Family members of EU/EEA citizens can travel to Romania without a visa. As far as non EU/EEA family members are concerned, they need to submit their documents in order to receive a visa if they do not have a residence permit for a EU/EEA country. In some cases, they may need to present an invitation from a Romanian citizen or from a foreigner who is in possession of a residence permit.
Non-EU/EEA citizens may apply for family reunification at the Authority for Foreigners, only if they hold a permanent residence permit or a temporary residence permit, valid for one year or longer, or own an EU Blue Card.
For foreign citizens conducting scientific research in Romania, the residence permit may be valid for even less than a year. The request may be made only regarding the first degree relatives of the researcher in question.
- A declaration that attests the fact that the family will live together;
- A copy of the marriage certificate or a proof of kinship;
- Evidence of a residence permit and a living space, in accordance with law;
- Proof of income or other means of support;
- A medical insurance of the applicant;
- A copy of the family’s travel documents;
- Taxes/fees (120 euro)
- A statement in which you declare that your family members will be living with you.
For more details, please visit the IGI website.
The request to obtain a long term visa for family reunification should be submitted to the territorial units of the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) in order to obtain approval. A reply to the request will be received within a 90-day period.
The long stay visa for family reunification can be obtained from Romanian diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad by submitting the answer from IGI. In addition, the application visa, proof of medical insurance, criminal record and/or any other document with the same legal value need to be submitted.
Once arrived in Romania, family members are required to obtain a residence permit. The application for residence permit will be solved in 30 days after having been submitted. Extension of the residence right/permit is made for each family member separately for a maximum period of up to 5 years.
Family members may be enrolled in any form of education, following standard procedure and a set of rules and regulations applicable to Romanian citizens.
More details on the application process to any form of education can be found both on the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research official website, international students section, and at the Childcare/School section of our own website.
Registration certificate and residence card
EU and EEA citizens have access on Romanian territory and they can stay up to 3 months without any administrative procedures.
If your stay in Romania exceeds 3 months, residence registration is required at the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) in the county where you live in by submitting a series of documents.
- If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you have to submit a request for a registration certificate which is issued on the same day of your request and is valid between 1 and 5 years.
- If you are a family member of an EU/EEA citizen, you have to submit the necessary files to obtain a residence card which takes up to 90 days to be issued. The card is valid up to 5 years but no longer than the stay of the EU/EEA citizen of whose family you are part of.
Depending on the purpose of your residency, you will need to submit a different list of documents.
For example, if you need a registration certificate with employment purpose, you will need the following:
- Standard application
- ID card or passport in original and in copy;
- Employment contract in original and in copy or a certificate/ statement from your employer
- Print Screen from the general employee registry of the data regarding the employment contract, stamped and signed by the employer, to confirm the authenticity of the document.
- Taxes.
In order to check the list of documents for each category, please visit the IGI website, sectionResidence registration.
Permanent residence card
In case of a continuous and legal residence on national territory for a period longer than 5 years, EU/EEA citizens and family members have the right to ask for permanent residence. The card is valid up to 10 years from its issuing date, except in the case of children under 14, whose card validity cannot exceed 5 years.
Check the list of necessary documents to obtain a permanent residence card on the IGI website, Permanent residencesection.
The right of permanent residence may be lost in case of an absence longer than 2 consecutive years.