Family member in Romania

Family reunification application

You must apply for family reunification with your family members at the territorial formation of the General Inspectorate for Immigration from their residence place.

Approval of your application for family reunification will be communicated to you and you should forward this to your family members residing in the non-EU country.

The certificate approving the request should be submitted to the Romanian Embassy in the country where the family members are residing, together with their visa application.

Long-stay visa for family reunification

Your family members must apply for a long-stay visa for family reunification at the Romanian Embassy in their country of origin or residence.

Temporary residence permit

Upon arrival, your family members must apply for an extension of the right to reside in Romania, and will be issued with a temporary residence permit by the General Inspectorate for Immigration.

Family reunification application

To apply for family reunification, you must first receive a certificate of approval from the General Inspectorate for Immigration. You must provide:

• a marriage certificate or documents proving the family relationship;
• a statement attesting that they will live together with the family;
• a copy of your residence permit;
• proof of adequate accommodation;
• proof of sufficient financial means, which is at the minimum wage level for each family member;
• proof of the health coverage.

Long-stay visa

The initial visa for the purpose of family reunification is issued for a period of 90 days.

To apply for a long-stay visa, your family members must provide the following documents:

• Certificate of approval from the General Inspectorate for Immigration;
• Proof of health insurance, covering the entire length of the visa validity period;
• Criminal record certificate or other document with the same legal value issued by authorities in the country of domicile or residence; and
• Travel document.

Temporary residence permit

To extend their right to stay in Romania, your family members must apply for a temporary residence permit for family reunification when they arrive in Romania.

The spouse must show the following documents: 

• the marriage certificate;
• proof of cohabitation;
• proof of financial means at the level of the national gross minimum wage;
• proof of legal ownership of a living space;
• proof of social insurance;
• a medical certificate issued by a public or private institution attesting that he/she is not suffering from diseases that may endanger public health.

Other family members must present the following documents:

• proof of the family relation;
• proof of cohabitation with you (for minor children);
• proof that they have the means to support themselves, at least at the level of the national gross minimum wage;
• proof of legal ownership of a living space;
• proof of social insurance;
• a medical certificate issued by a public or private institution attesting that he/she is not suffering from diseases that may endanger public health.

Other documents may be requested by the Romanian Inspectorate for Immigration.

Family members may obtain an extension of their right of residence independently if:

• they reach adulthood or the age of 21, if he/she is a family member of a Romanian citizen;
• the person who requested the family reunification dies; or
• the marriage upon which reunification was based ends in divorce or annulment or the partnership ends.

Under these conditions, the right of residence for family members is extended for a period of up to six months. Further extensions of the right of residence will be granted under the conditions and for one of the purposes foreseen in the third-country nationals' legislation.

To be granted a long-term residence permit, the family member must show that his/her temporary stay in Romania has been legal and continuous for at least five years. During the five-year period, the family member must not have left Romania for more than six months in one year or for more than ten months in total.

It is not considered absence from the Romanian territory if, by the service's nature, the third-country national has travelled abroad for development of international transport activities and presents documents proving this situation.

He/she must show:

• sufficient financial resources, either by showing proof of his/her bank account, or a monthly income such as salary, pension, etc., at least at the level of minimum wage;
• proof of health insurance;
• adequate accommodation, for example a registered lease contract.

The family member must also do a language test to prove he/she has a satisfactory level of knowledge about Romanian language.

If the family member obtains a permanent right to stay, he/she will be issued with a long-term residence permit, renewable every five years.

Long-term resident status gives the holder equal treatment with Romanian citizens regarding the conditions for access to the labour market, (except public prerogatives), education and vocational training, social security, social and health care, social protection and medical assistance.

More on long-term resident status (in Romanian).