Romania Proposes New Residency by Investment Programme Offering Five-Year Residence Permits for €400,000

Romania is preparing to join Europe’s growing network of investment migration destinations, with a new Residency by Investment (RBI) Program reportedly under consideration.

According to Romanian media outlet Profit.ro, draft legislation outlines a pathway for non-EU citizens to obtain a renewable five-year residence permit in exchange for a minimum investment of €400,000.

If approved, Romania would become the latest EU member state to introduce an investor residency framework, joining countries such as Greece, Spain, and Portugal that have leveraged similar initiatives to attract high-net-worth individuals and foreign capital. 

Key Investment Routes

The proposed law defines four qualifying investment categories, each requiring a minimum investment of €400,000 held for at least five years:

1. Romanian Government Bonds – purchase of sovereign debt with a minimum five-year maturity.

2. Real Estate Acquisition – purchase of property valued at €400,000 or above, maintained for the full permit period.

3. Investment Funds – capital allocation in Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF)-regulated investment funds.

4. Listed Equities – purchase of shares in publicly traded Romanian companies.

Applicants would be required to maintain their investment throughout the validity of the residence permit and demonstrate the legal origin of funds. There would be no mandatory stay requirement, allowing investors to retain their residency without continuous physical presence in Romania – an appealing feature for globally mobile investors. 

Eligibility and Security Procedures

To qualify, applicants must not appear on international sanctions lists and must pass security and financial integrity checks.

The draft legislation mandates consultation with several national authorities, including the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE), and the National Office for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering (ONPCSB), before permits are issued.

Investors would also be able to include family members under the same residence permit, aligning the program with international best practices for family-inclusive investment migration. 

Pathway to Permanent Residence and Citizenship

Participants would gain eligibility for permanent residency after five years, with the potential to apply for Romanian citizenship under Citizenship Law No. 21/1991.

However, the draft leaves some ambiguity around timing -specifically whether investors may apply for citizenship immediately after completing the five-year residency or must first transition to permanent resident status.

Ordinarily, Romanian citizenship law requires eight years of legal residence for naturalisation, though this can be reduced by up to three years for applicants demonstrating significant economic, cultural, or social contributions to the country.

Next Steps in the Legislative Process

Before becoming law, the proposal must progress through Romania’s bicameral parliamentary system:

• The bill is expected to start in the Senate before moving to the Chamber of Deputies as the decision-making chamber.
• It will be reviewed by the Economic, Legal, and National Security Committees, which may propose amendments.
• Following approval in both chambers, the President of Romania will have 20 days to sign or return the bill for re-examination.
• Once promulgated and published in the Official Gazette, relevant ministries will issue detailed implementation rules covering application procedures, due diligence, and monitoring.

Given its implications for EU residence rights and security compliance, the bill may also undergo review by the Constitutional Court before final adoption. 

Romania’s Position in the Global Investment Migration Landscape

Romania’s proposal arrives amid a renewed wave of investor residency initiatives in 2025.

Recent entrants include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Maldives, while the United Arab Emirates expanded its own Golden Visa program to include philanthropic investors.

If approved, Romania would become one of the few EU member states offering a long-term residence permit with no minimum-stay requirement, appealing to investors seeking a European base for mobility, diversification, and family planning. 

Knightsbridge Group Insight

For investors and families seeking EU residency with strategic long-term benefits, Romania’s proposal presents a potentially valuable opportunity:

• EU access with relatively moderate investment thresholds.
• Five-year renewable permits offering continuity and stability.
• No minimum-stay obligations, ideal for globally mobile individuals.
• A possible pathway to European citizenship under existing Romanian law.

Knightsbridge Group continues to monitor this legislation closely. Once official regulations are published, our team will provide a detailed breakdown of investment structures, due diligence protocols, and application requirements.

Contact Knightsbridge Group to explore European residency and citizenship-by-investment solutions tailored to your family’s mobility and wealth planning goals.