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Setting a Path Toward Romanian Citizenship
The overall roadmap to Romanian citizenship, from initial residence to the interview and oath.
Sources: National Authority for Citizenship (ANC) — cetatenie.just.ro, Law 21/1991 — Last reviewed: August 2026
Romanian citizenship is the final stage of the immigration path and has stricter conditions than long-term residence. This page shows only the overall framework and timeline — for the exact document list, see the dedicated Citizenship page in the Immigration section. Note that eligibility conditions have recently been tightened, so always confirm details on the official ANC site.
1Minimum Residence Required
- Ordinary route: 8 years of continuous legal residence in Romania (Law 21/1991, Art. 8).
- Shorter routes: 5 years if married to a Romanian citizen (for 5+ years of marriage); 3 years for recognized refugees.
2Interview & Citizenship Test
- A mandatory interview assesses Romanian language ability (A2 level) plus general knowledge of Romania's history, geography, and Constitution.
- Part of the interview includes reading the citizenship oath text aloud and sometimes filling out a written form; if you fail, you can retake it after a waiting period.
3Timeline & Delay Remedies
- Case review from the registration date with the Commission's technical secretariat legally takes up to 2 years, extendable by 6 months in justified cases.
- If ANC delays unjustifiably, applicants can file a lawsuit compelling ANC to process the file — courts have repeatedly ordered this in Romania.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is long-term residence a prerequisite for citizenship?
It's not formally a direct prerequisite, but in practice most applicants first obtain long-term residence, since the 8-year continuous-residence requirement is usually satisfied through that same track.
What if ANC is unresponsive or delays my case?
If the legal timeframe passes without a response, you can, with a lawyer's help, file an administrative-court petition compelling ANC to act.
This guide is part of the "Start Here" collection.
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