are a family member of a Romanian citizen.
To get your Long Term Residence Permit, you must have had a continuous stay in Romania during the past 5 years (no more than 6 consecutive months spent in another country during this time, but also no more than 10 months in total spent outside Romanian borders). Also, there should be no action of removal from the national territory against you.
If you meet these conditions, here are the steps you need to follow to get your long term residence permit:
- Filled application form
- Border crossing document (like your passport) – original and duplicate
- Proof of the living space (original and duplicate)
- Proof of social health insurance
- Proof of financial means of support (except for family members of Romanian citizens)
- Criminal record certificate issued by the Romanian authorities
- Civil status documents (if applicable)
You can also apply for minors to get this permit, but only after you (and your spouse, if applicable) have received theirs. Once you have your permit, here is what you need to do to get one for your minor children:
- Submit the application form
- Border crossing document (like your passport) – original and duplicate
- Proof of living space – rental agreement – original and duplicate
- Birth certificate translated and legalized / apostilled
- Authenticated consent of the parent who does not have a long term right to stay in Romania (if applicable)
Please PIN this for later. Thank you!
Conclusion
Getting residency in Romania requires patience and precision. The inclusion of Romania in the Schengen zone has raised the stakes, but also comes with plenty of advantages. But keep in mind that now overstaying is no longer a minor offense.
And even though it seems complicated, know that thousands of expats navigate this system successfully every year without problems.
Start early, use the online portal, and ensure your rental contracts are registered at ANAF. If you follow these steps exactly, you will have that plastic ID card in your pocket sooner than you think.
Have you applied recently? Share your experience or questions in the comments below to help the community stay updated.
I am a journalist and local expert who has been documenting life in Romania since 2013. Based in Constanta (after living in Bucharest and Drobeta Turnu Severin), I provide up-to-date, on-the-ground advice for expats and travelers. My articles are based on real life experiences and plenty of research – from paying Romanian bills to exploring the wild “Rawmania” countryside.
I just want to say a huge thank you to Calin for this article and share today’s experience.
So with the uncertainty of Brexit and with the chaos surrounding UK politics at the moment I have known for some time that I needed to get a residents permit. Today armed with all the documents listed by Calin I made the journey with my 8 year old daughter to our county town of Resita and took the plunge.
We soon found the birou de imigrari tucked behind the Police inspectorate and nervously I went in and explained in my best Romanian why I was there. The officer on duty was a nice guy and luckily there was no-one else waiting so I didn’t feel under pressure, he didn’t speak English but we got through ok. I explained the main reason I wanted it was because of Brexit and the uncertainty and also explained that ultimately after coming to Romania for nearly 30 years that I would be applying for a Romanian passport.
He gave me a form to complete and I needed to show all the documents Calin listed, but it’s worth mentioning here that he required photocopies of my passport, medical card and bank details. I thought the bank details would be a deal breaker as he was concerned it wasn’t a Romanian bank, but I explained that the debit card I had for the same account had a link logo on and meant I ciukd access funds from here and it seemed to do the trick.
He took my documents and the form and after taking my photo told me to return 4 hours later. We did and I had the certificate. And, here’s the added bonus..it was for 5 years!!
Also worth mentioning it didn’t cost a penny, When I said I was expecting to pay he said it was free.
However as I left the office elated and so excited we walked back to the car and Zara realized she had left her mobile in the office!! Yes I know she’s only 8 but when we are here I insist she has a phone with her in case we get split up or she somehow wanders off, so we rushed back and the office was shut and the door had an old style “plumbe” seal on it preventing access. I called her mobile and we could hear it ringing inside. On the door was an emergency contact number, I took the plunge and called it and luckily it was answered by the same man. He told me to hang on and came back to the office to provide access, how nice was that?
He was a really nice man and after the initial questioning seemed to warm to us and started to show his curiousity to how I ended up there.
All in all a great day with a great result, thank you Calin for the inspiration and information.
