Romanian citizenship is a right granted to people whose ancestors were Romanian citizens and to their descendants. In Türkiye this right comes up especially for the children and grandchildren of families who emigrated from the Dobruja region. The application is made to the Romanian National Citizenship Authority (ANC); if the file is approved, an oath is taken and the Romanian passport and ID are then issued. In the end, as with Bulgarian citizenship, you hold an EU passport.
Romanian citizenship files are long and document-heavy. We handle the process on your behalf, from finding the records showing your ancestor’s Romanian citizenship and preparing the application file, to tracking the file at the ANC and the oath and passport stage. Applicants can also follow the status of their file with our free Romanian citizenship file tracking system.
Who can apply for Romanian citizenship?
- People who were Romanian citizens and lost that citizenship
- Children, grandchildren and further descendants, to the degree allowed by law, of people who were Romanian citizens
- People married to a Romanian citizen who meet the residence and other conditions in the law
- Foreigners who have lived legally in Romania for a long time
Most applications from Türkiye come from descendants of people who lived in Dobruja while it was under Romanian rule. The article of law on which the application is based determines the required documents and the process; so the first task is choosing the article that fits your family history.
Required documents
Documents depend on the article of the application. Generally requested:
- Documents showing your ancestor’s Romanian citizenship (birth record, old ID, civil registry or archive records)
- Birth and marriage certificates showing the line of descent between you and the ancestor
- Full civil registry record from Türkiye
- Documents showing name changes or equivalence, if names differ
- Criminal record certificate
- Passport and photos
Turkish documents must be apostilled and given a sworn translation into Romanian. We prepare the Romanian translation with our sworn translation service.
The process step by step
- Preliminary assessment: we review your family history and documents and determine whether you are entitled and under which article to apply.
- Archive and document research: we carry out the research needed to reach your ancestor’s Romanian records.
- File preparation: documents, apostilles and translations are completed.
- ANC application: the file is submitted to the National Citizenship Authority and you receive a file number.
- File tracking: we regularly follow the status of your file and complete any additional documents requested.
- Oath: once the file is approved, the oath of allegiance is taken and the citizenship certificate is issued.
- Registration, passport and ID: the birth is registered in Romania; then the Romanian passport and ID are issued.
Timing
Due to the volume of files, Romanian citizenship applications usually take several years. A complete file prevents delays caused by requests for additional documents. After applying, you can follow the stage of your file free of charge on our file tracking system; we explain how it works in our article on Romanian citizenship file tracking.
Romania or Bulgaria?
Depending on your family history, you may be entitled to the citizenship of both countries. For families who emigrated from Bulgaria, Bulgarian citizenship usually takes less time; for families of Dobruja origin, the Romanian route may come first. We decide together which route suits you better by looking at your documents. You can review the Bulgarian route on our Bulgarian citizenship page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Romanian for Romanian citizenship?
Language and other conditions depend on the article of law on which the application is based. In the preliminary assessment we clarify which conditions apply to your file.
Does Romanian citizenship make me lose Turkish citizenship?
Romania allows dual citizenship. In Türkiye, multiple citizenship is also possible with permission or notification; your Turkish citizenship does not end automatically.
I have applied; how can I track my file?
With the application article, file number and year of application, you can check your file status on our free tracking system.
I cannot find my grandfather's Romanian records; what can I do?
Old records are usually searched in the Romanian archives. With the clues you have (place of birth, village name, dates) we carry out archive research and assess whether a file can be built with the documents that can be found.
Fill in the form below for a free preliminary assessment; our expert will call you and explain the steps for your file. If your documents are ready, you can also upload them to our free document review.