RomaniaCitizenship

Naturalisation in Romania

The naturalisation programme grants Romanian citizenship to foreigners who have lived in the country for a long time and meet the requirements of the law. The applicant must demonstrate loyalty to the state, speak Romanian and know the country's culture. Spouses of Romanian citizens may obtain citizenship after a shorter period of residence. Once the application is approved, the oath of allegiance must be taken, after which citizenship is held for life.

Visa term

Citizenship is granted for life.

Work

A Romanian citizen needs neither a work authorisation nor an employment aviz.

Source: cetatenie.just.ro — Articolul 8

How to obtain Romanian citizenship on application

Naturalisation is open to foreigners with many years of residence and loyalty to the state. The process involves filing the documents, an interview and the oath.

Main conditions

Permanent residence in Romania for at least eight years
Aged eighteen or over
No criminal record in Romania or abroad
Lawful sources of income at the level of the minimum wage

Knowledge and loyalty

Command of Romanian at level B1
Knowledge of the Constitution and the national anthem
Knowledge of the basics of Romanian culture and history
Demonstrating loyalty to the state through conduct and attitude

Shorter periods are available for

Spouses of Romanian citizens: residence from five years
Nationals of the EU, EEA and Switzerland: residence from three years
Refugees who have completed integration: residence from three years
Those born in Romania: residence from three years

When the programme will not work

A criminal record in Romania or abroad for serious offences

Consider obtaining citizenship through descent or other programmes

No lawful sources of income

Secure stable employment before filing the application

You do not wish to live in Romania

Consider a long-stay visa or a residence permit

You refuse to learn Romanian at all

Intensive language study, or consider programmes that do not require the language

What it costs

Fee for the citizen card (adult)Officially RON 91.50 including VAT for the Romanian citizen card; paid at CEC Bank	18 EUR
Fee for the citizen card (minor)The same rate of RON 91.50 — the citizen card costs the same for an adult and a child, and no separate reduced rate for children is officially set	18 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	36 EUR

Paid separately

Translation of documents — All documents must be translated into Romanian; the cost depends on the volume and the translator
Notarial certification — Documents require notarial certification in Romania; additional costs are possible
Criminal-record certificate — Obtaining the certificate in the country of origin and the apostille require separate payments
Photographs — Four colour photographs 3.5 x 4.5 cm; not included in the fees

Documents to gather

All documents must be obtained in the country of origin, translated into Romanian and notarially certified.

Valid passport or a document replacing it
Birth certificate with apostille
Criminal-record certificate with apostille (from the countries of residence over the last five years)
Marriage certificate (if any; an apostille is required)
Divorce certificate or spouse's death certificate (if any, with apostille)
Criminal-record certificate from the Romanian local authorities (IGI - Inspectoratul General al Poliţiei)
Notarised declaration of loyalty to the state, in Romanian
Documents confirming lawful residence in Romania (rental agreement, title deed, certificate from the local authorities)
Documents on income and means of subsistence over the last three years
Four colour photographs, three and a half by four and a half centimetres
Documents confirming knowledge of Romanian (where required — a certificate or a certificate of study)
Receipt for payment of the state fee

How the process runs

Naturalisation involves several stages, each requiring careful preparation of documents and the applicant's participation.

1
Preparing and collecting documents
one to three months
Collect all the necessary documents in the country of origin, obtain apostilles on the certificates, have the documents translated into Romanian and have each translation certified by a notary in Romania.
2
Filing the application in person
depends on the schedule
File the application in person with the National Authority for Citizenship with the complete set of documents and the state fee paid. Provide biometric data (fingerprints, photograph).
3
Preliminary check
one to two months
The Authority checks that the documents are complete, that residence has been lawful and that there is no criminal record. If documents are missing, you will be asked to provide further material.
4
Interview and testing
up to six months
Attend the interview on knowledge of Romanian, the Constitution, the national anthem and the culture. Your loyalty to the state and integration into Romanian society are assessed.
5
Decision by the Commission
one to four months after the interview
The Commission analyses all the material in the file and decides whether to approve or refuse. A refusal may be challenged before the Bucharest Tribunal within fifteen days.
6
Taking the oath of allegiance
within six months of approval
Once approved, you take the oath: 'I swear allegiance to the Romanian country and the Romanian people, I swear to defend the rights and national interests and to observe the Constitution and the laws of Romania'. Citizenship begins on the date of the oath.
7
Issue of the certificate and documents
up to one month after the oath
Receive the official citizenship certificate from the Minister of Justice or a diplomatic mission, then apply for a Romanian passport.