Wow, Shane! I am really happy to read about such a perfect and pleasant experience here in Romania! I am happy that everything went well and getting the permit for 5 years definitely saves you from a lot of trouble. Congrats and thanks for sharing all the details with fellow readers!
Hi,
I’m a US citizen who just received his residence permit this week (as a firm administrator)! I’d like to share my experiences. It was much less traumatic than I thought it would be! BTW, I primarily speak English and my Romanian is still extremely poor. And the experiences I describe relate to the Bucharest office on Strada Eforie.
First, some general advice. 1. Be patient. If you’re not a patient person, you will learn to become one. 2. From my observations, Romania is not a particularly customer-centric country. Once you accept that, it’s easy to get used to it. In other words, don’t expect “service with a smile” every where you go. NB: Not saying this as a negative, just a level set for your expectations. It is what it is. 3. Always bring the originals and copies of every document. Always.
The first thing you need to do is find a place to live, and get a registered contract. Assuming you’re renting, you may get some push back from your prospective landlord about a registered contract. You absolutely need this. If the landlord is unwilling to provide one, say thank you and move on to the next apartment on your list. There WILL be another one in the area and price range you’re looking for.
Now, to get your company formed. Hire an avocat. Seriously, don’t even think about trying it yourself. I paid 1000 RON, plus the initial 200 RON bank deposit, plus 200 euro to register his office as my headquarters (sediu). Then he went and filed all the paperwork, and arranged for the notary public and translator (more on this below). All I had to do was meet up at the notariat to sign the papers. That was a bargain considering the potential headaches and grief waiting for an inexperienced, non-Romanian speaking guy like myself. Of course, your experience and pricing may vary.
Notariats: Unlike in the US, notary publics are much more formal. You cannot simply bring a document and have them add their seal after watching you sign it. They are more like a combination of paralegals (they actually draw up the papers) and the courthouse where papers get filed. And if you are not a Romanian speaker, you are REQUIRED to have a licensed translator read the documents to you in English. When I was forming the company, the notariat charged about 200 RON and the translator 300 RON. Later, when preparing the power of attorney for my accountant, I shopped around and paid 95 for the notariat and 100 for the translator. Also, be aware most notariats fall into the “not customer-friendly” category – but there are some nice ones – don’t be afraid to shop around — for example: if they say “go away until next week”, just smile and say “No thanks, I’ll go to the one down the street”. And ALWAYS call the notariat – don’t just drop in to schedule an appointment – even the nice ones don’t like that.
OK, you have your place to live and a company formed now. Time to work on the residence permit. First, get your certificate of health. Go find a policlinica and ask at the front desk. In my case, it cost 30 RON and about 10 minutes of my time. Never saw a doctor or other health professional – gave a lady 30 RON and my passport and she came back 10 minutes later with the document all filled out and signed. Your experience may vary. Make you sure you have private health insurance – if you bought a policy off the internet print out the contract and make sure it shows the start and end date of the contract. That’s all they looked at on mine – no details of the coverage, deductables, repatriation, etc. Now make a copy of everything — including your passport – you need a copy of the picture page and the stamp page with your latest date of entry in Romania. You also need to pay the taxes and fees. If you don’t have a local bank account (not every bank will allow you to open an account without residence status – example: BT as of circa 1/7/2019), you can look up the amounts and account numbers and go to a CASH-handling branch (this eliminates most mall branches) of CEC and BCR to pay these. You’ll also need a printout of your latest bank statement showing you have the necessary funds to live. On mine they just looked at the date and the balance at the top – they didn’t poke thru all the line items. A whole 10 seconds was spent on that.
Time now to visit the immigration office. Gather up all your originals and copies of everything and head down. If you’re going to Strada Eforie, you turn right as soon as you enter the building and go thru the double doors, then enter the first doors on the left. You’ll be in a big room with two windows on each side. You want the windows on the left hand side (as you’re entering). All the agents there speak very good English, are extremely helpful and quite pleasant to deal with. (This is after having to visit several times – your experience may vary). When it’s your turn, approach the window and tell the agent you need to apply for a resident permit as a firm administrator. They will ask you for your documents and sort thru them to make sure you have everything needed. The first time I went, I was missing a few and the lady very kindly wrote out a list of what I needed and where I needed to go (I was missing a constator because I have a Romanian partner for my business). If you’re missing anything – just go get it and come back.
