RESIDENCE PERMIT IN ROMANIA
A Romanian residence permit is issued for a specific legal purpose, not simply because a person plans to relocate. For most non-EU nationals, that purpose is employment, study, family reunification, business, research or another statutory category. The strongest application is one in which the visa, planned activity, income and accommodation support the same route.
In most cases, a long-stay visa is obtained before travel and a temporary residence permit is requested after arrival in Romania. A residence card is evidence of the approved status; it does not allow the holder to change the purpose of stay freely without checking the applicable rules.
AT A GLANCE
- Most non-EU nationals planning a long stay in Romania need a long-stay visa followed by a temporary residence permit.
- Common routes include employment, study, family reunification, business, research and intra-corporate transfer.
- From 1 July 2026, Romania’s national minimum wage is RON 4,325 gross per month, approximately €850.
- Long-term residence generally requires five years of continuous lawful stay and compliance with income, accommodation and insurance conditions.
- Romanian citizenship is a separate process and does not follow automatically from holding a temporary or long-term residence permit.
CONTENTS
Who needs a residence permit in Romania
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens use free-movement rules and follow a separate registration procedure when remaining in Romania for more than three months. Nationals of other countries normally need a legal basis for long-term stay, beginning with the appropriate visa and followed by a residence permit issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration.
The legal route matters throughout the stay. Employment residence, student residence, family reunification and business activity have different conditions, renewal requirements and work rights. Losing the underlying job, study place or family basis can affect the right to remain in the country.
Location shapes the practical side of a move. The best cities to live in Romania differ in rents, commuting, access to international employers and the availability of services in English.
Main residence routes
The right route should be selected before applying for a long-stay visa. Applying under a category that does not reflect the real purpose of the move can create problems with both the initial permit and a later renewal.
Choosing a Romanian residence route
| Route | Who it is for | Employment access |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | A worker with an eligible Romanian employer | Yes, under the approved conditions |
| EU Blue Card | Highly qualified employees meeting the relevant conditions | Yes |
| Study | Students admitted to recognised education providers | Subject to student rules |
| Family reunification | Eligible family members of a lawful resident | Depends on the status granted |
| Business activity | Entrepreneurs and investors meeting the legal requirements | Yes, as authorised activity |
| Research or intra-corporate transfer | Applicants meeting a specific legal category | As specified by the permit |
Property ownership does not create a residence right in Romania. A home can support the practical evidence of accommodation, but it does not replace an employment contract, university admission, family basis or a viable business activity.
IMPORTANT
Do not begin work on the assumption that a signed contract alone gives a right to employment. The employer’s immigration procedure, the visa and the residence status must support the actual job arrangement.
Work, study, business and income
For employment, the process normally begins with the Romanian employer and the relevant work authorisation procedure. The applicant then uses the approved employment basis to obtain the long-stay visa and temporary residence permit. A change of employer, role or working conditions should be checked before it takes effect.
A move for work in Romania should be planned around a profession, city and language of the vacancy. English is more common in international companies, IT, business services and some manufacturing roles, while Romanian significantly broadens access to the wider local labour market.
From 1 July 2026, the minimum wage in Romania is RON 4,325 gross per month, approximately €850. Average gross monthly earnings were RON 9,220 in January 2026, while average net monthly earnings were RON 5,518. These national averages should not be presented as the expected pay for an individual vacancy, sector or city.
Take-home income depends on tax, social-insurance contributions and the type of contract. The net salary calculator provides a more useful estimate of a specific offer than a gross figure alone.
Technology, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, construction, healthcare and selected service roles can offer stronger prospects for foreign applicants. A shortage occupation still does not remove the need for a suitable employer, recognised qualifications or the appropriate immigration status. The current shortage occupations in Romania provide labour-market context rather than a guaranteed route to residence.
Students need admission to a recognised institution, sufficient means, accommodation and health coverage. The permitted scope of work depends on the student’s status, so part-time earnings should not be treated as a substitute for the financial evidence required for residence.
Business-based residence requires more than registering a company. Business in Romania involves immigration eligibility, company registration, taxation, licences and the ability of the project to demonstrate genuine economic activity.
