Repatriation to Romania is the process of restoring citizenship to people who have lost this status for reasons independent of them. This program allows the descendants of Romanians, who due to historical events were outside the state, to return to their homeland. The main condition for repatriation is documentary proof of origin. The procedure of obtaining citizenship is simplified as much as possible – applicants do not need to learn a foreign language or a long stay on the territory of the state, as in the case of naturalization, and there is no need to move to the country for permanent residence. 

The Romanian government encourages immigration, providing repatriates with comfortable conditions of return and state support. Having passed the procedure of obtaining citizenship in an accelerated order, they become owners of the Romanian national document and full-fledged citizens of the European Union. Having a passport of an EU country significantly expands the list of immigrant’s rights, and also gives him the opportunity to travel without a visa, live, work and do business in any state of the association.

What is the Romanian repatriation program?

The process and conditions of repatriation in Romania are regulated by the Law on Citizenship of March 1, 1991. The program is valid for people who lived in the former Romanian territories and their descendants up to the third generation. The possibility of a simplified procedure for acquiring citizenship is due to historical border changes, as a result of which a significant part of the country’s population ended up outside its borders (for example, after the transfer of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union). Until 1940, parts of present-day Ukraine and Moldova belonged to the Kingdom of Romania.

Repatriation aims at renewing the ties of the Romanian people with their ethnic representatives, so to participate in the program it is enough to find documentary proof of one’s origin. Applications are examined individually by the National Directorate of Citizenship (ANC, Autoritatea Națională pentru Cetățenie) and the entire procedure is free of charge. Applicants only have to pay a fee for the issuance of the repatriation card (18 EUR).

Advantages of obtaining Romanian citizenship by repatriation

Repatriation is the fastest and easiest way to obtain a Romanian passport. Repatriation allows you to become a holder of the national document of an EU country and enjoy all its benefits, including access to high quality education, as well as the ability to work in any EU country without obtaining permits. Acquiring Romanian citizenship by repatriation has the following advantages:

• the procedure takes no more than 14 months, whereas the duration of standard naturalization in Romania is 8 years;
• you can hold several passports, unless your country of origin prohibits it;
• the law does not impose requirements regarding knowledge of the Romanian language, history and constitution;
• the repatriate has the right to include minor children in the application;
• there is a possibility to formalize citizenship by applying to the Romanian consulate before moving to the country, as there is no need to meet the residency requirement.

The repatriation program is the most convenient way to acquire Romanian citizenship, but at the same time, participation in it requires careful preparation and compliance with all legal nuances. Cooperation with Relocation Compass immigration law specialists will allow you not to waste time searching for missing documents and studying the legislation in depth. Lawyers are well versed in the peculiarities of the repatriation procedure and will guide you through all stages of the procedure to ensure a successful outcome. Learn more about this during a free consultation.

General conditions and requirements of the repatriation program

Restoration of citizenship by descent is available to persons who lived in the territory of the former Kingdom of Romania from 1917 to 1940, as well as to their descendants up to the third degree of consanguinity. In addition to collecting documents proving territorial belonging to the country, the applicant must prove that he or she has no criminal record and that he or she is loyal to Romania and does not take actions against its laws or security.

The country does not impose any requirements for repatriates to know the language or to have lived on its territory for a certain period of time, and you will not have to go through an interview. When restoring citizenship, you only need to take an oath in Romanian, but it will not be difficult because you will only have to learn a few phrases.

Required documents

Collecting the immigration file is one of the key stages on which the success of obtaining a Romanian passport on repatriation largely depends. Among the required documents are the following:

• receipt for payment of the citizenship card issuance fee (18 EUR);
• passport;
• application for Romanian citizenship;
• certificate of absence of criminal record;
• civil status certificates (marriage, birth, divorce) of the applicant and ascending relatives who are Romanians.

The list of documents may vary depending on the individual situation – if necessary, the authorized body may request additional information from you. If minors are included in the application, the consent of their parents is required for them to acquire citizenship. Documents issued by foreign authorities will need to be translated into Romanian and legalized.

Procedure for acquiring Romanian citizenship by roots

The duration of the path to a Romanian passport through repatriation is on average from 6 to 14 months, if you know all the features of the program and clearly follow the migration procedures. The process of acquiring citizenship consists of the following steps:

