1. Discover your Romanian ancestors
Firstly, you need to find out if one of your parents or grandparents were a Romanian citizen in the past. Then, you need to discover if they gave up their citizenship or it was revoked by the Romanian authorities.
The historical Romanian territory also includes parts of today’s Ukraine and Republic of Moldova.
By law, citizenship may be regained by those who lost it without their fault, but also by their descendants up to the second degree (children and grandchildren).
In order to obtain Romanian citizenship, you do not have to speak Romanian, you only have to provide proof of your Romanian ancestry.
2. Get legal proof of your heritage
After finding out that you have a Romanian heritage, you will need to obtain certified proof thereof from the Romanian authorities. To this end, you have to provide all civil status documents to the Romanian authorities, for yourself and also for your ancestors.
3. Prepare your citizenship file
The file for regaining your citizenship must contain all the specific documents required by the National Authority for Citizenship (Ro: Autoritatea Nationala pentru Cetatenie).
You will need:
- your passport
- a criminal record certificate issued from your home country
- civil status documents for your ancestors (birth certificate, marriage certificate, death or divorce certificate, certificate of the first/second name etc.)
- written declarations
- written proof regarding the loss of Romanian citizenship
If you want to establish your domicile in Romania, you will also have to submit proof for your income and housing in Romania.
If you also want to obtain Romanian citizenship for your children, you will have to include their documents in your own citizenship application.
4. Submit the file
The file for obtaining Romanian citizenship can only be submitted personally. The only exception is if you suffer from an illness which prohibits you from moving.
If you live abroad, you can submit the file for regaining Romanian citizenship at the diplomatic missions or consular office of Romania in your country.
5. Track your file
All information regarding your file can be tracked based on your file registration number on the National Authority for Citizenship site. Information on the status of your case can also be received by filling a petition addressed to the National Authority for Citizenship, indicating the file registration number and your identity card.
If your file complies with all legal requirements, the President of the National Authority for Citizenship will issue a decree granting you Romanian citizenship. The decree will be communicated through certified letter at your declared address.
6. Obtain your citizenship
Within 6 months after your file was approved, you are required to take an oath of allegiance to Romania at the headquarters of the National Citizenship Authority. Otherwise, the effects of the decree for retrieving the Romanian citizenship will cease.
The Romanian citizenship certificate will be issued to you at the oath-taking ceremony.
After obtaining your Romanian citizenship certificate, you will have to obtain the transcription of the civil status documents (birth/marriage certificate) from the Civil Status Office in Romania.
If you managed to pass all these stages, then you can officially call yourself a Romanian citizen!
Alexandra Șmahon – Legal Counsel
R&R Partners
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If you want to obtain Romanian citizenship, do not miss our Amazon eBook. This material will help you prepare for the citizenship exam, find out more details here.
Do you need additional information or help in order to obtain your Romanian Citizenship? Contact us at office@rrpb.ro or use the contact form on our website at www.rrpb.ro.
55 Comments
aydemir tezsezen
My grandfather and grandmother were born in Silistra as Romainian citizen , married in Romania and emigrated to Turkey before 1939. (They are not alive now. My mother is alive)
Could you please provide price list for your services related to “citizenship by descent.”
Regards.
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello Aydemir, thank you for your message. I will reply to you privately by e-mail directly. Have a good day.
Rebecca
Do I need the original birth certificate of my grandfather who is Romanian or is a copy good enough?
Zohair Bizri
Dear Sir;
I have submitted all the papers and i have already received a file number. The file was submitted in 2019. I would like to know the estimated time the citizenship will be granted.
Thank you in advance.
Zohair Bizri
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, Thank you for your message. We are not the public authority, so we cannot tell you how much your file will take. It should generally be resolved in around half a year. If you need assistance with your file, please send us an email on office@rrpb.ro with scans of the documents you have and we will talk there. You can also schedule a legal consult directly with us here: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/. All the best!
Keith
Good Afternoon, my great grandmother fled Romania due to persecution during the soviet occupation of Romania.She was a refugee to New Zealand. I have her birth certificate, marriage certificate as well as other legal documents (taxes they paid etc). Is it possible to reclaim our citizenship ? Thank you.
