Getting help with living in Romania
Help from the Romanian government
For questions about moving to or living in Romania, you may be able to get help from the Romanian Embassy in the UK.
The UK government and the British Embassy in Bucharest cannot give personalised advice on moving to, living or retiring in Romania.
Professional help in Romania
You can also get help from English-speaking professionals in Romania, including:
- lawyers
- translators
- notaries
- funeral directors
Help from the UK government
Read the travel advice for Romania to understand the risks you may face if you live in or visit Romania. This includes the latest information on:
- visas and entry requirements
- laws and cultural differences
- safety and security
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad.
Get help from the UK government abroad, including in an emergency.
Visas, residency and citizenship
Make sure you meet the entry requirements for Romania before you travel.
Visa and residence permits
Check which visa or residence permit you need to live in Romania. You can apply for a Romanian visa online.
You can get a visa to:
- study
- retire
- work – including on a working holiday or as a digital nomad
- receive medical treatment
- live with family in Romania
- perform missionary work or other religious activities
- volunteer
- conduct scientific research
For more information, read guidance from the Consulate General of Romania in London. There are also other Romanian consulates in the UK (in Romanian) you can contact.
Registering as resident
Once you arrive, you need to register as resident in Romania if you’re living there for more than 3 months.
If you have any problems or questions about registering your residency, contact:
Extending or replacing your visa or residence permit
Contact the Romanian General Inspectorate for Immigration for information on how to:
- extend your visa or residence permit
- replace a lost, damaged or stolen visa or residence permit
Permanent residency
You may be able to apply for permanent residency in Romania if you:
- hold a temporary residence permit
- have lived in the country legally for at least 5 consecutive years
- have not been out of Romania more than 6 months per year
To find out if you’re eligible and how to apply, read guidance on migration from the Romanian General Inspectorate for Immigration.
Citizenship
Romania recognises dual citizenship with the UK. This means that you do not have to give up (renounce) your British citizenship to become a Romanian citizen.
To find out if you’re eligible for Romanian citizenship, contact the:
Help with visa, residency and citizenship applications
The British Embassy in Bucharest cannot help with Romanian visa, residency or citizenship applications.
For any questions or issues, contact:
Residency if you moved to Romania before 1 January 2021
If you moved to Romania before 1 January 2021, and have been legally living there since then, you and your family members have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Residence permits if you moved to Romania before 1 January 2021
If you moved to Romania before 1 January 2021, make sure you have a residence permit (‘permis de ședere’). This shows that you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. Check the Romanian government’s British citizens in the context of Brexit guidance for more information.
Under the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES), you’ll need a permis de ședere when entering or leaving Romania. If you have one, you will not have to register with the EES when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. Without it, you may be wrongly identified as overstaying in the Schengen Area and denied entry to Romania or other Schengen countries.
If you do not have a residence permit
If you were living in Romania before 1 January 2021, but do not have a residence permit, you must register as resident in Romania as soon as possible. You’ll need to submit evidence to prove you met the residency criteria at the time.
The deadline for registering residency was 31 December 2021. You can still apply if you have reasonable grounds for missing it. However, you may get a fine or an official letter of warning from the Romanian authorities.
Check the ‘Late applications’ section of the British citizens in the context of Brexit guidance.
If your application is unsuccessful, you may be able to appeal. Consider getting legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer in Romania.
Check the ‘Appeal procedure’ section of the British citizens in the context of Brexit guidance.
Renewing your residence permit if you moved to Romania before 1 January 2021
You’ll need to renew your residence permit before it expires. The renewal process is the same as when you first applied. Check the ‘Permanent residence in Romania’ section of the British citizens in the context of Brexit guidance.
Bringing family members to Romania if you moved there before 1 January 2021
The Romanian government has guidance on how family members of British citizens can enter Romania.
They must apply for a residence permit (‘permis de ședere’) as your family member. Check the ‘Permanent residence in Romania’ section of the British citizens in the context of Brexit guidance for more information.
Passports and travel
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:
- apply for a British passport from abroad
- travel urgently without your British passport
If you have a Romanian residence permit or long stay visa, the time you spend in Romania does not count towards the 90-day visa-free period you can spend in the Schengen area.
Always carry your passport and residence permit when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. If you’re asked to show your passport at border control, make sure you also show your residence permit or other evidence of residence status. Your passport may be stamped if you do not.
If you have dual citizenship with an EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country, you should enter and leave Romania using your EU or EFTA passport.
Romanian citizen children leaving Romania
Read the entry requirements for Romania for information on letters of authority for Romanian citizen children leaving Romania.
European Entry/Exit System (EES)
Under the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) there are new rules for entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. Non-EU nationals will need to have their photo and fingerprints taken or verified at the border. This data will be stored in a digital record and used to monitor how long visitors have spent in the Schengen area.
British nationals legally resident in Romania, and who have a permis de ședere, do not need to register with the EES.
If you’re legally resident in Romania but do not have a permis de ședere, contact the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs for information on how to get one.
For more information about how the EES will work and when it will come into force, read:
Healthcare in Romania
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:
- plan your healthcare
- take medicine abroad
To find out how to get medical treatment:
Working in Romania
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers working abroad, including documents you may need from the UK government.