Who you can bring with you

Family members of a naturalising applicant and spouses of Romanian citizens are subject to special naturalisation conditions.

Spouse of a Romanian citizen

A minimum of five years of residence is required instead of eight; the marriage need not have lasted the whole period, but proof of living together for most of the time is required

Children of the naturalising applicant

May naturalise at the same time as the parent; minor children face reduced requirements; the citizen card fee is the same for an adult and a child — RON 91.50

A spouse who holds Romanian citizenship

Their presence simplifies verification and may speed up the interview; supporting letters from the spouse are taken into account when loyalty to the state is assessed

Trips, renewal and the grace period

8 years of lawful residence in Romania are required. For spouses of Romanian citizens, 5 years from the date of the marriage. For refugees the period is reduced by up to 3 years.

Romanian citizenship obtained under article 8 of Law 21/1991 is held for life. Once the oath of allegiance has been taken it is never interrupted and does not require renewal. A citizen may leave Romania for any length of time without the risk of losing citizenship. The passport is issued for ten years and must be renewed, but citizenship itself remains a lifelong right.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Naturalisation	Digital nomad	Business residence permit
Visa term	Citizenship is granted for life	D-visa for up to 90 days; the first residence permit for 6 months, then 1 year at a time	Usually 1 year, renewable while the company is trading
Money	Citizen card — RON 91.50 including VAT	Income of at least three times the Romanian average gross wage over 6 months (about EUR 3,700-4,200 a month)	Minimum capital/investment, funds for living costs; for investors, hundreds of thousands of euros
Work	A Romanian citizen needs neither a work authorisation nor an employment aviz	Only for a foreign employer or one's own business abroad	Yes, managing your own company; employment requires a different basis
Residence	8 years of lawful residence in Romania are required	Actual residence for most of the year (183+ days)	Actual residence, with an address in the country

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

The period is counted by domicile — the long-term right of residence, granted after 5 years. The certificate confirming it is issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration.

Route to citizenship

The Commission schedules the interview within no more than 6 months. A refusal may be challenged within 15 days before the Bucharest Tribunal. The oath is taken within 6 months; citizenship takes effect from the date of the oath.

Frequently asked questions about Naturalisation

How many years must I live in Romania to obtain citizenship on application?

The standard naturalisation period is eight years of permanent residence. For spouses of Romanian citizens, however, this is reduced to five years. Further reductions are available for EU nationals, refugees and those born in Romania (to three years). Note that time absent for more than six months in a year does not count towards the period of residence.

What level of Romanian is required?

Level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is required. That means an independent level of command: you must understand the main ideas in clear standard texts, hold a conversation on familiar topics and write simple connected texts on subjects of interest to you. Knowledge of the anthem and the Constitution is tested separately at the interview.

Can I keep my original citizenship when I obtain Romanian citizenship?

Yes, Romania fully permits dual citizenship. You are not required to renounce the citizenship of your country of origin when naturalising. Some countries, however, do not recognise dual citizenship, so it is advisable to check the law of your country of origin before filing.

What is the full cost of the naturalisation process?

The official state fee is the charge for the citizen card, RON 91.50 (including VAT), the same for an adult and a minor. The full cost of preparing the file depends on additional expenses, however: translation of documents (a few hundred euros depending on the volume), notarial certification in Romania, apostilles, criminal-record certificates from your country and any legal advice — these items have no official tariff and can only be estimated.

How long does the application take and when do I become a citizen?

The whole process takes roughly two years. The interview is usually scheduled within six months of filing the documents. After the interview the Commission takes a further four to eight months to decide. Note that you become a citizen not on the date of approval but on the date you take the oath of allegiance, which must be done within six months of the positive decision.

What happens if my naturalisation is refused?

If your application is rejected, you may challenge the decision before the Bucharest Tribunal within fifteen days of receiving notice of the refusal. The Tribunal will review your case. You may also file a new application later if you remedy the reasons for the refusal (for example by improving your language skills, gathering further documents or waiting longer).

Is knowledge of the Romanian anthem required?

Yes, knowledge of the national anthem is a compulsory requirement. At the interview you may be asked to sing or recite the words of the anthem. This is part of the assessment of your integration into Romanian society and your loyalty to the state. The anthem is relatively short (four verses) and most applicants can learn it after a few weeks of intensive practice.

Can I apply if I have been convicted in the past?

If you have been convicted of serious offences in Romania or abroad, naturalisation will not be possible. For less serious offences, however, your particular case can be discussed with a lawyer. It is important to take advice before filing, because false information may lead to refusal and a bar on re-applying for several years. The criminal-record certificate is always checked against international databases.

Other ways to move to Romania

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Romania.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.