The temporary residence/stay permit can be obtained by foreign citizens who entered Romania with a long stay visa. The permit can be extended for a 1-5 year duration by submitting an application with a series of documents requested by the IGI depending on the purpose. The application must be registered at least 30 days before the permit or visa expires.
The temporary residence permit is granted only if the applicant:
- has a valid travel document;
- has legal proof of a living space;
- has national health insurance;
- fills in the same purpose as the one stated in the temporary residence permit previously granted.
The permanent residence/stay permit can be obtained only if foreign citizens have already been granted a temporary residence permit and fulfil the following conditions:
- They have proof of a continuous and legal stay of minimum 5 years on national territory - with a maximum absence of 6 consecutive months
- They have national health insurance
- They have means of subsistence - at least the minimum income level guaranteed in Romania
- They prove to know Romanian language at a satisfactory level.
- They don't represent a danger for national security
Moreover, you can obtain a permanent residence permit even though you do not meet the above-mentioned conditions if:
- you are of Romanian origin or you were born in Romania and your stay is in the interest of the Romanian state
- if you have invested 1.000.000 euro or have created 100 full-time jobs
Blue Card owners can have benefits in obtaining a permit under certain conditions.
As an internal procedure, after the file registration, you may attend an interview to establish the level of your Romanian language. The applications for issuing the permanent residence permit will be solved in maximum 6 months, with the possibility of extending the period by another 90 days. In case of a positive response, the permanent residence permit will be issued for a 5 year period, with the possibility of extending it.
Foreign citizens who are granted a long term residence permit must obey the Romanian legislation and benefit from the same rights as a Romanian citizen:
- the right to work and study;
- the validation of their studies and acknowledgement of their diplomas;
- social security;
When the permanent residence permit is granted, foreign citizens will be given a CNP - personal identification number - which will be granted only once, regardless of their number of entries or period of time spent on Romanian territory. This number consists of 13 digits, it will be stated in all temporary residence or any other type of documents which will be obtained in the future and it will only be changed when obtaining Romanian citizenship.
For additional information you can find us on the official website of the General Inspectorate for Immigrations, Citizens NON-UE section.