Types of Visas for Romania

For non-European Union citizens coming to Romania, choosing the correct type of visa is the first step in the entire immigration process.

The type of visa determines what you are allowed to do in Romania, how long you can stay and what steps follow after entering the country.

In international recruitment projects, the most common delays occur when the wrong type of visa is requested or when the declared purpose does not match the documents in the application file. For this reason, in any relocation process, the visa should be treated as part of the hiring strategy, not simply as a travel document.

In Romania, there are four main types of visas: short-stay visa, long-stay visa, airport transit visa and limited territorial validity visa. The choice depends on the purpose of stay, not only on its duration.

Short-Stay Visas (Type C)

The short-stay visa is used for temporary travel to Romania. It allows a stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

It is generally used for:

  • business visits
  • meetings with partners or employers
  • travel for signing contracts
  • training sessions or professional visits
  • tourism or personal visits

This visa does not allow employment in Romania and cannot be directly converted into a residence permit for employment purposes. For this reason, when hiring employees, the correct visa is the long-stay visa, not the short-stay visa.

In foreign recruitment projects, the short-stay visa is used only during preliminary stages, not for employee relocation.

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Long-Stay Visas (Type D)

The long-stay visa is used when a person comes to Romania for work, studies, family reunification or other long-term activities.

For employers, this is the most important category, as the long-stay visa for employment purposes later allows the person to obtain a residence permit and to be legally employed.

The long-stay visa is granted for several purposes, the most common being:

  • employment
  • studies
  • family reunification
  • commercial activities
  • professional activities

In the case of hiring foreign employees, the long-stay visa is obtained after the work permit has been issued and represents the mandatory step before obtaining the residence permit.

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Limited Territorial Validity Visa

This type of visa allows entry only into Romania or only into the territories specified on the visa. It is issued in special situations, when not all conditions for a standard visa are met, but there are justified reasons for granting the right of entry.

It is not a visa commonly used in recruitment projects, but it may arise in certain exceptional situations that must be assessed individually.

Airport Transit Visa (Type A)

The airport transit visa is required when a person transits through the international zone of an airport without actually entering the territory of Romania.

This visa applies only to citizens of certain countries and is required only in situations where the person does not leave the airport transit area.

What Type of Visa Is Required for Employment in Romania?

For the legal employment of non-European Union staff, the correct procedure is as follows:

  • Obtain the work permit
  • Obtain the long-stay visa for employment purposes
  • Enter Romania
  • Obtain the residence permit
  • Start employment

If any of these steps is completed in the wrong order or with incomplete documents, the process may be blocked or delayed.

We Can Help You Choose the Correct Type of Visa

In international recruitment projects, choosing the correct type of visa is part of the entire immigration process. We analyse the purpose of employment, the type of contract, the duration of stay and determine exactly which legal steps must be followed.

We can help you with:

  • determining the correct type of visa
  • preparing the documents
  • scheduling the consular appointment
  • support with obtaining the visa
  • continuing the process for the residence permit

If you want to bring non-EU employees to Romania or if you are in the process of relocation, it is important for the procedure to be properly planned from the start.

Contact us and we will explain exactly which type of visa is required and what steps must be followed for legal employment in Romania!