Romanian Residence Registration for EU/EEA and Swiss Citizens

Prepared by Robert Trăilescu, Romanian business lawyer and Bucharest Bar member.

Last reviewed: July 2026

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may enter Romania using a valid passport or national identity card. They may remain in the country for up to three months without registering their residence.

Those who intend to stay in Romania for longer than three months must generally register their residence with the territorial office of the Romanian General Inspectorate for Immigration. Following registration, they receive a document known in Romanian as a certificat de înregistrare.

The registration certificate is different from the residence permit normally required for non-EU nationals. It confirms that the EU, EEA or Swiss citizen has registered their right to reside in Romania on a particular legal basis.

Do EU citizens need a residence permit in Romania?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not follow the standard residence-permit procedure applicable to nationals of countries outside the European Union.

Instead, an eligible citizen who plans to live in Romania for more than three months must register their residence and obtain a registration certificate.

The distinction is important because different documents apply to different applicants:

• an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen receives a registration certificate;
• a family member who is also an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen may obtain their own registration certificate;
• a family member who is not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen generally applies for a residence card.

The applicant should therefore identify the correct procedure before preparing the file.

When must residence be registered?

A person who intends to remain in Romania for more than three months should register with the territorial office of the General Inspectorate for Immigration responsible for the area where they live.

The applicable legislation refers to filing within 90 days from entry into Romania. In practice, it is advisable to identify the appropriate legal ground and prepare the supporting documents before the initial three-month period expires.

Registration is not based only on the applicant’s nationality. The applicant must also demonstrate the legal basis on which they intend to reside in Romania.

On what grounds can an EU citizen register residence in Romania?

The required documents depend on the applicant’s circumstances. The principal grounds include the following.

Employment or secondment

An EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who works for a Romanian employer may register based on their employment.

A person seconded to Romania may also qualify, provided that the secondment and the relationship with the Romanian host entity are documented correctly.

Business, economic or professional activities

Registration may also be based on activities carried out in Romania independently or through a Romanian business structure.

This category includes:

• acting as an administrator or director of a Romanian company;
• conducting an authorised individual activity, including through a Romanian PFA or individual enterprise;
• carrying out a regulated profession, subject to the applicable professional authorisation or recognition requirements.

Registering or managing a Romanian company does not automatically complete the individual’s residence registration. The corporate registration and the personal immigration procedure remain legally separate.

Sufficient financial means

A person who does not rely on employment or an economic activity may apply based on sufficient means of support.

The applicant must generally provide evidence that they can support themselves and, where applicable, their family members without becoming an unreasonable burden on the Romanian social-assistance system. Evidence of appropriate health insurance is also required.

The legislation refers to the applicable Romanian minimum-income standard and to the applicant’s circumstances. For this reason, applicants should not rely on an amount found in an older online guide without checking the rules and evidence accepted at the time of filing.

Studies

A citizen enrolled with an accredited Romanian educational institution may register their residence based on studies.

The file generally includes evidence of enrolment, health insurance and sufficient means of support.

Volunteering, humanitarian or religious activities

Registration may also be possible where the applicant carries out volunteering, humanitarian or religious activities in Romania.

The supporting documents depend on the activity and may include an agreement with the host organisation or an approval issued by the competent Romanian authority.

What documents are generally required?

The exact file depends on the legal basis selected by the applicant. It will commonly include:

• the official application form;
• a valid passport or national identity card;
• documents proving the activity or purpose of residence;
• evidence of sufficient financial means, where required;
• evidence of health insurance, where required;
• documents relating to the applicant’s Romanian residential address, where applicable.

An applicant relying on employment will not submit the same documents as a company director, student or financially self-sufficient person.

Therefore, the correct legal basis should be established before documents are obtained. Combining documents from several different categories without clarifying the basis of the application can lead to requests for additional information.

Is a Romanian address required?

The application is filed with the immigration office responsible for the county in which the applicant lives. Hence, the applicant must secure an appropriate residential address in Romania before filing.

A personal residential address should not be confused with the registered office of a Romanian company. A company’s registered office does not automatically prove that its director or shareholder lives at that location.

The document used to establish the right to occupy the residential premises should be reviewed before the application is submitted.

What are the steps to obtain the registration certificate?

The procedure can generally be approached in five stages.

1. Identify the correct legal basis

The applicant should first determine whether registration will be based on employment, company management, independent activity, financial means, studies or another recognised ground.

