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 1 June 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 1 June 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 1 June 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 1 June 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 1 June 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 1 June 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 1 June 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 across the work, study, family, business, and residence categories. 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.
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We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
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