Visiting and Living in Romania

Getting a Romanian visa in your American passport

Obtaining a Romanian visa in Romania

American citizens are not required to obtain Romanian visas for stays up to 90 days within 6 months. Upon arrival in Romania, foreigners who plan to stay more than 10 days must register their presence with the nearest Police Precinct.

For any stay longer than 90 days, a temporary stay permit (permis de sedere) must be requested from the Romanian Immigration Office (Oficiul Român de Imigrari). Contact information, application requirements and fees for stay permits can be found on the website of the Romanian Immigration Office, in Romanian, at http://aps.mai.gov.ro. In Bucharest, the Immigration Office is located at Str. Eforie nr. 3 – 5, building A (next to the Bucharest Police Department), Tel: 311.18.21. Americans married to Romanian citizens and living in Bucharest can submit their application for a stay permit with Foreigners’ Services no. 2, located at 29, Nicolae Iorga Street, building F (near Piata Romana), Tel: 212.80.06, or 212.90.07.

You should submit your application for an extension of stay in Romania/stay permit at least 30 days prior to the expiration of your status (within 60 days from your arrival in Romania). Failure to apply in a timely manner may result in penalties.

Foreigners who overstay will be subject to heavy fines and will require an exit permit from the Immigration Office in order to leave the country. To request the exit permit you must present your passport and a bank receipt for 22 lei from any branch of the C.E.C. (Savings Bank). The exit permit may take 48 hours or more to process. An additional U.S. $6.00 fee may be paid for emergency issuance (same day).

In addition to the fines, which could amount to U.S. $600 per person, you might also be banned from returning to Romania for a period of time that depends on the length of the overstay, usually from six months to one year. If you wish to request a waiver of the ban, you must do so before departure by making an appointment with a senior official of the Immigration Office to provide evidence of an acceptable reason why you could not file for an extension of stay (hospitalization, school or employer were unable to provide you with the necessary documents). Not having informed yourself about the stay permit requirements is not grounds for a waiver. If you do not request a waiver or a waiver is not granted to you prior to departure, an interdiction will be placed in the Romanian Border Police system, which will result in a hold at Romanian Passport Control and you will be turned around if you attempt to enter the country before the interdiction expires. The Embassy cannot assist you in removing your name from the Border Police records.

In Bucharest, you should go to the Foreigners' Office no. 1, located at Str. Eforie no 3 – 5, building A (next to the Bucharest Police Department), Americans married to Romanian citizens can submit their application for a stay permit with Foreigners’ Service no. 2, located at 29, Nicolae Iorga Street, building F (near Piata Romania, across from the Canadian Embassy), Tel: 212.80.06, or 212.90.07.

The office hours of Foreigners Service no. 1 are:

• Monday, Tuesday and Friday 8:30A.M. - 4:30 P.M.
• Wednesday CLOSED (open only to applicants for permanent residency)
• Thursday 8:30 A.M. - 6:30 P.M.

Additional information is available on the website of the Authority for Aliens at http://aps.mai.gov.ro

or you may contact the Romanian Embassy in Washington at 1607 - 23rd St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone number (202) 232-4747, (202) 332 48 46, (202) 332 4848 , fax number (202) 232 47 48 , E-mail address office@roembus.org or at one of the Romanian consulates in Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York City.
The Romanian Embassy maintains a web site at http://www.roembus.org .

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