Romania

1 programme · RON · Romanian

Re-run the quiz →

Showing Romania's requirements for Canadian citizens. Other passports:🇺🇸 US 🇬🇧 UK 🇿🇦 ZA 🇦🇺 AU All passports

Last updated July 2026Sources:igi.mai.gov.ro

Digital Nomad Visa

Official nomad visa

What this visa gets you

Visa
Entry document
Temporary residency
1 year, renewable
Permanent residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
After 8 years of residence

Nomads in the r/digitalnomad community described Romania as an attractive EU base due to its relatively low cost of living. One commenter noted that a decent Bucharest apartment could be found for well under €500/month even in central areas, suggesting the country appeals more to budget-conscious nomads than high spenders. The active tech scene in cities like Cluj and Bucharest is also noted by community members as a draw.

Nomads in the r/digitalnomad community described Romania as an attractive EU base due to its relatively low cost of living. One commenter noted that a decent Bucharest apartment could be found for well under €500/month even in central areas, suggesting the country appeals more to budget-conscious nomads than high spenders. The active tech scene in cities like Cluj and Bucharest is also noted by community members as a draw.
r/digitalnomad ↗r/Romania ↗

Anecdotal: what nomads report, not official guidance.

Income requirement: RON 27.576/luna = de 3 ori castigul salarial mediu brut prognozat pentru 2026 (9.192 RON, legea bugetului asigurarilor sociale de stat); baza legala: Legea 22/2022 care modifica OUG 194/2002
Application fee: €120
Family allowed: No

Community members flagged that Romania's digital nomad law as passed explicitly requires the holder to be employed by or owner of a foreign-registered company — several commenters expressed disappointment that freelancers and independent contractors appear to be excluded. Health insurance and a clean criminal record are also cited as part of the document checklist discussed in early drafts of the law.

Community members flagged that Romania's digital nomad law as passed explicitly requires the holder to be employed by or owner of a foreign-registered company — several commenters expressed disappointment that freelancers and independent contractors appear to be excluded. Health insurance and a clean criminal record are also cited as part of the document checklist discussed in early drafts of the law.
r/digitalnomad ↗r/digitalnomad ↗

Anecdotal: what nomads report, not official guidance.

How do Canadian citizens apply for the Romania Digital Nomad Visa?

Can Canadian citizens apply from inside Romania?

It depends: we haven't verified this for Romania yet.

Some European permits allow in-country application, and if you already hold legal residence in Romania on another permit the rules can differ from a fresh consular application. The "fly in on a tourist stamp and convert" route, by contrast, usually does not work. Confirm your case with the official Romania source before relying on it.

How long does the Romania Digital Nomad Visa really take for Canadian citizens?

16–24 weeks (≈ 4–6 months)

Police clearance (typical)3w
Apostille (typical)3w
Consular appointment (typical)4w
Processing 8–16w official8w
Post-arrival registration (typical)2w

Official processing: 8–16 weeks. The rest is doc gathering + waiting in a queue, none of which the consulate counts.

Avoid these

What do people get wrong about the Romania Digital Nomad Visa?

Assuming you can convert a tourist stay. For most European residence visas you can't fly in on a tourist stamp and convert it from inside the country. You apply before you travel. A few permits and people who already hold legal residence on another permit are exceptions, so confirm Romania's rule rather than assuming either way.
Underestimating timing by a factor of 2–3. The "60-day processing" line is real, but it's only the consulate's processing window. The door-to-door reality includes police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead, and post-arrival registration, so most applicants land between 4 and 7 months.
Income proof in the wrong currency. Bank statements showing income in your local currency are routinely rejected if the equivalent in EUR isn't clearly stated and consistent across the qualifying period (usually 3 or 6 months).

Documents

What Canadian applicants typically submit

Indicative: we haven't verified Romania's exact checklist for Canadian applicants. Confirm the current list with the official source before you start gathering.

Documents needing an apostille (Canadian authorities):

RCMP criminal record check
Birth certificate

Worth knowing: RCMP fingerprint-based criminal record check via an accredited agency. Canada joined the Apostille Convention in January 2024 — documents are now apostilled (Global Affairs Canada or the province) rather than consular-legalised. Canada taxes on residence, not citizenship; ceasing residency cleanly avoids departure-tax (deemed-disposition) surprises.

For those wanting to freelance in Romania outside the nomad visa, several users in r/Romania mention registering as a PFA (sole trader) as a common path, and suggest reaching out to local law firms or expat communities for guidance on the paperwork. One commenter mentioned there are consultancies in Romania specifically set up to help foreigners navigate residency and business registration.

