Information of interest to British nationals, starting with January 1st2021
• They are exempt from the Romanian visa for airport transit, for transit and from the short-stay visa requirement - for stays of no more than 90 days throughout any 180-day period that precedes each day of stay on the territory of Romania;
• British nationals are subject to the Romanian long-stay visa requirement (marked D), for stays of more than 90 days throughout any 180-day period that precedes each day of stay on the territory of Romania. Obtaining a D-type visa grants holders the possibility that after they enter Romania, they apply for the temporary extension of their stay, which entails the issuance of a residence permit.
The above-mentioned requirements are not applicable to British nationals who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (who are present in Romania on December 31st and continue to remain on the territory of Romania after January 1st 2021). For preliminary information regarding the status of beneficiaries of the WA and the registration procedure, please go to:
https://www.mai.gov.ro/cetatenii-britanici-in-context-brexit/
http://www.mae.ro/node/54595
BRITISH NATIONALS – EXEMPTION FROM THE AIRPORT TRANSIT (MARKED A), TRANSIT (MARKED B) AND SHORT-STAY (MARKED C) VISA:
Starting January 1st 2021, British nationals are exempt from the obligation of obtaining Romanian entry visas for airport transit, for transit and short-stay visas – for stays of no more than 90 days throughout any 180-day period that precedes each day of stay on the territory of Romania, , irrespective of the type of travel document they hold (be it a simple, a diplomatic or an official passport).
For the calculation of your stay in Romania, the calculator of the authorised stay can be accessed at https://eviza.mae.ro/VisaDetails.
To exemplify, entry into Romania for short stays can be undertaken, for instance, for the following purposes:
- official mission of short duration;
- tourism;
- visit;
- business;
- transport;
- sports activities;
- cultural, scientific, humanitarian activities, medical treatment of short duration or other activities that do not breach Romanian law.
British nationals who are representatives of creative industries are exempt from the Romanian short-stay visa requirement, if they travel to Romania to take part, as interpreters/performers in exhibitions, festivals and any other cultural / artistic activities / events.
Although visa exempt, third-state nationals, British nationals included, must fulfil the legal conditions of entry into the country, in line with the national legal framework and as established by the Schengen Borders Code. For details regarding the conditions of entry into Romania, the following link can be consulted: https://eviza.mae.ro/ConditionsOfEntry.
BRITISH NATIONALS – LONG-STAY VISA REQUIREMENT (MARKED D):
Starting January 1 st 2021, British nationals who hold diplomatic and official passports and who travel to Romania for stays of, usually, long duration, in view of exercising an official function as members of staff of the Embassy of the United Kingdom to Romania, are exempt from the obligation of obtaining a diplomatic or service visa. Subsequent to their arrival in Romania, it is recommended they present, to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, a Note Verbale issued by the Embassy of the United Kingdom to Romania, along with the documents necessary for obtaining the special identity card.
Starting January 1 st 2021, British nationals, holders of simple passports, are required to obtain a Romanian long-stay visa (marked D), when they intend to remain in Romania for stays of more than 90 days throughout any 180-day period that precedes each day of stay. These rules are not applicable to British nationals who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (who already are in Romania on December 31st 2020 and continue to reside in Romania after January 1st 2021).
Obtaining a D-type visa allows holders to apply for the extension of their temporary authorised stay, after having entered Romania. The extension of the right of stay is materialised through the issuance of a residence permit. It is recommended that the residence permit be applied for throughout the first 30 days after the date of entry into Romania. Details related to the extension of stay can be obtained from the Inspectorate General for Immigration of the Ministry of Interior - http://igi.mai.gov.ro/en.
The long-stay visa is applied for, depending on the purpose of the trip/on the activity bound to be carried out in Romania.
