business visa
Business Visa and Residence Permit for Founders in Romania
For a non-EU founder running a Romanian company: the D/AC visa, the ARICE business-plan opinion and the IGI residence permit, as one file.
- D/AC visa for a managing member or shareholder (OUG 194/2002)
- ARICE opinion on the business plan first
- Permit renewed 1 year at a time (IGI, 2026)
The founder's file: company, visa, then permit.
Visiting on business or moving to run your company
A business visit uses a short-stay C visa, up to 90 days in any 180 (MAE e-Visa, 2026), or none for some nationals, and gives no right to live in Romania. Running a company takes a long-stay D visa, the route to a residence permit (art. 24(2) OUG 194/2002, 2026 text).
Our file serves a non-EU SRL member or SA shareholder with management powers, now or to be (art. 24(1)(c)); the company side is on the detailed company formation page, and the PFA sole trader status has its own guide.
Which visa a founder's role leads to
Your role decides the route; the choice is made in a conversation.
| Founder's role | Route | Key condition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| A business visit: meetings, negotiations | short-stay C visa, or none for some nationals | up to 90 days in any 180; fee EUR 90; where required, a Romanian company's invitation, decided by IGI within 45 days, extendable by 15 days in well-justified cases, visa requested within 30 days of approval | MAE e-Visa, 2026; art. 38(1)(c), (4), (6) OUG 194/2002 |
| A member (SRL) or shareholder (SA) with management or administration powers, now or to be | D/AC long-stay visa, then the IGI residence permit | the ARICE technical opinion on the business plan first | art. 24(1)(c), 43(1) OUG 194/2002; IGI, 2026 |
| A founder whose business stays abroad | digital nomad D/AS: the D/AS visa for remote workers | means from the activity of at least three times the Romanian average gross monthly earnings (9,192 lei is the 2026 social insurance budget average, art. 19 Law 44/2026; IGI and MAE do not say which average the consulates apply) | IGI, 2026; art. 19 Law 44/2026 |
| A hired administrator who is not a member | D/AS long-stay visa | the company contributed at least EUR 50,000 in capital or technology; no Romanian stake held in the last 2 years | MAE e-Visa, 2026 |
| The manager of a foreign company's branch, subsidiary or representative office | D/AS long-stay visa; see whether to register a branch or form a subsidiary in Romania | means at the guaranteed gross minimum wage for the whole visa period; no other foreigner holds a right of stay on this ground at that branch | MAE e-Visa, 2026 |
| An EU, EEA or Swiss founder | no visa and no ARICE opinion | residence registered if the stay exceeds 3 months, with the ONRC status certificate (certificat constatator) showing the founder is an administrator as the purpose document | IGI, 2026 |
What's included
Route mapping
Your role and vehicle against each route, SRL beside SA; legal advice from a Romanian lawyer (art. 3(2) Law 51/1995).
The company side
The SRL formed or joined under a power of attorney, its papers for IGI, and whether it needs a business licence in Romania.
The ARICE business-plan file
The plan in the art. 43(2)(a) structure, with a financial projection over at least 3 years; the figures are yours, ARICE decides.
The D/AC visa file
The documents below gathered, checked and translated; the e-Visa form and the appointment. You file in person.
The first residence permit file
The IGI list checked and the file ready for you to file in person or online (step 7); we help with any missing-document request.
Renewal tracking
The renewal date and test on your stake, the labour inspectorate (ITM) certificate and the ARICE follow-up opinion.
Business-visitor invitations
For visitors who need one: a Romanian company's invitation file, prepared for IGI approval.
Where the service stops
No legal advice, drafting, reserved representation, tax advice, payroll or bookkeeping; no money or person for a company role; no investor-residence product; no promised decision.
