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How to Obtain a Short Stay Visa in Romania

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Foreign nationals from certain countries who need to stay in Romania for short-term purposes may need to apply for a visa. This is not mandatory for EU/EEA nationals, however, those visiting from countries such as China, India, Egypt and others need to comply with the visa requirements. The visa alows foreigners to request entry into the territory of Romania, for reasons other than immigration, for an uninterrupted stay or several stays whose duration does not exceed 90 days during any period of 180 days prior to each day of stay in Romania . This type of visa can be issued with one or more entries and the right of residence of the holder of a short-stay visa cannot be extended.

In this article, our lawyers in Romania answer a number of basic questions about the visa regime. For more details, please reach out to us.

Question: Do I need to obtain a visa to visit Romania for 21 days?

Answer: Depending on your national country, the purpose and the time span of your visist, foreigners may request a visa to enter the Romanian space.

  1. The Romanian short stay visa is the visa which allows foreigners to request entry into the Romanian territory, for other reasons than immigration, considering an uninterrupted stay or several stay intervals whose duration should not exceed 90 days, within 6 month, as of the first entry. Such type of Romanian visa may be issued with one or multiple entries.
  2. In case of foreigners traveling frequently to Romania, for business purposes, upon the request of the central administrative authorities or of the companies with far-reaching economic and financial power, the short stay visa with multiple entries may also be granted for one year, and in exceptional cases, for an interval up to 5 years. In such cases, the duration of the stay may not exceed 90 days within 6 month, as well. If you are an entrepreneur interested in this option, reach out to our Romanian lawyers for details.
  3. Short stay visa shall be granted for the following purposes:
  • mission (symbol C / M)  – to foreigners who for reasons related to their political administrative or public utility office, have to travel to Romania. This type of visa shall be issued to foreigners working for governments, public administrations or international organizations, as well as to those who, by purpose of their stay in Romania, are of interest for the relationship between the Romanian state and the state of their origin. Such visa can also be issued to the family members accompanying them;
  • tourism  (symbol C / TU)  – to the foreigner who is to travel to Romania for tourist purposes;
  • private visit (symbol C / VV)  – to the foreigner who intends to travel to Romania in order to visit Romanian citizens of foreigners with a valid stay permit;
  • business (symbol C / A)  – to the foreigner who intends to travel to Romania for economic and / or commercial purposes, for contracts negotiations, to learn or to verify the use and operation of goods acquired or sold under commercial and industrial co-operation contracts, as well as to the foreigner that is or will become an associate or shareholder of a Romanian trade company;
  • transportation (symbol C / TR)  – to the foreigner who is to travel for short periods of time in order to carry out professional activities related to goods or persons transportation; if you wish to open a transport company.
  • sports activities (symbol C / SP)  – to the foreigner who is to enter Romania for a limited interval in order to participate to sportive competitions;
  • cultural, scientific, humanitarian activities, short term medical treatment or other activities which do not breach the Romanian legislation (symbol C / ZA)  – subject to having to justify the presence in Romania.

For the categories listed below, the visa can be applied for without obtaining, in advance, an IGI-MAI invitation (according to the provisions of art. 40 paragraph 1 of GEO no. 194/2002 republished, with subsequent amendments and completions:

  • the minor alien whose parent is a beneficiary of refugee status or has subsidiary protection or is in possession of a residence permit in Romania, provided that it is valid for at least 90 days from the date of granting the entry visa;
  • the spouse and parents of the foreign beneficiary of refugee status or who has subsidiary protection or who is in possession of a residence permit in Romania, provided that it is valid for at least 90 days from the date of granting the entry visa;
  • the foreigner whose parent is a Romanian citizen;
  • the foreigner, parent of a Romanian citizen.

Also, short-stay visas can be granted without fulfilling the IGI-MAI invitation procedure, for the following categories of foreigners (according to the provisions of art. 40 paragraph 2 of GEO no. 194/2002 republished, with subsequent amendments and completions:

  • foreigners married to Romanian citizens;
  • foreigners, minor children of Romanian citizens;
  • aliens holding a residence permit valid in one of the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area or in the States party to the Schengen Agreement, without the validity of the visa exceeding the validity of the residence permit;
  • aliens holding a residence permit valid in States for whose nationals there is no visa requirement for entry into the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area or the States party to the Schengen Agreement;
  • aliens who have applied in the state border crossing document for visas from the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area, the states party to the Schengen Agreement or states for whose nationals there is no visa requirement to enter those states. The Romanian visa cannot exceed the validity of this visa;
  • foreigners who are to come to Romania for business purposes, at the request of the administrative authorities, as well as of the companies regulated by Law no. 31/1990, republished, with subsequent amendments and completions, which are entered on the lists of taxpayers to the state budget, established by order of the President of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration, published in the Official Gazette of Romania, and which assumes, by letter of guarantee addressed in original to the National Visa Center, the obligation to bear the expenses regarding the material, medical assistance and those for the execution of the removal measures;
  • foreigners who are to come to Romania for the purpose of visiting, at the request of diplomatic missions or foreign consular offices accredited in Romania;
  • foreigners for whom a visa has been requested, in writing, at diplomatic missions or consular offices, from central public authorities or foreign chambers of commerce;
  • the persons for whom the visa was requested at the National Visa Center from the following institutions in Romania: the Presidential Administration, the Parliament, the Government and other central and local public authorities, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest, as well as the territorial and of the prefectures, which assumes the obligation to bear the expenses regarding the material, medical assistance and those of the execution of the removal measures, through a letter of guarantee sent in original;
  • truck drivers;
  • personalities from the Romanian diaspora and their descendants;
  • parents of foreign pupils or students, accepted for studies in Romania, who arrive for their first installation, subject to the presentation of an apostille document, or as the case may be, superlegalized, issued by the authorities of the state of origin attesting the kinship.
  • foreigners who are to come to Romania at the request of a legal person of public interest, who functions legally and who assumes the obligation to bear the expenses regarding material, medical assistance and those for the execution of removal measures, through a letter of guarantee addressed in original to the National Visa Center.

