Romanian Citizenship by Descent

Foreign nationals who have an ascendant family member who is a Romanian national can apply for Romanian citizenship by descent, provided that they can offer satisfactory proof of their lineage.

Are you unsure if you can qualify for Romanian citizenship through ancestry? Our Romanian lawyers can evaluate your case and will offer you details about your options and how to move forward with your application.

Quick Facts
Who can obtain citizenship by descent	Individuals who are the children or grandchildren of former Romanian citizens; Individuals with at least one Romanian citizen parent; Individuals who lost their Romanian citizenship and wish to regain it.
General required documents for citizenship by descent	– notarized passport copy, – birth certificate, – proof of Romanian ancestry, – criminal record copy, – parent’s consent for minors (if applicable), etc.
Citizenship reacquisition for voluntarily renounced citizens	Applies to those who voluntarily renounced their Romanian citizenship, including those who emigrated during the 20th century or later, and their descendants.
Citizenship reacquisition for involuntarily displaced citizens	Applies to former Romanian citizens who lost their citizenship involuntarily due to territorial changes, particularly after World War II, and their descendants.
Submission of application	In person, with the National Authority for Citizenship or at the nearest Romanian diplomatic mission or consulate
Restricted nationalities for Romanian citizenship by descent (YES/NO)	NO
Dual citizenship allowed (YES/NO)	YES
Citizenship by descent through great-grandparents	If he/she was born in Bessarabia or Northern Bukovina (1918-1940, 1941-1945); If he/she was born in North-Western Transylvania (1918-1940); If he/she emigrated from Romania on or after 1949; If he/she was born in Romania and is still alive.
Residency requirements for citizenship by descent	You do not need permanent residency in Romania to obtain citizenship by descent.
Language test requirements	Romanian language at least at level B1 for descendants applying under art. 10 and art. 11 of the Citizenship Law; former Romanian citizens reacquiring citizenship and applicants aged 65 or older are exempt
Taking Oath of Allegiance (YES/NO)	YES
Timeframe for acquiring Romanian citizenship by origin	In practice, over one year
Regulatory framework for Romanian citizenship by ancestry	The Romanian Citizenship Act
Advantages Romanian citizenship	– EU citizenship, – Schengen Area access, – employment opportunities, – access to free healthcare, – right to vote, etc.
Assistance from our immigration lawyers	We can help you in moving to Romania and in obtaining citizenship by descent. We offer legal advice and assist with the documents.

How to apply for Romanian citizenship by descent

Some foreign nationals who are already living in Romania may choose to do so based on their ties to the country. Others, who are of Romanian origin and may have chosen to return to the country, could wish to see if they qualify for getting Romanian citizenship through ancestrybased on their lineage or to regain it after having lost it.

The following rules are in place for those who wish to apply for Romanian citizenship by descent if they have either:

1. Lost their Romanian citizenship and wish to regain it;
2. Have ascendants who are or were Romanian nationals (descendants up to and including the second degree of former Romanian citizens).

Basing one’s application for Romanian citizenship by descent through their relatives, including second degree ones means that a foreign national who was not born in Romania but has ties to the country can apply for this status when he/she has a parent, or a grand-parent who is or was a Romanian citizen.

Please note that Article 10 covers only the descendants (children and grandchildren) of a former Romanian citizen; the parents, brothers or sisters of a person who becomes a Romanian citizen cannot claim citizenship by descent on that basis. If your child becomes a Romanian citizen (through naturalization, in most cases), you may still join him or her in the country through family reunification, not through citizenship by descent. If you wish to know more about your options, our Romanian immigration lawyer can answer your questions.

According to law, a child born in Romania, with Romanian parents, is a Romanian citizen. However, you can also be a Romanian citizen if:

• – you were born in Romania and only one of the parents is Romanian;
• – you were born abroad and one or both parents are Romanian;
• – you were adopted by one or both Romanian parents; in this case, when only one of the parents is a Romanian citizen, the adopted child’s nationality will be agreed upon by both parents; when the child is adopted by a single Romanian parent, he or she is granted the single parent’s nationality.

As seen above, the adult child of a Romanian citizen can be eligible for getting Romanian citizenship through ancestry, in this case the nationality of his parent(s). This is also the case for adopted children, who may wish to benefit from being granted this status even as adults.

Documents required when applying for Romanian citizenship through ancestry

All applications for Romanian citizenship through heritage are submitted and processed in accordance with the Citizenship Law. The following documents are required:

• – Original passport and certified copy thereof;
• – No photographs are attached: the facial image and two fingerprints are taken as biometric data when the application is filed in person;
• – Criminal record issued by the authorities in the country in which the applicant had his or her domicile;
• – Civil status documents, such as the birth and marriage certificate, divorce certificate, etc. for the applicant who was a previous Romanian citizen;
• – The parent’s consent for the minor to acquire citizenship – as applicable; Our Romanian immigration lawyer can give you more details about the prescribed form for this consent;
• – Documents concerning the loss of the Romanian citizenship, as may be the case;
• – Civil status documents for the applicant’s ascendants (parents or grandparents) proving their Romanian citizenship through origin.

All applications for getting Romanian citizenship through ancestry include the standard application form (model published by the National Authority for Citizenship), which must be filled in by hand and includes three sworn declarations. No photographs are glued to it: biometric data are taken at filing. The result (the order of the ANC president) is communicated by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, so the form also requires the filling in of personal details, including the applicant’s current address.

The form is written in Romanian and applicants who are not fluent in Romanian can request the assistance of our team for a correct and complete application form fill-in.

