Romania's long-stay visa, and why most Americans can skip it
U.S. passport holders can enter visa-free and file for residence inside Romania. Here's what each route costs and requires in 2026.
Most foreigners moving to Romania for more than 90 days need a D visa from a consulate first. Americans don't. Romania's embassy in Washington says U.S. citizens are exempt and can apply for a temporary residence permit at the immigration office after arriving visa-free.
The 2026 numbers behind a Romania move
About $192
IGI fee each time you file
259 lei plus €120 paid in lei
30 days
Minimum lead time before your legal stay ends
file in person
About $5,940
Monthly income floor for remote workers
27,576 lei, 2026 figure
5 years
Continuous residence for long-term status
then a 5-year card
The U.S. exception
Enter as a visitor, then file with IGI
The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest confirmed the exemption in December 2025. You get 90 days in any 180 across Schengen, which Romania fully joined on January 1, 2025. Apply for residence at IGI, the General Inspectorate for Immigration, at least 30 days before those days run out.
Miss that window and you're overstaying. The U.S. Embassy warns that can mean fines, a departure order or a Schengen-wide ban lasting months or years.
Long-stay (National) Visa
For stays longer than 90 days, such as for work, study, family reunification, or other approved purposes. Specific requirements vary by visa subtype.
- Government cost
- $120
- Processing time
- ~30 days
- Timeline
- Up to 1 year (renewable)
- Difficulty
- Easy
Key requirements
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- Proof of purpose (e.g., work, study, family reunification)
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Medical insurance
- Criminal record certificate
- Additional documents depending on visa subtype
About that data card
Our record lists the visa fee as "$120." Romania actually charges €120, about $137 at September 2026 rates. If you're American and filing inside Romania, you skip that fee and pay IGI 259 lei plus the lei equivalent of €120 instead.
Pick your route
Your income source decides which door you use
The D visa is an umbrella with separate purposes, from employment (D/AM) to studies (D/SD), family reunification (D/VF), commercial activities (D/AC) and other purposes (D/AS). You file for residence under the same purpose, and you renew under it, too. Pick the one that matches how you'll pay your bills.
Remote salary or foreign company
Show three times Romania's average gross wage, 27,576 lei a month (about $5,940), for each of the six months before you apply and for your whole stay. You need a job with a non-Romanian employer, or your own foreign company for at least three years. One guide says this route has to start at a consulate, so confirm with IGI before you fly.
Starting a Romanian business
ARICE must endorse your business plan first. To renew, a shareholder shows €70,000 (about $79,640) invested and 15 jobs; a partner shows €50,000 (about $56,890) and 10 jobs. Investing €500,000 or creating 50+ jobs earns 3-year permits.
Joining family
Your sponsor needs a residence permit of their own (not a family one) or an EU Blue Card, plus adequate housing and 12,975 lei (about $2,800) per family member, three months of minimum wage.
A Romanian job offer
Your employer starts the process. Since August 8, 2026, work permits and employment visas run through WorkinRomania.gov.ro, with D/AM1 for highly qualified workers and D/AM2, subject to quotas, for everyone else.
A degree program
Show at least 25,950 lei (about $5,590), six months of minimum wage. Your permit can cover the whole program plus three months, but study years count only half toward long-term residence.
Pension or savings
None of Romania's long-stay purposes is built for retirees or passive income. If that's you, talk to an immigration lawyer before you sign a lease.
After you land
Health coverage, taxes and the clock toward permanent status
Health coverage
Consulates want travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 (about $34,000) of coverage. IGI asks for social health insurance when you file; one American reported his private Cigna policy was turned down at renewal. Plan for state coverage.
Taxes
Stay more than 183 days in 12 months and you're a Romanian tax resident, generally taxed at a flat 10%. You still file U.S. returns, and a 1973 U.S.-Romania treaty helps you avoid paying twice.
The long game
After five continuous years, you can apply for long-term residence. Absences must stay under six months in a row and 10 months in total.
People who can help with the paperwork
Hunter Schultz
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ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
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MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Tax preparation for Americans living overseas, including the U.S. return and the foreign-income forms that come with it.
Legalize That Doc
Document Preparation
A document service that gets U.S. records such as FBI background checks and birth or marriage certificates apostilled for use abroad.
Romania long-stay visa questions
Can I retire in Romania on a pension or savings?
Romania has no long-stay category built for retirees or people living on passive income. Its purposes cover work, business, study, family, religious and research activities, plus a catch-all "other purposes" category. If you're retiring, get advice from a Romanian immigration lawyer before you commit to a move.
Do Americans need a D visa to live in Romania?
No. Romania's embassy in Washington and the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest both say U.S. citizens are exempt from the long-stay D visa. You enter visa-free and apply for a temporary residence permit at IGI, Romania's immigration office, at least 30 days before your legal stay ends. You still need a qualifying purpose, such as family, study, a job or a business.
Will I pay taxes in Romania?
You become a Romanian tax resident after 183 days in any 12 consecutive months, and Romania's personal income tax is generally a flat 10%. As an American you still file U.S. returns every year. A U.S.-Romania income tax treaty from 1973 helps prevent double taxation.
How long does it take to get permanent residence in Romania?
After five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for long-term residence, which comes with a five-year card. Absences must stay under six consecutive months and 10 months in total. Time spent on a study permit counts at half.
How much does a Romanian residence permit cost?
IGI charges 259 lei for the permit card plus the lei equivalent of €120 as a consular tax each time you apply or renew. At September 2026 exchange rates that's about $192 per person. A D visa from a consulate, if you use one, costs €120, about $137.
Can my spouse and children join me in Romania?
Yes, once you hold a residence permit that isn't itself a family permit, or an EU Blue Card. You must show legal housing that's adequate for your family and means of support of three months of minimum wage per family member: 12,975 lei, about $2,800 each, at the 4,325-lei minimum wage in effect since July 2026. IGI decides within 30 days.
How much income do I need to work remotely from Romania?
Romania's digital nomad rules require income of at least three times the average gross monthly wage. With the 2026 figure of 9,192 lei, that's 27,576 lei a month, about $5,940. You must show it for each of the six months before you apply and for your whole stay, and you must work for a company registered outside Romania or own one for at least three years.
How long until I can become a Romanian citizen?
You need long-term residence and at least eight years of legal residence, or five years from the date of marriage if you're married to and living with a Romanian citizen. You must also know Romanian, basic Romanian culture, the Constitution and the national anthem.
Is Romania the right move for you?
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Why not you?