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Travel Documents

Documents for admission into Romania

A valid passport is required for all overseas/ non-EU visitors.
Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your visit
(it will not expire sooner than your intended date of departure).
However, please check the expiration date on your passport carefully before traveling to Europe.
Although Romania is not part of the Schengen agreement, some airlines (i.e. Lufthansa) may refuse boarding at your point of origin or while transferring planes if your passport is not valid for at least three months beyond your intended date of departure; or your entry into the Schengen Area could be denied.
For this reason, the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs recommends that your passport has at least six months' validity remaining whenever you travel abroad.

For stays longer than 90 days visitors need to need to apply for a temporary residence permit
(either before arriving into Romania or at least 30 days before the 90-day "no visa" stay expires).
To apply for an extended stay visa please visit eVisa.MAE.ro
Additional information are available from any Romanian Immigration Office

Citizens of the European Union countries
can enter Romania with a valid passport or with their National Identity Card.

Romania Entry Visa

Depending on your citizenship, you may be required to show different documents at the port-of-entry.

American and Canadian citizens as well as citizens of Australia, New Zealand
and most European countries do not need an entry visa to visit Romania,
providing duration of stay is not more than 90 (ninety) days,
accumulated during a single visit - or multiple visits - within a six-month period.

Citizens of certain countries and territories need a visa to visit Romania.
To quickly check if you need a visa please visit www.E-Visa.MAE.ro
(select the "Get Informed" tab (up left) and enter the following information:
passport issuing country, type of passport, purpose of your visit to Romania).
Entry requirements and visa information are also available at www.mae.ro.

Please send all inquiries regarding visa and entry requirements to the nearest Consulate of Romania.
RomaniaTourism has no authority or expertise to answer questions regarding travel documents or visa.

» List of countries whose nationals, bearer of a regular passport,
are exempt from the requirement of a Romanian visa.

» List of countries whose nationals, bearer of diplomatic, service, official passport and seamen's books,
are exempt from the requirement of a Romanian visa.

» List of countries whose nationals, holders of regular passport, need a visa to enter Romania.

Schengen Visas validity in Romania

Romania is not yet part of the Schengen visa agreement but Schengen Visa holders do not need to get a (special) Romanian visa to visit Romania as long as their Schengen visa allows at least two entries in Schengen space and the number of entries and/ or length of stay has not been not exhausted.
More info concerning Schengen Visa Validity in Romania
Please double-check all (Schengen) visa requirements with the nearest Consulate of Romania

Latest update:
On 30 December 2023, the European Council unanimously agreed to accept Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area.
Controls at air and sea borders will be lifted in March 2024.
Border checks will continue to apply for those travelling by land between either Bulgaria or Romania and other Schengen area countries.
Discussions on a further decision to lift controls at land borders will continue in 2024.
From April 1 2024, Romania will begin issuing standard short-term Schengen C visas, as per recent EU directives.

Health

No immunizations or unusual health precautions are necessary or required.
Romania has no infectious risks and there are no poisonous insects.
There is no malaria in Romania.
During the summer months mosquitoes are present in the Danube Delta and some low-lying regions.
For your comfort take some mosquito repellent with you, if visiting Romania during the warm season.

Tap water is safe to drink; if you prefer, bottled water is inexpensive and widely available.
Romania is home to more that 1/3 of the natural mineral springs in Europe.
Some Romanian bottled waters are rated the best in the world for purity and taste and are exported to many foreign countries.

Naturally, we hope that you will never need to use any medical facilities.
However, Romanian doctors are known for their high standard of medical education.
The embassy of your country, to Romania, can probably provide a list of preferred physicians or medical facilities.

Travel with Pets in Romania

Pet Entry Requirements

Leisure travelers or soon-to-be expatriates (departing from non-EU countries) generally fall within the EU regulations for non-commercial pet travel to Europe.
The following EU regulations apply only to dogs, cats or ferrets.
Please contact your Embassy/ Consulate (or the embassy of destination country) to determine what (if any) protocol to follow for other types of pets.

Documents needed to take your pet into Romania include:

1. Proof of rabies vaccinations - Rabbies Certificate
(Your veterinarian issued documentation that proves rabies vaccination and disproves the existence of rabies in your pet, specifying that this documentation is certified for your travel to the EU).
Your pet may not travel to Europe until at least 21 days after the primary rabies vaccine.

