Guidance

Romania: Knowledge Base profile

Updated 9 April 2024

Version 3.0

About: Romania

This document contains useful information about Romania which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email HM Passport Office’s Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 3.0

• published for Home Office staff on 9 April 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Romania: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Romania.

Names in Romania consist of:

• a surname

• a forename

• an optional middle name

Where a person has two or more forenames or surnames, these are hyphenated.

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Romania.

For a person to change their name, they must make an application to the local authorities who will assess the request; these can be submitted at a consulate outside Romania.

If the name change is approved, the person will be issued with an updated Romania birth certificate, which will allow them to apply for an updated Romania passport.

If the name change is not approved, the Romania authorities will issue a letter to explain the reason why.

Romania: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Romania.

Dual nationality is recognised in Romania.

Romania: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in Romania.

Legitimacy

Romania does not recognise a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births. All children are born legitimate whether their parents are married or not.

Parental responsibility

Both parents will hold parental responsibility if they are married.

If parents are unmarried parental responsibility is held solely by the mother unless paternity has been established and the parents live together. If the mother was married to someone else at the time of the birth, a court decision is required to establish paternity.

If parents divorce or separate they both still hold parental responsibility unless the courts decide that only one parent should have parental responsibility.

Romania: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Romania.

Adoption is legal in Romania.

Overseas adoptions are not allowed.

Romania: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Romania.

Surrogacy is not legal in Romania.

Romania: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Romania.

Transgender citizens are recognised in Romania.

Romania: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in Romania.

The style and format of birth, death and marriage certificates in Romania changed in 1989, and there are 2 styles of certificate in circulation.

Following the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, HM Passport Office cannot accept Multilingual Standard Forms (MSFs) issued by member states. An MSF will:

• contain a reference to the convention signed at Vienna on September 8 1976, this may be on the reverse of the document

• be marked as a Formul A (birth certificate), normally in the top right corner on the front of the document in the language of the country where the document was issued

  • there will also be marriage certificates and death certificates that will have a different Formul version that is also not acceptable

These documents are an extract of a civil registration record translated into the language needed and not a full, original certificate.

Birth certificates

Birth certificates are issued following the registration of all births in Romania. Birth records are held on the National Registry of Person Records which can be accessed by the local registry office. Replacement certificates can be obtained.

If there is an error on an original birth certificate, this will be corrected, and a new birth certificate issued.

The 2 types of birth certificate in circulation, are known as:

• Certificat de Nastere (older version)

• Extras al Actului de Nastere (new version)

Marriage certificates

Only a civil marriage is legal in Romania and these are compulsory if a couple decide to get married.

Marriages are conducted at the registry office in the area where the bride or groom lives. The marriage register must be signed before the registrar or mayor, and a certificate will be issued.

There are two types of marriage certificate in circulation, including:

• Certificat de Casatorie (older version)

• Extras al Actului de Casatorie (new version)

Death certificates

Deaths in Romania must be registered as soon as possible, with the local registry office; the registry office will issue a death certificate to allow burial to take place.

The National Registry of Person Records holds a central registry of all deaths in Romania.

Identity documents

Residence cards are issued to all Romania citizens, these can be used as an identity document and for travel within the European Union (EU). Foreign nationals can apply for a residence card, but these are not travel documents.

There are two types of residence cards in circulation. These are versions issued:

• before 1 January 2017

• on or after 1 January 2017, containing a modified state coat of arms

The residence cards are not laminated when they are issued, laminating the card invalidates it.

Alongside the main Romania passport, Romania also issues an un-chipped Temporary Passport. These are issued:

• for journeys outside the European Union (except Moldova)

• to minors under 14 years of age

• to Romanian citizens who are domiciled abroad (and may have travelled only on their identity Card to date)

A Temporary Passport may be used as a second passport, if the:

• main Romania passport has stamps for incompatible destinations

• ePassport is held by another authority for a visa application