Lear more about the types of entry into Romania, the procedures which may be applicable to you depending on how you entered the country, and what options you do have.
You have arrived in Romania in one of the following ways:
Legal entry – is when you have the necessary documentation (visa, passport/travel documents) and you comply with the conditions for entering Romania.
If you have entered legally, please make sure you renew your documents (e.g. passport, visa) before they expire. Otherwise, you will be residing irregularly in Romania.
Irregular entry – is when you do not possess the necessary documentation and have crossed or have attempted to cross the border into Romania irregularly. There are different procedures that will or may apply to you.
Will I be punished for crossing the border irregularly?
Irregular border crossing may be punishable in Romania, depending on circumstances.
Will I be returned to my country?
Irrespective of how you entered Romania, if you think you are in need of international protection and fear to return home, you have the right to apply for asylum. Once you apply for asylum in Romania, you have the right not to be returned back to your country, until the asylum procedure is finalized. The Romanian authority called the General Inspectorate for Immigration (GII, or IGI in Romanian) will be the one responsible for analyzing your asylum application.
What could happen to me if I crossed the border irregularly?
If you apply for asylum, the fact that you came to Romania illegally will not affect the outcome of the procedure. In other words, your asylum application is not rejected because of your lack of legal travel documents.
If you do not wish to seek asylum in Romania, and you crossed the border irregularly, you may be subject to readmission or return agreements. This means you may be returned to the country from which you crossed or to your home country. If you do not wish to apply for asylum in Romania and you no longer have a legal right to stay in Romania, you will also most likely have to leave the country.
In both situations above you may be placed in a public custody centre in view of your removal from Romania.
What do I have to do after I crossed the border into Romania?
Please go to the public authorities as quickly as possible, otherwise you will be residing in Romania irregularly and you may be removed from the country. Your asylum procedure can only begin quickly if you follow the instructions of the public authorities.
You can find more information about applying for asylum at the border and the asylum procedure by clicking on the following sections