Written by the legal editorial team at Door to Romania
I. Introduction: Romanian Citizenship as a Legal Advantage
Romania is rapidly becoming one of the most strategic gateways to European Union citizenship—and for good reason. As of 2025, the Romanian passport ranks 6th globally according to the Henley Passport Index, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 175 countries, including the Schengen Zone, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and the United States.
But what makes Romania unique is its generous legal framework for citizenship by descent, allowing foreign nationals to reclaim citizenship without needing to relocate or renounce their existing nationality. For hundreds of thousands of descendants of Romanian citizens—especially those in North America, Israel, Latin America, and Eastern Europe—this is not just a matter of heritage. It is a modern legal tool for unlocking mobility, business access, family security, and second-residency options across the European Union.
Under Law no. 21/1991, two key legal provisions—Article 10 and Article 11—govern the restoration of Romanian citizenship by descent. If you’re eligible under either, you may already be entitled to Romanian (and EU) citizenship.
What most applicants don’t realize, however, is that a faster legal track may apply in cases where the Romanian ancestor never officially lost citizenship. In such cases, the process is not one of restoration, but rather of confirmation—an administrative procedure recognizing that citizenship was never lost in the first place, but merely unrecorded. This lesser-known process is completed in as little as 6 to 9 months.
At Door to Romania, we always test for this route first before proceeding with the standard Article 10 or 11 application—because many eligible applicants are not even aware they qualify for this faster path.
This guide explains how all of these legal options work—the nuances of Articles 10 and 11, the 2025 legislative updates, the differences between restoration and confirmation, and how applicants can accelerate their case through the Romanian courts—without ever stepping foot in a courtroom.
II. Legal Foundations: Article 10 vs. Article 11
Article 10 – Restoration for Former Citizens and Their Descendants (up to Grandchildren)
Based on Law no. 21/1991, Art. 10, updated by Law no. 112/2023
This article allows individuals who lost Romanian citizenship lost Romanian citizenship or renounced it, along with their children and grandchildren, to reacquire it.
Who qualifies?
- Children/grandchildren of former Romanian citizens who emigrated or naturalized elsewhere.
- Descendants of Jewish, Armenian, German, or other minority families displaced before, during, or after WWII.
- Those whose parents lost citizenship under Communist regimes.
Key notes:
- No legal deadline is specified for processing, but delays of 2–3 years are common.
- Romanian courts now recognize a “reasonable timeframe” doctrine—which means authorities can be legally compelled to act if delays become unjustified.
Article 11 – Restoration by Birthplace and Territorial Origin (up to Great-Grandchildren)
Based on Law no. 21/1991, Art. 11, para. (1)–(2)
This provision is aimed at descendants of individuals born in territories that belonged to Romania between 1918 and 1940, such as Bessarabia, Bukovina, Northern Transylvania, and the Cadrilater.
Who qualifies?
- Up to great-grandchildren of individuals born in former Romanian territories—now parts of Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, and Bulgaria.
Legal processing timeframe:
- Article 11(2) mandates a 5-month review period, but in practice, files typically take 30–36 months to be resolved.
Important:
Even if documentation is incomplete, Article 11(2) contains a clause allowing restoration if territorial origin can be proven. This often applies to applicants with at least one strong ancestral link and partial documents.
III. General Procedure for Both Articles
- Document Collection:
- Birth and other civil status certificates tracing descent (including ancestors).
- Certified translations and legalization (apostille or superlegalization).
- International police clearance.
- Proof of Romanian descent via civil records or historical archives.
- File Submission to the ANC:
- Applicants may submit directly to the National Authority for Citizenship (ANC) in Bucharest or through Romanian consulates.
- Files are registered and assigned a “Dosar” number for tracking.
- Administrative Review:
- ANC evaluates document validity and lineage.
- Interviews may be requested for incomplete or unclear cases.
- Applicants rarely receive updates unless they follow up persistently.
This is where most agencies stop—but where Door to Romania continues
IV. Accelerating Your Citizenship Case: The Legal Strategy
Many applicants wait years without updates—often due to simple administrative backlog. The Romanian legal system, however, provides a remedy.
Under Law no. 554/2004 on Administrative Litigation (Contencios Administrativ), you can file a court petition to compel the ANC to issue a decision—as early as 6 months after submission.
