Residence Permit in Romania for Company Owners

We prepare your company, its registered office and your D/AC visa and permit files; ARICE, the National Visa Centre and IGI decide.

  • For SRL members and shareholders with management powers
  • IGI's order: ARICE opinion, then the visa, then the permit
  • Stated terms only: IGI opinion in 30 days (+15), permit decision in 30 days (+15)
  • No visa, permit or renewal promised
A passport and a closed document folder on a desk beside a laptop.

Residence for a founder who runs a Romanian company

Owning a Romanian company does not by itself let you live here. We found no residence or nationality condition for members in Company law; the constitutive act records each member's citizenship and passport (art. 81 Law 31/1990, text of January 2024), so an SRL can be owned from abroad. Living here takes the D/AC long-stay visa, then a permit for that purpose (art. 50(2)(d) OUG 194/2002, consolidation valid April 2026).

RomaniaRegist prepares the files, files the company at the trade register and keeps the dates; you appear in person for the visa (art. 29(5) OUG 194/2002, consolidation valid April 2026) and file the permit application in person or online. The National Visa Centre decides the visa after IGI's opinion, and IGI decides the permit. The company and the sediu social of a company (its registered office) both sit in the permit file, so we handle them. This is the company route, with no golden-visa product.

What's included

Seven parts of the file, and the point where our work stops.

The route explained

Which route fits which role (member or shareholder with management powers, hired director, employee, EU citizen), from the IGI and MAE pages. Case advice is a partner lawyer's.

The D/AC visa file

The documents in the order the consulate and IGI list them, dates checked. You complete e-Visa and appear at the mission.

ARICE liaison

Documents and contact for the aviz tehnic de specialitate (technical opinion) of ARICE, the Romanian Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade. The business plan and its figures are yours.

The company and its registered office

We file the SRL at the trade register (ONRC); a partner Romanian lawyer prepares any bespoke act. The seat is our own, under a written contract.

The first permit file

We assemble the permis de ședere temporară (temporary residence permit) file and prepare it for the IGI county unit or for IGI's online application.

The renewal tracker

Every renewal date tracked, the file ready at least 30 days before the permit expires.

Filings the renewals depend on

Filings the renewals turn on, such as a capital increase at the trade register. We file what you decide; no capital advice.

Where the service stops

No decision or promise on any ARICE, consulate or IGI outcome. No case advice, representation or appeals (partner lawyer, Law 51/1995 art. 3(1)(a)-(c), 3(2)); no payroll or returns (CECCAR); no tax-residence advice (CCF).

Who does what in a founder's file

Only the authorities decide.

  • The client

    • Personal appearances

    • The medical certificate

    • The bank statement

    • The business plan

    • The investment itself

  • RomaniaRegist

    • Company filing

    • Registered office

    • Document assembly

    • Date tracking

    • Liaison

  • Other professionals

    • A partner Romanian lawyer

      Case advice, representation, appeals, bespoke acts

    • The client's own CECCAR accountant

      Payroll, the employee register, returns

    • A CCF tax consultant

      Tax-residence questions; we can point you to one

  • The authorities

    Decides

    • ARICE

      The opinion

    • National Visa Centre

      The visa

    • IGI

      The permit

Who does what in a founder's file; only the authorities decide.

Who this route is for

Member of an SRL with management powers

An asociat is the member of the Romanian limited liability company (art. 3(3) Law 31/1990, text of January 2024). With management or administration duties, the route is the D/AC visa.

Shareholder of an SA

An acționar holds shares in a joint-stock company. The route is the same D/AC visa, with higher figures, shown in the requirements table below.

Director without shares

A hired director uses the D/AS visa, only with no shares in any Romanian legal person now or in the last 2 years (art. 49(1)(c)). The role is chosen before incorporation.

EU citizen or short visit

IGI addresses this route to citizens outside the EU and the EEA. EU visa-free nationals may stay up to 90 days in 180; longer stays: a residence permit in Romania.

How the process works

The founder route in IGI's order: ARICE opinion, then the visa, then the permit

  1. ARICE opinion

    The aviz tehnic de specialitate (technical opinion) of ARICE.