One thing they will check is if you are within the 60 day period you have to file your application. In my case there was some vagueness (possibly due to translation) in how the rule is worded and I was not in that 60 day period. Don’t worry! They give you a form to go pay a small fine – 50 RON if you pay within a few days or 100-500 RON if you wait. I paid the fine that day and returned with the proof. (They accepted the application anyway and just added the proof of payment when i returned)
After you have everything, they will fill out the application – you’ll sign some stuff and they take your picture. Then you get to come back in 30 days and pick up your permit!
A couple of things I was expecting but never came up: That 50K euro requirement was never mentioned nor was I even asked about my company’s current assets at all. And even though I had it with me, they never asked for my criminal background check (BTW, if you need one – go to the US embassy to pick up a couple of fingerprint cards, take the cards to a police station on Stefan Cel Mare where they will take your fingerprints, then setup the request at the FBI website and overnight the cards to them – turn around time was about 4 days and cost was $18 – no need to deal with 3rd party services).
All in all, it was a far simpler and pleasanter experience than I had expected. The anxiety and uncertainty of doing something this important really made me nervous and scared. But having gone thru it once now, my best advice is: be nice, be patient, and if you have any questions – ask nicely at the immigration office – those people were absolutely awesome to deal with!
Good luck!
One other bit of advice: As soon as you form your company, hire an accountant (contabil). You’ll need him/her working on getting you set up to pay taxes, handle employee contracts, etc. There’s a fair bit more bureaucracy here than you’ll find in other places.
Also, when hiring an avocat or contabil, be sure you speak the same language – or have somebody available who can translate well including the professional lingo. While my avocat was excellent at what he did, we did have a language barrier that caused some unnecessary grief.
Brandon, thanks a lot for sharing your experience with our readers. I am happy to see that everything went smoothly and I am sure everybody here will find your article extremely useful.
Cu placere! I should have also thanked you for all the valuable information provided here.
Hopefully by sharing some of the details of the process – like what line to stand in at the immigration office (nothing worse than standing in line over an hour only to get to the window and find you’ve been in the wrong line LOL) or the simplicity of getting the certificate of public health — it will help relieve some anxiety for others.
I just finished renewing my residence permit, and maybe some of my experiences will be helpful to you and others.
NB: Some of the following is based on living in Bucuresti and will obviously not apply if you are in a different area. Also, my permit is based on me being the owner/administrator of a company – your requirements might vary if you’re here for other purposes.
First, sadly the office on Strada Eforie closed in December 2019. The functions there have moved to the office on Strada Nicolae Iorga (just west of Piata Romana off Bdul Dacia) — the same office where one would go for family-related visas. That in and of itself isn’t so bad, but with COVID precautions in place, it’s not so pleasant.
You can no longer just go down to the office and wait in line to ask questions. They almost always want you to have an appointment (the only exception I’m aware of is when I was picking up my permis de sedere – they called me and I was able to just go and pick it up). How do you get an appointment? It seems you fill out your online application and they will email you a date/time to come down with your documents shortly afterwards.
You CAN also talk to the guard at the entrance to the courtyard and get an adhoc appointment scheduled – but these are limited in number and may require you to come back several hours later (not sure if you can schedule for another day). Bottom-line: it’s better if you can get an appointment scheduled ahead of time.
Regarding insurance: When I went to renew, I was told my private Cigna policy was not acceptable and I must have the state issued insurance. I do not know if a European Health card is acceptable. Basically what they did was go to this website https://www.cnas.ro/page/verificare-asigurat.html to check whether I had the state insurance. I didn’t.
