COVID-19 – Information to the attention of third-state nationals and stateless persons who are required to hold an entry visa for Romania
– LATEST UPDATE on June 16th, 2020

-Given the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the visa activity of the Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts of Romania is suspended. Your visa application cannot be finalized. In case you need a Romanian entry visa for an essential journey, please contact directly the competent Diplomatic Mission/Consular Post

In the context of the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with the effect of the COVID-19 illness outbreak, the necessity of temporarily limiting non-essential travel to the EU was established at European level, through document COM(2020) 115final/16.03.2020 – Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council and the council, titled “COVID-19: Temporary Restriction on Non-Essential Travel to the EU”. The measures comprised therein were endorsed by the European Council on March 17th, 2020. Furthermore, on June 11th, 2020, the European Commission released Communication COM(2020) 399 final which extends the temporary restriction imposed on non-essential travels to the EU at least until June 30th, 2020.

Complementary to the measures introduced at European level, as well as for the implementation of other measures of prevention and combat of risks inherent to the ongoing pandemic, Decision nº394/2020 of the Romanian Government on the introduction of the state of alert and of measures applicable throughout this state for the prevention and combating of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was adopted. The state of alert was thereby introduced on the territory of Romanian for a period of 30 days starting with May 18th, 2020. In addition, in line with Decision nº476/2020 of the Romanian Government on the prolongation of the state of alert and of measures applicable throughout this state for the prevention and combating of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of alert was extended on the territory of Romania for a period of 30 days starting June 17th, 2020. Please note that in Romania, the temporary restrictions on non-essential travels from third-states are therefore extended for 30 days, starting June 17th 2020.

Given the situation ensued, the activity related to the receipt and processing of visa and local border traffic permits applications suspended in the Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts of Romania abroad. At this time, the Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts of Romania receive and process, in line with legal provisions, only visa applications lodged by third-state nationals and stateless persons who carry our essential trips, from the limited categories listed below:

1) Third-state nationals/stateless persons who are family members of Romanian nationals (the categories of family members can be consulted by accessing http://eviza.mae.ro/SupportingDocuments)

2) Third-state nationals/stateless persons who are family members of citizens of the European Union (wherever “European Union” is used, this includes the UK, as a result of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement)/of the European Economic Area/of the Swiss Confederation who are registered as residents in Romania;

3) Third-state nationals/stateless persons who travel to Romanian for professional reasons, namely: healthcare professionals, health researchers, elderly care professionals, transport personnel engaged in the haulage of goods and other transport staff to the extent necessary;

4) Diplomats, the staff of international organizations, military personnel and humanitarian aid workers in the exercise of their functions;

5) Passengers in transit (including those having been repatriated through consular assistance);

6) Third-state nationals/stateless persons who travel for imperative (family, medical reasons);

7) Third-state nationals/stateless persons in need of international protection or who need to travel for other humanitarian reasons.

The following categories of third-state nationals and stateless persons are also able to travel to Romania:

1) Categories of third-state nationals/stateless persons as described above, but who are not subject to the Romanian entry-visa requirement for airport transit or for stays of no longer than 90 days in any 180-day period;

2) Third-state nationals/stateless persons who already hold a valid long-stay visa, residence permit, or another valid document equivalent to a residence permit – all issued by Romania (with the exception of holders of Local Border Traffic Permits issued by Romania);

3) Third-state nationals/stateless persons who hold a valid long-stay visa, residence permit, or another valid document equivalent to a residence permit – all issued by other member states in line with European Union law ( such as third-state nationals/stateless persons who hold long-term residence permits issued by EU member states under the Long-term residence Directive; holders of long-stay visas or of residence permits issued by Schengen member states, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia – under Decision EU/2014/565; holders of long-stay visas or of residence permits – under Directive 2004/38/EC, Directive EU/801/2016).