    Who acts: ARICE

    Term: valid 6 months (art. 43(7) OUG 194/2002, consolidation valid April 2026)

  2. Visa application

    Fee EUR 300. The e-Visa form, then in person at the mission of your district.

    Who acts: Client

  3. IGI opinion

    IGI gives its opinion, then the National Visa Centre decides.

    Who acts: IGI

    Term: within 30 days, extendable by 15

  4. Visa granted

    The visa runs for 90 days.

    Who acts: National Visa Centre

  5. First permit filed

    Filed in person at the IGI county unit, or online.

    Who acts: Client

    Term: at least 30 days before the visa stay ends

  6. IGI decision on the permit

    IGI decides on the first permit.

    Who acts: IGI

    Term: within 30 days, extendable by 15; missing documents: at most 30 days, with the clock stopped

  7. Renewals

    One year at a time; three years from EUR 500,000 invested or more than 50 full-time jobs.

    Term: at least 30 days before each expiry

Every term shown is the one IGI, MAE or the statute states; no total time is promised.
  1. Choose the role before incorporation · CLIENT, LAW

    SRL member with management powers: D/AC. Director without shares: D/AS, closed to anyone holding shares now or in the last 2 years, so a founder cannot use D/AS until 2 years after giving them up.

  2. Business plan and ARICE opinion · CLIENT, US, ARICE

    Your plan sets out the investment, the jobs and a projection of at least 3 years (art. 43(2)(a)); the funds sit on one Romanian bank statement in your name. The opinion is valid 6 months.

  3. The company and its seat · US, LAW, ONRC

    The company is filed within 15 days of signing the act constitutiv (constitutive act) (art. 36(1) Law 31/1990, text of January 2024), our seat under a written contract; it must exist by the IGI filing.

  4. The D/AC visa · CLIENT, US, IGI

    e-Visa form, then in person at the mission of your district; fee EUR 300. IGI's opinion comes within 30 days, extendable by 15, then the National Visa Centre decides. The visa runs 90 days.

  5. Entry and the first permit · CLIENT, US, IGI

    Filed in person at the IGI county unit, or online, at least 30 days before the visa stay ends. IGI decides within 30 days, extendable by 15; missing documents: at most 30 days, clock stopped.

  6. Running the company toward the renewal · CLIENT, CECCAR

    Keep to the plan and the object. Before the later extensions: EUR 50,000 of capital or technology and 10 full-time jobs; means from activity in Romania.

  7. Renewals · CLIENT, US, ARICE, IGI

    At least 30 days before each expiry, one year at a time; three years from EUR 500,000 invested or more than 50 full-time jobs. ARICE confirms the plan was followed.

Which dates will your file have to meet?

We set the ARICE, visa and permit terms against your plan, date by date. The decisions stay with the authorities.

Documents you will need

We also ask for due diligence documents on the company, founders and beneficial owners, including the source of the funds (Law 129/2019).

  • Passport valid 3 months beyond the visa, issued within the last 10 years
  • Two recent 3 x 4 colour photographs
  • Cazier judiciar (criminal record certificate), translated into Romanian, English or French, legalised
  • Travel medical insurance valid in all member states, cover of at least EUR 30,000
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Your business plan and its figures, with a projection of at least 3 years
  • The ARICE technical opinion, valid 6 months from issue
  • One Romanian bank statement in your name: EUR 100,000 (SRL) or EUR 150,000 (SA)
  • First permit: the certificat de înmatriculare (registration certificate) and constitutive act
  • First permit: proof of means for its whole validity, EUR 500 a month (SRL)
  • Proof of lawful holding of the registered-office space and of your home
  • Health insurance, a medical certificate; at renewal, the labour-inspectorate certificate (adeverință ITM)

Romania requirements and state fees

Thresholds by stage and the state fees, from OUG 194/2002 (consolidation valid April 2026) and the IGI and MAE pages of October 2026; check the current fee sheet before paying.