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, Thank you for your message. Based on the information provided, most probably you can obtain Romanian citizenship. Please send us an email on office@rrpb.ro with scans of the documents you have and we will talk there. You can also schedule a legal consult directly with us here: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/. All the best!
David Blatt
I want to get romanian citizenship by restoration. My father was born in Bistrita on 16/10/1946. He and his mother moved to Israel in 1970 and he became an Israeli citizen then. He now lives in the US as a citizen here. I am a US citizen, age 45.
Can I do this?
If yes:
Can you help me?
How long will it take?
How much will it cost?
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, our law firm is specialized in immigration law and we can help you with your case. The timeline and costs depend a lot on what documents you have right now and what needs to be done further, please send us the docs in scan to office@rrpb.ro. All the best!
lucas
Hi there! I was adopted in Romania almost 30 years ago, I am turning 30 in March of 2021. I was adopted by Americans. I do have my birth certificate as well as my birth mothers birth certificate. Is this enough to start the process of getting my Romanian passport?
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hi Lucas, thank you for your message. It sounds good, we can help you with your file, could you please email us at office@rrpb.ro and discuss there. Or book a consultation with us directly, details below.
https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/ – You can use this link to book a legal consultation with us. One hour legal consultation is 50 Euro, you can ask whatever questions you want and if you want to continue on the project this cost will be deducted from future fees. So the consult would basically be free. Pe langa link, avem si optiunile de plata prin IBAN sau chiar Revolut.
If you decide you want our help, let us know. Also, in the meantime, if you want more free information about Romanian commercial and immigration law you can check out our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3eGJi_6foWEIqxkqjzEurQ and also on our blog https://rrpb.ro/blog/. We post quite frequently a lot of useful free content in English there.
Have a great day!
anca miruna achim
Hello! I was born in Romania, 1970, and emigrated when I was 13, with my parents. At that moment, we were all stripped of citizenship. I am a US citizen now and I would like to reclaim Romanian citizenship, for myself and my two children. However, I do not have a birth certificate. Is it possible to obtain it somehow, as proof? Thank you.
Daniel Dan
I am from Nigeria with black skin….I don’t know of any of my ancestors being Romanian…is it possible about 2000 years ago my lineage is linked to Romania?
R&R Partners Bucharest
Who knows!
cristina n
my romanian passport expired a couple years ago how do i renew it from the usa. also can i add my 7 yr old son that was born in usa to my romanian citizenship
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, thank you for the message. What exactly would you need our help with, passport renewal or obtaining citizenship for your son, is he a Romanian citizen in the record already? Our law firm is specialized in immigration law, so we can help you with your case. You can send us the documents in scan to office@rrpb.ro to check them or book a legal consultation with us here: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/. All the best!
Huseyin
Hello. I am planning to apply for my mother. Her grandmother and grandfather are both from Romania, where they immigrated from to Turkey before 1939. We have certain location for the grandfather, but turkish records indicating Romania only for the grandmother.
Is it possible for my mother to apply for citizenship.
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, thank you for the message. Our law firm is specialized in immigration law, so we can help you with your case. You can send us the documents in scan to office@rrpb.ro to check them or book a legal consultation with us here: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/. All the best!
Jack
Hello. I am wondering if I reclaim Romanian citizenship from my Romanian grandparent, will my 19 year old son then be able to claim Romanian citizenship by decent from me? Thank you.
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, were was your grandparent born? Do you have proof for this descent? Normally yes, your child will be able to get citizenship. You can find more info from our YouTube videos here: https://youtu.be/Dm-B9dhKDkA and here https://youtu.be/ACrS891FuD8. And if you need help with your file book an online consult with us here https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/
Maria Dimitriu
Hello,
I will be grateful if you could advise me to clarify my situation . I was born in Romania and I lived there for 37 year, in 2014 I obtained British Citizenship and I would like to Know if I lost my Romania Citizenship when I get the British citizenship and how I can change my Romanian passport . Do I have to apply for Dual Romanian citizenship? What documents I have to complete ? How I can changed my expired Romanian passport ?
Thank you for your advise .
Maria
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello Maria, what do you mean exactly, you renounced your Ro citizenship in some way? Or you are wondering if you cam have double citizenship? If your passport is expired it does not mean you lost citizenship. We can make an inquiry for you at the public authorities, you can book an online consult with us here and discuss the matter in detail:
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello Maria, what do you mean exactly, you renounced your Ro citizenship in some way? Or you are wondering if you cam have double citizenship? If your passport is expired it does not mean you lost citizenship. We can make an inquiry for you at the public authorities, you can book an online consult with us here and discuss the matter in detail: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/
Max
Hi,
are documents for both grandparents required or is it enough to provide documents for the grandparent that was born and lived in Romania?
The documents for the grandfather do not exist because the name was fictional. (The real grandfather was married at the time and grandmother did not want to expose him)
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, where was your grandparent born? Do you have proof for this descent? Sure one grandparent should be enough. You can find more info from our YouTube videos here: https://youtu.be/Dm-B9dhKDkA and here https://youtu.be/ACrS891FuD8. And if you need help with your file book an online consult with us here https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/
Mary
Will husband and wife apply differently or together.
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, what do you mean by “apply together”? If you are eligible for regaining Romanian citizenship your spouse does not obtain it, as well, by default. You can find out more on this topic from our YouTube video ‘How to regain Romanian citizenship’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm-B9dhKDkA&list=PL4HrzFwBj1ew-ZMLryHmbGwcy01Zzy3pH&ab_channel=R%26RPartnersBucharest
IRHJ
My Grandmother was born in Bacu in 1902 and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 11. Her birthday was always celebrated on 17 May. I was able to obtain a copy of her birth certificate and it shows her birth date as 13 May 1902. Also on the birth record her name is “Ruhla” however in the United States her name was changed to “Rose”. I don’t have documents to show the name change since the process was informal. Given this information, in your opinion, would I be successful in applying for Romanian citizenship?
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, we replied to you by email. We would need to some scans of the documentation you have first, in order to make an assessment of the file.
Prit
Hi,
My first name is RAMANI. We are belong to ROMANI community migrated from Romania somewhere in first world war era. In between of 1915 to 1925. The Father of my grandfather merry to an Indian girl & settled in INDIA & change surname Ramani to match with Indian Identity. I don’t have any proof or documents of his migration but my father told me that our ancestors migrated from Romania. I want to be a proud citizen of our ancestors country. Is it possible. Please confirm
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, you need proof in order to reclaim Romanian citizenship.
Alex
I believe the Romanian government violated a citizens article 5 constitution rights, when during her adoption process in 1991, filed documents illegally. She is entitled to citizenship by her birth in Alba Iulia to Romanian parents in 1988. However the government is refusing to acknowledge their mistake. How can I remedy this transgression?
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, what exactly do you need our help with? You want to sue the government for damages? Or you want to make sure she is still a Romanian citizen?
Mel
Hello, if a child with US citizenship born in the US to a mother with Romanian citizenship, would the child be considered to be living in Romania illegally if the mother moved back to Romania with the child? Or would the child be presumed to have Romanian citizenship and therefore not living in Romania illegally even if the correct paperwork had not been completed before the move back to Romania? Thank you!
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, do you mean to ask us if the child is automatically a Romanian citizen because their mother is Romanian? The answer is yes, they can obtain this status with the right paperwork, you can email us at office@rrpb.ro if you need help with this process.
Mel
Thank you!
R&R Partners Bucharest
No problem!
iulia
Hi,
I was born in Romania in 1981 (and I have my Romanian birth certificate). In 1985, my family left Romania and my mother had to sign something that gave up our citizenship.
Now, my mother is telling me that because only my mom agreed, but not my father, that I never actually lost my citizenship.
Is there a way to find out if I actually have citizenship or not?
And if I was a citizen (living abroad) all this time, is there anything I missed that I should have done (paying taxes for instance) that could be a problem?
Thank you for your time!
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, thank you for your message. The first step would be to actually find out if you lost your citizenship or not, I replied to you by email.
Justin
Hi,
I found my grandfather’s birth records from Beclean Romania from 1917. He immigrated to the United States in 1949. I am looking to pursue citizenship by descent. The problem I have is his Romanian birth name is different than the name he had when he immigrated to the United States. He changed his first name slightly from Noe to Noah, but he substantially altered his last name from Mihaly to Michael during WW2. It appears I need to find documentation of that name change, which likely occurred when he was captive during World War 2 in Germany.
I have his town archives in Romania which verified his birth. What can I do to find the name change documentation? There is no way to essentially connect my Grandfather from when he immigrated to the US to his birth name. Which means an obstacle for me.
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello Michael, we replied to you by email about your exact case. Also, if you are in a rush you can book a consult with us here and chat more: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/.
Alex
Hello, I’m currently studying in Romania and had done a DNA test, it’s marked that I have some Romanian heritage, can I get the citizenship based on that?
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, unfortunately that is not enough! Do you have any proof that your parents or grandparents were Romanian?
Jennifer Leiby
My great-grandfather was born in Ciucurul Mare (in Bucovina) in 1891, my great-grandmother was born in Ciucurul Mare in 1896, and they came to America in the 1920s. If I am able to locate birth-records for them, am I eligible for citizenship by descent?
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, normally yes, but we recommend you book a videocall consult with us so we can walk you through the procedure and we can check scans of the documents that you have right now: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/.
Fayaz ahmad khan
I am here in Romania. With work permit and TRC how I will apply for the citizenship of Romania. With my family .I am married and have two children son and daughter. Please assist me .thanks regard .fayaz ahmad khan
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello, how many years have you lived in Romania on TR? You need to comply with the citizenship requirements first, for further information you can book a call with us here: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/. Or email us at office@rrpb.ro.
Anna
Hello. I am interested in obtaining Romanian citizenship by descent. I am American citizen. My father and his parents were born in Kamenka village in Moldova. My father was born in 1937 and he is still alive. Please let me know if it’s possible to obtain citizenship for me and my adult children. Thank you!
R&R Partners Bucharest
Hello Anna, we replied to you by email and we can talk further there, at office@rrpb.ro. Alternatively, you can book a legal consult with us here: https://rrpb.ro/book-a-consult/
Anton
I am not sure if I have a Romanian heritage, can you help me figure out?
R&R Partners Bucharest
If you do not know yourself, most probably you do not!
charles wang
Hello Dr. Thanks for the information! But please tell me what if I don’t have proper document of my grandparents. What will be the procedure?
R&R Partners Bucharest
What do you mean, you do not have proper documents? If you have at least a couple of papers, send us an email at office@rrpb.ro with scans and we will see what we can do. If you have 0 papers but you are sure of your ancestry, they can be obtained in the Romanian archives.
BORIS
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inquire about the process of applying for Romanian citizenship by descent under Article 11 of Law no. 21/1991. My father was born in Bessarabia (Hincesti) in 1932, my grandmother was born in Bessarabia (Hincesti) in 1905, and I was born in Republic of Moldova in 1964. I moved to the United States in 1991 and have lived here since and looking to retire in Romania. My wife and I are both citizens of Moldova and The United States and believe we are eligible to apply for Romanian citizenship under this provision.
We would appreciate it if you could provide us with the necessary information and guidance on the steps we need to take in order to apply for Romanian citizenship by descent under Article 11. Specifically, we would like to know:
1. What are the eligibility requirements for Romanian citizenship by descent under Article 11 for individuals born in Moldova who have since emigrated to the United States?
2. What documents do we need to prepare for the application? I possess birth certificates for my late father and grandmother
3. What is the application process, and where can we submit our application?
4. How long does it typically take to receive a decision on our application?
We understand that our case may be unique, and we are willing to provide any additional information or documents that may be required.
Thank you for your time and assistance in this matter. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Boris
R&R Partners Bucharest
We replied to you by email from office@rrpb.ro, please also check your spam folder. All the best!