In many cases, Romanian citizenship is not automatically lost due to international adoption. This means you may have the right to:

✅ Obtain a corrected Romanian birth certificate reflecting your current legal name
✅ Apply directly for a Romanian passport
✅ Benefit from EU citizenship rights, including free movement and work opportunities across the EU

🛠 To begin this process, it is essential to consult a lawyer familiar with Romanian civil status and citizenship law. They can help verify your citizenship status and guide you through the required steps.

🕓 The entire procedure in Romania — from civil registry corrections to passport issuance — may take up to 4 months, so planning ahead is key.

If you or someone you know was adopted from Romania, this could be a unique opportunity to reclaim your Romanian (and EU) identity.
📩 Feel free to reach out or share this post — it could make a real difference for someone!

Contact us:
website: www.avocat-specializat.ro
e-mail: avocat@staniu.ro
mobile: +40720.037.305

Important amendments will get in force, such as the romanian language proficiency level B1-intermediary, for the applicants, with some excceptions.

When? We have to wait until the decision is communicated by the Constitutional Court to the Romanian President.

The law, as it stands, will further proceed to the President for publication in the Official Gazette.

For more details, visit our website www.avocat-specializat.ro

🆕 Language Proficiency Requirement

Under the revised law, applicants now have up to one year after submitting their citizenship application to provide proof of Romanian language. This change gives applicants more time to fulfill the language requirement without delaying the start of their citizenship application process.

Pros and Cons of the New Amendments

➡️ Pros:

1. Preparation Time: The one-year period allows applicants more time to prepare for the language exam, making the process less stressful.
2. Easier Path for Many Applicants: Descendants of former citizens and senior applicants benefit from a more streamlined process with either relaxed or waived language requirements.
3. Age Flexibility: Applicants over 65 are fully exempt from proving language proficiency, making the citizenship process more accessible to older individuals.

➡️ Cons:

1. Language Requirement Still Needed for Most Applicants: While the law provides more time, most applicants will still need to meet the language requirement eventually, which remains a significant step.
2. Certificate of language for B1 level: Certificate of language proficiency issued by accredited higher education institutions in Romania for the „Romanian Language Preparatory Year” study program, by the Romanian Language Institute, the Romanian Cultural Institute, or Romanian cultural institutes abroad, certifying Romanian language knowledge at a level no lower than B1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

🔑 Still there are also some key benefits for applicants :

• Flexibility: Anyone can submit the application without the language certificate upfront, giving more time to study and prepare for the language test.
• Simplified Process for Descendants of Former Citizens: This adjustment is particularly beneficial for descendants of former Romanian citizens, making it accesible for them to regain citizenship.

🚫 Exceptions from Language Proficiency Requirement

Some applicants are exempt from the language requirement altogether:

• Former Romanian citizens who are applying to regain citizenship under Articles 10 or 11.
• Applicants aged 65 or older at the time of their citizenship request, under Articles 10 or 11.

Long story short:

❗️The amendments to Romania’s citizenship law provide flexibility and accessibility, especially for older applicants and descendants of former Romanian citizens.

While the language requirement remains an obstacle for some, the extra time allowed should make it accesible for many. This change is particularly relevant for Romanian descendants in Israel 🇮🇱 and other countries ( e.g. USA, Canada, Australia and other) 🌎.

Ref. Romanian Constitutional Court decision ( in RO language) https://www.ccr.ro/comunicat-de-presa-29-octombrie-2024/

Contact for more informations:

Catalina Staniu Attorney At Law +40720 037 305

e-mail avocat@staniu.ro

website: https://www.avocat-specializat.ro/contact/

Under Romanian Citizenship Law (Law No. 21/1991), individuals who lost their Romanian citizenship, as well as their descendants up to the third generation, have the right to restore it. Here is an overview of the process:

Eligibility for Regaining Romanian Citizenship

Descendants of Former Romanian Citizens

If your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were Romanian citizens, you may be eligible to regain citizenship. This includes descendants who were born abroad after the original loss of citizenship by their ancestors. This applies to many Jewish families who emigrated from Romania to Israel.

Loss of Romanian Citizenship

Many individuals lost their Romanian citizenship during the communist regime, often when they emigrated to Israel or other countries. The law allows for the restoration of citizenship under these circumstances.

Steps to Regain Romanian Citizenship

Gather Required Documents

The first step in the process is collecting the necessary documents that prove your connection to Romania. The documents generally required include:

• Birth certificates of the applicant and their ancestors.
• Marriage certificates (if applicable).
• Proof of Romanian citizenship of your ancestors (such as old Romanian passports or other legal documents).
• Apostilled and translated documents (where necessary).

