Residency Process & Permit Regulations at IGI
Official verified guide to Romanian General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) rules, 90/30-day timelines, EU certificates, and renewal procedures.
📌Table of Contents
Quick Answer: What is IGI & Residency Process?
The General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), under the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, is the sole authority managing foreign residency, EU registration certificates, and residence cards. All applicants must register their initial or renewal applications at their regional IGI office.
For an Iranian applicant, IGI is usually the Romanian government body you deal with in person, repeatedly — not once for a single card, but every time your permit expires (typically annually in the first years). That is why understanding how this office actually functions — not just what the rulebook says — matters. Case volume at IGI has grown sharply: officially registered foreign workers rose from roughly 5,500 in 2016 to nearly 100,000 in 2022–2023 — a surge that both crowded existing offices and is the direct reason IGI invested in a larger new Bucharest office (see section 3.5 below).
✈️Before You Travel: Document Evaluation & the Type D Visa
Everything you've read on this page so far (the portal, the office visit, biometrics) happens after you're already inside Romania. But for most Iranians, two earlier steps happen first — while still in Iran: evaluating your documents, and obtaining the Type D long-stay visa from the Romanian Embassy.
1. Initial Document Evaluation
Before your embassy appointment, the following are commonly required — but exactly which ones apply depends on your purpose (study, work, family reunification, investment); get the full official list from the embassy or evisa.mae.ro:
For the exact document list based on your purpose, see the relevant section guide: Study · Work · Family Reunification
2. Type D Long-Stay Visa Issuance at the Romanian Embassy in Tehran
Unlike roughly 26 other European countries that use a Visa Application Center (VFS Global) in Tehran for Iranian applicants, Romania does not appear on that list — meaning the Type D visa application typically must be lodged directly and in person at the Romanian Embassy in Tehran, not an intermediary center. The Type D visa generally grants a 90-day window to enter Romania and register with IGI; the residence-card application should follow the same "at least 30 days before expiration" rule you saw in Step 2 of Section 3 above.
Confirm this section directly with the embassy
Reported processing time for the Type D visa ranges from 45 to 60 days across secondary sources — we could not directly confirm this figure against the embassy's own site. The fee, however, is now official and confirmed: per Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs official visa-fee page (eviza.mae.ro/VisaFees), as of April 27, 2026 the Type D long-stay visa fee rose from 120 EUR to 300 EUR at all Romanian missions worldwide, including the Tehran embassy (a different figure from the 120 EUR in-Romania residence-card issuance fee covered in Section 5 below). Applications submitted before that date are still processed at the old 120 EUR rate. The Romanian Embassy in Tehran collects this fee in US dollars. Before applying, confirm the processing time and exact document list directly with the Romanian Embassy in Tehran or evisa.mae.ro.
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📊Prerequisites & Legal Regulations Summary Table
| Document Type | Eligible Categories | Legal Processing Time | Maximum Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificat de Înregistrare | EU / EEA / Swiss Citizens | Same Day | Up to 5 years (Min 1 yr) |
| Cartea de Rezidență (درخواست اولیه) | Non-EU Family Members of EU Citizens | Within 90 days | Up to 5 yrs (Matches EU citizen) |
| Cartea de Rezidență (تمدید) | Subsequent Renewal Applications | Maximum 30 days | Up to 5 years |
| Permis de Ședere (تحصیلی / کاری) | Third-country Nationals | Around 30-45 days Based on common experience & Romanian legal sources; check with IGI for exact statutory deadlines. | 1 year (Renewable annually) |
Step-by-Step IGI Application & Renewal Process
Initial document submission and appointment booking via portal.igi.mai.gov.ro.
Official recommendation: All renewal files must be submitted at least 30 days before permit expiration.
In-person submission at the provincial IGI office of residence, presenting originals and receiving registration receipt.
Fingerprint scanning, photo capture, and final residence card pickup after legal processing.
🔎Real Experience: What Generic Sites Don't Tell You About IGI
Grand Arena Mall complex (Bd. Metalurgiei, Sector 4) — the Bucharest IGI office has been housed here since 2023. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Until November 2023, the Bucharest immigration office had only 10 counters in a small container building on Nicolae Iorga Street — clearly insufficient for the volume of applicants. IGI officially cited growth from around 5,500 applicants in 2016 to nearly 100,000, and opened a new office with 30 counters across 500 m² inside the Grand Arena Mall complex, with an automated queue system tied to the online booking portal. In practice, this means the Bucharest office experience today is noticeably better than it was before 2023.
Regional offices can be a very different experience
In autumn 2022, Romania Insider reported that the Cluj immigration office (inside Iulius Mall) had only 2 active counters and processed just 13–15 non-EU applicants per day against a queue of 40–50, with some applicants sleeping overnight on the mall terrace with blankets to secure a spot. That report is from 2022, and we could not find a more recent (2024–2026) update confirming Cluj's current state, or data for other cities like Timișoara or Iași — so treat this as a warning to "be prepared for a possibly long queue at smaller offices," not a confirmed picture of today. Practical tip: if you're outside Bucharest, book your online appointment months in advance and ask your university or employer about others' recent experience at that specific office.
Contrary to common assumption, a simple rental agreement is not always enough. Based on reported migrant experience, the rental contract should be registered (înregistrat) with the local tax authority (ANAF); informal or unregistered arrangements are a commonly reported sticking point.