How the D/AC route works, from the company to the renewal
Steps 2 to 4 follow the order the documents require, not a sequence ARICE has confirmed.
law an official term none no time stated; none is confirmed
- I
Role and vehicle
Founder and Romanian lawyer
- no time stated
- II
The company and its payment account
Our attorney, ONRC and the bank
- filed within 15 days of the constitutive act
- payment account within 60 working days
- III
The founder's Romanian bank statement
Founder and bank
- no time stated; none is confirmed
- IV
Business plan and ARICE opinion
Founder, us and ARICE
- no time stated; none is confirmed
- opinion valid 6 months
- V
Visa application
Founder at the Romanian mission
- at most 3 months before arrival
- VI
IGI opinion and the visa
IGI and the National Visa Centre
- IGI opinion: 30 days, plus 15
- D visa runs 90 days
- VII
First residence permit
Founder and the county IGI unit
- filed at least 30 days before the visa stay ends
- decided in 30 days, plus up to 15
- VIII
Year one and the renewal
Founder, company and IGI
- renew at least 30 days before expiry
- permit: 1 year at a time
Role and vehicle
SRL managing member or SA shareholder: you decide, with a Romanian lawyer's advice; we set out the conditions.
The company and its payment account
Filed under a power of attorney within 15 days of the constitutive act (art. 36(1) Law 31/1990); payment account within 60 working days (art. 1(12) Law 70/2015, from 1 January 2026, Law 239/2025).
The founder's Romanian bank statement
A personal Romanian bank account in your name for the art. 43(2)(b) statement. We state no time for this step; none is confirmed.
Business plan and ARICE opinion
We prepare the plan with you; ARICE decides, its opinion valid 6 months (art. 43(7)). We state no time for this step; none is confirmed.
Visa application
The e-Visa form, then in person at the Romanian mission, at most 3 months before arrival (art. 29(4)(a)); fee EUR 300 from 27 April 2026 (MAE).
IGI opinion and the visa
IGI's opinion within 30 days, extendable by 15, then the National Visa Centre's approval (IGI, 2026); the D visa runs 90 days.
First residence permit
A Romania residence permit for business: you file it at the county IGI unit or online, at least 30 days before the visa stay ends; decided within 30 days, plus up to 15; 1 year.
Year one and the renewal
Invest and hire per the plan within 12 months; REGES-Online contracts before work starts, payroll by your CECCAR accountant; renew at least 30 days before expiry. Non-EU hires: the work permit guide.
The registrar's one working day is the statute's term only (art. 105(1) Law 265/2022, 2022 text). See the SRL formation page and the detailed business bank account page; a ready-made company in Romania is subject to the same tests.
Not sure which route your role in the company leads to?
Our plan sets your role against the D/AC and D/AS conditions; the choice is yours, in a conversation.
Documents you will need
- Passport valid 3 months beyond the visa, issued in the last 10 years (MAE).
- Criminal record certificate (or equivalent) from the country of origin or residence, translated into Romanian, English or French as the case may be, and legalised (MAE e-Visa).
- Travel medical insurance for the visa period, minimum cover EUR 30,000.
- Proof of accommodation.
- The ARICE opinion.
- Your Romanian bank statement.
- Business-plan information; identity documents and powers of attorney.
- The company's registration certificate and constitutive act.
- Proof of means for the whole permit.
- Lawful use of the seat and the home.
- Social insurance proof, medical certificate, declaration, fee receipts.
- Renewal: ARICE follow-up opinion, ITM certificate, proof of the investment.
Romanian requirements: the entry test, the renewal test and the state fees
Figures from OUG 194/2002, IGI consolidation valid 27 to 30 April 2026; ARICE's current practice on the art. 43(2) amounts is unconfirmed. SA figures, for our SA formation service, sit beside SRL ones.
