Romania · Work
Romania Branch head visa
Income needed: RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910
Long-stay visa for the head of a branch, subsidiary or representative office (D/AS other purposes)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Branch head visa is a work route for Romania. Applicants need income of RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910
- Government fees
- €300 ≈ $340
- Processing
- Up to 45 days
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €300 ≈ $340; income to show RON 4,325+/mo ≈ $910; decision: up to 45 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€300 ≈ $340
- EUR 300 (≈ $340)Long-stay (D) visa fee for applications through the e-Visa portal from 27 April 2026; some nationalities exempt.
Shown, not spentRON 4,325+/mo ≈ $910
- RON 4,325 a month (≈ $910)Means of subsistence at the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary for the whole period entered on the visa (rate in force from 1 July 2026).
RenewalRenewable
Residence is extended in successive periods of up to 1 year.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Long-term residence (5-year permit) after 5 years of continuous stay. Time on the visa itself, short-stay visas and seasonal work does not count.
General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania
CitizenshipAfter 8 years
Citizenship on request needs 8 years of legal domicile in Romania, with a permanent residence permit, plus loyalty, income, Romanian language and culture tests.
ProcessingUp to 45 days
IGI decides within 30 days of filing; the deadline can be extended by 15 days for extra checks.
Where to applyFrom abroad
Employer or you start abroad: obtain the long-stay visa at a Romanian consulate, then apply for the residence permit from IGI after entry.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
For long-term status, absences must stay under 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total over the 5 years.
General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Romania, not after arriving
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Romania
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Applicants are appointed to head a branch, subsidiary or representative office in Romania of a company with its seat abroad.
- At application they are not a partner, shareholder or administrator of a Romanian legal person.
- No other foreigner already holds a right of stay for this purpose at that branch, subsidiary or representative office.
What you must show2
- Means of subsistence are at least 4,325 lei per month (the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary from 1 July 2026) for the whole visa period.
- The long-stay visa fee is EUR 300 (≈ $340).
Documents5
- Documents showing the appointment are submitted.
- Medical insurance with EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) cover is submitted.
- Proof of accommodation is submitted.
- A criminal record certificate is submitted.
- The permit needs the trade-register certificate, proof of the legal link with the branch or office, proof of its registered office, means, housing and social health insurance.
Steps2
- The visa is approved by the National Visa Centre after a favourable IGI opinion, issued within 30 days (extendable by 15).
- After entry the residence permit is requested at IGI at least 30 days before the visa stay ends.
After you arrive1
- Temporary stay for other purposes is extended in successive periods of up to 1 year.
What happens at day 183
How Romania decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12 consecutive months ending in the calendar yearAn individual present in Romania for more than 183 days in total is tax resident; domicile, permanent home or centre of vital interests in Romania also make an individual resident.
- Foreign-source income
Romanian personal income tax is a flat 10% under art. 64(1) of the Fiscal Code; residents are taxed on worldwide income.
All tax rules for Romania Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Medical insurance with EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) cover is submitted
- Accommodation
Proof of accommodation is submitted
- Police certificate and civil documents
A criminal record certificate is submitted
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Foreign manager appointed to head the Romanian branch, subsidiary or representative office of a company headquartered abroad. 1 2 3 4 5
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least RON 4,325 a month (≈ $910) · Means of subsistence at the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary for the whole period entered on the visa (rate in force from 1 July 2026). 1 3
- A fee of EUR 300 (≈ $340) · Long-stay (D) visa fee for applications through the e-Visa portal from 27 April 2026; some nationalities exempt. 1 4
Requirements
- Applicants are appointed to head a branch, subsidiary or representative office in Romania of a company with its seat abroad. 1
- At application they are not a partner, shareholder or administrator of a Romanian legal person. 1
- No other foreigner already holds a right of stay for this purpose at that branch, subsidiary or representative office. 1
- Means of subsistence are at least 4,325 lei per month (the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary from 1 July 2026) for the whole visa period. 1 3
- The long-stay visa fee is EUR 300 (≈ $340). 1 4
- Documents showing the appointment are submitted. 1
- Medical insurance with EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) cover is submitted. 1
- Proof of accommodation is submitted. 1
- A criminal record certificate is submitted. 1
- The permit needs the trade-register certificate, proof of the legal link with the branch or office, proof of its registered office, means, housing and social health insurance. 2
- The visa is approved by the National Visa Centre after a favourable IGI opinion, issued within 30 days (extendable by 15). 1
- After entry the residence permit is requested at IGI at least 30 days before the visa stay ends. 1 2
- Temporary stay for other purposes is extended in successive periods of up to 1 year. 1
Stay
- Visa 90 days; residence permit extended after entry in successive periods of up to 1 year.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
- Long-stay visa up to 90 days: Granted for 90 days with one or more entries; the residence permit is obtained after entry.
