Romania · Work

Romania Researcher visa

Income needed: RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910

Long-stay visa for scientific research D/CS and residence permit for researchers

First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Researcher visa is a work route for Romania. Applicants need income of RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910. You can stay 5 yrs, renewable. You can work locally. 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
First stay: 5 yrs

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 support at the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary for at least 6 months at the first residence-permit extension (rate in force from 1 July 2026).

RenewalRenewable

Residence is extended for the hosting agreement period, up to 5 consecutive years.

General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania

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.

National Authority for Citizenship (ANC), Romania

ProcessingUp to 45 days

IGI decides within 30 days of filing; the deadline can be extended by 15 days for extra checks.

General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania

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.

General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania

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 apply2

Applicants are third-country nationals accepted by an attested research and development entity for a research project.
Applicants hold a doctorate or a higher-education degree that gives access to doctoral or postdoctoral research programmes.

What you must show2

Means of support are at least the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary (4,325 lei from 1 July 2026) for at least 6 months at the first residence-permit extension.
The long-stay visa fee is EUR 300 (≈ $340).

Documents4

A hosting agreement endorsed by the research ministry is submitted.
A criminal record certificate is submitted.
Medical insurance with EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) cover is submitted.
Proof of legal possession of housing and social health insurance is submitted for the residence permit.

Steps3

The research entity first obtains the research ministry's endorsement of the hosting agreement.
The National Visa Centre approves the visa 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 arrive2

The right of stay is extended for the period in the hosting agreement, up to 5 consecutive years.
It can be extended by 9 months after the research ends for job search or business set-up.

What happens at day 183

How Romania decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Stay on this route: Up to 5 years at first, renewable
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 10 Oct 2026

Official site

What you need to arrange

Health insurance
Medical insurance with EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) cover is submitted
Accommodation
Proof of legal possession of housing and social health insurance is submitted for the residence permit
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 researchers hosted by an attested Romanian research and development entity under a hosting agreement endorsed by the research ministry. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

What you must show and pay

Income of at least RON 4,325 a month (≈ $910) · Means of support at the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary for at least 6 months at the first residence-permit extension (rate in force from 1 July 2026). ^{1 2}
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 3}

Requirements

Applicants are third-country nationals accepted by an attested research and development entity for a research project. ¹
Applicants hold a doctorate or a higher-education degree that gives access to doctoral or postdoctoral research programmes. ⁶
Means of support are at least the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary (4,325 lei from 1 July 2026) for at least 6 months at the first residence-permit extension. ^{1 2}
The long-stay visa fee is EUR 300 (≈ $340). ^{1 3}
A hosting agreement endorsed by the research ministry is submitted. ¹
A criminal record certificate is submitted. ¹
Medical insurance with EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) cover is submitted. ¹
Proof of legal possession of housing and social health insurance is submitted for the residence permit. ¹
The research entity first obtains the research ministry's endorsement of the hosting agreement. ¹
The National Visa Centre approves the visa 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
The right of stay is extended for the period in the hosting agreement, up to 5 consecutive years. ¹
It can be extended by 9 months after the research ends for job search or business set-up. ¹

Stay

Visa 90 days; residence permit extended for the period in the hosting agreement, up to 5 consecutive years, plus 9 months after the research ends.
First stay: up to 60 months, decided case by case.
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 for research up to 60 months: Extended for the period in the hosting agreement, up to 5 consecutive years.

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

Scientific research under the hosting agreement; teaching activities are allowed in the conditions of the law.

Family

Family reunification can be requested even if the researcher's permit is valid for less than one year.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

Scientific research activities - long-stay visa and residence permit · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania · checked 2026-10-11
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
Types of visas and the purpose of your trip · 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
Government Emergency Ordinance 194/2002 on the regime of foreigners (consolidated text, June 2024) · Government of Romania / IGI · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2024-06
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

Researcher visa and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Researcher visa	Needs income of RON 4,325+ a month ≈ $910	5 yr, renewable	Yes
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 Researcher visa?

Income of at least RON 4,325 a month (≈ $910). Means of support at the guaranteed minimum gross basic salary for at least 6 months at the first residence-permit extension (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 Researcher visa?

Visa 90 days; residence permit extended for the period in the hosting agreement, up to 5 consecutive years, plus 9 months after the research ends.

How long does the Researcher 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 Researcher visa?

Yes. Scientific research under the hosting agreement; teaching activities are allowed in the conditions of the law.

Can I bring my family on the Researcher visa?

Family reunification can be requested even if the researcher's permit is valid for less than one year.

Who can apply for the Researcher visa?

Does the Researcher visa lead to permanent residence in Romania?

Time on the Researcher visa counts toward permanent residence in Romania, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Researcher visa counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 8 years.

How are Researcher visa holders taxed in Romania?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Researcher visa. The standard rules apply: Dividends distributed from 1 January 2026 are taxed at 16% (previously 10%), final tax for individuals.

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≈ 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 8 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.

Scientific research activities - long-stay visa and residence permit · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania · checked 2026-10-11
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
Types of visas and the purpose of your trip · 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
Government Emergency Ordinance 194/2002 on the regime of foreigners (consolidated text, June 2024) · Government of Romania / IGI · 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.