Romania - Volunteer

Where and how to apply

It is necessary to obtain a long-stay visa, which is issued by the consular offices or diplomatic missions of Romania, with the fulfilment of the below conditions.

Documents required

• A volunteering contract with a host entity, which mentions the activity to be carried out, the conditions under which performance of tasks is monitored, working hours and, where appropriate, the professional training in which the third-country national participates, necessary to fulfil the volunteer service;
• the host entity provides accommodation, means of subsistence and medical insurance for the entire period of the visa validity, expenses and/or pocket money, as well as any costs regarding the execution of removal measures;
• the border crossing document (passport) attesting that the third-country national is over 14 years old;
• the parents or guardian’s consent regarding the stay on the Romanian territory for this purpose, if the third-country national is a minor;
• a civil insurance policy, except for volunteers participating in the European Voluntary Service.

Duration of validity of permits/visas

The residence right is extended and the permit is issued if the third-country national presents the civil insurance policy and the volunteer contract concluded with the host organisation, which mentions the activity to be carried out, the conditions under which performance of tasks is monitored as well as working hours.

Third-country nationals participating in the European Voluntary Service are exempt from the obligation to present a civil insurance policy.

The residence right amounts to a period equal to the validity period of the volunteer contract, without exceeding a total duration of stay of one year on the Romanian territory, in this purpose.

Appeals

The refusal to extend the residence right is communicated by the return decision.

This can be appealed within 10 days from the communication date to the court of appeal in whose territorial jurisdiction is the GII unit that issued the return decision. The court solves the appeal within 30 days from the receipt date. The court's decision is final.

Family members

The third-country national citizen whose residence permit is valid for one year can request the family reunification for:

• his/her husband/wife;
• the unmarried minor son/s and/or daughter/s of the sponsor and of the spouse, including those adopted;
• the unmarried minor children of the sponsor, including the adopted ones, who are dependent on him/her and over whom the sponsor exercises the parental rights. If the parental rights are exercised jointly, the consent of the other parent is also required;
• the unmarried minor children of the spouse, including the adopted ones who are dependent on him/her and over whom the spouse exercises parental rights. If the parental rights are exercised jointly, the consent of the other parent is also required;
• relatives ascending the sponsor or the spouse, if they cannot support themselves and do not enjoy adequate family support in the origin country;
• the unmarried adult children of the sponsor or of the spouse, in case they cannot support themselves for medical reasons.

For submitting the application for family reunification, the sponsor has to present the following documents:

• a marriage/birth certificate or, as the case may be, proof of kinship, issued by the competent authorities, translated and legalised in accordance with the law;
• an authentic statement attesting that the family members will live with the sponsor;
• a copy of the document certifying your residence right on the Romanian territory;
• proof of legal possession of a living space;
• proof of subsistence means;
• proof of insurance;
• the written statement of consent of the other parent who holds together with the sponsor the joint custody of the minor child for whom the family reunification is requested;
• a copy of the travel document of the family member. 

The application will be solved within a maximum of 3 months from the date of submission.

Approval of the application shall be communicated in writing to the applicant for transmitting it to interested family members, who shall submit it to the diplomatic mission or consular post within 60 days of its issuance date, together with the application for a long-stay visa for family reunification.

Long-term residence

The stay as a volunteer is counted in the period of residence to be eligible for long-term/permanent residence in Romania.