For those wanting to freelance in Romania outside the nomad visa, several users in r/Romania mention registering as a PFA (sole trader) as a common path, and suggest reaching out to local law firms or expat communities for guidance on the paperwork. One commenter mentioned there are consultancies in Romania specifically set up to help foreigners navigate residency and business registration.
r/Romania ↗r/Romania ↗

Anecdotal: what nomads report, not official guidance.

Tax

How is Digital Nomad Visa income taxed for Canadian citizens?

Foreign salary or consulting income earned remotely for a foreign employer or foreign-registered business is exempt from Romanian income tax and social contributions while the holder is not a Romanian tax resident, broadly aligned with the digital-nomad exemption under Law 69/2023. A holder who spends more than 183 days within any 12-month period generally becomes a Romanian tax resident and is then liable for Romanian tax on worldwide income at the flat 10% personal income tax rate (subject to double-taxation treaties; Romania has 80+ DTTs). Note that as of 2026 dividends, capital gains and crypto are taxed at 16% rather than 10%, and the exemption does not cover Romanian-source income, rental income or capital gains.

Tax treaty with CanadianYes

Social-security totalisationYes

Money, roughly (indicative)

Regime: 10% flat (foreign income may be exempt 6 mo), about 10% effective tax on €60k/yr.

10% flat; foreign-source remote income may be exempt for the first 6 months. Social (CAS 25% + CASS 10%) sits on capped bases pegged to the minimum wage with on/off thresholds, so it doesn't reduce to one honest % and isn't folded in here. Verify.

Living comfortably to well in Bucharest runs about €1,400–€1,950/mo for one person, incl. rent. Roughly 57% less than the same living in Toronto, which runs about C$4,800/mo (≈ €3,250).

Estimate your take-home in the tax calculator →

Worth a specialist's time. A short call before you commit usually pays for itself, especially for US citizens (FEIE/FATCA), existing UK ties, or unwinding SA tax residency.

Nomads and expats in several threads flag that Romania's tax burden can be surprisingly high compared to regional neighbours — one community comparison showed effective rates around 40% for Romanian employees vs ~27% in Czechia or Poland at similar income levels. However, some users note that the PFA structure can be more tax-efficient for self-employed individuals, and early discussions around the nomad visa raised questions about whether any tax exemption (similar to Croatia's) would apply — with no clear resolution in the threads.

Nomads and expats in several threads flag that Romania's tax burden can be surprisingly high compared to regional neighbours — one community comparison showed effective rates around 40% for Romanian employees vs ~27% in Czechia or Poland at similar income levels. However, some users note that the PFA structure can be more tax-efficient for self-employed individuals, and early discussions around the nomad visa raised questions about whether any tax exemption (similar to Croatia's) would apply — with no clear resolution in the threads.
r/Romania ↗r/digitalnomad ↗r/Romania ↗

Anecdotal: what nomads report, not official guidance.

Recommended for your move

FAQ

Romania Digital Nomad Visa: common questions

Can Canadian citizens get the Romania Digital Nomad Visa?

Yes. The Digital Nomad Visa is open to Canadian passport holders as non-EU nationals. The main requirement is proof of income of at least €5,266 per month.

Can I apply for the Romania Digital Nomad Visa from inside Romania?

It depends. Some European nomad permits let you apply from inside the country (especially if you already hold legal residence on another permit), while others require you to apply at a Romania consulate before you travel. We haven't verified Romania's rule for Canadian applicants yet, so confirm it with the official Romania source before relying on it.

How long does the Romania Digital Nomad Visa take for Canadian applicants?

As a rough guide, European nomad permits run about 8–16 weeks door-to-door once you add police clearance, any apostille, the appointment lead time, and post-arrival registration on top of the official processing window. We haven't verified Romania's figures for Canadian applicants, so treat this as indicative.

Do I need an apostille for the Romania Digital Nomad Visa?

Most European permits require documents issued in Canada (such as a police clearance) to be apostilled, but the exact list varies by country and permit. We haven't verified Romania's requirement for Canadian documents, so confirm it with the consulate or official source.

How much does the Romania Digital Nomad Visa cost?

The government application fee is about €120. Budget separately for police clearance, apostille (if required), translations, and required health insurance.

Does the Romania Digital Nomad Visa lead to permanent residency?

Yes. Time on the Digital Nomad Visa counts toward permanent residency, for which you can typically apply after 5 years of legal residence.

Can I bring my family on the Romania Digital Nomad Visa?

This route does not provide for family members to be sponsored on the same application. Family reunification would follow a separate procedure.

What's next

Keep going

Compare with another country

See Romania side-by-side with similar programmes.

Where you keep the most

Every country ranked by what's left after tax and living costs.

Re-run the quiz

Different answers may surface a programme you didn't consider.

Track changes

Every dated change we've logged for Romania: income thresholds, fees, consular policy.

Expatlas provides information for orientation only and is not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with official government sources and consult an immigration lawyer for your specific case.