| Item | Figure | Applied by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARICE opinion: bank balance | at least EUR 100,000 (SRL member) or EUR 150,000 (SA shareholder), one statement of a Romanian bank in the founder's own name | ARICE | art. 43(2)(b) OUG 194/2002 |
| ARICE opinion: investment within 12 months of the permit | at least EUR 100,000 (SRL) or EUR 150,000 (SA), in capital or technology | ARICE | art. 43(2)(c) |
| ARICE opinion: new jobs within 12 months of the permit | at least 10 (SRL) or 15 (SA); several applicants in one company assessed separately | ARICE | art. 43(2)(d), 43(3) |
| Validity of the ARICE opinion | 6 months from issue | ARICE | art. 43(7) |
| First permit: means | EUR 500 a month (SRL member) or EUR 700 (SA shareholder), for the whole permit | IGI | art. 55(1)(d); IGI, 2026 |
| Renewal test | EUR 50,000 and 10 full-time jobs (SRL member) or EUR 70,000 and 15 (SA shareholder), counted on the stake; means earned in Romania | IGI | art. 55(2)(e), (f), 55(6) |
| Long-stay (D) visa fee | EUR 300 for applications from 27 April 2026 (EUR 120 before) | the Romanian mission | MAE e-Visa fees, 2026 |
| Short-stay (C) visa fee | EUR 90 | the Romanian mission | MAE e-Visa fees, 2026 |
| Residence permit fees | EUR 120 consular fee paid in lei, plus 265 lei for the card | State Treasury; the CEC Bank account IGI publishes | IGI fee sheet, 2025-2026 |
| IGI decision on the permit | 30 days from filing, extendable by up to 15 for checks; the right of stay is kept while it is pending | IGI | art. 51(4), 51(42); IGI, 2026 |
Growth eases the route: no proof of means from EUR 200,000 or 50 jobs (art. 55(4)); 3-year permits from EUR 500,000 or more than 50 jobs (art. 55(5)); long-term residence from EUR 1,000,000 or more than 100 jobs (art. 71(4)); each presupposes an operating company and an existing right of stay.
The 500 lei capital of a new SRL (art. VI(2) Law 239/2025) is not an immigration figure.
Entry: the ARICE opinion (art. 43(2))
- SRL member: bank balance EUR 100,000; investment EUR 100,000 and 10 new jobs within 12 months of the permit
- SA shareholder: bank balance EUR 150,000; investment EUR 150,000 and 15 new jobs within 12 months of the permit
ARICE's current practice not confirmed
First permit: means
- SRL member: EUR 500 a month
- SA shareholder: EUR 700 a month
For the whole permit, applied by IGI
Renewal (art. 55(2)(e))
- SRL member: EUR 50,000 and 10 jobs
- SA shareholder: EUR 70,000 and 15 jobs
Full-time jobs, counted on the stake
Entry and renewal set different investment figures, in different articles.
Problems we solve
Two investment figures, two articles
Entry (art. 43(2)) and renewal (art. 55(2)(e)) set different figures; we track both.
Two founders, one company
Art. 43(3) assesses each applicant separately, entry amounts rising with their number. At renewal, two equal members with EUR 100,000 and 20 jobs count EUR 50,000 and 10 jobs each (our computation, art. 55(2)(e), (6)).
Hiring yourself as the director
A current or recent (2-year) member or shareholder of a Romanian legal person is barred from the hired-administrator D/AS.
A virtual office as the seat
Whether a virtual office proves lawful use of the seat for IGI is not confirmed, so we promise neither way; see the registered address a new SRL needs.
The "court decision of incorporation" on IGI's list
IGI's list still names a court decision (hotărâre judecătorească de înființare), though the registrar decides registration. What IGI accepts instead is open; we flag it early.
Year two, not only year one
Payroll proved by an ITM certificate; a 400 to 800 lei late-filing fine (art. 135(1)(a)); tax residence (art. 7 pt. 28(c) Fiscal Code) is a separate test.
Will the company carry your first renewal?
We check the investment, jobs and means on your stake before the renewal date.
Who prepares your immigration file
Licensing and founder immigration lead, Bucharest. Romanian, English, Italian.
Formation and a registered office fall under anti-money-laundering law: identity checks first; legal advice through a Romanian lawyer.
From our practice
We prepare the D/AC, ARICE and IGI files and keep the two tests apart.
Frequently asked questions
Does owning a company in Romania give me the right to live there?
No. The company is a precondition, not a permit. The D/AC long-stay visa needs the investment agency's opinion on a business plan and management or administration powers in the company, and the residence permit has its own conditions under art. 55 OUG 194/2002. The 500 lei capital of a new SRL plays no part in those tests.
How much do I really have to invest: EUR 100,000 or EUR 50,000?
Both figures exist, in two provisions. For the ARICE opinion, art. 43(2) OUG 194/2002 sets EUR 100,000 invested and 10 new jobs within 12 months of the permit for an SRL member. For the renewal, art. 55(2)(e) sets EUR 50,000 and 10 full-time jobs. SA figures are higher. ARICE's current practice is not confirmed.
Do I need EUR 100,000 in a Romanian bank account before I apply?