Statute thresholds and state fees; RomaniaRegist's own fee is on request.
Stage or feeSRL member (asociat)SA shareholder (acționar)Basis
Funds on one Romanian bank statement, visa stageEUR 100,000EUR 150,000art. 43(2)(b) OUG 194/2002
Capital or technology to invest within 12 months of the permitEUR 100,000EUR 150,000art. 43(2)(c) OUG 194/2002
New jobs within the same 12 months1015art. 43(2)(d) OUG 194/2002
Monthly means for the first permit, for its whole validityEUR 500EUR 700IGI note on art. 55
Later extensions: capital or technologyEUR 50,000EUR 70,000art. 55(2)(e) OUG 194/2002
Later extensions: full-time jobs1015art. 55(2)(e) OUG 194/2002
Three-year permit instead of one yearat least EUR 500,000 invested or more than 50 full-time jobssameIGI, commercial activities
Long-stay visa fee, applications from 27 April 2026 (EUR 120 before)EUR 300sameMAE visa fees
Permit, consular fee, paid in the lei equivalentEUR 120sameIGI fee sheet, uploaded August 2025
Permit card265 lei, VAT includedsameIGI fee notice

A new SRL needs only 500 lei of share capital (art. VI(2) Law 239/2025), far below the EUR 50,000 the later extensions require. How the art. 43(2)(c) investment fits with the art. 55(2)(e) figures is not stated, so both stand as written. ARICE's own criteria, fee and term were not found on the official pages we could read.

Problems we solve

The renewal gap

A new SRL needs 500 lei of capital; the later extensions need EUR 50,000 and 10 full-time jobs. We set the two side by side and file any capital increase you decide on.

Two founders on one company

At the visa stage each applicant is assessed separately (art. 43(3)). At renewals, investment and jobs count in proportion to each person's cota de participare (stake), so the file shows each share.

The seat inside the immigration file

IGI wants proof of lawful holding of the seat with every permit file; its web page names no accepted address types. Our seat has a written contract. Address only: a virtual office in Bucharest.

Dates on three clocks

The ARICE opinion lasts 6 months; the first permit goes in at least 30 days before the visa stay ends; each renewal at least 30 days before expiry. One tracker holds all three.

Jobs proved by payroll records

The labour-inspectorate certificate of full-time employees comes from payroll records, which are CECCAR work. We flag when it is due.

Want the renewal thresholds laid against your company plan?

We set the EUR 50,000 and the jobs beside your plan; the investment decisions stay with you and your lawyer.

Who prepares your file

Victor Georgescu coordinates founders' long-stay visa and residence-permit files, in Romanian, English and German.

RomaniaRegist is a trust and company service provider notified to ONPCSB; case advice stays with a partner lawyer, payroll with CECCAR, tax residence with CCF.

From our practice

Before a file opens we check the role, the passport and criminal-record dates, the seat contract and how the jobs will be proved.

Frequently asked questions

Can you guarantee the visa or the residence permit?

No. The National Visa Centre approves the D/AC visa only after IGI's opinion (30 days, extendable by 15), and IGI decides the permit (30 days from filing, extendable by 15). RomaniaRegist prepares the documents, files the company and keeps the dates; you appear in person for the visa. No ARICE, consulate or IGI outcome is promised.

Do I need to invest EUR 100,000 to get the business visa?

For an SRL member the statute asks for at least EUR 100,000 on one Romanian bank statement in your name for the ARICE opinion, then at least EUR 100,000 of capital or technology and 10 new jobs within 12 months of the permit (art. 43(2) OUG 194/2002, consolidation valid April 2026). No ARICE practice appears on the pages we read.

Will a minimum-capital SRL keep my permit after the first year?

Not on capital alone. A new SRL needs only 500 lei of share capital (art. VI(2) Law 239/2025), but the later extensions require EUR 50,000 of capital or technology and at least 10 full-time jobs for an SRL member, with ARICE confirming the business plan was followed. The monthly means are one condition among several.

Does owning a Romanian company give me the right to live in Romania, for example as a US citizen?

