Romanian Citizenship by Descent: Eligibility, Documents, and How to Apply (2026 Guide)
- Talpes.law
- 7 days ago
- 10 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Holding the passport of a Member State of the European Union offers a key advantage: the freedom to travel, live, and work in any EU country without a visa and with minimal formalities.
However, acquiring the citizenship of an EU member state through naturalization generally involves strict requirements — long-term residence, social and linguistic integration, the establishment of one’s centre of vital interests, and, in some cases, the renunciation of previous citizenship. The complexity and duration of these procedures lead many applicants to seek faster and more accessible alternatives.
Romanian citizenship law provides for a special legal regime applicable to former citizens of Romanian nationality and their descendants, so they can restore an inherited right. (nu există regimul de Romanian citizenship by descent- există în lege doar dobândire și redobândire)
Reclaiming Romanian citizenship by descent is of particular interest to applicants whose parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were born within Romanian territory — or abroad, provided that at least one parent held Romanian citizenship at the time of birth — and who subsequently lost their Romanian citizenship. Am scos for various reasons.
Regaining Romanian citizenship is easier and more convenient for these applicants due to:
a simplified process;
the benefit of retaining foreign citizenship, since Romania allows dual citizenship;
the right to maintain residence abroad;
the advantage of not having to submit a language certificate (only if the applicant is above age 65 or if he personally lost it and is applying to regain it).
Step 1: Determine whether you are eligible for Romanian citizenship by descent
Who qualifies?
The regaining of Romanian citizenship is regulated by Articles 10 and 11 of Law on Romanian Citizenship No. 21/1991, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions.
Depending on the context of the loss of citizenship, there are two categories of persons who are eligible to apply for the regaining of Romanian citizenship:
Persons who have previously lost citizenship, as well as their descendants up to and including the second degree (grandchildren of a son/daughter);
Persons who lost or had their citizenship withdrawn for reasons not attributable to them, as well as their descendants up to and including the third degree (great-grandchildren of sons/daughters).
In practice, the following situations have led to the loss of Romanian citizenship:
emigration to the United States of America at the beginning of the 20th century;
the loss of Romanian territories now part of the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, and Ukraine;
the persecution, deportation, and extermination of the Jewish population during the Holocaust (1937-1945);
emigration during the communist period.
What are the conditions that a person eligible to apply for Romanian citizenship must fulfil?
To gain Romanian citizenship, the eligible persons must meet the conditions set out in Article 8(1) (b) - (e) of Law 21/1991, specifically:
be of legal age;
be able to prove, through their behaviour and attitude, loyalty to the Romanian state and attachment to its fundamental values;
have legal means of financial support in Romania (set at the level of the gross minimum wage);
not have been convicted in Romania or abroad for crimes that would make them unworthy of Romanian citizenship.
It is also necessary to have a minimum Romanian Language proficiency level of B1. However, the following persons are exempt from this requirement:
The person who originally lost Romanian citizenship and is applying to regain it (for example, due to emigration during the communist period);
Descendants of former Romanian citizens who have reached the age of 65 at the time of submitting the application.
Step 2: Prepare the required documents
General list
For applicants residing in the United States, the file will include the following documents, depending on the applicant's situation:
standard application forms;
the applicant's valid passport;
identity document issued by the country of origin;
criminal record certificate, issued by the country of origin;
official documents certifying the applicant's identity and marital status (USA birth and marriage certificate);
official documents certifying the ancestor’s identity and marital status (USA or Romanian documents, depending on the place of birth/marriage);
evidence of the date of loss of Romanian citizenship (naturalization certificate/certificate of Romanian citizenship, certificates approving the renunciation of Romanian citizenship);
documents certifying the date of emigration from Romania of the applicant or his Romanian parents /ancestors (legalized copy of the Romanian passport with the exit visa or any other travel document);
official documents proving name or surname changes for the applicant, parents, or grandparents;
in case of discrepancies in names or civil status data of parents or grandparents — extracts from population registers, issued by the competent authority or reconstructed by administrative/judicial means;
only if applicable, certified copy of the name equivalence certificate (issued in USA) to prove any name changes upon departure from Romania for the applicant or his/her ascendants;
the language proficiency certificate:
issued by higher education institutions in Romania accredited by the Romanian Language Institute, by the Romanian Cultural Institute, or by Romanian cultural institutes abroad, or
a certified copy of the transcript issued by high schools or higher education institutions in the country of citizenship or residence, certifying at least 3 years of study in Romanian
only if the applicant chooses to establish his residence in Romania, proof of legal means of subsistence at the level of the national minimum gross wage, in accordance with the legislation applicable to foreigners.
