Romanian Visa Info

Romania is a country in Eastern Europe famously known for Transylvania, the home of Count Dracula. I also know Romania as the country of great the gymnast Nadia Comăneci. But after 12 days of traveling around Bucharest, Black Sea, and Danube Delta, I know it’s a beautiful country with rich and interesting history and super great people. I can’t wait to share my experience in Romania.

Filipino passport holders are required Romanian visa to enter the country, except when one’s in the following situation:

  • holds a valid multiple entry short-stay Schengen visa.
  • holds a valid short-stay visa by Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia
  • holds long-stay Schengen visa or issued by Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia
  • holds resident permit issued by Schengen member state or by Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia
Note that while Schengen visa allows you entry to Romania, a Romanian visa is not valid to enter any Schengen member state. Romanian Visa is valid to enter Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Croatia.

It’s my plan to visit Romania, but somehow never got there during my previous Europe trips. So I’m really excited to receive the invitation from #ExperienceRomania to be part of their junket this summer! Even if I’ve already done my trip this year (New Zealand & Fiji), I’m not gonna pass up this amazing opportunity!

Because my main destination is Romania, I’m applying visa from the Romanian Embassy.

Romania Visa via E-VISA Portal

The process of Applying for Romanian visa starts online through E-VISA Portal

Romania Evisa Portal

You’ll need to setup an account at the E-Visa Portal in order to fill up the online form. You have to prepare the soft copy of supporting documents to upload to the portal.

Supporting documents

  1. Travel Medical Insurance: medical insurance valid in Romania, covering one day longer beyond the intended period of stay (original and copy);
  2. Means of Support: proof of financial means in the amount of EUR 50/day for the entire period, but not less than EUR 500 or the equivalent in convertible currency; I submitted bank certificate like I always do, but they asked for more proof. I sent scanned copy of my bank statement and passbook. Prepare this also to avoid delay.
  3. Valid Travel Document: passport valid at least three months beyond intended period of stay
  4. Photoghaphs: 2 recent colour photos 3 cm x 4 cm, on a white background;
  5. Proof of Accommodation: vouchers of paid accommodations in Romania (Airbnb, Hotel, Hostel)
  6. Travel Ticket: booking of a two-way flight ticket to Romania;
  7. Vehicle Supporting Document: if you plan to drive in Romania, here is where you attach your driver’s license. If  you don’t have driver’s license (and not planning to drive), I guess you can just upload any government issued ID other than the passport (SSS, GSIS, Senior Citizen, Postal ID, etc.)
  8. Proof of Itinerary: prepare a detailed itinerary with activities at each city [SAMPLE ITINERARY]
  9. Certificate of Employment and Approved Leave of Absence, if you’re an employee
  10. Business Registration Papers (SEC and Tax stuff), if you’re self-employed
  11. Pledge of Support, if someone else is paying for your trip.
  12. Application Form 2018 DOWNLOAD

Each file should not exceed 2MB. Use SMALLPDF to compress your file. Or if needed, SPLITPDF to split them in to smaller files

Schedule, Submit, and Pay

After accomplishing the online application, wait for the documents to be verified by the embassy. This takes about a week. You then have to go online to select a schedule to submit hard copy of the documents you uploaded. The submission can be done in person or through a representative, but not courier. You must have an authorization letter and a valid ID.

If they require more document, they will email you and you have to go back online to submit it. Otherwise, you’ll receive an email saying you’re documents are verified.

Visa Fee is USD 70  payable in US currency upon submission. I know the website says 75 dollars, but I paid 70. I believe this is dependent on the dollar-euro conversion. The actual visa fee is 60 euros, so whatever is the current exchange rate with USD. Visa Application takes up to 14 days.

The office handling visa in the Romanian Embassy in the Philippines is only open on Tuesdays & Thursdays between 3:00-5:00 pm. So it is very important that your documents are complete upon submission. If they have to go back to you to ask for more document, it will take a few days again before it is confirmed and so on.

I did not get my visa until one week before my trip because they had to asked for more document from me twice! So that pushed back the application almost 2 weeks, plus 1 week for submitting actual passport and getting a sticker. It was a bit stressful.

romanian visa

Maximum of 2 weeks visa will be granted by the Romanian Embassy. Strange because if you have a Schengen visa, you can stay up to 90 days. I got just 12 days based on my itinerary. No allowance for being sick or impromptu rebooking. Oh well

Embassy of Romania in the Philippines

150 Legaspi St., G.C. Corporate Plaza, 6 fl., Legaspi Village, Makati City, CP 1229
0063-2-892 7682 (Tuesday and Thursday between 15.00-17.00)
manila.consul@mae.ro
http://manila.mae.ro

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