2. Secure a Romanian residential address

The applicant should establish where they will live and identify the documents available for that address.

3. Prepare the supporting documents

The documents should correspond to the selected legal basis. Foreign documents may require translation or additional formalities, depending on their nature and the purpose for which they are used.

4. File the application

The application is submitted to the competent territorial office of the General Inspectorate for Immigration.

The applicant should have the originals and copies required for the selected category and should check whether an appointment or preliminary online submission is required by the relevant territorial office.

5. Receive the registration certificate

Generally, the registration certificate is issued on the same day. This assumes that the applicant meets the legal conditions and submits a complete and acceptable file.

Where information is missing or the documents do not establish the claimed legal basis, the authority may require further evidence before the application is resolved.

How long is the certificate valid?

The registration certificate is issued for a period of up to five years, but not for less than one year.

Its precise validity may depend on the circumstances of the applicant’s residence. A certificate issued for a limited period should be reviewed before expiry if the holder intends to continue living in Romania.

Travel outside Romania does not necessarily invalidate the certificate. However, extended absences and changes affecting the legal basis of residence may have consequences, particularly where the holder later intends to demonstrate continuous residence.

Can the holder obtain permanent residence?

An EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who has lived legally and continuously in Romania for more than five years may apply for permanent residence.

The applicant must prove both the legality and continuity of the residence period. Certain temporary absences do not interrupt continuity, but the relevant conditions and exceptions must be examined in each case.

The permanent residence card is generally valid for ten years.

Holding a registration certificate for five calendar years is not, by itself, sufficient in every situation. The applicant must be able to demonstrate that the residence during that period met the legal requirements.

Common problems to avoid

Selecting the wrong registration ground

A shareholder, company director and employee may each rely on different documents. The applicant’s actual role should be reflected consistently in the file.

Confusing company registration with personal residence

Owning or managing a Romanian company does not automatically register the individual’s residence in Romania.

Relying on outdated financial thresholds

Financial requirements and the acceptable evidence should be checked at the time of filing. A fixed amount quoted in an older source may no longer reflect the applicable standard.

Providing incomplete health-insurance evidence

The fact that an applicant has access to healthcare in another country does not always establish that the evidence satisfies the Romanian registration requirements. The relevant insurance document should be reviewed before filing.

Using an unsuitable address document

The applicant should confirm that the residential arrangement and supporting document are appropriate for the immigration procedure.

Frequently asked questions

Can an EU citizen work in Romania without a work permit?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may generally work in Romania under the same conditions as Romanian citizens and do not require the standard work authorisation applicable to non-EU nationals.

Residence registration is nevertheless required where the person intends to live in Romania for more than three months.

Is the registration certificate the same as a residence permit?

No. The registration certificate is the document used for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens exercising residence rights in Romania. A residence permit is generally associated with the immigration regime applicable to non-EU nationals.

Can a Romanian company director apply for a registration certificate?

Yes. Acting as an administrator or director of a Romanian company may provide a basis for registration.

Does incorporating a Romanian company automatically give the founder Romanian residence?

No. Company incorporation and personal residence registration are separate procedures. A foreign founder may own or manage a Romanian company without residing in Romania.

Is continuous physical presence required during the certificate’s entire validity?

The holder does not have to remain physically in Romania every day. However, absences may become relevant when establishing continuous residence for a future permanent-residence application.

How Robert Trăilescu can assist you

Robert Trăilescu (RT Legal) assists EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who intend to live, work, study or conduct business activities in Romania.

The legal assistance may include:

• identifying the appropriate basis for residence registration;
• reviewing the applicant’s employment, company or professional status;
• assessing the residential-address documentation;
• preparing and reviewing the application file;
• checking financial-means and health-insurance evidence;
• coordinating translations or related formalities, where necessary;
• assisting with submissions and requests for additional documents;
• advising on the transition from temporary registration to permanent residence.

The purpose of the initial review is to ensure that the documents support one clear legal basis and that potential inconsistencies are identified before the application is filed.

Planning to live or conduct business in Romania?

Contact Robert Trăilescu – RT Legal to discuss the appropriate residence-registration basis and the documents required for your circumstances.

This guide provides general information on residence registration in Romania for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. It does not constitute legal advice for a particular applicant. Immigration procedures, administrative practices and supporting-document requirements may change. The applicable requirements should be verified before an application is prepared or submitted.