Please note that other documents may be required. Our immigration lawyer in Romania can analyze your case and give you personalized information about the documentation, based on your family situation.

Foreign nationals should also keep in mind that our Romanian lawyers offer different types of services suitable for these applications but also for residence permit applications or those for long-term residence permits.  

We invite you to watch a short video about this route:

Claiming Romanian citizenship through a​ncestors’ lost citizenship 

Obtaining Romanian citizenship through ancestry is mentioned in both Article 10 and Article 11 of the Romanian Citizenship Act. This means individuals can obtain it even if their Romanian ancestors lost theirs in some historical contexts.

Article 10 of the Romanian Citizenship Act addresses individuals who voluntarily renounced their Romanian citizenship. This includes those who emigrated from Romania during the 20th century or later. The provision allows these individuals, as well as their descendants up to two generations later (such as grandchildren), to get Romanian citizenship through heritage. The article applies regardless of the specific reason for the initial loss. Whether an ancestor left Romania during the Communist regime or after 1990 when the country transitioned to a free market economy, descendants are still eligible to reclaim it under Article 10. The ethnicity of the ancestor is not a determining factor, all descendants can still qualify under this article. Our immigration lawyers in Romania offer assistance in such cases.

On the other hand, Article 11 addresses a different group of individuals: former Romanian citizens who lost their citizenship for reasons not attributable to them or had it withdrawn without their consent, typically through the territorial changes of the 20th century, particularly after World War II. In practice this provision covers, among others, individuals who resided within the borders of Greater Romania (Moldova, and some parts of Ukraine and Bulgaria) between 1918 and 1940. These individuals and their descendants up to the third degree (children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren) can reclaim Romanian citizenship through origin. It is also worth noting that even if the descendants continued to reside in Moldova, Ukraine, or Bulgaria, they can still claim Romanian citizenship under this provision.

Once these connections are established through documentation or other means, both the Romanian emigrant and his/her eligible descendants can begin the application process to reclaim it. 

How you can gain citizenship in Romania through other options

An option to gain Romanian citizenship by descent can be extended to the child born of foreign parents (who is younger than 18 years of age) and whose parents become Romanian nationals. In this case, the child receives his or her Romanian nationality at the same time as the parents.

You can still apply for citizenship even if you are not of Romanian descent. In this case, your citizenship application will be through naturalization. This can be a suitable option for many foreign nationals who plan to immigrate to Romania, and it represents the final step in their residency, and then permanent residency status.

The main conditions for this route are briefly outlined below by our Romanian lawyers:

• – The applicant has at least 18 years of age;
• – He or she has lawfully resided in Romania for at least 8 years;
• – A foreign national married to a Romanian citizen has been married and cohabiting with his or her Romanian spouse for at least 5 years from the date of the marriage;
• – The applicant has a proven good behavior and loyalty towards the Romanian state;
• – He or she can provide satisfactory proof of knowing the Romanian language; additionally, he knows the provisions of the Romanian constitution and the national anthem (needed for the naturalization ceremony).

Even if you do not qualify for the process of obtaining Romanian citizenship by descent, the usual 8-year period can be reduced by up to 3 years in the following cases (Law no. 14/2025):

• – The applicant is a citizen of an EU/EEA Member State or of Switzerland; there is no longer a citizenship-by-investment route, but if you plan on obtaining a resident permit in Romania for investment purposes, our team can assist;
• – He or she was born in Romania to a parent who was legally living in Romania at the time of birth;
• – In both cases, the applicant must also prove active participation in Romania’s economic life, relevant educational achievements, or a special contribution in culture, human rights, social engagement or volunteering; a similar reduction applies to recognised refugees who have made serious integration efforts.

Please note that each application for this reduction is subject to a case-by-case evaluation, and the applicant is required to submit adequate proof of qualification for this reduction.

Our immigration lawyer in Romania can give you more details about the requirements for citizenship by naturalization, as opposed to the option of being granted this status through descent.

Benefits of obtaining Romanian citizenship through descent

Getting Romanian citizenship through ancestry can offer plenty of benefits. 

Romania’s EU membership means Romanian citizens can live, work, and study without visas or or work permit in another EU member state. Romanian citizens have visa-free access to many countries worldwide, simplifying travel, making travel more accessible.

Citizens have access to education in Romania, which includes access to scholarships and free tuition programs. This status provides access to the job market, increases employment opportunities, and offers new career perspectives. Another advantage of Romanian citizenship through origin is access to free healthcare services. Also, citizens have the right to own property in the country without restrictions. 

Being a Romanian citizen also allows you to bring your family members, such as relatives or your children, to Romania. Through the family reunification process, you can sponsor their immigration by applying for a family reunification visa on their behalf. Once the visa is approved, your family member can then apply for a residence permit in Romania.  

Lastly, moving to Romania allows individuals to reconnect with their Romanian heritage and culture. 

Statistics about Romanian im​migration

Individuals interested in getting Romanian citizenship through heritage can learn more about the immigration trends in the country from these statistics:

• • In 2021, approximately 148,000 foreign citizens were registered with a legal stay in Romania;
• • Around 96,000 were not citizens of EU or EEA member states;
• • In 2021, over 59,550 requests for work permits were registered;
• • About one-third of the total non-citizens of EU or EEA member states population immigrated to Romania in Bucharest and Ilfov county.

Are you ready to submit your application or do you need more information and assistance with your submission? Contact us if you want to know more about how you can apply for Romanian citizenship by descent.