Romania visas
Romania - an EU member that became a full Schengen member in January 2025 - administers residence through the General Inspectorate for Immigration. Headline routes include the single work-and-residence permit, the EU Blue Card, a digital-nomad visa, and investor and business-activity residence, with EU long-term residence available after five years. A separate standalone golden-visa scheme was proposed in late 2025 but did not proceed.
7 routes · 4 without a sponsor · 5 lead to settlement
Official portal
Primary source
General Inspectorate for Immigration ↗ · General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania)
Link last verified:
Regulators of immigration advice
- National Union of Romanian Bars (UNBR) — National body of the Romanian bar regulating attorneys. There is no dedicated immigration-adviser regulator; representation is by licensed attorneys.
Visa routes (7)
Single Permit for Work and Residence
If you are a non-EU national with a Romanian job offer, the single permit is the main route - one document covering both your work and your residence.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 10 July 2026
Digital Nomad Visa (Romania)
If you work remotely for a company based outside Romania, this long-stay visa lets you live in Romania while you keep earning from abroad.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 10 July 2026
EU Blue Card (Romania)
If you are a highly-qualified non-EU professional with a Romanian job offer above the salary threshold, the EU Blue Card gives you residence plus EU-wide mobility benefits.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 10 July 2026
Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania)
If you want to invest or run a business in Romania, the live route is residence through qualifying business activity - a stand-alone golden visa was proposed in late 2025 but did not go ahead.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 10 July 2026
Residence Permit for Studies (Romania)
If you have been accepted by a Romanian university, this residence permit lets you live in Romania for the length of your course.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 10 July 2026
Family Reunification (Romania)
If a close family member already lives lawfully in Romania, this route lets you join them and build toward settlement together.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 10 July 2026
EU Long-Term Residence (Romania)
If you have lived in Romania continuously for five years, this is your settlement status - a long-term right to stay with EU-wide mobility benefits.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 10 July 2026
Recent Romania policy changes
·significant
Romania becomes a full Schengen member
Romania lifted land-border checks and became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, following the lifting of air and sea checks in 2024.
Frequently asked questions
How many visa routes does Romania have?+
We cover 7 Romania visa routes in these categories: sponsored work, digital nomad, skilled migration, investor, study, family, and general residence. Each one links to its primary government source and carries a last-reviewed date.
Which Romania visas do not need an employer sponsor?+
4 of the 7 Romania routes we cover can be pursued without an employer sponsor, which helps if you do not have a job offer yet. The remaining 3 are employer-sponsored.
Which Romania visas lead to permanent residence?+
5 of the 7 routes can lead to settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Open each route for its settlement detail and qualifying period.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in Romania