Romania Explains How Many Years Foreigners Must Stay in Country Before Applying for Citizenship
- Romania's citizenship authority has published the full list of documents foreigners must submit when applying to become citizens
- Foreign nationals must meet a minimum residency requirement before they can qualify, with a shorter period available for those married to Romanian citizens
- Applicants are also tested on their knowledge of the Romanian language, constitution, national anthem, history, and geography
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Romania's Ministry of Justice has outlined the exact requirements foreigners must meet to qualify for Romanian citizenship, including how long they must legally reside in the country before submitting an application.
According to the official guidelines published by Romania's citizenship authority at cetatenie.just.ro, a foreign national must have maintained legal residence in Romania for a minimum of eight years.
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That period drops to five years for individuals who are married to a Romanian citizen, calculated from the date of the marriage.
Other requirements for Romanian citizenship
The application requires several official documents. These include a notarised copy of the applicant's passport along with a certified Romanian translation, a certified copy of their permanent residence permit, and a certificate from the General Inspectorate for Immigration confirming the dates of legal residence and permanent residency in Romania.
Applicants must also provide proof of lawful income sufficient to support a decent standard of living in Romania, covering earnings obtained in the country over the preceding three years.
A number of procedural rules govern how the application is handled. All documents must be placed in a fastener folder, all fees must be paid before the file is submitted, and the applicant must appear in person to lodge the application.
Documents issued outside Romania must carry an Apostille stamp from the relevant authority in the issuing country under the 1961 Hague Convention, or be superlegalized, unless they were prepared by Romanian diplomatic or consular representatives abroad.
One critical administrative note: the marital status information contained in any submitted document must match exactly what appears on the applicant's birth certificate.
Knowledge test for applicants
Beyond paperwork and residence requirements, Romania expects applicants to demonstrate a working knowledge of Romanian. This covers both reading and writing in the language.
Candidates are also assessed on their familiarity with the Constitution of Romania, the national anthem, and a broader range of topics covering Romanian culture and civilisation, specifically the country's history, geography, art, and literature.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
