Living in Romania

Stay up to date

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Stay up to date

You should:

• sign up for email alerts to this guidance
• follow the British Embassy Bucharest on Facebook and Twitter

Attend a citizen outreach meeting

The British Embassy regularly holds events across Romania for UK nationals. Attend one of our citizens’ outreach meetings to keep up to date on working and living in RomaniaRomania. afterDates Brexit.for any new events will be advertised on the embassy’s social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter.

You can also:

• read the latestthe announcementRomanian fromgovernment’s theguidance Romanianfor governmentyour rights in Romania
• read

The livingWithdrawal Agreement

The Withdrawal Agreement sets out the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and provides for a deal on citizens’ rights. It sets out a transition period which lasts until 31 December 2020. During this time you can continue to live, work and study in the EU:EU Preparebroadly as you did before 31 January 2020.

If you are resident in Romania at the end of the transition period, you will be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, and your rights will be protected for Brexitas long as you remain resident in Romania.

Any rights that are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement will be the subject of future negotiations. Read this guidance page for more information

In the meantime, make sure you are registered as a resident in Romania. We will update this guidance as soon as more information becomes available.

You should also read our guidance on living in Europe .

Visas and residency

Check the entry requirements for Romania.

Residency

If you are resident in Romania before the transition period ends on 31 December 2020, you will be able to stay.

You must register as a Romanian resident if you want to stay in Romania for more than 3 months. You will obtain a certificate from the General Inspectorate for Immigration (Inspectoratul Roman pentru Imigrari).

Visas and residency after Brexit

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Healthcare

If you are living in Romania or move there permanently before 31 December 2020, you’ll have life-long healthcare rights in Romania as you do now, provided you remain resident.

You must register for healthcare as a resident in Romania.

Read our guidance on who can access healthcare in Romania and how to register.

State healthcare: S1

If you live in Romania and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.

Read our guidance on how to get an S1 form.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are resident in Romania, you must not use a UK-issued EHIC to access healthcare in Romania.

When you travel from Romania for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you may use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare. During that short stay:

• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• for more information you can read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

IfThere will be no changes to your healthcare access before 31 December 2020. You can also continue to use your EHIC, as you aredid abefore, student,during readthis thetime.

You NHSshould guidancealso onread guidance on:

• healthcare and studying abroad.

• Youfinding can find English-speaking doctors in Romania.

• You must checkchecking your prescriptions are legal in Romania.Romania

Healthcare

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Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Romania.

Passports and travel after Brexit

Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this.stay.

You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

The rules on travel will stay the same until the end of the implementation period on 31 December 2020. During this time you can continue to travel to countries in the Schengen area or elsewhere in the EU with your UK passport.

We will update these pages with details of any changes to the rules as soon as information is available. You should sign up for updates to this guidance.

Working in Romania

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You may need to apply for a:

• Romanian criminal records certificate (Cazier Judiciar)
• UK police certificate

Working

If you are resident in Romania afteron Brexit

or before 31 December 2020, you will maintain your right to work, as long as you remain resident in Romania.

Education and professional qualifications

YourIf you are resident in Romania on or before 31 December 2020, your right to workstudy will stay the same, as long as you remain resident in Romania.

Professional qualifications

If you have already been recognised by an EU country as holding valid professional qualifications, this will remain valid after 31 January 2020.

If you have not had your professional qualifications recognised, you can submit an application under the current rules until 31 December 2020.

Read the Romanian government guidance on how to get your professional qualifications recognised

Money and tax

The UK has a double-taxationdouble taxation agreement with Romania to ensure peopleyou do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

Existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Romania have not changed.

Read guidance about:

• tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• paying income tax in Romania

You should obtain professional advice on paying tax in Romania. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Romania.

National Insurance

Find out if you can pay National Insurance while abroad so that you protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

If you are employed or self-employed in the EU or the EEA and you have a UK-issued A1/E101 form, you will remain subject to UK legislation until the end date on the form.

Money and tax after Brexit

Brexit will not change existing double-taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Romania. Send your queries about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.

Pensions

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

There will be no changes before 31 December 2020 to the rules on claiming the UK State Pension in the EU, EEA or Switzerland as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

If you retire in Romania, you can claim:

• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension Centre to claim
• your Romanian pension if you’ve worked in Romania
• pensions from working abroad, if you’ve worked in other EU countries

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you receive a ‘life certificate’ form in the post, you must fill it in promptly otherwise your payments may be suspended.

Pensions after Brexit31 December 2020

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If you are living in the EU, EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2020 you will get your UK State Pension uprated every year for as long as you continue to live there. This will happen even if you start claiming your pension on or after 1 January 2021, as long as you meet the qualifying conditions explained in the new State Pension guidance..

If you are living in Romania by 31 December 2020, you will be able to count future social security contributions towards meeting the qualifying conditions for your UK State Pension.

If you work and pay social security contributions in Romania, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Romanian pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the31 endDecember of the implementation period.2020.

Benefits

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Benefits

You will need to tell the EU.UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Romania. You must:

• read our guidance on which benefits you can claim if you live abroad
• use our tool to check which benefits you can claim while you’re abroad

Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Romanian benefits

You may be entitled to Romanian benefits. To find out if you are entitled to Romanian benefits and how to claim, you can:

• read the EU’s guidance on claiming benefits in an EU country like Romania
• speak to a social worker at your local town hall (Primarie)

Benefits after Brexit31 December 2020

There will be no changes before 31 December 2020 to the rules on claiming UK benefits in the EU, EEA or Switzerland as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

If you are living in the EU, EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2020, you will continue to receive any UK benefits you already receive. This will continue for as long as you live there and meet all other eligibility requirements.

If you work and pay social security contributions in Romania, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Romanian contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after 31 December 2020.

If you are considering moving to Romania on or after 1 January 2021 and you are not covered by the endWithdrawal ofAgreement, the implementationrules period.depend on negotiations with the EU. and may change. Read our guidance on benefits and pensions in the EU.

Driving in Romania

Driving licence rules will stay the same until 31 December 2020.

If you are resident in Romania, there is currently no requirement to exchange your UK licence for a local one. You can still use your Romanian licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

If you are in Romania and your UK driving licence is lost, stolen or expires, you will not be able to renew it with the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will need to apply to the DVLA for a certificate of entitlement in Romanian to be able to apply for a Romanian driving licence.

For information on driving in Romania, read the guidance on:

• driving licence exchange and renewals
• what you need to drive abroad
• driving rules in Romania

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Romania

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

You must read the EU´s guidance on car registration rules and taxes in Romania. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so, you will need certificates of exemption.

Driving after Brexit

Voting

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Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you’re resident in Romania, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

Voting after Brexit

After Brexit, you will no longer be eligible to vote in local and European Parliament elections in Romania.

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Romania, you will need to register a birth abroad.

If someone dies in Romania, you must:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• read guidance for UK nationals on bereavements in Romania
• find a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Romania

Find out how you can get married abroad.

Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Romania.

Accommodation and buying property

Read guidance on how to buy property abroad.

The current rules on buying land in Romania will stay the same until 31 December 2020. We will update these pages with details of any changes to the rules as soon as information is available.

Pets

Current pet travel rules will stay the same until 31 December 2020.

If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you must visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on bringing your pet travelto the UK.

Emergencies

You can dial the European emergency number 112. It is the only emergency number in Romania.

If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Bucharest.

Returning to the UK

Tell the UK and Romanian authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.

Disclaimer

Note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information must be obtained from the Romanian authorities. The FCO will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.