RomaniaOther grounds

Traineeship, au pair, volunteering in Romania

The 'alte scopuri' (other purposes) category brings together three demanding routes: unremunerated professional training with accredited providers, au pair work with families, and volunteering with non-profit organisations. Each option is aimed at young people and requires a contract and financial guarantees from the host or the candidate; it is valid for a maximum of one year with no possibility of renewal. Time in these categories does not count towards the years required for long-term residence or citizenship, but it gives lawful status and practical experience.

Source: igi.mai.gov.ro — alte scopuri

Three routes: traineeship, helping families, community work

Choose the option that matches your plans and qualifications.

Traineeship (stagiare)

Professional training agreement with an accredited provider
Financial means at the level of the average wage in the economy
Valid for up to 1 year with no possibility of renewal
Work strictly within the training programme

Au pair

Agreement with a family on helping around the house and caring for children
Aged 18-30, unmarried, without children
Valid for up to 1 year; the time does not count towards long-term residence
A maximum of 25 hours a week of household work

Volunteering

Agreement with a non-profit organisation or charitable institution
Minimum age 14; minors need a guardian's consent
The organisation provides accommodation, meals and health insurance
Valid for up to 1 year in accordance with the agreement

When the programme will not work

You need paid work at an ordinary company

Use the employment category

You are looking for long-term resident status

Time in 'alte scopuri' does not count towards the years required for long-term residence; you will need to change category

You have no contract or guarantees from an organisation

The applicant or the host must prove the financial capacity to support the stay

What it costs

Consular fee for the long-stay visaThe official consular fee for the long-stay visa for a traineeship/au pair/volunteering, paid at the Romanian consulate	120 EUR

Paid separately

Accommodation and meals — For volunteers, provided by the organisation; for au pairs, by the family; trainees pay for themselves
Health insurance — For volunteers and au pairs it forms part of the obligations of the organisation or family

Documents to gather

The basic set for all categories; see the notes for each option.

Application for the grant or renewal of the right of residence (IGI form)
Valid passport (copy and original)
Professional training agreement (for a traineeship), volunteering agreement (for volunteering) or family contract (for an au pair)
Proof of financial means: bank statement, salary certificate or a letter of support from the organisation (the amount depends on the category)
Education document (translated and certified; for an au pair, a secondary education diploma)
Civil liability insurance (for volunteers) or confirmation of insurance from the organisation or family
Proof of accommodation: rental agreement, title document or a letter from the organisation or family
Criminal-record certificate (where required)

How the process runs

How the residence permit is obtained and how it works.

1
Preparing documents and signing the contract
1-3 months before filing
Find a training provider, organisation or family; agree the terms; sign the official contract in Romanian or English. Have all qualification documents translated and notarised.
2
Obtaining the long-stay visa
15-30 days
File the application at the Romanian consulate in your country. The visa is issued on the basis of the contract and the financial guarantees.
3
Applying for the residence permit in Romania
within 90 days of arrival
Attend the nearest office of the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) with the complete set of documents. The application must be filed 30 days before the visa expires.
4
Examination and issue of the residence permit
30 days (up to 45 where checks are needed)
The administration checks the documents and contacts the organisation. Further information may be required. Once approved, the temporary residence document is issued.
5
Living and working under the status
a maximum of 1 year
Live in the country and fulfil your obligations under the contract. Do not work outside the stated activity. You may travel to other Schengen countries without a visa (if the visa was issued on the basis of an agreement within the EU).

Timelines and rights

Work

An au pair works in the household for no more than 25 hours a week. A traineeship is unpaid; a volunteer works under the agreement with the host organisation.

Who you can bring with you

Family members may accompany the applicant, but they need their own visas and residence permits.

Spouse, children

They must obtain their own long-stay visas and apply for residence permits on the basis of the family link with the applicant. Proof of sufficient funds to support the whole family is required. Children may attend Romanian schools; adults may not work without a separate authorisation.

Guardian of a minor volunteer

If the volunteer is aged 14-17, the guardian must give written consent. The guardian may live elsewhere; no residence permit is needed for them, only their consent.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Time spent as an au pair does not count towards the long-term right of residence: this category is not granted it.

These categories are valid for a maximum of 1 year with no possibility of renewal in the same status. If you wish to stay in Romania longer, you must change to another category (employment, study, business) or leave the country. Time spent in 'alte scopuri' does not count towards the 5 years required for long-term residence or the 8 years required for citizenship.

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.

	Traineeship, au pair, volunteering	Digital nomad	Business residence permit
Visa term	Traineeship — a maximum of 1 year with no renewal	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	Traineeship — at least the average gross wage in the economy each month	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	An au pair works in the household for no more than 25 hours a week	Only for a foreign employer or one's own business abroad	Yes, managing your own company; employment requires a different basis

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Au pair workers are expressly excluded from those who may be granted long-term residence.

Route to citizenship

Citizenship under article 8 of Law 21/1991 is requested after 8 years of lawful residence. The interview tests Romanian, the Constitution and the national anthem.

Frequently asked questions about Traineeship, au pair, volunteering

Can I work for a company other than the one named in my contract?

No. If you are a trainee, au pair or volunteer on an 'alte scopuri' residence permit, you may carry out only the work stated in the contract with the host organisation. Any additional work breaches the conditions of stay.

Does time as an au pair or volunteer count towards the years required for Romanian citizenship?

No. Under the law on long-term residence, time spent as an au pair or volunteer does not count towards the 5 years required for long-term residence or the 8 years required for citizenship. You would need to move to a status that does count (employment, for example).

What happens when the 1-year residence permit expires?

You must leave Romania or apply for a residence permit in another category (work, study, business, for example). Renewal as a trainee, au pair or volunteer is not possible. Staying after the permit expires counts as unlawful residence and may lead to a ban on entering Romania and the European Union.

How long does it take to obtain the residence permit after filing?

The standard period is 30 days from the date of filing. If additional checks are needed (contacting the organisation, verifying documents, consulting other authorities), the period may be extended by 15 days. In rare cases the process may take up to 45 days. File the application 30 days before the visa expires.

What financial means must I prove for a traineeship?

For a traineeship you must prove financial means equal to the average monthly wage in the Romanian economy (in 2026 roughly RON 9,220, or about EUR 1,800 a month) for the whole period of the traineeship. This may be a bank statement, a certificate of a grant from the organisation or a sponsor's letter.

What education documents are needed for an au pair?

Au pair work requires a secondary education diploma, translated and notarised. This confirms that you are sufficiently educated to work with children. Further education (languages, teaching) is welcome but not compulsory.

Can a volunteer aged 14-17 come alone?

No. A volunteer aged 14-17 must have the written consent of a parent or guardian. The guardian need not live in Romania but must provide notarised consent to the minor's stay in the country for the period of the volunteering.

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.