To work in Romania, you may need a work permit or work visa. Our guidance on travelling to Romania for work explains the different work permits and visas available to you.
You do not need a work permit or visa if you have been living in Romania legally since before 1 January 2021, as you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
To apply for a job, you may need to provide a:
If you live in Romania and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country before 1 January 2021, read guidance for frontier workers.
Recognition of qualifications
If you want to work in Romania, you may need to get your foreign qualifications recognised (in Romanian).
Driving in Romania
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:
- drive abroad legally
- take your UK vehicle abroad
- get driving licence letters
The Romanian government provides information on driving in Romania for British citizens. Check the driving licence information in the British citizens in the context of Brexit guidance.
For more information, read guidance on:
Driving in Romania using a foreign driving licence
You can drive in Romania until your licence expires if it was issued in:
- the UK
- Gibraltar
- Jersey
- Guernsey
- the Isle of Man
You cannot replace or renew any of these licences if you live in Romania.
Exchanging a UK or Gibraltar driving licence
To exchange your driving licence if it was issued in the UK or Gibraltar, you’ll need to:
You should apply for the exchange before your licence expires. Applications may take time to process, and you’ll need your Romanian licence to drive legally.
Applying for a Romanian driving licence
If your driving licence was issued in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you cannot exchange it. You must apply for a Romanian licence as a non-EU national.
You’ll need to pass a theory test and practical driving test.
Disabled drivers
You can apply for a new Romanian disabled parking card. You can do this through the social assistance and child protection department (in Romanian) or town halls.
You may be able to apply for an EU parking card for people with disabilities.
If you have a UK Blue Badge, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority when you move abroad.
Tax
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers tax, including paying UK tax and National Insurance.
The UK has a double taxation agreement with Romania so that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.
Contact the Romanian National Agency of Fiscal Administration for any questions about double taxation relief.
Consider getting professional advice on paying tax in Romania. To do this, find an English-speaking lawyer in Romania.
National Insurance
Check if you need to pay National Insurance if you’re going to work in the EU, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.
Pensions
Claiming your UK pension
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:
- how to claim your UK State Pension
- where the UK government pays an annual increase in the State Pension
Your UK state pension is calculated differently if you’ve previously lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and now live in the EU.
Claiming a Romanian pension
Contact the Romanian pension department (in Romanian) to find how you can claim a Romanian pension if you’ve worked in Romania.
Benefits
Claiming UK benefits
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to claim UK benefits abroad, including Child Benefit.
You can also read guidance on benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.
Claiming Romanian benefits
You may be entitled to some Romanian benefits.
To find out if you’re eligible and how to claim, speak to a social worker at your local town hall (‘Primărie’).
Buying and renting property in Romania
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers buying and renting property abroad.
Contact an English-speaking lawyer in Romania if you’re considering buying property or land.
Voting in Romania
UK elections
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:
- vote in UK elections from abroad
- register as an overseas voter
Romanian elections
You cannot vote in national elections in Romania unless you hold Romanian citizenship.
You also cannot vote in local municipal or European Parliamentary elections unless you are a Romanian citizen, or are a citizen of another EU country and resident in Romania.
Studying in Romania
If you plan to study in Romania, you must meet all visa requirements before you travel.
You do not need a study visa if you have been living in Romania legally since before 1 January 2021, as you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
For more information, read guidance on:
You can also contact:
Children
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers moving abroad with children, including:
- getting permission to take your child abroad
- claiming UK Child Benefit abroad
- child maintenance payments if a parent lives abroad
Schools and education
The European Commission provides information about the school system in Romania.
Children must attend school starting when they’re 5 or 6 years old until they are 18 or 19.
For more information on pre-university education, visit the Romanian Education Ministry website.
Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
Births
If your child is born in Romania, register the birth with the local Civil Status Office (in Romanian).
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:
- register the birth with the UK authorities to get a UK birth certificate
- apply for your child’s first British passport
Deaths
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:
- what to do after someone dies abroad
- how to register the death with the UK authorities
If someone dies in Romania, read guidance on:
Marriages and civil partnerships
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get married or get a civil partnership abroad.
The Romanian Civil Status Office (in Romanian) has information on the documents you need to get married in Romania.
Divorce and separation
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get a divorce or end a civil partnership.
The Romanian Civil Status Office (in Romanian) has information on the documents you need to get a divorce in Romania.
Consider taking legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer in Romania.
Documents for British people in Romania
Read our guidance on documents for British people abroad. This covers:
- legalising and certifying UK documents
- marriage and civil partnership documents
- affirmations and affidavits
- witnessing signatures
Lawyers, translators and notaries
To find an English-speaking lawyer, translator or notary in Romania, read guidance on professional services if you’re abroad.
Pets
If you want to bring your pet with you to Romania, read guidance on:
Returning to the UK
Read returning to the UK permanently. This includes information on bringing family members back to the UK, tax and access to services.
If the NHS funds your healthcare in Romania through the S1 form, contact the NHS Overseas Healthcare Team to cancel it.
Disclaimer
We provide this information as a guide only. For definitive information, contact the Romanian authorities.
Read our consular information disclaimer.
