NEW: Information note on visas

COVID-19 – Information to the attention of third-state nationals and stateless persons who are required to hold an entry visa for Romania
- LATEST UPDATE on JULY 30th 2020

Given the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the visa activity Consular Section of Embassy of Romania in New Delhi is suspended. Your visa application cannot be finalised. In case you need a Romanian entry visa for an essential trip (as defined bellow), please contact directly the Consular Section of the Embassy via email (newdelhi.cons@mae.ro).

In the context of the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with the effect of the COVID-19 illness outbreak, the necessity of temporarily limiting non-essential travel to the EU was established at European level. Complementary to the measures introduced at European level, as well as for the implementation of other measures of prevention and combat of risks inherent to the ongoing pandemic, Decision nº394/2020 of the Romanian Government on the introduction of the state of alert and of measures applicable throughout this state for the prevention and combating of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was adopted. The state of alert was thereby introduced on the territory of Romanian for a period of 30 days starting with May 18th 2020, with subsequent extensions of this state.
In line with Decision nº553/2020 of the Romanian Government on the extension of the state of alert on the territory of Romania starting July 17th 2020, as well as on the establishment of measures applicable throughout this state for the prevention and combatting of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, amended and completed (Government Decision nº553/2020), the state of alert was thereby extended on the territory of Romania for a period of 30 days starting July 17th 2020. Please note that in Romania, the temporary restrictions on non-essential travels from third-states are therefore extended for 30 days, starting July 17th 2020.

Further to the above, given the epidemiological situation ensued, the activity related to the receipt and processing of visa applications is suspended. However, the Consular Section of the Embasssy of Romania in New Delhi receives and processes, in line with legal provisions, only applications lodged by third-state nationals and stateless persons who carry out essential trips, from the limited categories listed below:
 

1. Third-state nationals/stateless persons who are family members of Romanian nationals (the categories of family members can be consulted by accessing http://eviza.mae.ro/SupportingDocuments);
2. Third-state nationals/stateless persons who are family members of citizens of the European Union (wherever “European Union” is used, this includes the UK, as a result of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement)/of the European Economic Area/of the Swiss Confederation who are registered as residents in Romania;
3. Family members of citizens of the European Union (wherever “European Union” is used, this includes the UK, as a result of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement)/of the European Economic Area/of the Swiss Confederation, whose visa applications will be treated in accordance with national legislation, namely GEO no.194/2002 republished, as subsequently amended or GEO 102/2005 republished, as subsequently amended, irrespective of the purpose of travel;
4. Third-state nationals/stateless persons who travel to Romanian for professional reasons, namely: healthcare professionals, health researchers, elderly care professionals, transport personnel engaged in haulage of goods and other transport staff to the extent necessary;
5. Diplomats, staff of international organisations, military personnel and humanitarian aid workers in the exercise of their functions;
6. Passengers in transit (including those having been repatriated through consular assistance);
7. Third-state nationals/stateless persons who travel for imperative (family, medical reasons);
8. Third-state nationals/stateless persons in need of international protection or who need to travel for other humanitarian reasons;
9. Third-state nationals travelling for studies – this category of third-state nationals may apply for long-stay visas for studies (marked D/SD) or, depending on the period of studies, for short-stay visas for other purposes (marked C/ZA) - when the period of studies does not exceed 90 days throughout any period of 180 days;
10. Highly qualified third-country workers (holders of employment/secondment permits with the mention “Highly qualified”).
11. Frontier workers, seasonal workers in agriculture and seamen;
12. Members of international sports delegations who partake in sports competitions organised in Romania, in accordance with legal provisions.

OTHER INFORMATION OF INTEREST TO THIRD-STATE NATIONALS AND STATELESS PERSONS, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic:

The following measures of interest to aliens are introduced in line with the provisions of Point X (Articles 47 through 49) of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº70 of May 14th 2020:

“X. Measures in the field of alien management in the context of the epidemiological situation generated by the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

Article 47
(1) The validity of documents issued by the Inspectorate General for Immigration is maintained throughout the entire duration of the state of emergency introduced by Decree nº195/2020 regarding the introduction of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, extended by Decree nº240/2020 regarding the extension of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, as well as for a period of 90 days from the date of termination of this state.
(2) The approvals issued by the Inspectorate General for Immigration on invitations regulated by Articles (37)-(39) of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed, are not considered valid over the term indicated in Article 38(6) of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.

