Visa Fee Exemptions

When applying for a short or ling-term visa, foreign nationals will be charged with a fee. However, there are categories that are exempt from this. Our Romanian lawyers list the categories of applicants for which there are no fees. If you have more questions, please reach out to our immigration experts.

Short-stay visa fee exemptions

There are no fees for short-stay visas for applicants in the following categories:

1. foreign officials from organizations to which Romania is a party;
2. members of foreign diplomatic missions and consular posts, persons accompanying heads of state, government, foreign parliamentary delegations and other official guests, as well as their family members, on reciprocal terms;
3. minors up to 6 years old;
4. pupils and students in the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral cycles and in the postgraduate cycles, as well as their accompanying professors, who make study or academic, scientific or professional trips;
5. researchers traveling to the European Union for scientific research, as defined in Recommendation 2005/761 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 on facilitating the issuance by Member States of uniform short-stay visas for national researchers third parties traveling for scientific research in the European Union;
6. representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 or under, participating in seminars, conferences, sporting, cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations;
7. family members of Romanian citizens, citizens of other Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area, as well as citizens of the Swiss Confederation, when accompanying or joining them, as defined by family members in art. 2 para. (1) point 3 of the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 102/2005 on the free movement on the Romanian territory of the citizens of the member states of the European Union, of the European Economic Area and of the citizens of the Swiss Confederation, republished, with the subsequent modifications and completions.

There are no short-stay visa fees for citizens of the Republic of Cape Verde, based on the EU-Cape Verde Agreement, in force since 1 December 2014, for the following categories of persons:

1. members of official delegations who, following an official invitation addressed to Cape Verde, the Member States or the Union, participate in meetings, consultations, negotiations or official exchange programs, as well as in events organized at the initiative of intergovernmental organizations in a Member State or Cape Verde;
2. children under 12;
3. pupils, students, graduates of undergraduate and postgraduate courses and accompanying teachers undertaking trips to study or educational training;
4. researchers traveling for the purpose of conducting scientific research;
5. participants up to 25 years of age in seminars, conferences, sporting, cultural or educational events, organized by non-profit organizations.

Long-stay visa fee exemptions

Similar to the excepted categories listed above, there are no fees for long-stay visas for family members of Romanian citizens, from the following categories:

• foreign officials from organizations to which Romania is a party;
• members of foreign diplomatic missions and consular posts, persons accompanying heads of state, government, foreign parliamentary delegations and other official guests, as well as their family members, on reciprocal terms;
• family members of Romanian citizens and family members of citizens of other Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area, as well as citizens of the Swiss Confederation, when accompanying or joining them, as defined by family members in art. 2 para. (1) point 3 of the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 102/2005 republished, with subsequent amendments and completions, respectively:
• husband or wife;
• direct descendants, regardless of citizenship, who have not reached the age of 21 or who are dependent on the citizen of the European Union, as well as those of the spouse;
• ascendants in direct line, regardless of citizenship, who are dependent on the citizen of the European Union, as well as those of the spouse;
• family members of Romanian citizens, from the categories provided in art. 46 paragraph (16) of the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 194/2002 republished, with subsequent amendments and completions, respectively:
• foreigners married to Romanian citizens;
• unmarried foreigners living with unmarried Romanian citizens, if they have at least one child together, hereinafter referred to as partners;
• children of the Romanian citizen, of the spouse or of the partner, including the adopted ones, who have not reached the age of 21, are continuing their studies and have not exceeded the age of 26 or those who although they are adults, they cannot support themselves for medical reasons;
• first degree relatives in ascending line of the Romanian citizen or of his / her spouse;
• the foreign parent of the Romanian minor citizen, if he / she proves that the minor is in his / her maintenance or that there is an obligation to pay the maintenance pension, an obligation that the foreigner fulfills regularly;
• foreigners, family members of Romanian citizens, who prove that they are registered with the right of residence in another Member State in this capacity.

As of October 21, 2016, no long-stay visa fees are charged for Ukrainian citizens, based on the Agreement between the Romanian Government and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the exemption from the payment of the visa fee for issuing long-stay visas.

Our lawyers in Romania remind applicants that the fees charged for processing visa applications will not be refunded, except in the following situations:

1. the fee was paid at a diplomatic mission or consular post which is not competent to receive and process the visa application;
2. the visa application is not admissible in accordance with the provisions of the legislation in force.

Contact our law firm in Romania for updated information on the visa fees as well as the general application procedure.