Not a big problem, if you need it, go down to your local ANAF office – they’ll give you about a 5 page form of which you basically just fill out your name and address and sign the last page, then pay about 1300 lei for a year (minimum annual health contribution), then carry the documents to a local insurance house (in Bucuresti, go to CASMB near Baneasa) and they sign you up. The whole process can easily be done in a day (depending on your luck with how busy the offices are).
The medical certificate was required. I got mine the same way as last time: walk into the nearest policlinica, ask nicely, pay the fee, and don’t ask for a receipt (*wink, wink*).
And I agree, the website is awful for finding information and requirements. Another reason this website is so awesome and such a blessing! (Thanks again Calin!). The best way I found to get information from the website is to start an application (you can cancel before submitting) and see what documents it asks you to upload. Also, I did not have to submit a photo – they take your picture when you go to present your documents.
Good luck!
Time for my annual update! 🙂
First, guards no longer control access to the courtyard at the Strada Nicolae Iorga office in Bucuresti. On the the hand, it’s nice not having to line up on the street. But on the other hand, I REALLY took for granted how much they contributed to ensuring you were in the right line (i.e. “Stand in this line for window 1”, etc.) and managing the chaos of so many people in such a relatively small area.
The purposes (commercial activity, students, etc.) for each window are posted on a regular sheet of paper over each window. If you’re unsure which window to go to, check window 1 first – I suspect a good percentage of the readers here would need this window (I don’t recall the exact list of it’s purposes, but I remember thinking it would be used by many people posting here)
This also means there’s nothing (i.e. a guard) preventing you from standing in line to ask questions. Although, I cannot say how agents respond to such unscheduled contacts. I suppose it’s worth a shot if you’re at your wit’s end trying to find an answer and have run out of places to look (here, the web, etc.)
Second, the agent told me that as of this year, your rental contract no longer needs to be registered at ANAF. (While I don’t doubt the agent, can anybody else confirm this?) This should be good news for landlords – they hate paying the 2-3% – I forget the exact % – tax to register the contract at ANAF. (Side note: Be aware when renting an apartment from an individual, that many [but not all] owners don’t understand that renting an apartment is a business that has expenses – they will expect you to pay every expense from taxes to repairs to normal wear and tear – effectively making their apartment a “broken ATM” that pays them every month without them ever having to put any money into it)
Hope this helps and good luck!
Thanks for the update, Brandon! It is indeed interesting to hear that the contracts no longer need to be registered – I personally doubt that is the case, especially now when they’re trying to get all the money they can… but sometimes things that don’t make sense actually work 🙂 I can only hope that it won’t be long before people needing this will be able to do it all online. Waiting is line is something I never enjoyed.
Hi Calin,
Thank you for the very useful information about immigrating to Romania.
I have always wanted to live in Romania. So far, everything I see on this page supports that dream.
Do you think being a Russian is a problem? I am actually a refugee from Russia (status given in Canada) but travel on a Russian passport. My common-law partner is Canadian (note that we are a same-sex couple). We are looking for a place to be and love.
My questions are:
1. Do we need to provide any sort of criminal check?
2. Does my being Russian create any kind of immigration hurdles?
3. What are the prospects of opening a restaurant business in provincial Romania, NOT in Bucharest?
4. Do we need to fly to Romania first? Or could we start immigrating online?
Thank you,
Elena
Hello Elena,
You are indeed in a very peculiar situation and I am not 100% sure about my answer. I am not sure how or if your nationality would influence the situation (or the refugee status).
Your should try the online portal I shared above for starting the application process, but I’ve had many people reach out to me and say it’s not working. But worth trying to test the waters and maybe get in touch with an official.
You will need a criminal background check at some point. As for opening a restaurant business… it really depends on the city and its location.
I am sure that it could work though, especially if done well. I would still recommend one of the larger cities, though – the small ones are tricky.
Elena hi
Im a Canadian living here in Canada since I can’t remember lol. I’m living on pension and I’m Romanian born, thinking to move back home soon.
