RomaniaFamily residence permit

Family reunification with a citizen in Romania

The programme allows family members of Romanian citizens to apply for a long-stay visa directly at consulates. Family members include spouses, partners with a child in common, minor children and children in education, parents, and foreign parents of minor Romanian citizens. Once the visa is issued, a long-term permit with the right to work is granted.

Source: igi.mai.gov.ro — family reunification for Romanian citizens

The procedure step by step

The programme has two main stages: obtaining the long-stay visa at the consulate and arranging the residence permit in Romania.

Before arrival

Prepare the documents in your country of residence
Have marriage/relationship certificates translated into Romanian and apostilled
Obtain a criminal-record certificate, confirmed by apostille
Contact the Romanian consulate

At the consulate

File the application for the long-stay D visa for family reunification
Provide all translated and apostilled documents
Attend an interview (if required)
Receive the long-stay visa in your passport (usually within 20-30 days)

After arrival in Romania

Register with the local authorities within 3 days
File the online application for the residence permit
Pay the fee for the permit and the card
Receive the residence permit for 10 years

When the programme will not work

The direct relative is outside Romania and has no access to a consulate

You must apply to the nearest Romanian consulate in the country of residence

A partner without an official marriage and without children in common

Such a partner does not fall within the family reunification category; look into other types of visa

Children over 26 who are not in education

Adult children may apply only if they are unable to support themselves for medical reasons

What it costs

Long-stay D visaThe fee at the consulate, paid in euros	120 EUR

Paid separately

Prior IGI approval — Not required — family members apply directly at the consulate without prior approval
Separate employment aviz — Not required once the long-term residence permit has been obtained

Documents to gather

All documents issued abroad must be translated into Romanian and apostilled.

Valid passport with a copy
Marriage certificate (original or certified copy, translated and apostilled)
Where there are children: birth certificates of all children (translated and apostilled)
Criminal-record certificate issued by the authorities of the country of residence (apostilled)
Photograph 4x6 cm (usually 2-4, depending on the consulate)
Proof of accommodation in Romania (rental agreement or title deed, translated)
Proof of the sponsor's income (employer's certificate, bank statement or tax certificate, translated)
Medical certificate from a doctor (for some consulates)
Completed visa application form (the form is provided by the consulate)
Receipt for payment of the consular fee

How the process runs

The process is divided between stages in the country of residence and stages in Romania. The overall time is roughly 2-3 months.

1
Preparing documents and translations
2-4 weeks
Collect all the required documents, have them translated into Romanian by an accredited translator and apostilled by the competent authorities. This is the most time-consuming part of the process.
2
Attending the consulate and filing the application
1 day
Attend the Romanian consulate with the originals and copies of all documents. The consulate may ask for additional certificates. An appointment can be booked online or by telephone.
3
Examination of the application
20-30 days
The consulate checks the documents and may request further information. Once approved, the visa is placed in the passport.
4
Collecting the visa
1 day
Collect the passport with the visa at the consulate. The visa allows entry to Romania and is usually valid for 180 days from issue.
5
Registration in Romania
3 days
After arriving in Romania, attend the police station for your place of residence (the local authority) and register. Without registration you cannot apply for the residence permit.
6
Filing the residence permit application
1 day
File the online application for the residence permit through the portal of the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI). A Romanian telephone number and an email address are needed.
7
Examination of the application and issue of the permit
30-90 days
The IGI examines the application. Once approved, the residence permit document is issued. You can then collect the permit and pay the card fee.
8
Receiving the residence permit card
10-20 days
After payment, the plastic residence permit card is produced. The card is valid for 10 years for family members of Romanian citizens.

Timelines and rights

Work

You work without an employment aviz: family members of Romanian citizens are exempt from it.

Who you can bring with you

The long-stay visa for family reunification in Romania may be applied for by family members of Romanian citizens or of persons holding a long-term residence permit.

Spouse

A valid marriage certificate, apostilled and translated into Romanian, is required. The sponsor must show that they are able to support the spouse.