Special document conditions
Proof of civil status is provided by original extracts from civil status registers, issued by the competent authorities (Romania or USA) no more than 2 years prior to the date of submission of the application, accompanied by certified copies of civil status certificates.
When such documents are issued or legalized by a foreign authority or public official (USA), they will only be accepted if presented in original form, with the Hague Apostille applied to each, accompanied by certified copies, apostilled and translated into Romanian by authorized translators.
When filing the application, the authority will retain originals only of documents issued specifically for this purpose (criminal records, declarations, application). Original identity and civil status documents (passport, birth certificate, marriage certificates) will be returned to the applicant, and only certified copies will be retained in the file.
Step 3: Book a citizenship appointment and submit your application
Where do you submit the application?
The application must be submitted in person by the applicant, as their biometric data, namely fingerprints and a facial image, will be taken at the same time. The application, accompanied by supporting documents, cannot be submited by post, fax, or email.
In practice, the application may be submitted either in Romania or abroad, as follows:
1. In Romania
Applications may be filed at the National Authority for Citizenship (NAC) offices, in:
Bucharest,
Iași,
Galați,
Suceava.
If you decide to travel to Romania and file the application personally, we strongly recommend being accompanied by a lawyer, as the application form is completed on the spot in Romanian and additional clarifications may be required.
2. In the United States of America, or in other countries
Applications may also be submitted at:
The Romanian Embassy in Washington, D.C. or
The Romanian Consulates General in:
Chicago,
Los Angeles,
New York,
Miami.
(Information regarding the territorial jurisdiction of each office is available here: https://washington.mae.ro/node/258)
Any other Romanian Embassy or Consulate General within the district where you domicile or reside.
The application must be accompanied by the documents outlined in Step 2.
Upon submission of the application, the consulate issues a certificate confirming that the applicant has filed the request for the reacquisition of Romanian citizenship together with all documents required by law.
Appointments must be booked in advance
Applicants must schedule an online appointment before submitting their file, by accessing one of the following platforms:
depending on the place where the applicant chooses to submit the file (either at the headquarters of the national citizenship authority or at the diplomatic missions or consular offices of Romania in the state where the applicant has the domicile or legal residence).
The relevant websites are available exclusively in Romanian. For this reason, it is essential that the appointment be scheduled by a person with knowledge of the Romanian language who is familiar with the legal requirements for a valid booking.
Also, at the time of the initial appointment, applicants are required to indicate the specific legal provision (article of law) under which restoration of citizenship is being requested. Any subsequent discrepancy between the information provided during the appointment booking and the legal basis of the application may result in the cancellation of the appointment and the need to schedule a new one.
For this reason, seeking professional assistance is advisable even at this preliminary stage. Our team of lawyers provides the necessary support to ensure that the appointment is scheduled correctly. The booking may be completed either directly by the lawyer on the applicant's behalf or by the applicant, with legal assistance provided via Zoom.
Step 4: Application processing time and what to do if there are delays
How long does it take to regain Romanian citizenship by descent?
Regardless of whether the application was submitted in Romania or in the United States, the file is forwarded to the NAC Citizenship Commission, which verifies that the legal conditions are met and prepares an analysis report.
If it finds that certain documents required for the examination of the application are missing, or considers it necessary for the original civil status certificates or other documents submitted by the applicant to be presented, the Commission shall request that the applicant complete the file within a period of no more than four months from the date the request of the Commission’s technical secretariat is communicated, or risk having the application rejected.
The process of reclaiming Romanian citizenship must be completed within a maximum period of two years from the date of registration of the application. According to the law, this period may be extended by the time necessary for the Commission to take the steps needed to verify the authenticity of documents or the accuracy of facts attested by the applicant,without the extension exceeding six months.
