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If you plan to immigrate to Romania from South Africa, you must obtain an entry visa, no matter your traveling purpose. South African citizens do not have visa-free entry in Romania. South Africa is not among the states whose nationals must present an invitation endorsed by the General Inspectorate for Immigration, so South African applicants only need the standard supporting documents (purpose of travel, accommodation, means of subsistence, return travel and medical insurance); an invitation from a Romanian citizen or a foreigner residing in Romania may be used as proof of accommodation. Our immigration lawyers in Romania can help South African citizens travel and move to the country and assist with the necessary documentation. We also assist with obtaining permanent residency and Romanian citizenship.
Types of visas in Romania
The main visas you need to apply for relocating to Romania from South Africa are the short-term visa (type C) and the long-term visa (type D).
Short-stay visas are uniform Schengen visas (type C), available as single or multiple entry permits. You are permitted to stay a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, counted in the whole Schengen area, of which Romania is a full member since 1 January 2025. The short-term can have various purposes:
- – Business activities;
- – Tourism;
- – Participating in sports or cultural events;
- – Medical treatments;
- – Humanitarian missions, etc.
Please note that a short-stay visa can be extended only in exceptional cases (force majeure, humanitarian or serious personal reasons, under art. 33 of the Visa Code) and does not confer the right to work in Romania.
Long-stay visas (type D) are granted for a period of 90 days, with one or more entries. Unlike short-stay visas, long-stay visas can be extended by obtaining a residence permit in Romania. Long-stay visas are suitable if you are moving to Romania from South Africa for purposes such as work, studying, or family reunification.
To extend the long-stay visa, you must submit a request to the General Inspectorate For Immigration at least 30 days before the current visa’s expiry date.
Our Romanian immigration lawyers can help you apply for these visas.
Long-term residency in Romania
To immigrate to Romania from South Africa and legally live in the country for an extended period, you need to apply for long-term residency in Romania. The validity of these permits differs depending on the purpose why they were issued. If granted as a family member of a Romanian citizen, it is valid for 10 years. For other purposes (such as work), the permit is valid for 5 years.
The main condition for obtaining a long-term right to stay in Romania is to have resided continuously in Romania for the past 5 years. Continuous residence means not exceeding 6 consecutive months of absence. Cumulatively, over the 5-year period, all absences combined should not exceed a total of 10 months.
Our team will explain more of these conditions if you wish to move to Romania in the long-term.
Statistics about Romanian immigration
If you are interested in relocating to Romania from South Africa, you might find these statistics about the immigration trends in the country useful:
- – As of January 2023, 152.813 male immigrants were living long-term in Romania;
- – In the same period, 133.743 female immigrants were living long-term;
- – Most females (16.231) were aged 35-39 years old;
- – Most males (20.516) were aged 30-34 years.
Please contact our immigration lawyers in Romania for any questions and information regarding the immigration process.