Unmarried partner

Entitled to the visa only where there is at least one child in common with the Romanian citizen. The child's birth certificate and proof of living together are required.

Children

Children of Romanian citizens (including adopted children) may obtain the visa if they are under 21, or under 26 if they are still in education. A birth certificate and a copy of the child's passport or identity document are required.

Parents (ascending line)

The parents of the citizen or of the spouse may obtain the visa if they lack sufficient means to support themselves in the country of origin and do not receive adequate family support. Proof of the sponsor's income and of the parent's dependency is required.

Foreign parent of a minor Romanian citizen

A foreigner who is the parent of a minor Romanian citizen may obtain the visa on proof of custody or of a maintenance obligation. The child's birth certificate and custody documents are required.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

The visa is refused where a marriage of convenience is established, and also in cases of bigamy or polygamy.

The residence permit for family members of Romanian citizens is issued for 10 years straight away, as stated at the card issue stage. Renewal is filed through the IGI portal or in person at an IGI office before the current card expires, with an updated set of documents (passport, proof of accommodation and, where necessary, other certificates). After 5 years of continuous residence in the country, a family member may in addition claim EU long-term resident status if they intend to stay permanently.

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.

	Family reunification with a citizen	Digital nomad	Business residence permit
Visa term	The right of residence is renewed for up to 5 years	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	Consular fee — EUR 120 in the leu equivalent; residence card — RON 265	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	You work without an employment aviz: family members of Romanian citizens are exempt from it	Only for a foreign employer or one's own business abroad	Yes, managing your own company; employment requires a different basis
Residence	The visa is refused where a marriage of convenience is established, and also in cases of bigamy or polygamy	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

For family members of Romanian citizens the long-term residence permit is issued for 10 years and does not require proof of means.

Route to citizenship

The spouse of a Romanian citizen is granted citizenship after 5 years of residence from the date of the marriage. The certificate of lawful residence is issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration.

Frequently asked questions about Family reunification with a citizen

Is prior approval from the General Inspectorate for Immigration needed before applying at the consulate?

No, it is not. Family members apply for the long-stay visa directly at the Romanian consulate in their country of residence, without prior IGI approval. This makes the process considerably simpler and faster.

Can I work in Romania once I have the long-term residence permit through family reunification?

Yes. Family members holding a long-term residence permit may work in Romania without obtaining a separate employment aviz. They have full access to the Romanian labour market on terms equal to those of EU citizens.

How long does it take to obtain the residence permit from the date of filing?

The whole process usually takes 2-3 months: preparing and translating documents (2-4 weeks), examination at the consulate (20-30 days), registration in Romania (3 days) and examination of the application by the IGI (30-90 days). The exact timing depends on the consulate and the completeness of the documents.

For how many years is the residence permit issued to family members of Romanian citizens?

The residence permit card for family members of Romanian citizens is issued for 10 years. Once it expires, the card must be renewed at the local IGI office with updated documents.

What are the timelines for obtaining Romanian citizenship?

The spouse of a Romanian citizen may apply for naturalisation and obtain citizenship after 5 years of marriage and continuous residence in Romania. For other categories of family member the period is 8 years of continuous residence. Proof of good conduct and knowledge of Romanian (at least A1) and of the country's history are required.

Is health insurance needed to apply for family reunification?

Health insurance is not required for the family reunification programme. It is nevertheless advisable to hold basic health insurance before arriving in Romania. After registering, you can take out voluntary health insurance or use the state healthcare system.

Which documents must be apostilled?

All documents issued abroad must be apostilled by the competent authority of the country that issued them. This includes marriage and birth certificates, criminal-record certificates, medical certificates, education diplomas and other official documents. The apostille confirms the authenticity of the document for use in Romania.

How much does the whole residence permit procedure cost?

The main costs are: the consular visa fee (EUR 120), the residence permit card (about RON 265, roughly EUR 53) and translations and apostilles (roughly EUR 100-300 depending on the number of documents). That comes to about EUR 400-500 in total. Additional costs may include notarial certifications, photographs and, where needed, legal advice.

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.