What you should do
Coronavirus
You should follow the advice of the Romanian Government and your local authority. You can also read our Romania travel advice for our latest guidance.
For information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine as a UK national in Romania see our coronavirus travel advice.
Stay up to date
You should:
Attend a citizen outreach meeting
The British Embassy holds events across Romania for UK nationals. Attend one of our citizens’ outreach meetings to keep up to date on working and living in Romania. Dates for any new events will be advertised on the embassy’s social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter.
You can also:
The Withdrawal Agreement
If you were legally resident in Romania before 1 January 2021, your rights will be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement. You must apply for a new residence status by 31 December 2021 to secure your rights.
You should also read our guidance on living in Europe.
Visas and residency
Check the entry requirements for Romania.
Residency
All UK nationals resident in Romania before 1 January 2021 need to apply for a new residency card. You must apply for the new card before 31 December 2021.
Read the Romanian government’s guidance on residency for UK nationals living in Romania.
You should sign up for email alerts to this guidance.
Healthcare
You must register for healthcare as a resident in Romania.
Read our guidance on healthcare in Romania and make sure you are correctly registered.
If your UK employer has sent you to Romania temporarily, your access to healthcare is different. Find out how to access healthcare as a posted worker.
State healthcare: S1
If you have a registered S1 form and were living in Romania 1 January 2021, your rights to access healthcare will stay the same if you are either:
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receiving a UK State Pension
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receiving some other ‘exportable benefits’
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a frontier worker who lives in Romania and commutes to work in the UK
Read our guidance on using an S1 form in Romania to ensure you are correctly registered for healthcare.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
If you are resident in Romania, you must not use a UK-issued EHIC to access healthcare in Romania.
If you were living in Romania before 1 January 2021, you may be eligible for a new UK-issued EHIC if you’re:
An EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
For more information you can read our guidance on healthcare when travelling in Europe and advice on foreign travel insurance
You should also read guidance on:
Passports and travel
Passports
Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You can [apply for or renew your British passport (https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports) from Romania.
You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland). This requirement does not apply if you are entering or transiting to Romania, and you are in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement.
If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.
Renew your passport before booking your travel if you do not have enough time left on your passport.
As a non-EEA national, different border checks will apply when travelling to other EU or Schengen area countries. You may have to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing. You may also need to show a return or onward ticket.
Entry requirements
You can travel to other Schengen area countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa for purposes such as tourism.
To stay longer than 90 days in any 180 day period, to work or study, or for business travel, you must meet the entry requirements set out by the country you are travelling to. This could mean applying for a visa or work permit.
Periods of time authorised by a visa or permit will not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.
Different rules will apply to EU countries that are not part of the Schengen area. Check each country’s travel advice page for information on entry requirements.
Travel to the UK and Ireland has not changed.
Working in Romania
If you were legally resident in Romania before 1 January 2021, you have the right to work, as long as you remain legally resident.
If you intend to work in Romania, you must register with the Romanian Office for Immigrants. You can also register as self-employed. The General Inspectorate for Immigration has more information.
You may need to apply for a:
Frontier workers
If you live in Romania and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or EFTA country, before 1 January 2021, you will need a permit to prove you are a frontier worker.
If you live in the UK or another EU or EFTA country and regularly commuted to work in Romania before 1 January 2021 you need a permit. You must apply for the permit at the immigration office where you work.
Read the Romanian government’s guidance for UK nationals which includes information for frontier workers.
Education and professional qualifications
You will be eligible for broadly the same support as Romanian nationals, as long as you were legally resident in Romania before 1 January 2021. You must apply for a residence permit in Romania.
Read our guidance on:
Moving to Romania to study
If you are planning to study in Romania, make sure you meet all visa requirements before you arrive. Contact the relevant Higher Education provider in Romania to check what fees you have to pay.
For more information read studying in the European Union.
Professional qualifications
You may need to get your professional qualification recognised if you want to work in a profession that is regulated in Romania. When doing this, you will be subject to the third country regulations.
Read the Romanian government’s guidance on how to get your professional qualifications recognised.
If your qualification was officially recognised by the relevant regulator in Romania before 1 January 2021, make sure you understand the terms of your recognition decision by checking with that regulator.
Money and tax
The UK has a double taxation agreement with Romania to ensure you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.
Existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Romania have not changed.
Read guidance about:
You should obtain professional advice on paying tax in Romania. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Romania.
National Insurance
Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Romania.
Banking
Whether UK banks can provide services to customers living in the EEA is a matter of local law and regulation. Your bank, or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it. if you have any concerns about whether you might be affected, contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.
Read the Money and Pension service guidance on banking, insurance and financial services changes for more information on cross-border banking.
Pensions
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Romania.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
If you retire in Romania, you can claim:
Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on pension and retirement changes for more information on cross-border pensions.
Life certificates for UK State Pensions
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
Benefits
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Romania.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.
Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.
Romanian benefits
You may be entitled to Romanian benefits. To find out if you are entitled to Romanian benefits and how to claim, you can:
Driving in Romania
If you are resident in Romania there is currently no requirement to exchange your UK licence for a local one.
If you are in Romania and your UK driving license is lost, stolen or expires, you will not be able to renew it with the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will need to apply to the DVLA for a certificate of entitlement in Romania to be able to apply for a Romanian driving licence.
For more information on driving in Romania, read the guidance on
Driving in the UK with a Romanian licence
You can use your Romanian licence in the UK for short visits, or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test.
Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Romania
Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.
You must read the EU´s guidance on car registration rules and taxes in Romania. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so, you will need certificates of exemption.
Voting
You cannot vote in local municipal, national or European Parliament elections in Romania.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:
Births, deaths and getting married
If your child is born in Romania, you will need to register a birth abroad.
If someone dies in Romania, you must:
Find out how you can get married abroad.
Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Romania.
Accommodation and buying property
Read guidance on how to buy property abroad.
Pets
If you have a pet passport issued by Romania or another EU member state, you can use it to travel with your pet to Great Britain and elsewhere in the EU.
A GB-issued EU pet passport is not valid for travel to the EU or Northern Ireland. You should speak to your vet before you travel to get the necessary pet travel documents and ensure you’re compliant with the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
Read guidance on:
Check the rules of the country you’re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel.
Emergencies
You can dial the European emergency number 112. It is the only emergency number in Romania.
If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Bucharest.
Returning to the UK
Tell the UK and Romanian authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.
Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.
Disclaimer
Note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information must be obtained from the Romanian authorities. The FCDO will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