Our team of lawyers in Romania can give you more details.

Foreign nationals can request a divorce in Romania in some cases and, when neither has their permanent domicile in the country, they can lodge the application with any court. The procedure is, however, subject to particular conditions when performed in this manner. Our team can give you more information, as well as act on your behalf during the divorce proceedings.

Question: Can your lawyers in Romania present the conditions for obtaining a short stay visa in Romania?

Answer: Depending on the purpose for which the short stay visa Romania has been requested, the fulfillment of the following conditions shall be necessary:

  • mission – Romanian visa shall be granted to foreigners proving that they have one of the qualities foreseen above and travel to Romania pursuant to such qualities;
  • tourism – Romanian visa shall be granted to foreigners if they present:
  • a voucher or firm reservation from a tourist accommodation unit;
    • a travel ticket valid up to the destination point or driving license, green card and the registration documents of the means of transportation in case of vehicle drivers;
    • medical insurance
    • the proof of financial means in amount of EUR 50 / day for the entire period of time, but not less than EUR 500 or the equivalent value in convertible currency;
  • visit – short stay visa Romania shall be granted to foreigners, if they provide:
    • a travel ticket valid up to the destination point or the driving license, green card and the registration documents of the means of transportation, in the case of vehicle drivers;
    • medical insurance
    • certified invitation from the person to be visited, from which to conclude that such person shall ensure the return costs, in case the invited foreigner does not leave Romania until the date the stay right established through visa expires, as well as, when the visited person has undertaken such thing, the means for support and accommodation of the foreigner;
    • the proof of the financial means in amount of EUR 50 / day for the entire period of time but not less than EUR 500, or the equivalent value in convertible currency;
    • the proof of providing accommodation conditions in form of a firm reservation with an accommodation unit, an ownership deed or rent agreement of a dwelling in this country, included in the visa application Romania if the visited person does not ensure the accommodation;
  • business – Romanian visa shall be granted to foreigners, if they provide:
    • a travel ticket valid up to the destination point or driving license, green card and the registration documents of the means of transportation, in case of vehicle drivers;
    • medical insurance;
    • invitation from a trade company or public authority to participate to meetings, conferences, fairs or congresses related to commerce or to the industry, which indicates the fact that such trade company or public authority shall ensure the return costs, in case the invited foreigner does not leave Romania until the date the stay right established through the visa or through other documents proving the purpose of the trip expires;
    • the proof of the financial means in amount of EUR 50 / day for the entire period of time, but not less than EUR 500, or the equivalent value in convertible currency.
    • the proof of accommodation conditions.

Starting a business in Romania is subject to further requirements. Our Romanian lawyers can provide details.

  • transportation – short stay visa Romania shall be granted to foreigners, if they provide:
    • documents attesting the profession of the applicant, as well as the activity to be carried out during his/her stay;
    • medical insurance;
    • the driving license, green card and registration documents of the means of transportation;
    • transportation license and execution license
  • sports – short stay visa Romania shall be granted to foreigners, if they provide:
    • invitation from the organizers, which attests the existence of the medical insurance and of the accommodation;
    • the official list of the foreign sports delegation specifying the offices of each member;
    • the approval of the territorially competent county directorate for youth and sports; 

Our attorneys in Romania can assist international athletes who apply for this visa.

  • cultural, scientific, humanitarian activities, short-term medical treatment or other activities which do not breach the Romanian laws. These special situations can be further described by the experts at our Romanian law firm. The short stay visa for Romania shall be granted to foreigners interested in these particular activities if they provide:
    • documents issued by the institutions where they are to travel in order to justify their presence in Romania;
    • a travel ticket valid up to the destination point or driving license, green card and the registration documents of the means of transportation, in case o vehicle drivers;
    • the proof of financial means in amount of EUR 100 / day or the equivalent value in convertible currency for the entire period of time;
    • medical insurance;
    • proof of accommodation conditions.

Our team also assists clients with other types of services, such as those for foreign nationals who wish to buy property in Romania. As a foreign buyer, one has the same rights to purchase commercial or residential properties, however, working closely with an attorney during this time is advisable in order to make sure that the sale/purchase agreements are reviewed by a legal practitioner.

Our law firm in Romania is able to provide necessary assistance in matters related to visa application for entering Romania. The Romanian immigration attorneys at Darie & Manea are always ready to deliver solutions, as well committed to identify alternatives for less expected intricate instances.For a free case consultation, please call us now!

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