1. Submitting a request for repatriation.
   The request must be submitted in person, by contacting the Romanian Consulate in your current place of residence or the office of the National Directorate of Citizenship (ANC). The application is supplemented with documents that prove your right to repatriation. Biometric data are also submitted (fingerprints are not required from children under 14 years of age). The Commission will check whether the conditions of the Citizenship Act are met within 5 months from the date of registration of the application. In case of shortage of documents, you will have 4 months from the date of receipt of the request to submit them.
2. Receipt of the decision.
   If the commission has approved the request of the repatriate, an order is issued to restore his/her Romanian citizenship. The decision is sent to the applicant by registered letter within 3 days from the date of the order.
3. Taking of the oath.
   Within six months after receiving the decision of the commission, the repatriate is obliged to take the oath of allegiance to the state. This takes place at a solemn meeting at the ANC office or at the Romanian consulate abroad. At the oath ceremony you receive a certificate of citizenship. If minor children were included in the application, their data are entered in the parents’ document.
4. Obtaining a Romanian passport.
   On the basis of the certificate of citizenship you must obtain a Romanian passport. You must present your identity card, certificate of citizenship, and a receipt for the payment of the fee (about 52 EUR). You can submit your application at the State Passport Service, having pre-registered online. The passport can also be issued at the Romanian consular offices abroad. The document is produced within 5-60 days depending on the place where the request is submitted.

To complete the repatriation process in the shortest possible time, you should seek comprehensive assistance from Relocation Compass international law specialists. Experienced lawyers with extensive knowledge of the current legislation will develop an individual immigration strategy for you and will accompany you at all stages of its implementation. Sign up for a free consultation to become a European citizen within 14 months.

Cost of obtaining a Romanian passport by repatriation

Repatriation of citizenship in Romania is the fastest and most inexpensive way to obtain a second passport. The state covers almost all costs. In particular, you will not have to pay administrative fees for visa, residence permit and permanent residence permit, as in the case of naturalization. There are only two fees for the applicant – for the production of a citizenship card (18 EUR) and passport issuance (52 EUR).

The main expenses of repatriates include translation and legalization of documents (from 7 EUR per unit), as well as expenses for the preparation of a dossier. It is difficult to estimate how much it costs to collect documents. The cost of one request to the archive or registry office depends on the tariffs of a particular state. Travel costs must also be taken into account, because in some cases it is necessary to search for information in other areas or countries. To avoid difficulties with the collection of files, it is worth contacting professionals. Relocation Compass specialists will find all the necessary documents with minimal time and money.

Dual citizenship in Romania

According to the law, applicants for repatriation in Romania have the opportunity to retain their current citizenship. After obtaining a second passport, you can reside abroad or settle in the country. In this way, repatriates significantly expand the range of their options. With EU citizenship you have the right to live and work in any country of the association, to study in the best universities, to travel without a visa to more than 160 countries.

Foreigners wishing to obtain a second citizenship in Romania, must take into account the requirements of the legislation of their native country. For example, Japanese or Norwegians may lose their original status if they apply for a passport of another country.

As for dual citizenship, Romania has not signed any agreements with other states in this regard. Therefore, from a legal point of view, the country will only take into account your own passport.

Possible difficulties and how to overcome them

Repatriation to Romania requires thorough preparation, and the success and duration of the procedure largely depend on the thoroughness of the preparation. Since there is not always documentary proof of origin, many people have to apply to state archives and registries with requests for data recovery. Independent search is not always successful and takes a lot of time. That is why it is worth entrusting the collection of dossiers, as one of the most important stages of repatriation, to Relocation Compass migration specialists.

Lawyers will expertly search for the roots of Romanian citizenship, so that you can become an EU passport holder in the shortest possible time. A properly collected dossier is a guarantee that the application will be accepted, and you will not have to spend additional time and money on searching for missing information. The specialists will also take care of legalization and translation of documents into Romanian language in accordance with the established requirements.

Despite the simplicity of the repatriation procedure compared to other ways of obtaining a Romanian passport, there is still a possibility of rejection to restore citizenship. Among the main reasons for rejection of the application are:

• providing false information about oneself in order to obtain citizenship fraudulently;
• submitting an incomplete dossier;
• failure to meet the deadlines for submitting missing documents;
• having a criminal record or other legal impediments.

The decision of the National Citizenship Commission may be appealed within 15 days from the date of receipt of the notice. In this case, it is particularly important to use lawyers to avoid mistakes, since a second application can only be submitted six months after the first one. Proper organization of the process with the help of Relocation Compass specialists is the key to obtaining citizenship in the shortest possible time.

Assistance in obtaining Romanian citizenship by descent

Romania’s repatriation program allows you to quickly become an EU passport holder and gain access to all its benefits. However, the process of citizenship restoration may be delayed due to lack of documents or lack of knowledge of the specifics of the current legislation. Repatriation requires precise compliance with all the nuances of international law, which is why legal assistance is so important. Relocation Compass specialists will help to collect the necessary dossier, competently draw up an application in accordance with the legislation and accompany you at all stages of obtaining citizenship.

Feedback from people who have undergone the repatriation procedure with legal support suggests that their path to a Romanian passport was as easy and quick as possible. With a personalized strategy and clear step-by-step instructions from qualified professionals, you are guaranteed to become a European passport holder within 6 months or less. Learn more about this during a free consultation and start your path to a second citizenship today.