1/1/1900
Romanian passport may be obtained by anyone who is a Romanian citizen.
According to the Law 21/1991 regarding the Romanian citizenship, Romanian citiznship can be acquired by:
1. birth
2. adoption
3. granted at the applicant’s request, in compliance with the dispositions of the Romanian law.
1. Aquiring Romanian citizenship by birth
There are Romanian citizens those who were born in Romania and their parents are Romanian citizens.
There are also Romanian citizens those who:
a.) were born on the territory of the Romanian state, even if only one parent is a Romanian citizen;
b.) were born abroad and both parents or only one of them has Romanian citizenship.
The child found on the territory of the Romanian state is considered a Romanian citizen, until proven otherwise, if none of his parents is known.
2. Acquiring Romanian citizenship by adoption
Romanian citizenship is acquired by a foreign child or without citizenship by adoption, if adopters are Romanian citizens. If the adopted is a major, it is needed his consent.
If only one of adopters is Romanian citizen, the citizenship of the adopted who is minor – will be decided by the adopters by mutual agreement. In case the adopters do not come to an agreement, the competent court who decides upon the adoption shall decide also upon the citizenship of the adopted minor, taking into account his interests. For the child who has attained the age of 14, it is necessary his consent.
If adoption is made by only one person, and this is a Romanian citizen, the child acquires the citizenship of the adopter.
In case of anullment or cancellation of adoption, the child under the age of 18 shall be deemed as he has never been a Romanian citizen, whether he is resident abroad or if he leaves the country to reside abroad.
In case of dissolution of adoption, the child under the age of 18 loses Romanian citizenship on the date of dissolution of adoption, if he resides abroad or if he leaves the country to reside abroad.
3. Acquiring Romanian citizenship at the applicant’s request
Regaining and acquiring the Romanian citizenship by persons who were born in Romania and by their descendants
Romanian citizenship can be granted to persons who have lost Romanian citizenship and to their descendants up to the second degree inclusive (their children and grandchildren), and ask its recovery keeping their foreign citizenship and either establishing their domicile in Romania or maintaining their residence abroad, in compliance with the dispositions of the Romanian law.
The former Romanian citizens who have acquired Romanian citizenship by birth or by adoption and who lost it for reasons not attributable to them, or their Romanian citizenship was raised without their will, and also their descendants to the third degree (children, grandchildren and great grandchildren) may regain their Romanian citizenship or it can be granted to them, upon request, keeping their foreign citizenship and either establishing their residence in Romania or maintainig their residence abroad, in compliance with the dispositions of the Romanian law.
Regaining Romanian citizenship by one of the spouses has no effect upon the nationality of the other spouse.
Romanian citizenship ca be granted, upon request, to the person without citizenship or to the foreign citizen that meets the following requirements:
a) was born and resides, on application date, on the territory of the Romanian state or, although not born on that territory, he resides in compliance with the dispositions of the law, on the territory of the Romanian state for at least 8 years, or if married and living with a citizen Romanian, at least five years after marriage;
b) proves, by conduct, actions and attitude, loyalty to the Romanian state, does not take or support any actions against law, public order or national security and declares that in the past he was not involved in such actions;
c.) has attained the age of 18
d.) has provided legal means for a decent existence in Romania, in compliance with the legal dispositions applicable to the foregn citizens;
e.) is known with a good attitude and was not convicted in the country or abroad for an offence that makes him unworthy of being a Romanian citizen;
f.) speaks Romanian and has basic notions of Romanian culture and civilization, sufficiently to integrate in the Romanian society;
g.) knows the Romanian Constitution and national anthem.
The terms stipulated at point a.) above may be reduced by half in the following situations:
a) the applicant is an internationally recognized personality;
b) the applicant is a citizen of a Member State of the European Union;
c) the applicant has acquired refugee status under existing legal provisions;
d) the applicant has invested in Romania amounts exceeding 1 million euro.
If a foreign person or a person without citizenship who has requested to be granted Romanian citizenship has been outside the territory of the Romanian state for more than 6 months in a year, that year is not taken into consideration for the period set at point a.) above.
The child born from parents foreign citizens or without citizenship and who has not reached the age of 18 acquires the Romanian citizenship together with his parents.
The application for gaining or for regaining Romanian citizenship shall be drawn-up in Romanian language, and shall be addressed to the Citizenship Comission and submitted personally or, in duly justified cases, by attorney-in-fact with authenticated power of attorney, at the headquarters of the National Authority for Citizenship, accompanied by documents proving the fulfilment of the conditions set by law.
The application for gaining or for regaining Romanian citizenship may also be submitted to the diplomatic missions or consular offices of Romania from abroad.
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