Not in big city. I’m originally from NW or Romania.
My advice for u2 is to check with Romanian Consulate and NO worries about being Russian citizen.
And move on.
I wish you both the best luck.
This article is written very well, but, I still have 3 questions.
I am collecting information for my Mother-in–Law.
I understand that she must get the Long Stay-Visa before applying for Residence Permit.
And, depending on her purpose the procedure will be different.
But, her purpose is not among the four you have listed.
Question 1: How she must apply as a Retired Person receiving Pension?
Question 2: She is 77 years old, is she too old for this Visa?
Question 3: Anything she should do differently as a Canadian Citizen?
Than you.
Unfortunately, Romania doesn’t offer a retirement visa at the moment. So she would still have to meet one of the requirements for receiving the permit. Romania still doesn’t make it easy for people to retire here, unfortunately.
Thank you for the useful information. I hope you can give me some advice too.
My partner is Taiwanese, I’m Hungarian. We’re thinking of moving to Romania this year for a longer stay. It’s easy for me, but difficult for her.
She had a Hungarian residency permit, but the damn government discontinued that kind of visa, and it expired last year (and the family visa is now restricted to married couples in Hungary too). She doesn’t have enough income for the DN visa either.
I’ll create a Romanian company to continue my work from there (with lower taxes 🙂 ) and I can employ her, if that kind of visa is the best solution. She doesn’t have 50k euros to invest, so that’s not an option.
What is the best option in your opinion?
Another question about the long-stay visa requirement before entering Romania: we’re back to Asia now, and will return to Hungary in February (already have the ticket, cannot change). That means we’ll enter Schengen in Hungary and will travel to Romania by train. Since there’s no border check from this year, how can she validate her long-stay visa in Romania before applying for the residency permit?
It would probably be easier to marry her! 😊 Jokes aside, establishing a company is indeed the best route at this point – especially if your plan to genuinely set up and operate a business here. However, do keep in mind that taxes in Romania have increased this year, and there are rumors of potential additional hikes. Be sure to check the most up-to-date information to know your expected expenses.
Regarding your second question, since the situation is still quite new, I’m not entirely sure. It’s possible that having the visa validated in Hungary might count, but this is just an opinion.
Hi Calin,
Thank you for the answer. Marriage is an option, but getting the visa shouldn’t be the reason :/
Which tax did change this year? Corporate or personal or both (just to know which one I should look for)? My plan was to leverage the low small business corporate tax (1-3%) and get my money as dividend with the still low 8% tax. I’ll double check it, thank you.
I’ll also try to figure the situation out about the long-term Romanian visa, being full member of Schengen could change it (is there any sense in a country-based visa inside Schengen?).
How hard is it to get a working visa if my company employs her?
Thank you again!
Dividends tax is now 10%, and to be considered a microintreprindere, you need to make under €250,000/year (rumors are that this will be taken down to €100,000). The 1% tax only applies if you make under €60,000, but some business types pay 3% no matter what. Also, there were changes in the taxes on salaries.
But getting a working visa should be a formality if a company will hire our partner. Good luck, I hope all will work well!
Actually, I arrived from the USA without a visa. I secured a volunteer contract with an NGO/ONG and applied for a temporary (1 year) residence permit and year-by-year i renewed it until I hit the 5 year mark and then successfully applied for a “permanent” visa which does not require any volunteer activity and allows employment. “Permanent” is actually a renewable five year permit.
Thanks for clearing that out, John!
I am coming up next year on my 5 year mark as an American citizen here…So I should be able to apply for a long-term permit in 2027..I have been using the “dummy company” method…My immigration lawyer mentioned something about basic Romanian language proficiency as a requirement…You make no mention of it (I think)…Has this requirement changed?
The official data (only in Romanian here: https://igi.mai.gov.ro/sederea-pe-termen-lung-in-romania/) states nothing about the Romanian language requirement, although I know it was one at least a couple of years ago. I will investigate this further, but until then, it’s probably safer to believe the immigration lawyer.