The Romania Digital Nomad Visa is a competitive option if you’re looking to acquire a digital nomad visa in Europe.
Overview of the Romanian Digital Nomad Visa
- Minimum income requirement of €4.500 per month
- High documentation requirements
- Initial validity of only six months but renewal is possible up to three years in total
- No immediate tax consequences but you’ll trigger tax residency in case of renewal
Romania Digital Nomad Visa Requirements
In order to apply for the Romanian digital nomad visa you need to meet certain requirements:
- Remote work: work remote for a business registered outside of Romania. In case you work for your own company, it needs to have existed for at least three years.
- Financial means: have an income of at least three time the average Romanian gross salary (= €4.500) for the six months preceding your application. You also need to maintain this income level throughout your stay.
- Health insurance: have valid health insurance covering you in Romania for the duration of your stay with a coverage of at least €30.000
- Criminal record: clean criminal record from your country of origin.
- Non-EU/EEA citizen: be a citizen of a third country and have a valid passport.
Application Process for the Romanian DNV
Let’s have a closer look at the visa requirements for the Romanian digital nomad visa.
Check Visa Requirements Romania Digital Nomad Visa
As a first step you want to make sure you actually meet the requirements for the digital nomad visa in Romania.
This means:
- Work remote for a foreign business
- Stable income of at least €4.500 per month
- Valid health insurance
- Clean criminal record
- Citizen from a non-EU/EEA country with a valid passport
Gather Documentation
Once you made sure you meet these requirements, you’ll now have to gather proof of this:
- Employee contract confirming you work remotely for a foreign business or contracts with foreign clients as a self-employed individual (translated in Romanian)
- Letter from the company confirming the role of the employee and who the legal representatives of the company are (translated in Romanian)
- Pay slips and/or bank statements confirming you met the minimum income requirement for the past six months
- Letter of intent describing your situation in more detail (translated in Romanian)
- Clean criminal record certificate from your country of origin (apostilled and translated into Romanian)
- Certificate from your local tax authorities confirming you don’t owe any taxes, nor committed any missteps (apostilled and translated into Romanian)
- Health insurance policy confirming your coverage in Romania for the duration of your stay
- Copy of your flight ticket reservation to Romania
- Provide proof of accommodation in Romania
- Copy of your passport
When a document needs to be translated to Romanian this needs to be done be an authenticated translator.
The Romanian authorities always have the right to request additional documents on top of those mentioned above.
You can find more details about the documentation requirements on the website of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
File Application Romanian DNV
You will need to file your application online via the eVisa Portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Then your application will be directed to the Romanian embassy or consulate of your place of residency.
In most cases, you’ll also have to visit the embassy or consulate in person afterwards.
Therefore, it’s not so easy to apply while already being in Romania or from any other random country while traveling.
On average, it takes the Romanian authorities between three to six weeks to review your application.
Apply for Temporary Residency Permit in Romania
After approval of your visa you are ready to enter Romania.
Your initial visa will only be valid for 90 days and once you are in Romania you’ll actually have to convert it to a temporary residency permit.
It takes around 2-4 weeks to receive your residency permit.
Validity & Renewals of the Digital Nomad Visa in Romania
The digital nomad visa in Romania has a relative short validity compared to many other nomad visas.
It’s only valid for six months.
However, if you keep meeting the requirements, you can renew the visa.
You can renew for additional stints of six months up to a total of three years.
The initital validity is set to six months in order to align with the tax rules. You can find more information about this below.
Cost and Timeline for the Romania Digital Nomad Visa
The cost for the application is €120. However, this isn’t the full cost as you’ll also have to pay for the residency permit once you arrived in Romania.
Furthermore, you’ll also have to budget expenses for translation and apostille of your documents. And, potentially, the fees of a visa agent if you need help.
The timeline for the application will depend on how quick you can get your hands on the necessary documents.
After applying, you should normally receive your visa within 3-6 weeks.
Once you have the visa, you can already enter Romania although you still need to complete the final steps on the ground.
Tax Considerations for Digital Nomads in Romania
The Romanian DNV is only valid for six months initially.
Accordingly, you don’t qualify as a tax resident of Romania.
Therefore, you won’t have to pay any taxes or contributions to Romania.
However, if you renew your nomad visa and stay longer you will trigger tax residency in Romania.
Consequently, the normal tax rules will apply to you.
You can learn more about what this means in practice in this article about tax residency in Romania.
How’s Romania for Digital Nomads?
Romania is a good option for nomads looking for value-for-money options:
- One of the countries with the lowest cost of living in Europe
- Among the fastest internet in Europe
- Cities combining local culture with an international vibe
- Strong English proficiency
- Beautiful nature
Work With Me
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Reach out if you want to use my years of experience assisting nomads and remote workers from diverse backgrounds!
FAQ about the Romanian Digital Nomad Visa
Let’s have a look at some Frequently Asked Questions about the DNV in Romania.
Can I Apply from Anywhere?
Yes, you can apply from anywhere because you have to apply via the eVisa Portal.
However, the Romanian embassy or consulate for your country of residency will manage your application and will often require a visit in person.
Therefore, you need to take this into account when you want to apply.
Do I Become a Tax Resident in Romania with the Romania Digital Nomad Visa?
Just obtaining the Romanian digital nomad visa doesn’t automatically make you a tax resident.
The visa only allows you to stay up to six months in Romania which won’t trigger tax residency.
Nevertheless, when you decide to renew your visa, you will qualify as a tax resident and will have to pay taxes in Romania on your worldwide income.
Can I Bring My Family?
Yes, you can bring your family but they need to apply for a separate visa for family reunification as they are not automatically included in the digital nomad visa.