A long-stay visa means a visa entitling the holder to apply for an extension of the right of temporary residence for a period of more than 90 days. Thus, by obtaining this visa, you can request the extension of the right of temporary residence and obtaining a residence permit.

This visa is granted to foreigners, upon request, for a period of 90 days, with one or more entries for the following purposes:

a) Carrying out economic activities - foreigners who will carry out on the territory of Romania economic activities organized and regulated by special laws.

b) Carrying out professional activities - foreigners who will exercise on the territory of Romania liberal professions regulated by special laws.

c) Carrying out commercial activities - foreigners who will become shareholders or associates with attributions of management and administration of some commercial companies in Romania.

d) Employment - foreigners who will enter Romania in order to be employed. The visa granted for this purpose will also be issued to athletes who are to evolve in clubs or teams in Romania, based on an individual employment contract under the law.

e) Detachment - to qualified foreigners, employees of a legal entity with headquarters abroad, will carry out work activities on the territory of Romania, in accordance with the law.

f) Studies - foreigners who will enter Romania to follow courses in pre-university, university or post-university education, as the case may be, or to obtain scientific degrees within accredited state or private institutions, according to the law.

g) Family reunification - foreigners who will enter Romania in order to regain the family unit.

h) Religious activities - to foreigners who will enter Romania in order to carry out activities in the field of recognized cults, at their request.

i) Scientific research activities - foreigners who are going to enter Romania for carrying out scientific research activities.

j) Other purposes that do not contravene Romanian law.

It should be mentioned that the long-stay visa for other purposes is granted, upon request, by the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Romania in the country where they have their residence or domicile, in favor of the following categories of foreigners:

1. Those appointed as directors of a company, under certain conditions.

2. Those who request entry into the territory of Romania for the purpose of unpaid vocational training, within an accredited professional training provider or within a public or private sector enterprise, authorized, in accordance with the law, to carry out such activities.

3. Those who carry out activities within volunteer programs.

4. Those undergoing long-term medical treatment, within public or private medical institutions, if they present a letter of acceptance from the respective institutions, specifying the diagnosis and the duration of the treatment. This visa can also be granted for a possible companion, who assists the stranger who is unable to take care of himself if this is expressly mentioned in the letter of acceptance.

5. To those who carry out other activities that do not contravene the Romanian laws, if they justify their presence on the Romanian territory.

Once arrived in Romania, the foreign citizen must request the extension of his right of residence at least 30 days before the expiration of the validity of the long-stay visa.

It should be noted that there are only a few exceptions to the requirement to obtain a long-stay visa, respectively for citizens of the Member States of the European Union or the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, and Lichtenstein), and the Swiss Confederation can apply to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Immigration extension of the right of temporary residence and obtaining a residence permit without fulfilling the requirement to hold a long-stay visa.

Author: Attorney at law Cristian Badea, Law Office Grecu & Partners.

This is native content supported by Grecu & Partners.