If you are one of the thousands of British expats currently living in Romania, then you are probably wondering what will happen with your rights of stay as Brexit is approaching.
The Queen has recently argued that she supports Brexit for the 31st of October 2019 and the EU just announced that an agreement has been met with the British authorities.
These are not good news for the expats in Romania. However, we also must analyse the statements of the Romanian representatives. In May 2019, the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs made a public statement claiming that all legal rights that the Brits have when Brexit takes place will be kept until said rights expire.
In other words, the Romanian state will not declare the existing certificates of registration/residency permits for British citizens (CNPs) null and void just because of Brexit.
Given the above, we at R&R PARTNERS BUCHAREST have 3 options for the British citizens who want to stay longer in Romania after Brexit takes place. The options are as follows:
1) Extending your right to stay in Romania
Depending on your personal status, you might request an extension for your right to stay in Romania at the immigration office (IGI). The extension can be given for 5 years from the date of submission and, who knows, maybe you can apply for citizenship or permanent residency after this term expires.
Even if you have an initial residency permit for 5 years, renewing it now will give you the right to apply directly for permanent residency and not go through temporary residency after your first 5 years are over.
But be careful, there are many cases in which employers obtain rights of stay for their Brit employees and only asked for a one-year permit. You should know that even for a shorter employment contract, you can directly ask for a 5-year permit. If your employer or their HR department doesn’t want to ask for a 5-year CNP at IGI, it might be a good idea to ask and independent consultant or immigration lawyer to help you.
2) Applying for permanent residency
If you have lived in Romania for more than 5 years without leaving the country for more than 6 months within a year, you can apply for permanent residency as EU citizen.
The good part is that you do not need to speak Romanian, like it is required for citizenship or non-EU permanent residency, and it’s more or less of a formality. The new residency permit is available for 10 years.
3) Applying for Romanian citizenship
If you have lived in Romania for more than 4 years and you didn’t leave the country more than 6 months within a year, you can apply for the Romanian citizenship.
However, be aware that you must speak Romanian very well and you will take a test on Romanian culture, history and constitution. Your citizenship request will be either approved or denied within a year.
You will not have the right to stay in Romania during this period if you do not have a valid staying permit.
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So, there you have it, 3 options to legally extend your stay in Romania and prepare for the Brexit!
If you have any questions or require assistance in the process, so that everything goes smoothly, please contact us at office@rrpb.ro or check out our website for more information: www.rrpb.ro