2. Pet's Health Certificate
The health certificate must prove that your pet has had all its shots and is healthy enough to travel.
Although this certificate is technically valid for 4 months, it is recommended to be completed and endorsed by the USDA within 10 days of travel to avoid any customs issues upon arrival.
The results of a serological test and the pet's vaccination details must be attached to the health certificate.
Obtain this documentation within 10 days of travel.
For travel to Europe, an additional single-sheet EU Vet Health Certificate form must be filled out and certified by your vet.

3. Microchip Implantation Record
Microchips provide electronic identification on your pet.
If your pet doesn't already have a microchip you can easily get one.
All original documentation must travel with your pet.
Translation of documents is not needed if they are in English, French or German.

More info concerning pet movement from non-EU countries
Romania Pet Travel check list

Travel with pets in Romania trains, bus, subway

Dogs: must be kept in leash and wear a muzzle.
Small pets and birds: must be kept in a cage at all times.
Some municipalities might have additional regulations regarding travel with pets in city buses or trams.
A small number of cities in Romania do not allow pets on board of their public transportation fleet.

Riding Bucharest Subway / Metro with a dog

Dogs: must be kept in leash and wear a muzzle at all times.
Small pets and birds: must be kept in a cage at all times.

Travel by train, with pets, in Romania

Dogs are allowed in second-class cars only;
they must stay on the floor, in leash, and wear a muzzle at all times.
If a passenger is allergic to pet-hair or is not comfortable in the presence of a dog, the owner of the dog must find a seat / place in another car.
Dog's health certificate must be available for inspection by the train conductor.

A ticket is required for all (larger) dogs that do not travel in a pet-cage hold in the lap of the owner.
The cost of a train ticket for a dog is 50% of the price of a ticket for an adult traveler.

Dog breeds with aggressive tendencies/ history (Pittbull, Boerboer, Bandogge) are not allowed on trains.

Pets in Romania Inter-City Bus

Each bus company has its own rules regarding pet travel / transportation.

Air transportation

Each airline has its own rules regarding pet travel / transportation.
An international pet passport is required for pets traveling to EU / Schengen countries. Although there are uniform regulation within the EU, some European countries have additional/ own regulations regarding pets.

Romanians love pets; please don't be surprised or offended if someone you don't know
tries to pet your dog or cat without asking permission.

Each hotel or restaurant has its own pet policy.

In general pets are allowed in hotels and restaurants.
Hotels might charge extra the guests bringing their pets.

Romania Customs Regulations

Romanian Customs regulations are in line with those of most European countries.
A traveler can enter and leave Romania with up to 10,000 Euros (or equivalent) in cash or traveler's checks.
Amounts over 10,000 Euros have to be declared when entering the country.

Items that must be declared at customs also include: art objects, historic artifacts, weapons, ammunition, explosive materials, toxic and hazadous substances.

Import allowances:

- Tobacco: 40 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g (100 oz) tobacco.
- Liquor: 4 litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer or 2 litres of alcoholic drinks less than 45 proof or one litre of liquor stonger than 45 proof. (one litre = 33.8 fl. oz).
- A reasonable quantity of gifts with a total value of up to $450.
- Goods and medical products/ medicines for personal use.
Customs officers do not usually check the luggage of individual travelers or tour groups.
However, you must know that, as in any other country, custom officers have the authority to check passports and to conduct enforcement examinations without a warrant, ranging from a single luggage examination to a personal search.
More information on European customs regulations

Driving in Romania

U.S. / Canadian / Australian / New Zealand / European drivers' licenses
are valid and can be used for driving in Romania,
by visitors who are in the country temporarily (less than 90 days).

Driving is on the right side of the road.

Independent travelers entering Romania by car (own or rental) need to obtain a road toll sticker, called "RoVinieta".
RoVigneta is available on-line at Roviniete, and E_Rovinieta,
as well as at border-crossing points, postal offices and most gas stations.
Cost of RoVinieta for passenger cars is the Romanian currency equivalent of $3.50 (7 days) or $8.00 (30 days).

Romania Rules of the Road are available at RomaniaTourism Practical Information section

General emergency phone #: 112