- What is permanent residence in Romania? The name
is a bit misleading, permanent residency is actually not “permanent” at all.
Permanent residence is a right granted to foreigners wishing to live and work in Romania on the basis of a residence permit issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), valid for 10 years for EU residents and non-EU family members and 5 years for non-EU citizens Year. After this period, you must request a new license as it will not renew automatically.
- Who is eligible for permanent residence?
You can apply for permanent residence only if you have lived legally in Romanian for more than 5 years, and want to continuously live and you speak Romanian. However, EU citizens will not be tested in Romanian. - What is “legal presence”?
Your stay in Romania is considered “legal” if there is no deportation order against you or restrictions on your freedom of movement.
Example: If you are deported from Romania because you have committed a crime against the state or the authorities consider you a threat to national security, you will not receive a residence permit for a few years, even if you stay longer in Romania more than 5 years
not all Any offense or misdemeanor will automatically make your stay “illegal”, but only if it is very serious. For example, if you receive a speeding ticket, this should not affect your residence.
However, we recommend that you fully respect Romanian and European laws during your stay in Romania under all circumstances.
- What is “continued residency”?
Your stay is considered continuous if the total time during which you leave Romania during the year does not exceed 6 months.
Example: If you left Romania for several holidays between June 2015 and May 2016, totaling more than 6 months, you are not eligible for permanent residence.
The following are not considered as interruptions of continuous stay:
Absences due to compulsory military service
Absences due to pregnancy or childbirth following a serious illness for 12 consecutive months.
Example: If you leave the country for 7 months due to voluntary military service, when you return to Romania you will have to wait another 5 years to obtain permanent residence.
- Where should I submit my application for permanent residence?
You must apply for permanent residency at the IGI (General Directorate of Immigration) office of the country where you are currently legally residing.
Example: If you get a residence permit in Bucharest, but you actually live in Brasov, then you will apply for permanent residence in Bucharest.
- What make you lose your permanent residence?
Yes, you will lose your permanent resident status if you leave Romania for more than 12 months consecutive. - What is the difference between temporary residence and permanent residence in Romania?
Temporary residence (CNP registration certificate) is offered to foreign citizens who meet the legal requirements, even if they have never lived in Romania. Licenses are valid for 1 to 5 years, depending on the circumstances.
On the other hand, permanent residence is only offered to foreigners after 5 years of temporary residence and is valid for 10 years. Permanent residence is generally an intermediate situation between temporary residence and Romanian citizenship, since permanent residents have many rights that Romanian citizens have.