The purposes for which the long-stay visa can be applied for are as follows:
- Economic activities (marked D/AE) - this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals who will carry out economic activities on the territory of Romania as organised and regulated through the dedicated legislation in force;
- Professional activities (marked D/AP) - this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals who are bound to exercise liberal professions on the territory of Romania as regulated through the dedicated legislation in force;
- Commercial activities (marked D/AC) - this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals who are or are bound to become shareholders or associates in management and administrative positions within Romanian companies;
- Employment (marked D/AM) - this type of long-stay visa is granted in view of the employment of third-state nationals in Romania. This type of visa is also issued to sportsmen bound to play in clubs or teams from Romania on the grounds of an individual work contract or of a legal agreement as provided for by law;
Please take note: Representatives of creative industries who are actually employed in Romania by a Romanian employer need to apply for a long-stay visa for employment (marked D/AM), even if the employment contract is below 90 days throughout any 180 days.
- Secondment (marked D/DT) – this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals in view of carrying out lucrative activities in Romania with a beneficiary of the provided services. The long-stay visa for secondment attests the third-state national’s right of work in Romania;
- Studies (marked D/SD) - this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals who intend to travel to Romania either for pre-graduate, graduate and postgraduate studies, or in view of obtaining academic degrees within state or accredited private institutions, in line with the provisions of the legal framework in force. This type of visa is also granted to third-state nationals who apply for such a visa as students, trainees, pupils, or to those who partake in a pupil exchange scheme or in an educational project, as well as to third-state nationals accepted for studies based on international documents to which Romania is party;
- Family reunification (marked D/VF) - this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals who intend to travel to Romania in view of regaining the family unit;
- Religious activities (marked D/AR) - this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals who intend to travel to Romania in order to carry out activities in the field of acknowledged faiths, upon request;
- Scientific research (marked D/CS) - this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals who intend to travel to Romania in order to carry out activities of scientific research;
- Other purposes (marked D/AS) – this type of long-stay visa is granted to third-state nationals designated as administrators of a company; to third-state nationals who wish to enter Romania in order to carry out unpaid professional training, with an accredited professional training provider or within a public or private company, authorised to carry out such activities, in line with legal provisions; to third-country nationals who carry out activities within volunteer programs. to third-country nationals who undergo long-term medical treatment within public or private medical institutions, provided that they submit a letter of acceptance from the respective institutions - this type of visa may also be granted to a potential companion who assists the primary visa holder , should they not be able to support themselves; to third-country nationals who carry out activities that do not breach the Romanian legislation in force, provided they justify their presence in Romania; to third-state nationals who undergo professional sports activities within a sports club registered in Romania and submit the corresponding framework contract for sports activities.
Details regarding the documents necessary for lodging applications for each type of long-stay visa can be consulted here: https://eviza.mae.ro/SupportingDocuments.
NOTICE!
On the basis of the information received from the Romanian National Health Insurance Agency (CNAS), the following categories of British citizens may present the following proof o medical insurance when applying for a long-stay visa:
•Students enrolled at a Romanian university holding a standard European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), issued by the UK;
•Pensioners presenting an S1 form issued by the United Kingdom;
•Posted workers or cross-border workers, who present an S1 form issued by the United Kingdom and who are insured under the UK health insurance system;
•Other British nationals holding an EHIC or GHIC card issued by the United Kingdom, whatever the period of validity of that card, and who can provide further evidence that their coverage by the UK sickness insurance scheme should not come to an end following their move to Romania [when their application for a long-stay visa is accepted].
•UK nationals not insured in the United Kingdom, for whom the proof of valid sickness insurance is the private (travel) insurance.
British citizens not insured in the UK must present proof of a travel medical insurance for the territory of the member states of the European Union for a coverage of at least 30000 EUR, valid for the entire period of validity of the requested visa.
Alternatively, details regarding the documents needed and other applicable requirements can be accessed at https://eviza.mae.ro/home , the “GET INFORMED” tab, by selecting the corresponding values in the available interactive matrix.
The visa processing fee for the long-stay visa is in amount of 120 EURO or the equivalent sum in convertible currency. Details regarding the visa processing fees can be consulted here: https://eviza.mae.ro/VisaFees.
For short guidance with regard to the procedure of applying for the visa online, please go to: https://eviza.mae.ro/HowTo.
In order to apply for a long-stay visa, online, please access the following link: https://evisa.mae.ro/Home?lang=en-US#.