Frequently Asked Questions

Asylum means the grant, by a State, of protection on its territory to persons outside their country and who are at risk of persecution, serious human rights violations or other serious harm there. Asylum includes a variety of components, including protection from return, the right to stay on the territory, as well as enjoyment of socio, economic and cultural rights. In Romania, there are two forms of international protection: refugee status and subsidiary protection.

An asylum-seeker is someone who has applied for asylum/international protection and whose request has not yet been finally determined.

Yes. The right to seek asylum is a universal right, and you can apply for asylum even if you have entered or you are residing in Romania irregularly.

Asylum-seekers have the right to work in Romania in 3 months after they applied for asylum. If the person was residing and working legally in Romania at the time of applying for asylum, he/she can continue working.

On average, the asylum procedure takes approximately 2-3 months in the administrative phase, and between a few months and up to 2 years in the court procedure, depending on the court (if you appeal in court the decision issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration). However, if your asylum application is analyzed in the border procedure or accelerated procedure, the period is much shorter. More details on these procedures here.

No. You will be provided with a translator automatically, free if charge. If before or during the interview you realize you cannot understand the interpreter, or you have doubts about his/her translation, you need to inform the officer and another interpreter will be appointed, if available.

You can receive information and counseling regarding your asylum procedure and your asylum interview from specialized NGOs, free of charge. If you wish to be assisted by an NGO (or a UNHCR representative) during the interview, you should request this and inform the General Inspectorate for Immigration (GII/IGI) before the interview. They can be present at the interview, free of charge.

The asylum application is analyzed based on the statements you made during the interview, the documents in your file and any other relevant documents you submitted, the information about the situation in your country of origin, and the assessment of your credibility. Therefore, it is very important you provide the authorities with truthful, relevant and complete information about your situation, and submit any documents you might have which support your claim.

The so-called Dublin procedure may help close family members, who find themselves in different Dublin countries, to reunite. For example if you are an adult and your spouse or minor children are in another Dublin country as beneficiaries of international protection, as asylum-seekers, or with other legal stay. Or if you are below the age of 18 and a member of your family (parent, brother/sister, uncle/aunt, grandfather/grandmother) is staying legally in a Dublin country. Therefore, it is very important to be honest and inform the asylum authorities of where your family members are. You should submit any document which might prove the family links. Be careful! The Dublin procedure can only be initiated if a decision has not been issued yet by the General Inspectorate for Immigration (GII, or IGI in Romanian). However, you can join your family member(s) only if the other Dublin country accepts.

Don’t try and run away to another country, it is likely that you will be returned to Romania!

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

If you receive refugee status or subsidiary protection, you can bring your family members to Romania under the procedures of family reunification or family reunion. Depending on the procedure applicable, you can bring the following family members: husband/wife, children under 18, or parents and adult children who are dependent on you. You can submit a request with the General Inspectorate for Immigration (GII, or IGI in Romanian) as soon as you received protection. More on family reunification HERE.

Children born on the territory of Romania are not automatically granted Romanian citizenship. Romania automatically grants citizenship to children born from at least one Romanian parent. Your child could obtain Romanian citizenship if you or the other parent acquire Romanian citizenship and you transfer it to the child.

International protection can end (called cessation) when a change in circumstances takes place in the country of origin that makes it safe for you to return, when you acquire citizenship, when you voluntarily return to the country from which you fled, or if you renounce it.

Your international protection can be revoked if your story proves to be false, if you used false documents in the procedure or false data upon which the decision to grant you refugee status or subsidiary protection was taken.

If you received refugee status or subsidiary protection in Romania, you can apply for a long-term residence permit after 3 years, if you fulfill all required conditions. Foreigners are eligible to apply for Romanian citizenship if they have been residing legally in Romania for at least 8 years, or if they have been married and living with a Romanian citizen for at least 5 years old. For persons with refugee status, this period is reduced by half. You will also have to fulfill other conditions, including: respecting and knowing the Romanian law; being able to support yourself financially; knowledge of Romanian language, history and culture etc. For more information on the general requirements for obtaining long-term residency or Romanian citizenship, you can contact CNRR (non-governmental organization).