How it works:
- Your lawyer files suit against the ANC in the Bucharest Tribunal.
- If the file is complete, the court usually rules in favor of the applicant.
- The ruling obliges the ANC to finalize the file within 30–90 days.
- Applicants do not need to appear in court—Door to Romania’s legal team handles the process fully.
Results:
- Clients typically shave 6 to 12 months off their total waiting time.
- This strategy is fully compliant with Romanian law and backed by favorable jurisprudence.
Want to speed up your application? Contact our legal team today. We do this on your behalf.
V. 2025 Legal Amendments: Language and Document Changes
As of January 2025, new legal amendments to Law no. 21/1991 introduced language and documentation requirements for all new applications under Articles 10 and 11. However, a grace period is in place:
Until April 2026, applicants can still submit their citizenship files without a Romanian language certificate, even under the new law.
This means you still have ample time to apply under the previous, more relaxed conditions—as long as your file is submitted before the deadline.
1. Romanian Language Requirement (B1 Level)
For applications submitted after April 2026, applicants must show Romanian language proficiency at B1 level, proven by:
- A B1 certificate issued by an accredited language institution; or
- A diploma/transcript from a school where Romanian was the language of instruction for at least 3 years.
Exemptions apply to:
- Applicants aged 65 and older.
- Former Romanian citizens (i.e., not just descendants).
- Children under the age of 18.
- Files already registered before the new law came into force.
- Applicants eligible for the short process, whose ancestors never lost Romanian citizenship.
Important: These requirements do not apply to citizenship files submitted before April 2026. Those applications will be processed under the previous law provisions, without any language test obligation at the submission date.
2. Civil Status Documentation – New Validity Rules
- All documents (birth, marriage, death) must be issued within the past 2 years.
- Documents must be apostilled or legalized and translated by an accredited professional.
- Outdated certificates are now grounds for rejection or delay.
VI. Where Most Agencies Get It Wrong
Many applicants rely on international “citizenship agencies” that offer attractive prices and packages. However, most of these agencies are not law firms—and cannot file lawsuits, petition courts, or represent you before the ANC.
Common mistakes include:
- Submitting outdated documents (not issued in the last 2 years).
- No plan for court intervention despite long delays.
- Using incorrect translations or apostilles not recognized by Romanian authorities.
- Filing at consulates where files move significantly slower.
- Lack of testing the case for eligibility under the short process of obtaining citizenship.
These issues leave clients in bureaucratic limbo. This is one of the main reasons files get stuck for years.
At Door to Romania, every file is reviewed by legal experts—not clerks or sales agents—and court strategies are built into our process from the beginning.
VII. Lesser-Known Legal Advantages
- No requirement to live in Romania or renounce your current citizenship.
- Dual citizenship is permitted, with no obligation to give up your U.S., Canadian, Israeli, or other passport.
- No language test is required for applications of those meeting age exceptions.
- Pre-litigation hearings with the ANC can be used to verify file integrity before proceeding to court.
- Once approved, Romanian passports are issued within 2–4 weeks.
VIII. Strategic Value: Romanian Citizenship as a Global Asset
The value of a Romanian passport goes far beyond heritage:
- Full EU access for work, residency, and business
- Schengen travel rights (now effective by air/sea since March 2024)
- World-class healthcare, pension, and university systems
- Inheritance rights and property ownership under Romanian law
- Ability to pass citizenship to your children and grandchildren
In an era where U.S., U.K., and Canadian citizens face rising visa restrictions, Romanian citizenship is one of the few Tier-1 passports accessible through legal ancestry—without any relocation requirement.
IX. Conclusion: The Fastest, Most Legal Route to EU Citizenship
Reacquiring Romanian citizenship under Article 10 or Article 11 is not just a bureaucratic formality—it’s a legally protected right that can transform your mobility, business prospects, and family legacy.
With a strategic legal approach, and a partner who can navigate both the administrative and judicial sides of the process, your path to a Romanian (and EU) passport is not just possible—it’s realistic and closer than you think.
Want to speed up your Romanian citizenship application, or start your application?
Contact Door to Romania’s legal team today. We’ll handle the entire process—from file preparation to final court resolution.
Email us directly at: office@doortoromania.com