For the ARICE opinion the ordinance sets one statement of a Romanian bank, in the founder's own name, showing at least EUR 100,000 for an SRL member or EUR 150,000 for an SA shareholder (art. 43(2)(b)). It is the founder's personal account, not the company's. We state no time for opening that account.
Can my business partner and I both get permits through the same company?
Yes, each on their own file. Under art. 43(3) each applicant is assessed separately and the investment and jobs rise with the number of applicants. The renewal test counts them on each stake (art. 55(6)): two equal members need EUR 100,000 and 20 jobs in total, half each giving EUR 50,000 and 10 jobs (our computation).
Can I be employed as the director of my own company instead of applying as a shareholder?
The hired-administrator D/AS visa needs a capital or technology contribution of at least EUR 50,000 by the company, and it is closed to anyone who is, or in the last 2 years was, a member or shareholder of any Romanian legal person. A founder who already holds Romanian shares is outside this route.
Will a virtual office be accepted as the company's registered office for the permit?
IGI asks for proof of lawful use of the company's registered office and of the founder's home. Whether IGI accepts a virtual office or domiciliation contract as that proof has not been confirmed, so we promise neither answer. The decision is IGI's; we check the documents before the file goes in.
What happens at the first renewal if the company has not hired 10 people yet?
The renewal test for an SRL member is EUR 50,000 invested and 10 full-time jobs, counted on the founder's stake and proved by a labour inspectorate certificate, with an ARICE opinion that the business plan was followed. The file is built around that test; we do not predict how IGI decides a file that misses it.
Is there a Romanian startup visa or golden visa?
Not in the ordinance as read: the long-stay purposes of art. 24(1) include no startup or investment-only category, and the founder route is the D/AC visa. The higher investment thresholds of art. 55 and 71(4) presuppose an operating company and a right of stay already held. Our golden visa guide answers the question in full.
What are the requirements for a business visa for Romania?
It depends on the purpose. A business visit uses the short-stay C visa, up to 90 days in any 180, fee EUR 90. Running a Romanian company uses the D/AC file: the ARICE opinion, a criminal record certificate, travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover, proof of accommodation and a valid passport.
Do I need a visa to visit Romania for business meetings, and what is a business invitation letter?
Some nationals need no C visa; others apply for one. Where an invitation is required, a Romanian company may invite visitors, as a rule 3 at a time; IGI decides within 45 days, extendable by 15 days in well-justified cases, and the visitor requests the visa within 30 days of approval. A visit gives no right to live in Romania.
Who qualifies for the D/AC visa?
Foreigners who are, or are to become, members of an SRL or shareholders of an SA with management or administration powers in a Romanian company that is to make an investment. The visa is granted on the investment agency's technical opinion on the business plan. A passive investor without management powers is outside the text.
How long does it take, from the ARICE opinion to the residence permit?
Only official terms can be given. The ARICE opinion is valid 6 months; the visa application is filed at most 3 months before arrival; IGI gives its opinion within 30 days, extendable by 15; the visa runs 90 days; the permit is filed at least 30 days before that stay ends and decided within 30 days, plus up to 15.
What are the state fees for the visa and the residence permit?
The long-stay visa costs EUR 300 for applications from 27 April 2026, and a short-stay C visa EUR 90 (MAE). The residence permit costs a EUR 120 consular fee paid in lei plus 265 lei for the card (IGI fee sheet, 2025-2026). ARICE and trade register fees are not printed here; our own fee is on request.
What are the new immigration rules for Romania in 2026?
From 27 April 2026 the long-stay visa fee is EUR 300. OUG 32/2026 updated the D/AC document list, naming ARICE and rewording the travel insurance, without changing the art. 43(2) amounts, and IGI assigns a personal numeric code written on the residence permit. This page states the ordinance as in force to 30 April 2026.
Can I apply for the long-stay visa online through the e-Visa portal?
Partly. The visa form is completed online on the e-Visa portal, then the founder files the application in person at the Romanian mission, with the documents and the fee. The first residence permit, once in Romania, may be filed in person at the county IGI unit or online through IGI's portal.
Request your founder visa plan
Your route, both tests, the documents, the clocks and who files what. We reply Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00 Bucharest time.