• Submit the Citizenship Application

Applications for citizenship restoration can be submitted either in Romania or at the Romanian consulate in Israel. The documents should be filed in person and you may also be required to undergo an interview.

• Language Proficiency

Although fluency in Romanian is not mandatory, having basic knowledge of the language may help in the process, especially during the interview or for future interactions with Romanian authorities.

• Waiting Period

The processing time can vary, but it usually takes 12 to 24 months for the application to be processed. Once the citizenship is restored, you will be issued a Romanian passport, allowing you full rights as an EU citizen.

Benefits of Regaining Romanian Citizenship

EU Citizenship

As a Romanian citizen, you will automatically gain European Union citizenship. This grants you the right to live, work, and study in any EU member state without the need for additional visas or permits.

Travel

Romanian passport holders have access to visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to more than 170 countries worldwide, making international travel much easier for Israeli citizens.

Economic Opportunities

With EU citizenship, you can explore employment opportunities across Europe, including in Romania, which has growing economic sectors in IT, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Education

Romania and other EU countries offer a range of educational opportunities for students, including lower tuition fees for EU citizens at many top universities.

Special Considerations for Israeli Citizens

For Israeli citizens, reclaiming Romanian citizenship is not only a legal process but also a way to reconnect with their family history. Many Israelis have roots in Romania due to the significant Jewish community that once existed in the country. During the 20th century, many Jewish families fled Romania due to persecution and political instability, but the ties to Romania remain strong.

Today, the Romanian government is committed to facilitating the process for those who wish to regain citizenship. Israeli applicants may find additional support through legal services that specialize in Romanian citizenship claims and through the Romanian Embassy in Israel.

Final Thoughts

Regaining Romanian citizenship can be a meaningful journey, offering not just legal and economic benefits, but also a personal connection to your heritage. The process is straightforward, though it requires careful preparation and patience. For Israeli citizens of Romanian descent, this is a valuable opportunity to unlock the benefits of EU citizenship while honoring family roots.

If you believe you are eligible, consider reaching out to an attorney specializing in Romanian citizenship law to guide you through the application process.

The person who:

a) was deported to ghettos and concentration camps abroad;

b) was deprived of liberty in detention centers or concentration camps;

c) was a refugee, expelled, or relocated to another locality;

d) was part of forced labor detachments;

e) survived the death train;

f) is the spouse of a person who was murdered or executed for ethnic reasons or as a result of massacres directed against the minority population, provided they have not remarried;

g) was evicted from the residence they owned.

2. Amount of the allowance:

(1) Persons who were in the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters a) and b) are entitled to a monthly allowance of 700 lei for each year of deportation or detention.

(2) Persons who were in the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters c), d), and g) are entitled to a monthly allowance of 350 lei for each year of displacement, forced labor, or eviction from their own residence.

(3) Persons who were in the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letter e) are entitled to a monthly allowance of 700 lei.

(1) The child of a person who died, disappeared, or was exterminated in the death train, during massacres directed against the minority population, during deportation to ghettos and concentration camps abroad, during deprivation of liberty in detention centers or concentration camps, during refuge, expulsion, or relocation to another locality, during eviction from their own residence, or while part of forced labor detachments, is entitled to a monthly allowance of 175 lei.

(2) The minor child, at the time when one or both parents were in one of the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters a)–e) and g), as well as the child born during the period when one or both parents were in one of the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters a)–e) and g), is entitled to a monthly allowance in the same amount as the allowance their deceased parent would have received, established in accordance with the provisions of Art. 2, at the date the application is submitted by the child.

(3) The child born after the cessation of the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters a)–e) and g) is entitled to a monthly allowance in the amount of 50% of the allowance their deceased parent would have received, established in accordance with the provisions of Art. 2, at the date the application is submitted by the child.

(4) The child who was in both one of the situations provided for in paragraphs (1)–(3) and one of the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters a)–e) and g) benefits from the higher amount of the two allowances.

(5) When determining the allowance provided for in paragraphs (2) or (3), if both parents of the child were in the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters a)–e) and g), the child is entitled to the higher allowance.

(6) The provisions of paragraphs (2)–(5) also apply accordingly to the child of a person who died after the cessation of the situations provided for in Art. 1 paragraph (1) letters a)–e) and g), in the event that their parent, although entitled, did not benefit from the provisions of the law.

3. Special provisions

Persons benefiting from the provisions of Law include individuals who no longer hold Romanian citizenship, regardless of their residence, provided they meet the conditions stipulated by the provisions of this ordinance.

These persons may submit their application in person or through a representative designated by special power of attorney, to the county pension office in the territorial jurisdiction where the representative resides.