Romania · residence general · Leads to settlement
EU Long-Term Residence (Romania)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Source check: all 9 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026
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.
- Processing time
- Indicative only - IGI works to published timelines for complete files; confirm current processing on the official page.
- Government fees
- Indicative only - permit and residence fees apply; confirm current amounts on the official page.
- Typical duration
- Long validity (longer for family members of a Romanian citizen), renewable - confirm current rules on the official page.
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
In short
As of 10 July 2026, the EU Long-Term Residence (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/long-term-residence#answer
What is the EU Long-Term Residence (Romania) in Romania?
EU Long-Term Residence (Romania) is an unsponsored Romania route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only - permit and residence fees apply; confirm current amounts on the official page; indicative processing time is Indicative only - IGI works to published timelines for complete files; confirm current processing on the official page; typical duration is Long validity (longer for family members of a Romanian citizen), renewable - 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
EU long-term residence is Romania's settlement status for non-EU nationals after, as a general rule, five years of continuous lawful residence. Study time counts only at half its length toward this period. The status is normally issued for a long validity and brings the mobility advantages of EU long-term residence across member states. It gives you secure residence and is a stepping stone toward naturalisation, which is a separate process under Romanian citizenship law. Good to know: family members of a Romanian citizen may receive a longer-validity permit.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓You have resided lawfully and continuously in Romania for, as a general rule, five years before applying.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- ✓You can show stable and regular means of support and health insurance.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- ✓You hold a valid travel document and are not a threat to public policy or security.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- ✓Study time is counted only at half its length toward the qualifying period.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
Common blockers
- !Less than the required period of continuous lawful residence.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- !Reliance on study time at its full length, when it counts only at half.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- !Public-policy or security grounds for refusal.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Valid passport and recent photographs.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- ·Evidence of the qualifying period of continuous lawful residence.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- ·Proof of stable means of support and health insurance.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
- ·Proof of payment of the applicable fees.General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) ↗
Application pathway
Check the route fit
Confirm you meet the general five-year continuous-residence rule, accounting for study time counting only at half.
Build the evidence pack
Compile your residence history, means of support, health insurance and passport.
Submit through the official channel
Apply to IGI and pay the fees.
After approval
Maintain the conditions for continued status and use the EU long-term residence mobility benefits as needed.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For EU Long-Term Residence (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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
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.
- Official guidanceApplicantUse official EU Long-Term Residence (Romania) route page ↗
Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for EU Long-Term Residence (Romania).
General Inspectorate for Immigration (Romania) · verified
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Related routes
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.
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.
Family Reunification (Romania)
If a close family member already lives lawfully in Romania, this route lets you join them and build toward settlement together.
Frequently asked questions
How long must I live in Romania first?+
As a general rule, five years of continuous lawful residence, with study time counted only at half its length. Confirm the current rule on the official IGI page.
Does this give me EU mobility?+
Yes - Romanian long-term residence is an EU long-term residence status with associated mobility advantages. Confirm the specifics on the official IGI page.
Do my years as a student count fully toward the five years I need for settlement?+
No - study time counts only at half its length toward the five-year qualifying period for EU long-term residence, so relying on study time at its full length is a common blocker. Confirm the current rule 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.
Find a regulated advisor in RomaniaHow 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