RomaniaIn person

Romanian citizenship by repatriation

Restoring EU citizenship through ancestry.

Price from

$9,970

Best for

Ethnic Romanians
An EU passport

Timeline

12–24 months

Most adults need a Romanian language certificate at B1

Law 14/2025 has applied since 15 March 2025. It requires Romanian at level B1 or above. The certificate comes from an accredited Romanian university, the Institute of the Romanian Language or the Romanian Cultural Institute, including its offices abroad. A certified copy of a school or university record showing at least 3 years of study in Romanian is the second route. Exempt: former Romanian citizens regaining citizenship, and applicants aged 65 or over on the filing date. The certificate may be supplied after filing, until 14 March 2027.

‘Ancestry’ does not mean ethnic Romanians only, and the territory is wider than Moldova

The ground covers descendants of people who lived in territories that were part of the Kingdom of Romania in 1918–1940 — not only present-day Moldova and part of Bukovina/Bessarabia in Ukraine, but also parts of present-day Serbia and Bulgaria. What matters is the ancestor's citizenship or residence in that territory in those years, not ethnicity.

Compare with 3 programmes: repatriation by descentRequirements, timelines and the right to work across every country on this ground.

What the service includes

Scope: a tick means included in the price, a cross means not included
	Gathering the documents
	Filing
	Support
	The language exam (where required)— billed separately

Documents and programme requirements

1Documents proving your ancestry
2A clean background

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pass a Romanian language exam?

Yes, most adults need Romanian at level B1 or above. Proof is a certificate or a certified school record showing 3+ years of study in Romanian. Former Romanian citizens regaining citizenship and applicants aged 65 or over on the filing date are exempt. You can file without the certificate and supply it later, until 14 March 2027. If you miss that date, the application is rejected.

My ancestors are from Moldova or Bessarabia but were not ‘Romanians’ by passport — do I qualify?

Yes, if the ancestor was a citizen or a resident of a territory within Romania's 1918–1940 borders (including present-day Moldova, part of western Ukraine and also parts of Serbia and Bulgaria) — ethnic origin does not matter; what matters is that the ancestor was connected with that territory in those years.

How long does the passport really take?

The law was updated in 2025 (No. 14/2025): the official period for the ANC to consider an application is up to 2 years from the day the complete pack is registered, with a possible extension of a further 6 months in complex cases. Independent practice shows real timeframes of 2.5–3 years (30–36 months), so they can run beyond the statutory limit.

Sources

Citizenship by descent: other options

Compare terms in other countries and delivery formats.

Bulgaria

Bulgarian citizenship by repatriation

$13,300In person

Poland

Polish citizenship through the Pole's Card

upon consultation →In person

Full comparison across countries →

Related breakdowns

Migration22 September 2026

Romanian citizenship by descent: the 2026 conditions

Who qualifies for Romanian citizenship by descent, why law 14/2025 requires a B1 certificate, which documents are collected and how long the wait really is.

All blog articles →

We'll check your case before you pay

Send an enquiry — we will check your case and help you arrange “Romanian citizenship by repatriation” in Romania. No markup on top.

We'll cover: whether you qualify, the full cost with fees, realistic timelines, the document list. If it's not for you, we'll say so.