Some migrants have reported that private insurance alone was not accepted at this step, and state-system (CNAS-linked) coverage was requested instead. This is not a confirmed nationwide official rule, but it shows you shouldn't assume any valid private policy will automatically be sufficient — confirm the accepted insurance type with your specific IGI office before your visit.
⚠️ Warning: paying to "speed things up" is a crime, not a workaround
In October 2024, Romania's anti-corruption directorate (DNA) charged two immigration officers — one at the Bucharest Immigration Directorate, one at the Ialomița County office — with taking bribes (averaging roughly EUR 680 per case, about EUR 43,000 total across 63 cases) to expedite work-permit processing. In other words, an "informal facilitator to speed things up" is not a safe shortcut — it carries real legal consequences for both sides. If you need help, use a licensed immigration lawyer or consultant, not an informal intermediary.Correction (August 2026): on August 6, 2026, the Romanian government officially launched the new digital platform workinromania.gov.ro (under Emergency Ordinance GEO 32/2026, which abolished the old paper-based "Aviz de Muncă" system). Contrary to a common misconception, this platform currently covers only employer-driven procedures for hiring foreign workers (employer registration, staffing-agency authorization, employment documentation) — not the general IGI residence-permit system for students, family reunification, or company directors. Officials have said future phases may add employment-based long-stay visas and work-linked residence extensions, but as of now that has not happened, and there is no announced June 30 deadline tied to it. If you're applying for a work-based residence permit, check current status directly with IGI or your employer. Separately, if your renewal is delayed, some applicants have reported their bank account being temporarily frozen during the gap between an expired card and the new one — so renewing early (not in the final days) is a genuinely practical safeguard, not just a cautious suggestion.
Required Documents Checklist
💳Official Residence Permit Fees
Per the General Inspectorate for Immigration's official 2025 fee schedule (igi.mai.gov.ro), the standard cost of issuing or renewing a temporary residence permit (Permis de Ședere) for most third-country categories (work, study, family reunification) has two components: 265 RON (state tax) + 120 EUR (chip-card issuance fee).
State tax (taxă), payable at the treasury or online via ghiseul.ro.
Biometric residence-card issuance fee (charged in RON equivalent on the day of payment).
📍Bucharest IGI Office — Address & Hours
Address: Grand Arena Mall complex, Bd. Metalurgiei nr. 12-18, Sector 4, Bucharest (Bucharest Immigration Directorate — DIMB).
Phone: 021.303.70.80
Email: dimb.igi@mai.gov.ro
Public visiting hours: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 8:30–13:30 — Wednesday 12:30–18:00 (no public walk-in hours on Friday).
Most visits require a prior appointment via portal.igi.mai.gov.ro; hours may change per office announcements.
Official Verified IGI Processing Timelines (90/30 Days)
Issued on the same day for EU/EEA citizens.
Issued within 90 days for non-EU family members.
Renewals processed within maximum 30 days.
Incomplete Files & Suspended Processing Timelines
According to official IGI regulations, if submitted documents are incomplete, IGI grants up to 30 days extension to complement the file. This extension period officially suspends the processing timeframe until complete documentation is presented.
⚖️What If IGI Delays or Fails to Respond?
Most sites simply say "wait," but Romanian law gives you a concrete remedy. Under the Administrative Contentious Law (Legea contenciosului administrativ nr. 554/2004), if a public authority like IGI or ANC fails to respond within its legal deadline, or unjustifiably delays or refuses your file, you have the right to sue that "administrative silence" (tăcere administrativă) or unjustified refusal before the Administrative Contentious Court (Tribunalul de Contencios Administrativ).
Under Article 11 of Law 554/2004, the lawsuit must be filed within a maximum of 6 months from the date a response was legally due, or from the date the refusal was communicated.
Before going to court, a written "prior administrative complaint" (plângere prealabilă) is typically sent to the same authority, giving it a chance to correct the issue.
🔗Official IGI Immigration References
Are my documents sufficient?
Document verification and profile check according to official IGI guidelines
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the first residence card take to issue?
Under IGI regulations, issuance for non-EU family members is typically completed within 90 days of a complete application being registered.
What happens if my documents are incomplete?
IGI grants up to 30 extra days to complete the file; this period officially suspends the processing timeline until the documents are complete.
How much does the residence card cost?
For most categories (work, study, family reunification) the standard cost is 265 RON state tax plus 120 EUR card-issuance fee; some pathways carry different rates, so confirm the exact amount with your local IGI office.
What can I do if IGI misses its legal deadline?
Under Law 554/2004, you can sue IGI in the administrative court within 6 months of its silence or unjustified refusal, with the help of an administrative-law attorney.
Does paying an informal facilitator to speed things up work?
No, and it is illegal. In October 2024, two immigration officers were prosecuted for taking bribes to expedite work permits. For real help, use a licensed immigration lawyer or consultant instead.
Why is the wait at the Bucharest office different from regional offices?
Since 2023 the Bucharest office moved to the Grand Arena Mall complex with 30 counters and automated queuing, while smaller offices (like Cluj) have historically had far more limited capacity. If you're outside Bucharest, book your online appointment well in advance.
📚Related Guides & Next Steps
Recommended guides to complete your information and streamline your journey:
This guide is part of the "Immigration & Residence" collection.
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