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FAQ ROMANIA*

ENTERING ROMANIA

Can I enter Romania without a (biometric) passport?

If you have Ukrainian citizenship, you can enter Romania with a short stay status by presenting your biometric or traditional passport (under some conditions) at the Romanian border crossing point. Do not worry if you do not have a passport.

You will be allowed to enter Romania without a passport by asking for asylum at the border OR on the basis of declared identity, for humanitarian purposes.

What are the preventive measures against COVID-19?

Ukrainian refugees are exempted from:

  • vaccination requirements;

  • filling the passenger location form;

  • quarantine obligations.

The refugees will be tested for free upon entry in Romania. So you don't need a PCR test.

THIS is handled pragmatically at the border control. In case you develop Covid symptoms, please inform the officials at the border. They will consult medical professionals.

HOW LONG CAN I STAY IF I WANT TO TRANSIT ROMANIA?

If you want to transit Romania, you must declare this at the border

  • At the moment, any crossing of the Schengen area requires a Schengen visa, but since 27.02.2022 EU Foreign Ministers have mandated the European Commission to prepare proposals for the protection of Ukrainian refugees

  • To declare the transit you must complete a document called ROMANIA - Road Transit Corridors, which must be stamped on entering and leaving the country

  • For transit, you have 48 hours to reach the exit point

  • Please Note! WizzAir is also offering a 29.99 EUR and 69.99 EUR rescue fare on all other flights. However, as of now, animals are not allowed on board!

HOW LONG CAN I STAY IN ROMANIA?

  • On 4th March 2022 entered into force the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 establishing the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/EC, and having the effect of introducing temporary protection ("The Directive).

  • Based on the Directive and the transposing Romanian Laws, Ukrainian citizens shall have the right of staying on the Romanian territory for a period of one year, with the possibility of prolongation of twice 6 months, without the need of any visa. Where the reasons for temporary protection persist, the Romanian Government, at the proposal of the National Office for Refugees, can send to the European Commission a proposal to the Council of the European Union to extend temporary protection for one more year.

  • For the European Decision to apply, the Romanian Government must have adopted a Decision in this sense. On 18th March 2022, entered into force the Governmental Decision no. 367/2022 on the establishment of certain conditions for ensuring temporary protection.
  • Liste 4

TEMPORARY PROTECTION OF 1 YEAR! - WHO BENEFITS?

The following persons enjoy temporary protection on Romanian territory:

  • Ukrainian citizens residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022;

  • stateless persons and third-country nationals, other than Ukrainians, who were benefiting from international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine before 24 February 2022;

  • family members of the persons referred above, meaning: husband/wife; the unmarried minor children of a person referred above or of his/her spouse, without distinction as to whether they are legitimate, born out of marriage or adopted.

  • stateless persons and third-country nationals, other than Ukrainians, who can prove that they had their legal residence in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 on the basis of a valid permanent residence permit issued in accordance with Ukrainian law and who cannot return in safe and stable conditions to their country or region of origin.

  • Ukrainian citizens who are on the territory of Romania before February 24, 2022.

The Temporary Protection is granted by the General Inspectorate of Immigration to any persons from the above that is at a border crossing point, even in the transit area, or on the Romanian territory and that is not in a case of exclusion (e.g. committed crimes). The persons shall be issued a residency permit and a personal identification number.

TEMPORARY PROTECTION OF 1 YEAR! - YOUR RIGHTS

As a beneficiary of Temporary Protection, your rights are:

  • To be issued a document granting them permission to remain in Romania

  • to be informed, in writing, in a language which you are supposed to understand, about the provisions relating to temporary protection

  • to be employed by natural or legal persons, to carry out independent activities, respecting the rules applicable to regulated professions, as well as activities such as educational opportunities for adults, vocational training and practical work experience, in accordance with the law;

  • to benefit, upon request, from the necessary assistance for maintenance, in case you do not have the necessary material means

  • the right to receive free primary care and appropriate treatment, emergency hospital care, as well as free medical care and treatment in cases of acute or chronic life-threatening illness, through the national emergency medical system and qualified first aid. These services are provided, as the case may be, by the medical service of the accommodation centres and/or by other sanitary units accredited and authorized according to the law

  • the right of the beneficiaries of temporary protection with special needs to receive adequate medical assistance

  • the right to have access to the state education system under the conditions provided by law for Romanian citizens, in the case of beneficiaries of temporary protection who have not reached the age of 18.