Housing can make a substantial difference to the budget. Prices in Romania vary sharply between Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Constanta and smaller regional cities. The savings calculator can help estimate the reserve needed for travel, rent, deposit and the first months after arrival.
Documents and the application process
For most long-term routes, the applicant first receives a long-stay visa from a Romanian diplomatic mission and then submits a residence application to the competent territorial office of the General Inspectorate for Immigration. The application should be filed before the lawful period of stay expires.
How the process usually works
- Choose the route that matches the real purpose of the stay.
- Prepare the long-stay visa application and route-specific documents.
- Obtain the visa before travelling where required.
- Submit the temporary residence application to the relevant IGI office after arrival.
- Collect the residence card and monitor its expiry date.
The precise document list depends on the route, but a typical file includes a valid passport, application form, photographs, proof of accommodation, health insurance, financial means and evidence of the purpose of stay. Employment applicants need employer and work-related documents; students need admission evidence; family applicants need civil-status and sponsor documentation.
Foreign public documents may require an apostille or legalisation and an authorised Romanian translation. Police certificates, bank statements and insurance documents should be timed carefully because they can have limited validity.
NOTE
There is no single checklist for every Romanian residence application. The General Inspectorate for Immigration assesses the documents required for the specific route and may request additional evidence.
Current rules, long-term residence and citizenship
Temporary residence is not renewed automatically. The applicant must show that the original basis remains valid, including employment, study, family circumstances, income, accommodation and other route-specific conditions.
Recent changes to note
In May 2026, Romania adopted Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026 on foreign nationals’ access to the labour market. It introduced a limited mechanism to regularise the status of certain foreign workers who remained in Romania after the expiry of an employment long-stay visa or single permit and who are not subject to a return decision. It is not a general amnesty for overstaying.
In 2026, the General Inspectorate for Immigration expanded electronic procedures for temporary and long-term residence applications and document issuance. Digital submission does not remove the authority’s checks or every in-person requirement, but it makes timely monitoring of portal notifications and document deadlines more important.
Long-term residence generally requires five years of continuous lawful stay. Short-stay residence, seasonal work and au pair periods are not counted in the same way as ordinary temporary residence. Applicants must also meet the legal conditions relating to income, accommodation, health insurance and continuity of stay.
Romania amended its citizenship legislation in March 2025, strengthening documentary and language-related requirements in the relevant citizenship procedures. Romanian citizenship remains a separate legal process; a temporary or long-term residence card does not itself create a right to naturalisation.
Life after approval depends as much on the chosen location as on immigration status. Living in Romania can involve very different rent, transport, school and labour-market conditions from one city to another.
When deciding between Romania and another destination, country comparisons can place income, taxes and living costs in a wider relocation context.
Sources
- General Inspectorate for Immigration of Romania
- Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania
- National Institute of Statistics of Romania
- Romanian Legislative Portal
- National Authority for Citizenship of Romania
- European Commission
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a residence permit to stay in Romania for more than 90 days?
Most non-EU nationals do. They normally need a long-stay visa and a residence basis that matches the purpose of the stay, such as work, study, family reunification or business.
Can I obtain Romanian residence by buying property?
No. Property ownership does not itself provide a right to live in Romania. It can help prove accommodation, but another legal residence basis is still required.
What is the minimum wage in Romania in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, Romania’s national gross minimum wage is RON 4,325 per month, approximately €850 at an indicative exchange rate.
Can I change employers with a Romanian work-based residence permit?
It depends on the existing permit and the terms of the new employment. The change should be checked with the immigration authority before the new arrangement begins.
How long does it take to qualify for long-term residence in Romania?
The general threshold is five years of continuous lawful residence. Eligibility also depends on income, accommodation, health insurance and the type of previous residence.
Does a Romanian residence permit lead automatically to citizenship?
No. Citizenship has separate legal requirements. A residence history may be relevant, but holding a residence permit does not automatically create a right to Romanian nationality.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of WageCentre, with a degree in finance and 15+ years of professional experience. He writes about salaries, taxes, labour markets, immigration and financial planning for relocation.
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