Romania student visa: Complete guide 2026

What Is the Romania Student Visa?

The Romania Student Visa refers to two different documents used in sequence. The long-stay visa for studies, marked D/SD, is decided by a Romanian embassy or consulate abroad and is what you use to enter Romania. The residence permit is decided afterward, once you are in Romania, by the General Inspectorate for Immigration, known as IGI.

You must apply for the residence permit at your local IGI office at least 30 days before your visa-granted stay expires. Unlike the visa, which is a travel document, the residence permit is what actually lets you remain in Romania, issued for the length of your study program plus 3 months.

Who Is It For?

• Nationality: Non-EU/EEA nationals.

  
  

• Study program: Full-time enrollment at a state or private higher education institution, accredited or provisionally authorized under Romanian law.

  
  

• Financial means: At least RON 4,325 a month, Romania's gross minimum wage, covering the visa's 90-day validity, roughly RON 12,975 in total. For the residence permit application in Romania, a separate proof of funds is required at RON 2,699 a month, Romania's net minimum wage, covering at least 6 months, roughly RON 16,194 in total. This figure applies regardless of your program's overall length. Romanian state scholarship holders are exempt from proving financial means at either stage.

  
  

What the Visa Allows

• Residency: The residence permit is issued for the length of your study program plus 3 months.

  
  

• Work: You can work up to 4 hours a day without a separate work permit. This cap applies across all jobs combined, not per job. Your employer must notify IGI within 10 days of you starting work, providing a copy of your employment contract and residence permit.

  
  

• Family: Your spouse and unmarried minor children can join you, provided your marriage took place before you obtained your residence permit.

  
  

• Travel: The permit allows you to travel within the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

  
  

• After graduation: You can extend your residence permit by up to 6 months to complete outstanding academic formalities and authenticate your diploma. Separately, you can extend it by up to 9 months specifically to search for a job, complete employment formalities, or start a business.

Documents You'll Need to Prepare

Documents in a language other than Romanian need a certified Romanian translation. Documents issued abroad also need to be legalized or apostilled.

• Application form: The official visa or residence permit application form, completed and signed.

  
  

• Passport: A valid travel document, valid for at least 3 months longer than your visa and issued within the last 10 years.

  
  

• Passport photo: One recent color photo.

  
  

• Proof of admission: A letter of acceptance for full-time enrollment. Your university provides this automatically once you're approved, as part of the standard admission process.

  
  

• Proof of financial means (for the visa): A bank statement, global income tax declaration, or other equivalent document confirming the required amount for the visa stage.

  
  

• Proof of tuition payment (for the visa): Confirmation that you have paid at least 1 year of tuition.

  
  

• Proof of language proficiency (for the visa): A document confirming your knowledge of the language your program is taught in, unless you are enrolled in Romania's preparatory year for the Romanian language.

  
  

• Criminal record certificate (for the visa): Issued by the authorities in your country of domicile or residence.

  
  

• Proof of health insurance (for the visa): Travel medical insurance covering the visa's 90-day validity, including repatriation for medical reasons.

  
  

• Proof of financial means (for the permit): A separate document confirming the required amount for the residence permit stage.

  
  

• Proof of accommodation (for the permit): Confirmation of legal housing in Romania.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Secure admission

Apply to a Romanian higher education institution and obtain confirmation of your acceptance from the Ministry of Education.

Step 2: Apply for your long-stay visa

Book an appointment and submit your application at a Romanian embassy or consulate abroad. You must appear in person to provide fingerprints, unless yours were already collected within the last 59 months.

Step 3: Wait for the visa decision

The legal deadline for a decision is 60 days.

Step 4: Travel to Romania

Enter Romania using your long-stay visa.

Step 5: Apply for your residence permit

Submit your application documents online through the Portal IGI platform at least 30 days before your visa-granted stay expires. IGI reviews them and assigns you an appointment, usually within 15 days. Attend this appointment at your local IGI office to have your original documents verified and your fingerprints and photo taken.

Step 6: Wait for the residence permit decision

IGI decides within 30 days, extendable by up to 15 more days if further checks are needed.

Step 7: Collect your residence permit card

Collect the card at the IGI office where you applied, or pay to have it mailed to you instead.

Step 8: Register for national health insurance

Request a student certificate from your university's administration, typically issued within 10 working days. Submit it along with your residence permit to your local Casa de Asigurări de Sănătate (CAS) office to register for public health coverage. If you are under 26, this is free. If you are 26 or older, you must pay a contribution, roughly RON 2,490 a year.

Costs and Fees

The long-stay visa costs EUR 120. The residence permit costs RON 259. Romanian state scholarship holders are exempt from both fees.

Good to Know

You get an extra year if you don't graduate on time: If you have not graduated within your program's original timeframe, you can request a further extension of up to 1 year specifically to finish your studies, separate from the after-graduation extensions.

Visa approval does not guarantee residence permit approval: These are two separate decisions by two different authorities. Even after your visa is approved, you still need to independently meet the residence permit's own requirements, including its separate proof of accommodation and financial means.

You must report changes in your personal circumstances: This includes a change of address, name, citizenship, or marital status. Report it to the IGI office that granted your permit within 30 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I apply for the visa and the residence permit at the same time?

No. You apply for the long-stay visa abroad first, travel to Romania on it, and then apply separately for the residence permit.

How many hours can I work as a student?

Up to 4 hours a day, without needing a separate work permit.

What happens after I graduate?

You can extend your permit by up to 6 months to complete academic formalities, and separately by up to 9 months to search for a job or start a business.

How much of my study time counts toward long-term residence?

Only half. Two years on a study permit, for example, counts as one year toward the 5-year continuous residence requirement.