BESIDES THE TEMPORARY PROTECTION

HOW LONG COULD I STAY IN ROMANIA BESIDES THE TEMPORARY PROTECTION?

We must advise that there is no official point of view from the authorities related to how all these procedures shall be handled from now on!

As a Ukrainian citizen entering Romania with your biometric passport, you have 1) the right to stay in Romania for a short stay of up to 90 days within 180 days period. After that, normally, you must apply for a 2) long term visa for different purposes (work, business, professional activities, studies etc.) for another 90 days and afterwards, for 3) a residency permit.

BESIDES THE TEMPORARY PROTECTION - HOW COULD I EXTEND MY VISA-FREE PERIOD?

The short-stay visa (free) that entitled you to visit Romania for a limited period of time CANNOT be extended. If you want to stay in Romania for a longer period of time, you must have obtained a long-stay visa and, subsequently, a residence permit in Romania.

The long-stay visa could be claimed for different purposes:

  • Business activities

  • Professional Activities

  • Work

  • Studies

  • Family reunification

  • Scientific Research

  • Religious activities

  • Other purposes

Depending on your reason to stay, there are different procedures. Read more about it on the website of the General Inspectorate for Immigration:https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/category/diverseen/migration/

BESIDES THE TEMPORARY PROTECTION - HOW COULD I REGISTER FOR A ROMANIAN RESIDENCE?

You could register for Romanian residency only for the purpose requested for the long-stay visa.

The standard application mechanism goes like this:

1. you apply to a long-stay visa for a specific purpose (see Slide 7) with a length of 90 days and

2. you apply for Residency Permit for the same purpose, maximum 30 days before the expiration of the long-stay visa.

Online Application for Residence: https://portaligi.mai.gov.ro/portaligi/
Normally you would get a residence permit if you had priorly obtained the necessary national visa. - See exemptions based on the right to work on page 17!

REMEMBER THAT NOW, BASED ON THE TEMPORARY PROTECTION, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO WORK AND RESIDE ON THE ROMANIAN TERRITORY FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS!

SHOULD I APPLY FOR ASYLUM?

  • Asylum is a form of protection that allows you to stay in Romania.
  • Before applying for asylum, it is recommended to discuss first with a lawyer, a NGO or Romanian National Council for Refugees (CNRR).
    -- For FREE Legal Assistance, call this number: 0374025000

  • As a asylum-seeker you will have rights and obligations. It is very important that you know and understand them.
  • Liste 4

HOW AND WHERE DO I APPLY FOR ASYLUM?

  • The territorial competence to receive, register and process the asylum applications belongs to the regional centers for procedures and accommodation for asylum seekers under the Asylum and Integration Directorate = the Bucharest Center, the Timișoara Center, the Galați Center, the Radauți Center, the Maramureș Center and the Giurgiu Center.

  • The standard asylum application form can be completed either by: the asylum seeker assisted by the official, or the official designated to receive the application, in case the asylum seeker cannot write, according to the person’s oral statements.

  • The competent authorities cannot refuse the asylum application on the grounds that it was submitted too late.

  • The asylum seeker has to submit all the documents that they have at their disposal and are relevant to their personal situation, as well as the document for crossing the state border, and consequently they will receive the temporary identity document for asylum seekers issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI).

  • Until the completion of the asylum procedure you have the right to remain on the territory of Romania and you are protected against expulsion, extradition, forced return from the border or from the territory of the Romanian state

  • If you decide to apply for asylum you should seek (legal) advice first (e.g. at https://www.cnrr.ro/index.php/en/; free legal advice, see page 20) and also check IGI | Ukraine (gov.ro).

ARE UNACCOMPANIED MINORS ABLE TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM?

YES - UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

  • The asylum application can be submitted even by the unaccompanied minor, this being solved with priority. Family reunification in the case of unaccompanied minors who benefit from a form of protection is made according to the best interests of the child, and the National Refugee Office will initiate the procedure for family reunification ex officio.

  • The General Inspectorate for Immigration shall take measures as soon as possible to detect the family of the unaccompanied minor, while protecting his or her best interests.

  • The opinion of the unaccompanied minor regarding the detection of his family is taken into account and given due importance in relation to his age and degree of maturity.

* No guarantee can be given for the correctness and completeness of the information published in the FAQ. The published FAQs contain general information that cannot reflect every individual case.

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