Transcription of Foreign Civil Status Document in Romania: Legal Rules and Practical Tips
- Talpes.law
- 18 minutes ago
- 8 min read
Transcription of Civil Status Documents in Romania: Mandatory, but Sometimes Overlooked
For many Romanian citizens living abroad, transcription of civil status documents is a complicated and time-consuming administrative procedure, which is difficult to solve from abroad, and requires them to travel back to Romania for a few days. Therefore, transcription is often delayed and only considered when the respective person needs to prove their civil status in front of the Romanian authorities, in order to carry out specific procedures or receive various documents (for example: to receive a passport for the respective person or their children, to close authenticated contracts for buying or selling real estate, to carry out inheritance procedures, etc.).
In other words, people generally do not request transcription immediately after receiving their foreign documents, but only when a specific administrative or legal situation requires it.
However, Romanian law makes it clear that transcription is not optional – it is a mandatory legal obligation. Whenever a civil status event involving a Romanian citizen takes place abroad, the document issued by the foreign authority does not automatically produce legal effects in Romania. Therefore, transcription is needed, so that the change in civil status which occurred abroad (e.g. marriage, childbirth, etc.) is recognized in Romania. Additionally, failure to request transcription within the legal 6-month term is a contravention and may be sanctioned with a fine.
To assist Romanian citizens in confidently managing this process, the following sections provide a clear and detailed guide covering the legal framework, necessary documents, competent authorities, and practical steps involved in transcription.
What Documents Need to Be Transcribed?
Transcription is mandatory for all civil status documents issued to Romanian citizens. The following types of foreign documents must be officially transcribed in Romania:
· Birth certificates
· Marriage certificates
· Divorce documents (court decisions or administrative divorces)
· Name change orders and the birth certificates issued based on them
· Adoptions
· Death certificates
The most common situations are the birth of a child, marriage, divorce, or death abroad. Accordingly, we will now analyse these typical cases in which the issue of transcribing civil status documents arises.
Restrictions under Romanian Law
Currently (as of 2025), Romanian Law on Civil Status (Law no. 119/1996) expressly prohibits the transcription of foreign same-sex marriages or civil partnerships. However, on November 25th, 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that all EU Member States must ensure the transcription of marriage certificates for same-sex spouses. As a result, recognition and transcription of same-sex marriages should be carried out based on the CJEU ruling.
What Documents Need to be Filed?
Applicants must provide the following documents:
The original foreign civil status document or an original multilingual extract.
Apostille or legalisation, if required
Certified Romanian translation if the document is not a multilingual – for details, see below.
Special power of representation, if a representative files the request, authenticated by a notary public or by the Consulate/Embassy
Romanian ID card or passport, or the ID card/passport and birth certificate of parents, in the case of Romanian citizens born abroad
A statement that the applicant has never requested the transcription of the civil status document in question in Romania.
The statement indicating the child’s residence, in cases where the parents have different residences.
When the civil status document is a marriage certificate, additional documents are required:
Authenticated declarations from both spouses regarding the matrimonial regime chosen abroad, if the registration of the matrimonial regime in the marriage certificate is requested. If the matrimonial regime is the conventional community of property, the matrimonial agreement must also be submitted, both in original and translated.
The authenticated declaration or statement given before the civil status officer registering the transcription request, made by the foreign spouse, confirming that at the time of marriage to the Romanian citizen, they have no previous undissolved marriages.
Authenticated declarations or statements given before the civil status officer registering the transcription request, made by the spouses, Romanian citizens, regarding the family name used after marriage, in cases where the marriage certificate/extract or the multilingual extract of the marriage act obtained from abroad does not mention the spouses’ names after marriage.
Requirements for the Original Civil Status Document: Is an Apostille Needed?
It is important that you present the original civil status document. It will be checked by the competent authority and returned to you. Civil status certificates can exist in several formats. It is essential to know which one of the following documents you have:
A. Standard Certificates, issued by the state where the change has occurred
These are the ordinary certificates issued in the official language of the foreign state (birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates). They usually require a certified Romanian translation, and apostille or legalization, unless they are exempt based on EU Regulation 2016/1191 (i.e. they were issued by EU member states).
B. CIEC Multilingual Extracts issued according to CIEC Convention No. 16/2013 on the issue of multilingual extracts from civil status records
Many European countries participate in the International Commission on Civil Status (CIEC), which creates standardized multilingual formats for documents such as birth, marriage, and death certificates. They require no translation, require no apostille or legalization, are accepted as they are by all contracting states. However, if one state is not party to the CIEC, it may still require apostille or legalization.
Romania has ratified CIEC Convention No. 16 on multilingual extracts on 5 June 2013. Since this date, Romania accepts these multilingual extracts from civil status records without any formality (apostille, legalization or translation).
C. EU Multilingual Standard Forms issued according to Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 on promoting the free movement of citizens by simplifying the requirements for presenting certain public documents in the European Union
EU Member States may issue civil status certificates together with an EU multilingual standard form.
If the certificate falls under the Regulation (birth, marriage, death, divorce, etc.):
· no apostille/legalization is required between EU Member States,
· the multilingual form replaces the need for translation.