- Temporary right of residence up to 12 months: Extended in successive periods of up to 1 year.
Nationality
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Management of the branch, subsidiary or representative office.
Family
Spouse, unmarried minor children (including adopted) and dependent first-degree ascending relatives can join through family reunification once the sponsor holds a temporary residence permit valid for at least one year.
Official sources
- Alte scopuri (D/AS incl. administrator, branch head, digital nomad) · General Inspectorate for Immigration · checked 2026-10-10
- Single permit / EU Blue Card · General Inspectorate for Immigration · checked 2026-10-10
- Government Decision 146/2026 on the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary · Government of Romania (ANAF legislation library) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-03-13
- Visa fees · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (eViza) · checked 2026-10-10
- Family reunification · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania · checked 2026-10-10
- Long-term residence in Romania · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania · checked 2026-10-10
- Article 8: granting of Romanian citizenship on request · National Authority for Citizenship (ANC), Romania · checked 2026-10-11
Branch head visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branch head visa | Needs income of RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910 | – | – |
| Blue Card | Needs income of RON 9,192+ a month ≈ $1,930 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Company administrator visa | Needs an investment of €50k+ ≈ $56k | – | – |
| Work visa | Needs income of RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Posted worker visa | Needs income of RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Branch head visa?
Income of at least RON 4,325 a month (≈ $910). Means of subsistence at the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary for the whole period entered on the visa (rate in force from 1 July 2026). A fee of EUR 300 (≈ $340). Long-stay (D) visa fee for applications through the e-Visa portal from 27 April 2026; some nationalities exempt.
How long can I stay on the Branch head visa?
Visa 90 days; residence permit extended after entry in successive periods of up to 1 year.
How long does the Branch head visa take to process?
IGI decides within 30 days of filing; the deadline can be extended by 15 days for extra checks.
Can I work on the Branch head visa?
Management of the branch, subsidiary or representative office.
Can I bring my family on the Branch head visa?
Spouse, unmarried minor children (including adopted) and dependent first-degree ascending relatives can join through family reunification once the sponsor holds a temporary residence permit valid for at least one year.
Who can apply for the Branch head visa?
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Branch head visa lead to permanent residence in Romania?
Time on the Branch head visa counts toward permanent residence in Romania, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Branch head visa counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 8 years.
How are Branch head visa holders taxed in Romania?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Branch head visa. The standard rules apply: Dividends distributed from 1 January 2026 are taxed at 16% (previously 10%), final tax for individuals.
More in Romania
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 7 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Alte scopuri (D/AS incl. administrator, branch head, digital nomad) · General Inspectorate for Immigration · checked 2026-10-10
- Single permit / EU Blue Card · General Inspectorate for Immigration · checked 2026-10-10
- Government Decision 146/2026 on the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary · Government of Romania (ANAF legislation library) · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa fees · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (eViza) · checked 2026-10-10
- Family reunification · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania · checked 2026-10-10
- Long-term residence in Romania · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania · checked 2026-10-10
- Article 8: granting of Romanian citizenship on request · National Authority for Citizenship (ANC), Romania · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.