Article 48
(1) The authorised stay of third-state nationals who are present in Romania, as granted through entry visas issued by Romania, is maintained for 90 days from the date of termination of the state of emergency introduced by Decree nº195/2020 regarding the introduction of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania and extended by Decree nº240/2020 regarding the extension of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, without them being subject to any sanctions or restrictive measures as established by Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.
(2) The authorised stay of third-state nationals who are present in Romania, as granted through international conventions, through legal instruments by means of which the visa requirement is unilaterally waved or by European legal instruments that establish the waiving of the visa requirement, is maintained for 90 days from the date of termination of the state of emergency introduced by Decree nº195/2020 regarding the introduction of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania and extended by Decree nº240/2020 regarding the extension of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, without them being subject to any sanctions or restrictive measures as established by Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.
(3) For subsequent entries and stays, the authorised stay established by Paragraphs (1) or (2) shall not be counted upon calculation of the period of stay of maximum 90 days in any 180-day period that precedes each day of stay in the territory of Romania.

Article 49
(1) The validity of entry visas issued by Romania that have expired without having been used by their holders because of the temporary restrictions of travel to the European Union is not maintained.
(2) Upon lifting of the temporary restrictions of travel to the member states of the European Union, should it still be deemed necessary, third-state nationals who held Romanian entry visas that expired under the conditions provided for in Paragraph (1), can apply for other entry visas for Romania, in line with the provisions of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed.
(3) Endorsements for employment, endorsements for secondment and approvals for family reunification issued by the Inspectorate General for Immigration, the validity of which is extended in line with the provisions of Article[47] (1) can be used for the lodging of Romanian entry visa applications in line with the provisions of Emergency Ordinance of the Romanian Government nº194/2002 regarding the regime of aliens in Romania, republished, amended and completed, when the temporary restrictions of travel to the member states of the European Union will have been lifted, only if they have not been previously used for obtaining such entry visas for Romania.”.
 

Furthermore, whenever the above cited provisions are not applicable, regarding the validity visas issued by Romania and expired throughout the introduced and extended state of alert, please note that their situation is regulated by means of the provisions of Article 4(5) of Law nº55 of May 15th 2020 regarding certain measures for the prevention and containment of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as follows:
„ARTICLE 4
(5) The validity of documents issued by public authorities and institutions, as well as by authorised private entities established by Law, is maintained throughout the state of alert, as well as for a period of 90 days from the date of termination of this state.”

It is hereby highlighted that the above cited legal provisions are put into effect in a complementary manner. Therefore, it must be noted that entry into Romania is not allowed for third-state nationals and stateless persons who have obtained Romanian visas that expired without having been used after the introductions of the state of emergency, given the temporary restrictions on non-essential travels.

New legal provisions on the

ROMANIAN VISA

According to the Emergency Ordinance of the Government of Romania (EGO) n˚109/2013[1], from February 1st, 2014, citizens of countries with which Romania has visa regime, holders of valid uniform short stay visas (with two or multiple entries), long stay visas or permits of residence issued by Schengen countries (other than those envisaged in art.128, (1) of EGO 194/2002), are allowed to enter in Romania without a Romanian short stay visa.

For the mentioned category of citizens, the new provisions, in force from 1st of February 2014 will be applied under the following conditions:

• The conditions of entering on the Romanian territory through all the border crossing points remained unchanged as defined on EGO 194/2002, art. 6, Para. 1;

• The number of entries and the authorized staying duration stipulated on their Schengen visas or permits of residence issued by a Schengen state should not be exceeded;

• The mentioned category of non – EU citizens targeted by the new EGO may enter on the territory of Romania for an uninterrupted stay or for more stays whose duration do not exceed 90 days of stay within the 180 day period calculated from the date of the first entry. The duration of stay on the Romanian territory will not exceed the period granted by their respective Schengen visas or permits of residence;

• For those to whom the number of entries and/or the duration of stay stipulated on their valid Schengen visas were exhausted are allowed to enter the Romanian territory only for transit purposes (5 days only).

• The number of entries and days spent in Romania on the account of the Schengen visas will not be counted in the total number of entries and duration of stay permitted in the Schengen countries, under respective valid uniform Schengen visas.

[1] EGO 109/2013 (published on December 17th, 2013, in the Official Journal of ROMANIA, No: 7096, part I) brings amendments and completions to the Emergency Government Ordinance n˚ 194/2002 (EGO 194/2002) regarding the regime of aliens in Romania