Legal assistance during the review process
Legal assistance may also be provided at this stage of the citizenship process. This can include communication with the Romanian authorities, monitoring the status of the application, and submitting any additional documents or clarifications requested by the NAC. Proper follow-up can help ensure that procedural requirements are met and that the file remains complete.
If the legal processing period expires and the NAC has not issued a decision, the applicant has the right to go to court. A court action can be filed to require the authority to issue a decision within a fixed deadline set by the court. Legal representation at this stage ensures that this right is properly exercised and that clear, effective steps are taken to address any unjustified delay or administrative inaction
Step 5: Take the oath of allegiance to Romania
If the legal conditions are met, the President of the NAC issues the order granting or restoring Romanian citizenship, and the applicant is notified by registered mail within 15 days.
It is important to note that Romanian citizenship is officially reacquired on the date the oath of allegiance is taken.
Within one year of the date of being notified by the President of the NAC, the applicant must take the oath of allegiance to Romania. Failure to meet this deadline, unless justified, will result in cancellation of the approval.
Depending on the applicant's choice, the oath must be taken individually:
In Romania, in a formal meeting before the Minister of Justice or the President of the NAC or one of the two delegated vice-presidents of the authority (if establishing residence in Romania is requested),
Before the head of the diplomatic mission or consular office of Romania in the country where they are domiciled or have their legal residence (if the applicant chooses to maintain his domicile abroad; an appointment must be booked in advance on www.econsulat.ro).
At the time of taking the oath of allegiance, the staff of the NAC or of the diplomatic mission or consular office shall:
Verify the identity of the person taking the oath using the presented identity document and verify fingerprints against those previously collected via an automated system;
Take a photo of the person, for the purpose of personalizing the citizenship card;
Obtain written consent confirming the accuracy and completeness of personal data required for the citizenship card.
Final step: Obtain the Romanian Citizenship Certificate and Apply for a Passport
After taking the oath, the NAC will personalize the Romanian citizenship card and will issue a provisional citizenship certificate, valid for 60 days. The citizenship card shall be issued within a maximum of 60 days from the date of taking the oath of allegiance.
The citizenship card is issued in person, as the law currently does not provide for delivery by mail. It serves as official proof of citizenship, and based on it, the holder may subsequently apply for their first Romanian ID card or Romanian passport.
Holding a Romanian passport also confirms the holder’s status as a citizen of the European Union, granting the associated rights of free movement and residence within EU member states.
Common challenges encountered in practice and why is the assistance of a lawyer recommended?
Missing documents of Romanian ancestors
Early emigration, war, or simply the passage of time have led to the loss of Romanian civil status documents concerning the applicant's ancestors, while others were never issued in duplicate.
Discrepancies regarding names of Romanian ancestors
Equally, in many cases there were discrepancies regarding the names or dates of birth of the applicants' parents or grandparents, as names and dates were often altered upon emigration to other countries.
Language barriers
Distance and language barriers make it difficult to navigate the process independently, often leading to incomplete files, delays, or repeated correspondence with Romanian authorities.
How can a Romanian lawyer help in the application process
Our team of lawyers offers full support throughout the entire process, ensuring an efficient, secure, and personalized experience for each client by:
Verifying the applicant's eligibility, analyzing the documents held, and identifying the applicable legal provisions;
Providing personalized legal advice via phone or Zoom call;
Identifying the competent authorities, reviewing citizenship records and Romanian archives, and drafting the necessary requests to verify data recorded in the civil status registers;
Obtaining certified copies of supporting documents and exploring alternative evidence, including initiating legal proceedings where necessary to compel authorities to provide the required data;
Scheduling appointments with the NAC and/or the Romanian Embassy or nearest Consulate, and completing the online forms in Romanian;
Accompanying the client to the NAC offices when submitting the application;
Representing the client before the Romanian authorities;
Verifying the status of the application, and submitting any additional evidence requested by the NAC;
Monitoring the application status and submitting any additional evidence requested by the NAC;
Initiating appropriate measures to address the NAC's failure to meet established deadliness.
Author: Roxana Ioana Talpeș
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