No. Residence is a separate decision. A search of Company law found no residence or nationality condition for members, so you can own an SRL from abroad; to live in Romania, a founder from outside the EU and EEA needs the D/AC visa, then a permit. Nationals on the EU visa-free list may stay up to 90 days in 180.

How long does it take from the ARICE opinion to the residence card?

Only the stated terms are known: IGI's opinion within 30 days, extendable by 15; a 90-day visa; the permit decision within 30 days of filing, extendable by 15. ARICE's term was not found on the pages we read, so no total time is promised. The registrar's one working day is the statute's (art. 105(1) Law 265/2022, 2022 text), not ours.

Do I have to travel to Romania, or can everything be done by power of attorney?

For the visa, you travel: a long-stay visa applicant must appear in person at the authority that grants the visa (art. 29(5) OUG 194/2002, consolidation valid April 2026), so there is no power-of-attorney route for the visa. The first permit is filed in person at the IGI county unit or through IGI's online application.

Is this the same as a golden visa, and can money buy Romanian citizenship?

No. The D/AC visa is for foreigners who are or will become shareholders or members with management and administration duties in a Romanian company, so it needs an operating company that you run. RomaniaRegist offers no golden-visa product; our golden-visa guide covers that question. Citizenship is a separate procedure this page does not cover.

How do I get a residence permit in Romania?

A founder from outside the EU follows IGI's order: the ARICE technical opinion on the business plan, the D/AC long-stay visa from a Romanian mission, then the first permit, filed at least 30 days before the visa's stay ends. Each permit is renewed at least 30 days before it expires. The seven steps are set out above.

What are the requirements for a business visa in Romania?

You must be, or be about to become, a shareholder or member with management or administration duties, and hold the ARICE technical opinion. The file adds a criminal record certificate, travel medical insurance with cover of at least EUR 30,000 and proof of accommodation. The visa fee is EUR 300 for applications from 27 April 2026.

How much income must I show as an SRL member, and for how long?

IGI states EUR 500 a month for an SRL member and EUR 700 for an SA shareholder, for the whole permit: EUR 6,000 on a 12-month permit (our computation). Renewal means must come from activity in Romania. From EUR 150,000 invested or 25 jobs other lawful documents may prove them; from EUR 200,000 or 50 jobs no proof is needed.

I share the company with a partner: whose investment and jobs count?

At the visa stage the conditions are assessed for each applicant separately, and the amounts rise with the number of applicants (art. 43(3)). At renewals, investment and jobs are counted in proportion to each person's stake in the company, so a member holding half the stake is credited with half, on our reading of IGI's rule.

What is the ARICE opinion and who prepares the business plan?

ARICE, the Romanian Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade, gives the technical opinion on a foreign investor's business plan (HG 153/2023 art. 3(2)(b) pt. 19), valid 6 months from issue. The plan and its figures are yours; we assemble the documents and keep contact. ARICE's criteria, fee and term are not published on the pages we read.

What are the state fees for the visa and the permit in 2026?

The long-stay visa costs EUR 300 for applications from 27 April 2026 (EUR 120 before). The permit costs a consular fee of EUR 120, paid in the lei equivalent, plus 265 lei, VAT included, for the card. Check IGI's current fee sheet before paying. RomaniaRegist's own fee is not in these figures: pricing on request.

I am not a shareholder, only the director: which visa applies, and do I need a work permit?

A director without shares uses D/AS, only with no shares in any Romanian legal person, now or in the last 2 years, and if the company contributed at least EUR 50,000 of capital or technology. No separate IGI work authorisation exists since 27 April 2026; the permit file names a valid mandate contract. Detail: our foreign-administrator work-permit guide.

Can my spouse and children come with me?

A foreigner with a right of stay in Romania counts as a sponsor for family reunification. Each family member's right of stay is extended individually, for the same period as the sponsor's. The detailed conditions are in our guide to residence permits for founders and employees; this page covers the founder's own file.

Ready to plan the company and the file together?

Tell us your role, your company plan and your dates; we reply with a file plan and the document list. Pricing on request.