Issuance of residence card and naturalization of nationals

Citizens of EU, EEA or Swiss Confederation state who want to stay more than three months in Romania need to register their residency at the territorial unit of the General Inspectorate for Immigration from the county where their are living.

Citizens of EU / EEA / Swiss Confederation and their family members can work on the Romanian territory dependently / independently under the same conditions as Romanian citizens (based on a labor contract, assignment contract, notification etc.).

To obtain a certificate of registration / residence card their must present to the territorial units of IGI in the county where they live, a number of documents, depending on the purpose of the stay in Romania.

The registration certificate is issued on the same day and is valid for a period of up to five years but not shorter than one year. The residence card is issued within 90 days from the filing date. The residence card is valid up to 5 years from the date of issue, but not longer than the period of residency of EU / EEA / Swiss Confederation citizen whose family member the applicant is. In case of subsequent requests, if the provisions of OUG 102/2005 as amended and supplemented are met, the residence card is issued within maximum 30 days from the date of submitting the application.

The documents issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration attesting residence in Romania are:

1. registration certificate (for citizens of EU / EEA / Swiss Confederation),
2. residence card (for family members of EU / EEA / Swiss Confederation citizens),
3. permanent residence card (both for citizens of EU / EEA / Swiss Confederation and for their family members).

EU / EEA citizens / or member of his/her family who have a continuous and legal stay in Romania for a period exceeding 5 years, can apply for permanent residency.