Taking into account the preventive measures introduced at European level and by Romanian authorities in the efforts undertaken in order to combat the effects of the pandemic, it is recommended that third-state nationals/stateless persons who have already obtained entry visas for Romania, as well as third-state nationals/stateless persons who are not required to hold Romanian entry visas carefully consider the necessity of their trip to Romania throughout the following period.

It is hereby highlighted that visa processing fees are not refundable, should the boarding of visa holders towards Romania, or the entry of visa holders into Romania not be permitted, or should they be placed under compulsory quarantine or in self-isolation.

Resumption of visa operations and of other activities with the public in relation to applications from third-state nationals will be relaunched once all normal functioning conditions are met, both locally, as well as on the territory of Romania. Such resumption of operations measures depend on the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the states of residence, of the availability of means of transport towards the European Union, Romania included, as well as on common measures established at the European level in connection to temporary travel restrictions to the EU.

We thank you for your understanding of this exceptional situation with a high degree of exposure for all nationals.

OTHER INFORMATION OF INTEREST TO THIRD-STATE NATIONALS AND STATELESS PERSONS, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic:

The following measures of interest to aliens are introduced in line with the provisions of Point X (Articles 47 through 49) of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº70 of May 14th 2020:

“X. Measures in the field of alien management in the context of the epidemiological situation generated by the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

Article 47

(1) The validity of documents issued by the Inspectorate General for Immigration is maintained throughout the entire duration of the state of emergency introduced by Decree nº195/2020 regarding the introduction of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, extended by Decree nº240/2020 regarding the extension of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, as well as for a period of 90 days from the date of termination of this state.

(2) The approvals issued by the Inspectorate General for Immigration on invitations regulated by Articles (37)-(39) of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed, are not considered valid over the term indicated in Article 38(6) of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.

Article 48

(1) The authorized stay of third-state nationals who are present in Romania, as granted through entry visas issued by Romania, is maintained for 90 days from the date of termination of the state of emergency introduced by Decree nº195/2020 regarding the introduction of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania and extended by Decree nº240/2020 regarding the extension of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, without them being subject to any sanctions or restrictive measures as established by Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.

(2) The authorized stay of third-state nationals who are present in Romania, as granted through international conventions, through legal instruments by means of which the visa requirement is unilaterally waved or by European legal instruments that establish the waiving of the visa requirement, is maintained for 90 days from the date of termination of the state of emergency introduced by Decree nº195/2020 regarding the introduction of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania and extended by Decree nº240/2020 regarding the extension of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, without them being subject to any sanctions or restrictive measures as established by Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.

(3) For subsequent entries and stays, the authorized stay established by Paragraphs (1) or (2) shall not be counted upon calculation of the period of stay of maximum 90 days in any 180-day period that precedes each day of stay in the territory of Romania.

Article 49

(1) The validity of entry visas issued by Romania that have expired without having been used by their holders because of the temporary restrictions of travel to the European Union is not maintained.

(2) Upon lifting of the temporary restrictions of travel to the member states of the European Union, should it still be deemed necessary, third-state nationals who held Romanian entry visas that expired under the conditions provided for in Paragraph (1), can apply for other entry visas for Romania, in line with the provisions of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.

(3) Endorsements for employment, endorsements for secondment and approvals for family reunification issued by the Inspectorate General for Immigration, the validity of which is extended in line with the provisions of Article[47] (1) can be used for the lodging of Romanian entry visa applications in line with the provisions of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed, when the temporary restrictions of travel to the member states of the European Union will have been lifted, only if they have not been previously used for obtaining such entry visas for Romania.”.

Furthermore, regarding the validity visas issued by Romania and expired throughout the introduced and extended state of alert, please note that their situation is regulated by means of the provisions of Article 4(5) of Law nº55 of May 15th, 2020 regarding certain measures for the prevention and containment of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as follows:
„ARTICLE 4
(5) The validity of documents issued by public authorities and institutions, as well as by authorized private entities established by Law, is maintained throughout the state of alert, as well as for a period of 90 days from the date of termination of this state.”