A residence permit, marriage to a Romanian citizen and having a Romanian ancestor are different legal situations. Before ordering translations or booking a language examination, establish the legal basis of the citizenship application and which rules govern your file.
Two points matter in 2026: the amendments introduced by Law No. 14/2025 and the extension, through Government Emergency Ordinance No. 16/2026, of the transitional period for submitting a language certificate. An older online checklist may overlook these distinctions.
Granting or reacquiring citizenship: why the legal route matters
Romanian Citizenship Law No. 21/1991 provides, among other routes, three which should be distinguished:
- Article 8: citizenship on application for foreign nationals or stateless persons. The general rule requires long-term residence rights or permanent residence and at least eight years of lawful residence in Romania. For a person married to and living with a Romanian citizen, the corresponding requirement is at least five years of lawful residence in Romania from the marriage. Additional conditions and possible reductions apply. Marriage does not automatically confer citizenship.
- Article 10: people who lost Romanian citizenship and their descendants up to and including the second degree, subject to this article's conditions.
- Article 11: former Romanian citizens who lost citizenship for reasons not attributable to them, or had it withdrawn against their will, and their descendants up to the third degree, subject to the article's conditions.
Descendants need evidence both of the family relationship and of the ancestor's legal position. A family account of Romanian origins or a birthplace shown in a document does not, by itself, resolve that assessment.
Who needs language evidence, and when is B1 required?
For applications under Articles 10 and 11, Article 15¹(4) provides two ways to demonstrate Romanian language knowledge: a certificate at B1 level or above issued by an institution specified in the law, or a certified copy of an academic transcript from an upper-secondary school or higher education institution in the country of citizenship or residence, demonstrating at least three years of study in Romanian.
The institutions listed for certificates are Romanian universities accredited for the Romanian-language preparatory-year programme, the Romanian Language Institute, the Romanian Cultural Institute and Romanian cultural institutes abroad. A certificate of attendance at a course is not automatically the evidence required by law.
Article 15¹(5) exempts former Romanian citizens applying to reacquire citizenship under Article 10 or 11, and applicants who were at least 65 when submitting an application under these articles, from providing this language evidence. A former citizen's exemption does not automatically extend to all their descendants.
Under Article 8, knowledge of Romanian, Romanian culture and civilisation, the Constitution and the national anthem is assessed through the statutory interview procedure. The documentary B1 requirement in Article 15¹ should not be described as an identical condition for every citizenship application.
What changed in 2026 for language certificates?
Government Emergency Ordinance No. 16/2026, published in Official Gazette No. 196 on 13 March 2026, amended Article XXI(1) of Law No. 14/2025. The exceptional period for submitting the certificate is two years from the 2025 law's entry into force.
This is a common transitional deadline, not two years running from each new application. The language requirement and statutory exemptions continue to apply. Article XXI(2) provides for rejection as unsupported if the certificate is not submitted within the applicable period.
Applications already pending when Law No. 14/2025 entered into force require a separate review of Articles XIV and XV. The substantive conditions remain those applicable when the application was submitted; procedural rules and the presumption concerning language knowledge have their own transitional provisions. Older files should not automatically be treated as new applications.
Which documents should be checked before submission?
The official list approved by ANC Order No. 85/2025 is organised by legal route. Depending on the case, preparation includes:
- identity documents and all citizenships held;
- civil-status records, family relationships and name changes;
- evidence of Romanian citizenship and its loss concerning the relevant ancestor;
- criminal-record certificates from countries of citizenship and, where required, residence;
- language evidence or the basis for an exemption;
- for Article 8, evidence of lawful residence and means of support;
- documents and consents required where minor children are included.
Article 16 also regulates civil-status extracts issued no more than two years before submission. Document form, translations, apostille or legalisation must be checked against the particular document and the rules applicable to its issuing country. Inconsistencies in names, dates and family relationships should be addressed before filing. This is an initial checklist, not a universal complete application file.
What can a lawyer do, and when must you attend personally?
A lawyer can assess the legal route, review documents and their consistency, prepare responses to requests for additional documents and assist during the procedure. Personal submission is required under Article 13; Articles 10 and 11 also allow the consular route specified in the law. Article 13² regulates biometric data collection, subject to the applicable exceptions.
The electronic-file provisions introduced through Law No. 104/2026 do not mean that every formality can be replaced by an email. The statutory timetable sets 30 November 2026 for implementation; requirements should be checked again when taking action.
For an initial assessment, use our contact form or email to provide a short outline: your current citizenship, country of residence, whether an application is already pending and, where relevant, your relationship to a Romanian ancestor. We can then agree how supporting documents should be provided. See our Immigration and citizenship page for the available legal assistance.
This article provides general information. Eligibility and the required documents depend on the individual circumstances and the rules governing the application.