Immigrate to Romania from Israel

Citizens of Israel do not require a visa to enter Romania, however, for those who wish to immigrate to Romania from Israel, a temporary residence permit, followed by a permanent one, is needed.

In order to move to Romania, all foreign nationals will need to apply for a visa when they intend to remain in the country for periods that exceed 90 days. This is possible for various purposes, and Israeli citizens may remain in Bucharest (or another city) for employment, business, or study.

Certain documents are needed when you prepare to relocate to Romania, and discussing the list of mandatory submissions with one of our lawyers specializing in immigration matters is useful. Our Romanian immigration lawyer is ready to answer your questions if you are a citizen of Israel who is ready to apply for a temporary residence permit.

Entry conditions for Israeli citizens

Israeli citizens can enter Romania and remain in the country without a visa for a maximum period of 90 days within a given 180-day period. For longer status, they will need to apply for a long-stay visa, effectively obtaining the right to remain in the country for longer periods of time. This type of visa for long-term stays is issued for the following purposes:

1. Employment: this applies to those who move to Romania from Israel and have a valid employment agreement signed with a Romanian employer, or those who are subject to international transfers to a Romanian branch;
2. Study: for citizens of Israel who have been admitted to a Romanian University for master’s or bachelor’s studies, or another recognized educational institution;
3. Family reunification: for those who have a spouse, or another family relative who is already lawfully living in Romania;
4. Business: for economic, professional, or commercial activities; included here are those related to opening a business in Romania, joining an already established company, or engaging in sole-trader activities.

You may also remain in Romania for periods that exceed 90 days for purposes such as scientific research, humanitarian/religious activities, or other purposes. If this applies in your case, our team will give you more details on how to immigrate to Romania from Israel based on your specific purpose.

Residency in Romania for Israeli citizens

Once you enter Romania based on a long-term visa, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit, issued for the same purpose as your long-term visa. This is a separate submission, made with the Immigration Office attached to the Ministry of Administration and Interior. As a foreign national who wishes to immigrate to Romania from Israel, you will need to submit this application at least 30 days prior to the expiry term for your initial long-stay visa.

Once you reside in Romania based on a temporary residence permit you can apply for permanent residence. The following conditions apply:

• You need to have stayed in Romania continuously for at least 5 years;
• The maximum absence period from the country is 6 consecutive months;
• Alternatively, you have not been absent from the country for more than 10 months (inconsecutive) during the five-year period.

The permanent residence permit cannot be awarded to holders of temporary residence or to those to relocate to Romania from Israel for study purposes. Other conditions (and exceptions) also apply, we suggest contacting our team for complete information.

Assistance for those who wish to immigrate to Romania from Israel

Our team of lawyers who specialize in immigration matters can answer any questions about the types of visas, how to renew your existing visa when your goal is to immigrate to Romania from Israel, or how to change it if your purpose of stay needs to be updated (for example, when you finish your studies in Romania and wish to take up employment).

Applying for the initial temporary residence permit with the help of our team can help simplify the overall process and increase the favourable approval of the application, given the fact that the documents will be prepared according to the current requirements.

Any documents that are not issued in Romanian, such as it is the case when you immigrate to Romania from Israel and you submit documents in other languages, have to be translated by a sworn Romanian-Hebrew translator.

Upon request, our team offers assistance prior to the application and during the mandatory submissions. Talking to our Romanian immigration lawyer is also helpful if you are an Israeli citizen married to a Romanian national. Your application will be subject to lighter requirements, given your marriage; however, there are certain important aspects you will still have to be aware of, such as the long-term residence permit’s validity in your case (which is valid for 10 years as opposed to 5 in most other cases).

How to remain in Romania as a naturalized citizen

If you are an Israeli citizen who has been living in the country for several years, our team will also guide you if you are ready to apply for citizenship in Romania. The naturalization process requires that the applicant has not only sufficient lawful residency, but also that he or she has sufficient Romanian language knowledge, is financially independent, and complies with other rules.

In summary, Romanian citizenship is awarded in the following three cases:

• By birth;
• Through adoption;
• Upon request (via naturalization).

If you are an Israeli citizen with ties to Romania (for example, one parent is a Romanian citizen), then your citizenship status application is subject to different conditions compared to the case in which you are an Israeli citizen born to two Israeli parents (who have lived in Romania long enough to acquire citizenship).

For citizens of Israel, gaining Romanian citizenship by request is the most common option. If you want to apply for citizenship by naturalization, you will have to meet the following conditions:

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Been living in Romania for at least 8 years (under a valid residence permit, properly renewed according to law);
• Have proven loyalty towards the Romanian state, good conduct, and not promote or encourage actions against national safety or order;
• Law-abiding citizen who has not been charged with a crime (in Romania or abroad) that makes them ineligible for gaining citizenship;
• Have sufficient Romanian language knowledge along with notions of Romanian culture and civilization. The goal is to prove that one can integrate into the Romanian social life;
• Know the Romanian constitution and anthem;
• Participate in the oath swearing ceremony, as it is scheduled after the receipt of the successful citizenship application confirmation.

Please note that the conditions above apply to all foreign nationals who immigrate to Romania and are interested in acquiring citizenship. If you are an Israeli or a New Zealand citizen, the main conditions will remain the same.

Contact us if you want to immigrate to Romania. We assist foreign nationals irrespective of their nationality.