In order to pursue religious activities in Romania as a citizen of a state outside the European Union and the European Economic Area you (or the organization through which you will exercise the religious activity) must obtain the favorable opinion of the State Secretariat for Cults.
The next step is to obtain a long-stay visa for religious activities, from the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Romania.
See the list of these.
THE LONG STAY VISA
If you want to obtain a long-stay visa for religious activities, you must submit the following documents:
– The approval of the State Secretariat for Cults granted to foreigners who perform similar activities in their country of origin or residence, after consultation of the national authority for combating terrorism;
– Document proving your quality as a representative of a religious organization legally established in Romania;
– proof of living space and means of support amounting to three national average salaries per economy;
– Proof of medical insurance and attesting that you do not suffer from diseases that could endanger public health;
– Criminal record certificate or other document with the same legal value issued by the authorities of the country of origin.
The visa fee is EUR 120 and is payable in the State where you make the request.
As internal procedure, the long-stay visa is approved by the National Visa Centre only after obtaining the favorable opinion of the General Inspectorate for Immigration. The favorable opinion is issued within 30 days of receiving the request, with the possibility to extend the deadline by 15 days.
The long stay visa is granted for a period of 90 days, with one or more trips.
THE RESIDENCE PERMIT
After entry into Romania, you must obtain a residence permit. It is your right to stay in Romania and you can obtain it from the territorial units of the General Inspectorate for Immigration from the county where you live. In order to obtain a residence permit, you will personally submit a number of documents at least 30 days before the expiry of right of the right of residence granted by the visa. You also have the opportunity to submit the documents through the online service available at: https://portaligi.mai.gov.ro/portaligi/
In order to extend the right of residence (obtaining the residence permit) for religious activities, you must submit the following documents:
– Application;
– Border crossing document (passport, travel document, etc.) original and duplicate;
– The approval of the State Secretariat for Cults (original);
– Proof of legal possession of the living space (original and duplicate);
– proof of social health insurance;
– medical certificate;
– fees.
Deadlines for residence permit
The residence permit is renewed at least 30 days before the expiry of the previous one.
Or extension application for the right of residence will be resolved within 30 days from the date of its submission. In cases where additional checks are required, the deadline for settling the request may be extended by 15 days.
If the information or documents provided on which the application for the extension of the right of residence is based are inadequate or incomplete, the General Inspectorate for Immigration shall inform the applicant of the additional information requested and shall set a reasonable time limit for sending them, but not more than 30 of days. The term stipulated in paragraph (4) shall be suspended until the General Inspectorate for Immigration has received the necessary additional information or documents. If no additional information or documents have been provided by the deadline, the application may be rejected.
The right to temporary residence for religious activities shall be extended by a period equal to the duration opinion.