Note: this is not the same as CIEC multilingual extracts, although both are multilingual. CIEC helps simplify the recognition and exchange of important civil documents like birth, marriage, and death certificates across member countries. This means you can more easily use your official records abroad – whether for legal, family, or administrative purposes – without complicated procedures or delays by standardizing forms.
D. Multilingual Certificates Issued Outside the EU
If a multilingual certificate is issued by a non-EU country that is also not part of CIEC:
· A certified translation (with authentication of the authorized translator’s signature) of these documents is mandatory.
· The civil status document requires apostille or legalization, depending on whether the issuing country is party to the Hague Apostille Convention or not.
When Apostille or Legalization Is Required
Neither apostille nor legalization is required if:
the document is a CIEC multilingual extract, or
the document is issued by an EU Member State and falls under Regulation 2016/1191.
Apostille is required if:
the document is issued by a non-EU country, which is member of the Hague Apostille Convention,
except when the document is a CIEC multilingual extract, presented in a state member to CIEC.
Legalization is required if:
the document is issued by a non-EU country, which is also not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Special Rules for Transcribing Foreign Divorce Judgments
When the document to be transcribed is a divorce judgment issued by a competent court, it must be final in the state where it was issued. Proof that the decision is final must be attached to the application (such as the court’s stamp or finality endorsement).
Apostille is still required if the divorce judgement was delivered in a non-EU country and the country is party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
If the divorce judgment was delivered in a country that is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the document must go through the full diplomatic (consular) legalization procedure. This procedure involves authentication by the issuing country's Ministry of Justice or Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then legalization of the stamp by the Romanian Consulate in that country. Finally, the legalized original of the document must be translated in Romanian.
Transcription of Civil Status Document through a Representative: What Kind of Power of Representation is Needed?
Many Romanian citizens living abroad prefer to avoid traveling to Romania for the transcription procedure. In such cases, a conventional representative (including an attorney-at-law) may submit the application on their behalf.
If someone else files the request for you, they must present a power of attorney that is:
· Authenticated by a notary public or by a Consulate.
· Issued either in Romania or in another EU member state, with the power of representation recognized as valid in Romania.
Territorial Competence: Where Should the Transcription Request Be Filed
The submission of the request for transcription of civil status documents must be made at the territorially competent city hall. Depending on whether the applicant has ever had a domicile in Romania or not, the competent city hall may vary significantly.
General Rule
As a rule, transcription is conducted by the city hall at the applicant’s domicile or last domicile in Romania.
No Previous Domicile in Romania: Sector 1 Bucharest
If the applicant never had a domicile in Romania, the law designates a single competent authority: Bucharest Sector 1 City Hall.
This applies widely to Romanians born abroad and newly naturalized Romanian citizens.
Special Rules for Applicants Reacquiring Citizenship
Transcription can be requested if the applicant has regained Romanian citizenship but has not resided in Romania in any sector of Bucharest, or in any county residence.
If the applicant at any point had a Romanian domicile, the territorially competent city hall depends on the last Romanian domicile.
Special Rules for Minors
Rules regarding transcription for minors are primarily determined by the residence of their parents, i.e. minors are presumed to have their domicile at their parents. If none of the parents has ever had his/her domicile in Romania, the Sector 1 Bucharest City Hall is competent to conduct the transcription procedure.
How Long Does the Transcription Procedure Take
Under Romanian law, the transcription of foreign civil status documents must be finalized within 60 days from the date of submitting the application. This legal timeframe applies to Romanian citizens who have never had a domicile in Romania, as well as to those who have reacquired or newly obtained Romanian citizenship.
While the law provides a 60-day limit, this term applies only when the submitted file is complete; any missing or unclear document may extend the duration until the applicant provides the required information.
Transcription Through Romanian Consular Offices
Romanian citizens living abroad also have the option to request the transcription of their foreign civil status documents directly at Romanian embassies or consular offices. In theory, this alternative allows applicants to complete the procedure without traveling to Romania. However, in practice, consulates are often extremely overcrowded, with long waiting lists and appointment slots that may be booked months in advance.
For this reason, although consular transcription is legally possible, applicants frequently choose to handle the procedure in Romania – either personally or through a representative – to ensure a faster, more predictable outcome.
Conclusion: Avoid Travel and Delays – Professional Legal Assistance for Your Transcription
When long consular queues and uncertain appointment schedules stand in the way of timely registration, having a trusted representative in Romania becomes not just an advantage, but the most efficient solution. Our team can obtain translations, prepare draft of declarations and powers of representation and file the transcription on your behalf – without you traveling to Romania or having to book and appointment in advance at the Consulate or Embassy. We can:
· verify the exact legal requirements for your case,
· file the transcription application at the competent authority,
· communicate with the civil status office,
· handle appeals or objections in case of administrative refusal.
When you rely on a committed legal team, you can be confident that all documents will be accurately prepared, every requirement fulfilled, and each legal procedure managed promptly. Reach out to us for a confidential consultation and let us secure the recognition of your civil status in Romania efficiently and professionally.
Author: Loránd Benő
For more details, visit us, book a phone, or video call — see our contact information below. We speak English, German, Italian, Hungarian, and Romanian.
Talpeș - SCPA (Law Firm)
str. Avram Iancu, nr. 16, ap. 9
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