Visa
If you plan to visit Romania, you should carefully read and take note of the following requirements and procedures.
The nationals of Canada, United States of America and of the European Union in traveling to Romania for a short stay purpose (tourism, visit, business, transit, etc.) do not need an entry visa and they might stay up to 90 days within a six-month period. Those 90 days may be spread across one or more visits.
The validity term of the travel document must exceed the journey period with at least 6 months.
The citizens of other countries than mentioned above and who have the residence in the provinces Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and would like to travel to Romania have the prior obligation to apply for a visa at the Consulate General of Romania in Toronto (see annex 2, 3, 4), except those applicants arriving from countries which Romania concluded agreements on abolition of visa requirements or has renounced unilaterally at the visa requirement (see annex 1).
Holders of Refugee Passports and Alien Passports always need a visa for Romania.
Annex 1: list of States whose citizens are exempted from the visa requirement by Romania
Annex 2; list of the States whose citizens are required to have a visa without an invitation
Annex 3; list of the States whose citizens are required to have an invitation to apply for a visa
Annex 4; list of the States whose citizens are required to have a visa for the transit area of an international airport of Romania
The Romanian visa is granted by the Consulate General of Romania in Toronto with the prior approval of Visa National Board only if:
- there is no reason of interdicting the entry in Romania;
- the applicant was not finally sentenced for having committed offences abroad incompatible with the purpose for he requests the visa;
- the general conditions provided for in this section, as well as the special conditions for visa granting function of the purpose for which the visa is requested, are complied with.
Please be advised that no visa will be issued at the Romanian border.
HOW TO APPLY
Upon requesting the entry visa for Romania, applicants must present themselves in person to the Consulate within opening hours, except on Romanian and Canadian holidays.
An exception from the provisions of the above paragraph: the cases in which applicants have to cover a large distance to present themselves to the consular office and only if there is no doubt regarding their good faith and in the cases of travels in group when a well-known and trustworthy institution is liable for the good faith of the applicants.
TYPES OF VISA and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The Romanian authorities grant the following types of visa:
allows holders to pass through the international zone of a Romanian airport without access to the national territory of Romania. The airport transit visa is compulsory for citizens of states included in annex 4, drawn up in accordance with the European Union regulations regarding the measures for the airport transit. The same regime shall also be applied to aliens who, without being citizens of these states, hold a border crossing document issued by the authorities of the respective states.
This type of visa shall not be necessary in the case of:
-members of plane crews;
-holders of diplomatic, service passports or assimilated;
-holders of residence permits or equivalent documents issued by the member states of the European Union;
-holders of valid visas issued by a member state of the European Union.
enables travelers to pass through the territory of Romania on their way to another country. The transit visa may be issued for one or two transits, the length of each transit not exceeding 5 days.
The transit visa shall be granted to applicants under the following conditions:
-they hold a visa of a third state and, if necessary, of a state bordering Romania enabling aliens to continue their travel;
-they have a travel ticket valid to the destination point or they present their driving license, the green card and the record documents of the means of transportation, in the case of vehicle drivers;
The persons accompanying the drivers, traveling together with the latter, are exempted from complying with the condition mentioned in paragraph above.
C. SHORT STAY VISA (C)
allows the visitors to enter the Romanian territory with a view to an uninterrupted stay or several stay intervals whose total duration should not exceed 90 days within 6 months as of the first entry. Such type of visa may be issued with one or multiple entries. The right to stay in Romania, granted to the alien through the short stay visa, cannot be renewed in Romania. It is identified by one of the following symbols, according to the type of activity the applicant is to develop in Romania:
a. Tourism (C/TU) ;
b. Visit (C/VV) ;
c. Business (C/A) ;
d. Sport (C/CP) ;
D. LONG STAY VISA (D)
allows holders to entry one or more times and remain in Romania 90 days within 6 months as of the first entry and to request the renewal of the temporary stay right and obtain a stay permit. It is identified by one of the following symbols, according to the type of activity the applicant is to develop in Romania:
a. Economic activities (D/AE) ;
b. Professional activities (D/AP) ;
c. Commercial activities (D/AC) ;
d. Employment (D/AM) ;
e. Studies (D/SD) ;
f. Family reunification (D/VF) ;
g. Aliens married to Romanian citizens entering the Romanian territory (D/CR) ;
h. Religious or humanitarian activities (D/RU) ;
Only the Visa National Board officers or the Romanian Authority for Aliens are competent to ultimately accept or deny visa applications.
Visa gives the holder the right to enter the territory of Romania only if, at the moment the holder presents himself at the border crossing check-points, the Romanian Border Police Authorities come to the conclusion that there is no reason to interdict the entry in Romania. The holder must be able to present documents required for visa application. The immigration authorities are entitled to view the relevant documents upon request.
Payment of the application fee does not give any guarantee nor right that the visa will be granted. The application fee is non-refundable and not transferable whether the visa application is denied by the administration or the applicant decides to interrupt its request. There is no exception to the rule.
Transit visa:
o Simple (and for airport transit): 35 CAD
o Double (and for airport transit): 50 CAD
Short stay and long stay visa:
o One entry: 50 CAD
o Multiple entries: 90 CAD
To be paid in cash or money order (personal checks and credit cards are not accepted). The amount of this fee may be changed without prior notice.
PROCESSING TIME
I. The average processing time for the airport transit visa (symbol A), the transit visa (symbol B) and the short stay visa (symbol C) is 5 working days from the date the application is submitted. Applying by mail, you have to allow at least 10 working days for the return of your passport, if no interview is required.
For the applicants of one of the countries listed in annex 3, these types of visa (symbol A, B or C) are issued within 35 days from the registration date and will only be granted in agreement with the Romanian Authority for Aliens.
II. The long stay visa (symbol D) is issued within 30-45 days from the registration date and will only be granted in agreement with the Romanian Authority for Aliens.
Rush processing is not possible.
Please note that while we believe the given information is correct and up-to-date, the Consulate General is not legally responsible in the event of errors, omissions or obsolescence. No claim is possible for cancelled reservations. The operators (such as airlines and travel agencies) must use appropriate means to inform their customers of potential travel requirement issues before making any nonrefundable reservations.
CUSTOMS
Romania applies the international regulations of Convention for the Customs Facilities for Tourist Traffic. Highly valuable goodwill and foreign currency (over the value of $ 1,000 per person) must be declared when entering the country. Endorsed customs declarations must be kept as they are required when leaving the country. It is forbidden to import, unless with a special license, lei (symbol RON - the Romanian currency), ammunition, explosives, narcotics, pornographic material. It is forbidden to export items of cultural, historic or artistic value.
Car drivers must be in possession of relevant car documents including green card and personal driving license.
Anti-rabbics vaccination certificates are required for cats and dogs.
More details on Romanian customs can be found on the Romanian Customs Administration’s web site: www.customs.ro
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
Foreign currency can only be exchanged at banks and authorized exchange offices. As rates can vary from one place to another it is wise to shop around. Keep the exchange vouchers as they may be required when you pay for things in lei.
Euro and Dollar bills are the most readily negotiated currencies in Romania and it is a good idea to take some with you, preferably in small denominations. For today's currency exchange rate visit www.curs-valutar.ro