Romania is a unique country to visit in terms of its natural beauty, history, and deep-rooted history. It is a country located in the Southeastern region of Europe, and it is worth visiting. However, do you know if you need to get a Romanian visa to visit this beautiful country? Well, we are here to help with all of your questions. Even if you need a Romania visa, you will be getting one in no time!
Do you need a Romania visa?
Depending on your nationality, you may need to get a Romania visa. If you are a citizen of one of the countries listed below, you are required to get a Romanian visa:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma/Myanmar, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial, Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia ,Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan , Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, The Comoros, Togo,Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Additionally, if you are a citizen of the countries listed below, and you do not have a biometric passport, you are required to apply for a Romanian visa:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Georgia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
- Ukraine
What are the Romania visa exemptions?
Of course, there are some visa exemptions recognized by the Romanian government. If you are planning to stay in Romania for a period of fewer than 90 days, you do not need to worry about the Romania visa application. The following conditions apply for the Romania visa exemption:
- If you have a valid short-stay visa, long-stay visa, or residence permit issued by a Schengen member state, you are not required to apply for a Romania visa.
- If you have a valid short-stay visa, long-stay visa, or residence permit issued by Bulgaria, Cyprus, or Croatia, you are not required to apply for a Romania visa.
- If you have a valid long-term resident’s EC residence permit issued by an EU member country, you are not required to apply for a Romanian visa.
- If you have a valid permanent residence permit issued by the UK or Ireland which is valid for at least five years, you are not required to apply for a Romania visa.
- If you are a non-EU family member of a Romanian, EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen, then you are not required to apply for a Romania visa (Only if the spouse, children under 21, and parents who are dependent on the EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen).
Bear in mind that if you have a visa for the countries stated above, your stay in Romania will only be legal until the expiration date of your visa. So, for instance, if you have 20 more days left on your Schengen visa, you can spend your last 20 days in Romania. Then, if you’d like to extend your stay in Romania, then you have to go over all the process of the Romania visa application.
Is Romania in the Schengen area?
No, Romania is not in the Schengen area. However, due to its diplomatic relation with EU states and its geographic location, you can travel to Romania with your Schengen visa. If you are going to travel all over Europe, then it is recommended to apply for a Schengen visa in the first place. If you apply for the Romanian visa only, you may need to apply for the Schengen visa additionally.
Which type of Romanian visa should you apply for?
There are many types of Romania visa types that you can apply for. All of these Romanian visa types depend on the duration of your stay and the purpose of your visit.
Mainly there are four Romanian visa types, these are:
- The Romania Airport Transit Visa (A Type): This visa type allows you to enter the international area of a Romanian airport while you are waiting for your transit flight.
- The Romania Transit Visa (B Type): This visa type allows you to transit through Romanian territory for a maximum of 5 days when your final destination is another country.
- The Romania Short Stay Visa (C Type): This visa type allows you to stay in Romania for 90 days maximum within a six-month period. The Romania Short Stay Visa is given for the following purposes: Tourism, Private visit, Business, Attending sports activities, Attending cultural, scientific or academic events, Official government missions, Transportation
- The Romania Long Stay Visa (D Type): This visa type allows you to enter Romania and stay in Romania for a period of longer than 90 days (as a Romanian residence permit). As such, the visa itself is valid for no longer than 90 days, but if you receive a residence permit, you can stay in the country long-term for employment, study, or family reunification purposes, among other reasons. So, if you are planning to get a residence permit in Romania, you have to apply to this visa type in the first place. Residence permit applications with C type short stay Romania visa are rejected.
How can you apply for a Romanian visa?
There are a couple of ways to apply for a Romanian visa. If it is permitted for your country, you can get your Romania visa online. However, in most cases, you will be required to do your Romania visa application in person. In some cases, you may apply for a Romania visa via an agency or through a legal representative.
Bear in mind that there may be a legal hiccup with your application, or simply your application can be responded to too late due to a mass number of applicants in a given time. In order to prevent situations like this, it is always advised to apply for a Romania visa at least two weeks before your trip.
So, you realized that you need a Romania visa for your trip and you want to apply for a Romanian visa. Here are the steps you need to follow for your Romanian visa application:
- Go to the website of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and fill in the application form.
- Make sure you have all of the documents needed as a part of the Romania visa requirements. If you do not have them all, make sure you collect the missing documents as soon as possible.
- Then attach all the documents you have collected to your application form and submit it online.
- After these steps, you will be given a day and time for the visa interview. Be there on time for your interview and do not forget to pay the Romanian visa fee.
How long does the Romanian visa process take?
It takes about a couple of weeks for your Romania visa application to be processed. If there are any flaws with your application, you will be notified about them. However, if there is not anything missing, or shady about your application, you will be getting your Romanian visa in no time!
What are the Romanian visa fees?
Romanian visa fees vary according to the type of visa you are applying for, the duration of your stay, and your nationality. Here’s a list of all the different Romania visa fees:
- Romania Short-Stay Visa: €80
- Romania Long-Stay Visa: €120
- Romania Airport Transit Visa: €80
- Romania Transit Visa: €80
If you are a citizen of the countries listed below, the visa processing fee will be reduced to €40 for you:
- Albania
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Georgia
- Montenegro
- Russian Federation
- Ukraine
If you are a citizen of the Republic of Moldova, Republic of North Macedonia, or Serbia, you are not obliged to pay a Romanian visa processing fee.
Can you extend your stay in Romania?
Yes, you can extend your stay in Romania! If you are not a citizen of a member country of the European Union or Swiss, then you are obliged to apply for a long-stay Romanian visa. EU citizens and Swiss nationals are not required to apply for a long-stay visa. As long as the purpose of your stay is solid, you can extend your stay without a problem!
