Romania
Entry requirements
This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Romania set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact Romania’s Embassy in the UK.
COVID-19 rules
There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Romania.
Passport validity requirements
Romania is now part of the Schengen area, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements to travel there.
To enter Romania (and all Schengen countries) your passport must:
- have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive. Passports issued after 1 October 2018 are now valid for only 10 years, but for passports issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added if you renewed a passport early
- have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave
Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the latest guidance on passport validity.
Contact the Romanian embassy in the UK if you think that your passport does not meet both these requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
Passport stamping
At the Romanian border your passport may be stamped when you enter and exit Romania or another country in the Schengen area. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area.
You can show tickets or boarding passes as evidence of when and where you entered or exited the Schengen area. Ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport.
If you have a Withdrawal Agreement residency document for another country, your passport might still be stamped if you are a visitor to Romania.
You may also need to:
- show a return or onward ticket
- show you have enough money for your stay
Read about passport stamping if you live in Romania.
Visa requirements
Romania is now part of the Schengen area. Visits to Romania now count towards your 90-day visa-free limit in the Schengen area.
You can visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel:
- as a tourist
- to visit for family or friends
- to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events
- for short-term studies or training
On 31 March, Romania joined Schengen for border control-free travel via air and sea. Border controls will continue to remain at all land and river borders, including those within the Schengen zone. You will need to show your passport at land and river borders, although your passport should not be stamped.
Visits to any other Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel to Romania will count towards your 90 day visa-free limit.
If you’re travelling to Romania (and all other Schengen countries) without a visa, make sure your whole visit to the Schengen area is within the 90-day limit.
To stay longer (to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons) you will need to meet the Romanian government’s entry requirements. Check with the Romanian Embassy in the UK what type of visa and/or work permit you may need.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the end date of the visa.
If you stay in Romania with a Romanian residence permit or long-stay visa, this time does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit for travel to the Schengen area.
Vaccination requirements
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need in TravelHealthPro’s Romania guide.
Customs rules
There are strict rules about goods that you can take into or out of Romania (in Romanian). You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Leaving Romania with children aged 17 and under
If you’re travelling with a child who holds Romanian citizenship, and you are not the child’s parent, or you are a parent but the other parent is not travelling with you, you may need to show notarised parental consent.
A list of the public notaries can be found on the website of the National Union of Public Notaries of Romania.