Romania · investor · Leads to settlement

Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania)

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Source check: all 11 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

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 sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyResidence is tied to the business activity and renewable; a longer right to stay can follow at higher investment or job-creation levels - confirm current rules on the official page.In flux
Processing time
Indicative only - ministry approval is needed before the long-stay visa, then IGI handles residence; confirm current processing on the official page.
Government fees
Indicative only - investment and job-creation thresholds are set by law and indexed; confirm current figures on the official page.
Typical duration
Residence is tied to the business activity and renewable; a longer right to stay can follow at higher investment or job-creation levels - confirm current rules on the official page.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes

In short

As of 10 July 2026, the Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania) for Romania is an unsponsored Romania immigration route. Sources: official Romania government pages, reviewed 10 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/romania/investor-golden-visa#answer

What is the Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania) in Romania?

Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania) is an unsponsored Romania route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only - investment and job-creation thresholds are set by law and indexed; confirm current figures on the official page; indicative processing time is Indicative only - ministry approval is needed before the long-stay visa, then IGI handles residence; confirm current processing on the official page; typical duration is Residence is tied to the business activity and renewable; a longer right to stay can follow at higher investment or job-creation levels - confirm current rules on the official page. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) on 1 June 2026.

Overview

Romania does not currently operate a stand-alone golden visa. A residency-by-investment programme was proposed in late 2025 but was withdrawn before launch over Schengen and visa-waiver considerations, so we do not present it as a live route. What does exist is residence through business activity: non-EU nationals who are shareholders or managers of a Romanian company, with the required ministry approval, can obtain a long-stay (type D) visa and residence, and a longer right to stay can follow for those meeting higher investment or job-creation conditions. Figures here are indicative and defer to the official page. Romania became a full Schengen member in January 2025.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Confirm your shareholding or management role in a Romanian company and the investment or job-creation level you can meet.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Obtain the required ministry approval and document your investment or jobs created, with your passport.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Apply for the long-stay (type D) business visa, then apply to IGI for the residence permit and pay the fees.

  4. After approval

    Maintain the qualifying activity, renew on time, and track eligibility for a longer right to stay and EU long-term residence.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Romania. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Use official Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania) route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Residency by Investment / Business Activities (Romania).

    General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Can I buy residence in Romania through a golden visa?+

Not currently - a stand-alone golden visa was proposed in late 2025 but withdrawn before launch. The live route is residence through genuine business activity. Confirm the current position on the official IGI page.

How much do I need to invest?+

Investment and job-creation thresholds are set by law and indexed, so we do not quote a figure here. Confirm the current amounts on the official IGI page.

What do I actually need to qualify for residence through business activity in Romania?+

You need to be a shareholder or a member of the management or administration of a company registered in Romania, hold the approval required from the responsible ministry for the long-stay business visa, and meet higher investment or job-creation conditions if you want the longer right to stay. Confirm the current requirements on the official IGI page.

Does running a business in Romania lead to permanent settlement?+

It is a settlement-capable route: residence is tied to the business activity, a longer right to stay can follow for those meeting higher investment or job-creation conditions, and it offers an EU long-term residence pathway. Confirm the current rules on the official IGI page.

Need tailored advice?

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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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania)

Last checked: 1 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology