This guide is written for people applying from the United Kingdom, although many of the eligibility rules are national rules rather than UK-specific ones. Consulates can still ask for different evidence, translations, legalisation or appointments. Check the competent mission before paying for accommodation or making a non-refundable move.
At a glance
| Question | Current position |
|---|---|
| Is this a dedicated digital nomad route? | Yes. |
| Who it is for | Foreign employees of companies registered outside Romania and owners of foreign companies who can work remotely. |
| Work connection | Foreign employer or foreign-owned company, operating for the minimum period specified by Romanian rules. |
| Income or funds test | At least three times Romania’s average gross monthly salary for each of the six months before applying and for the visa period. |
| Typical permission | A D/AS long-stay visa permits entry for up to 90 days; the first residence permit is commonly issued for six months. |
| Family | Family members use the applicable Romanian family route and require separate evidence. |
| Can you work for local clients or employers? | The digital-nomad basis is foreign work, not employment by a Romanian entity. |
| Where the application starts | Romania’s eVisa system and the competent Romanian diplomatic mission, followed by the General Inspectorate for Immigration. |
What this route actually is
Romania places digital nomads within the long-stay visa for “other purposes”. The applicant may be an employee of a foreign-registered company or conduct business through a foreign company they own, while using information and communications technology. The category is not designed for ordinary Romanian employment.
That distinction is more than a naming point. A dedicated remote-work permit is usually designed around foreign employment or foreign clients. A self-employment or assignment route may instead test the value of a local business, professional licensing, a contract in the destination country or the economic benefit of the proposed activity. Applying under the wrong label is one of the easiest ways to build the wrong document pack.
Who can qualify
A strong case shows a genuine foreign company that has operated for the required period—official material refers to at least three years—plus a real employment or ownership relationship. The applicant must satisfy the high income formula, health-insurance requirement, accommodation evidence and criminal-record checks.
A credible application normally shows not only that the applicant can work online, but that the work is real and continuing. Authorities may look for a signed employment or service contract, employer or client letters, company registration records, recent invoices, bank statements and a concise explanation of what the applicant does day to day.
Core eligibility points
- You work under an employment contract with a company registered outside Romania or own a qualifying foreign company.
- The foreign company meets the operating-history requirement stated by the authority.
- You can perform the activity remotely through information and communications technology.
- You meet the three-times-average-gross-salary formula over the required period.
- You hold medical insurance, accommodation and a qualifying criminal-record certificate.
Income and financial evidence
Romania uses a moving benchmark: at least three times the average gross monthly salary, demonstrated for each of the six months before the application and for the intended visa period. That is not the same as showing a single large balance. The site should link to the current Romanian salary statistic and date every calculation.
Treat every published figure as a floor rather than a planning budget. The authority may examine whether income is regular, whether it comes from a permitted source and whether it will continue after relocation. A one-off transfer immediately before applying is usually weaker evidence than a consistent trail of salary payments, client receipts and matching contracts.
Documents to prepare
The exact checklist depends on the mission and the applicant’s circumstances, but a well-organised file will usually need the following:
- Online eVisa application, passport, photographs and UK residence evidence.
- Employment contract and employer confirmation, or company ownership and registration records.
- Evidence the foreign company has operated for at least the required period.
- Six months of bank statements, payslips and supporting income evidence.
- Medical insurance with the minimum cover stated by the authority.
- Accommodation proof, criminal-record certificate and tax-compliance documents where requested.
- Romanian translations/legalisation in the form required by the mission.
Names, dates, job titles, salary figures and company details should match across the whole file. Where documents are issued in the UK, check whether the receiving authority requires an apostille, a sworn or certified translation, or both. Do not assume that an English document will be accepted simply because the authority publishes an English-language website.
Application process from the UK
- Create the application through Romania’s official eVisa platform and select the correct long-stay purpose.
- Calculate the threshold from the current average gross salary and document every relevant month.
- Prepare company-history and foreign-work evidence.
- Upload the file, follow the mission’s validation instructions and attend the consular appointment.
- Enter Romania within the visa conditions and apply to the General Inspectorate for Immigration before the authorised stay expires.
- Complete local address, tax and residence-card steps.
The visa sticker, entry permission and residence card are often separate stages. Read the approval notice carefully: some routes require registration with the police, municipality, tax authority or immigration office shortly after arrival. Missing a local deadline can create avoidable problems even when the entry visa was correctly issued.
Family members
The digital-nomad visa is not a single family permit. Qualifying relatives may need family-reunification or accompanying-family applications, depending on timing and the main applicant’s residence status. State the sequence conservatively and verify it with the Romanian mission.
Where dependants are allowed, expect separate forms and fees. Marriage and birth certificates may need recent copies, legalisation and translation. A dependant’s right to work should never be assumed; several remote-work schemes allow family residence but prohibit the spouse from local employment.
Validity, renewal and switching route
The D/AS visa is generally an entry permission for up to 90 days. Official immigration guidance describes an initial digital-nomad residence permit of six months. Renewal or extension requires continuing compliance and current evidence; the decision document controls the actual dates.
A route that can be renewed is not automatically a route to permanent residence. Some permissions are expressly temporary, some do not count toward settlement, and others may lead to longer residence only after a switch into a different category. Anyone planning a multi-year move should check the settlement position before choosing a country.
Tax, social security and insurance
Romanian legislation contains tax and social-contribution provisions relevant to some digital nomads, but they should not be summarised as a blanket exemption. Residence, treaty status and the employer/company structure determine the outcome.
Immigration permission does not answer every tax question. Residence, payroll, permanent-establishment risk, social-security coverage and local registration can all depend on facts such as days present, where management decisions are made and who benefits from the work. Obtain advice covering both the destination country and the country where the employer or business is established.
Common problems to avoid
- Confusing the 90-day visa with the residence permit.
- Using a static income amount instead of the current average-salary formula.
- Showing funds for only one month rather than the required six-month history.
- Failing to prove the foreign company’s operating history.
- Assuming the route permits Romanian employment.
Official sources
The following official sources were checked for this guide on 8 August 2026. Rules, thresholds and application channels can change without notice.