Romanian Citizenship by Descent: The Essential Document Guide

Romanian Citizenship by Descent (officially known as the Restoration of Citizenship or Redobândirea cetățeniei) is primarily a documentation challenge.

The success and speed of your application hinge entirely on the integrity, authentication, and official translation of your historical and personal records.

This guide breaks down the three phases of document preparation—Collection, Authentication, and Translation—and provides the critical, non-negotiable standards set by the National Citizenship Authority (Autoritatea Națională pentru Cetățenie - ANC).

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1. The Core Requirement: Building the "Unbroken Chain"

The most fundamental task is establishing an unbroken bloodline (Lineage) from you, the applicant, back to your eligible ancestor (typically a parent or grandparent born in "Greater Romania" before 1940).

This is done by collecting a complete set of vital records for every generation in between to prove the descent from a former Romanian citizen.

The Three Categories of Required Documents

The necessary documentation falls into three main buckets:

• Ancestral Proof: This confirms your ancestor's origin and involuntary loss of citizenship.
  
  • Documents: The ancestor's Birth Certificate (Certificat de naștere) and Marriage Certificate (Certificat de căsătorie). For Article 11 cases (territories lost in WWII like Bessarabia), proving birth on former Romanian soil is the key eligibility factor.
  • Requirement: These must be an Original or Certified Extract issued by the Romanian Civil Status Office (Starea Civilă) or the National Archives if the records have been transferred.
• Lineage Proof: This establishes your direct connection.
  
  • Documents: Your own Birth Certificate, plus the Birth and Marriage Certificates for every generation linking you back to the ancestor. Unlike some countries, Romania often requires Death Certificates for deceased ancestors in the chain to close their civil status.
  • Requirement: Requires an Apostille + Legalized Romanian Translation.
• Personal Integrity: This addresses your legal standing.
  
  • Documents: A recent Criminal Record Check (Cazier Judiciar) from your country of residence (and country of birth if different).
  • Requirement: This is mandatory for the applicant. It must be valid at the time of submission (typically issued within the last 6 months). Requires an Apostille + Legalized Romanian Translation.

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2. The First Action: Document Collection & Retrieval

Document retrieval is the most crucial and time-intensive phase of the entire process.

Your initial focus must be on obtaining Original or Certified Copies of all vital records.

• For Ancestral Documents: These are typically found in the National Archives (Arhivele Naționale) for older records or local City Halls for newer ones.
  
  • The Geography Challenge: If your ancestor was born in present-day Moldova or Ukraine (formerly Greater Romania), you may need to retrieve records from those countries first and then transcribe or present them according to specific bilateral agreements.
• For Your Own & Lineage Documents: These are obtained from the relevant local government authority in the country where the birth or marriage took place.
  
  • Civil Status Declarations: If a vital event (like a divorce) is not clear on the face of the documents, Romania often requires a Notarized Declaration explaining the discrepancy or confirming the current civil status.

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3. Critical Authentication: The Apostille Requirement

All foreign documents you submit must be formally authenticated to meet the ANC's strict standards.

• For countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention (the vast majority), this process is called the Apostille.
• What is an Apostille? It is a specific certification stamp or sticker that verifies the authenticity of the official signature and the seal of the document-issuing authority.
• Where to Get It: The competent authority varies by country (e.g., Secretary of State, Foreign Office).
• Crucially, the Apostille must be affixed to the original document before it is translated.
• Warning on Delays: Name discrepancies (e.g., "Ion" vs. "John") are a major cause of rejection. If names do not match exactly, you must obtain an Apostilled "One and the Same Person" affidavit or an official name change document before translating.

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4. The Final Step: Certified Romanian Translation

The final, non-negotiable step for all foreign documents (including the Apostille itself) is translation into Romanian.

• Who Must Translate: Translation is not a standard service.
• The "Double Layer" Standard: The translation must be performed by a Sworn Translator (Traducător Autorizat) authorized by the Romanian Ministry of Justice, AND the translator's signature must often be Legalized by a Public Notary (Legalizare notarială).
• This ensures the translation is legally bound and recognized by the ANC.
• Cost Factor: Because of the requirement for Notarial Legalization on top of the translation, the costs are higher than simple certified translations. It is highly recommended to do this step in Romania or via a Romanian Consulate to ensure the legalization meets domestic standards.

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✅ Your Next Steps

• Define the Unbroken Chain: Verify the historical map locations. Was your ancestor's birthplace part of Romania at the time of birth? (e.g., Cernăuți, Chișinău).
• Start Archival Research: If the ancestor was born in territory no longer part of Romania, determine if the records were evacuated to Bucharest (Civil Status Sector 1) or remained in the foreign country.
• Budget Time and Funds: Plan for the Apostille and the strict Notarized Translation process. Ensure your Criminal Record Check is timed so it does not expire before your appointment.

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