Romania – Researcher

Are you a non-EU citizen wishing to carry out research in Romania? You can find information below on the conditions to fulfil and procedures to follow, as well as the rights you can enjoy during your stay.

To enter Portugal as a worker for a period of less than a year, you must have a valid Seasonal Work Visa or a Temporary stay visa for seasonal work for a duration of over 90 days (see seasonal worker profile).

For longer periods, you must obtain a residence visa. The residence visa does not automatically grant you a right of residence. Once in Portugal, you must apply for a residence permit.

Where and how to apply

You must obtain a long-stay visa at the Romanian embassy in your country of origin or of residence. This visa is identified by the symbol D/CS.

Upon arrival, you must apply for a residence permit at the General Inspectorate for Immigration.

Documents required

When applying for a long-stay visa for scientific research, you must provide:

  • an approval from the Ministry of Research and Innovation on the receiving agreement. The Ministry ofResearch and Innovation will verify the existence of an agreement concluded between you and your research institution which shows that you have been accepted to carry out the activity as part of a research project;
  • a criminal record;
  • a general health insurance, covering the entire length of the visa’s validity period.

When applying for a temporary residence permit for scientific research, you must show the agreement concluded between you and your research institution, countersigned by the Ministry ofResearch and Innovation.

Duration of validity of permits

The long-stay visa for scientific/research purposes is valid for 90 days.

The residence right for this purpose is extended for a period equal to the duration provided for in the agreement, but not more than 5 consecutive years.

Further information

More on carrying out research in Romania

Change of employmentYou are tied to the research agreement concluded with the research institute.
Change of statusYou are allowed to change status if conditions are met.
Long-term residence

To be granted a long-term residence permit, you must show that your temporary stay in Romania has been legal and continuous for at least five years. Only half the time spent as a student with a temporary residence permit can be taken into account when calculating this period.

During the five-year period, you must not have left Romania for more than six months in one year or for more than ten months in total.

You must show:

  • sufficient financial resources, either by showing proof of your bank account or a monthly income such as a salary, pension etc. at least the level of minimum wage;
  • proof of health insurance; and
  • adequate accommodation, for example a registered lease contract.

You must also do a language test to prove a satisfactory level of Romanian and must not pose a threat to public order or national security.

If you have obtained a permanent right to stay, you will be issued with a long-term residence permit, renewable every five years.

Long-term resident status gives you equal treatment with Romanian citizens regarding the conditions for access to the labour market (except public prerogatives), education and vocational training, social security, social and health care, social protection and medical assistance.

More on permanent residenceSearch for available translations of the preceding link (in Romanian).

Family reunificationYou may apply for family reunification, even if your residence permit is valid for less than one year.
 

The temporary residence right for scientific research purpose on mobility

Short-term mobility

The third-country national, holder of a valid long-stay visa or a residence permit for scientific research, issued by another Member State of the European Union, may enter and remain in Romania to carry out research activities for a period of up to 180 days in any period of 360 days without the obligation to obtain a visa, from the date of notification sent by the research-development unit to the territorial unit of the General Inspectorate for Immigration on whose radius the third-country national is to carry out his/her activity.

Family members, holders of a long-stay visa or a residence permit for family reunification, issued by the first Member State and accompanying the researcher, may enter and remain in Romania with him/her under the same conditions.

Any objections to the mobility of researchers and their family members shall be communicated in writing to the competent authorities of the first Member State and to the research and development unit which submitted the notification and shall result in a ban on the researcher’s activity in Romania.

Long-term mobility

For the purpose of carrying out scientific research activities for a period of more than 180 days, , the third-country national holding a valid long-stay visa or residence permit for scientific research purposes, issued by another Member State of the European Union, as well as accompanying family members, holders of long-stay visas or residence permits for the purpose of family reunification issued by the first Member State, may enter and apply for long-term mobility (extension of the residence right on the territory of Romania), without the obligation to obtain a long-stay visa.

During the long-term mobility, their residence right will be extended for scientific research, respectively for family reunification purposes, as the case may be, if they present the following documents:

  • a long-stay visa or residence permit issued by the first Member State;
  • the agreement concluded with the research-development unit in Romania;
  • proof of the duration and planned data for the mobility if they are not specified in the agreement;
  • the approval of the Ministry of Research and Innovation;
  • means of subsistence, in the amount of at least the minimum gross basic salary for a period of at least 6 months.

In the context of long-term mobility, the researcher may carry out scientific research activities from the date of submission of the application for extending the residence right.

The residence right for research purposes shall be extended for a period equal to the duration provided for in the agreement.

The extension, revocation or cessation of the residence right for third-country nationals carrying out scientific research in the context of long-term mobility shall be notified by the General Inspectorate for Immigration to the competent authorities of the first Member State within 30 days of the measure.