Relocation · Guide
Relocating your family to Romania: where to start
The guiding milestones of a relocation journey for the whole family: from family reunification to housing, school, and integration.
- Relocating a family typically involves reunification, housing, school/kindergarten, and health insurance.
- Reunification depends on the status of the person already settled in Romania (Romanian citizen or foreign national).
- Each family member may have a different administrative path, depending on age and relationship.
- Documents issued in another language usually require authorized translation and apostille.
- A clear plan from the start reduces the number of steps handled "on the fly."
The components of a family relocation
Relocating a family isn't a single process. It's several parallel journeys: reunification or a residence permit for family members, finding suitable housing, enrolling children in school or kindergarten, and securing health insurance for the whole family.
Family reunification, briefly
The conditions for reunification differ depending on the status of the person already settled in Romania (Romanian citizen or foreign national with the right of residence) and the degree of kinship. Proof of the relationship (marriage or birth certificate, apostilled and translated) is usually the starting point of the file.
Processing times for reunification depend on the institutions involved and how complete the file is. There's no single timeframe that applies to every situation.
What documents are typically involved
For a reunification file, the documents typically involved include:
- Marriage or birth certificate, apostilled and translated
- Proof of the family relationship
- Proof of income and housing for the person already settled
- Health insurance for the family member relocating
This list is indicative. Your actual file may require additions specific to your family's situation.
Housing, school, integration
Alongside the administrative side, a successful relocation involves finding housing suited to your family, enrolling children in a suitable school, and access to health insurance, steps that can be prepared ahead of time rather than left for the last moment.
What order things happen in
A general order that works for most situations: (1) clarifying the status of the person already settled in Romania, (2) preparing the reunification documents, (3) submitting the file, (4) in parallel, searching for housing and identifying a suitable school/kindergarten, so the family is ready to move as soon as the file is resolved, rather than starting the search only then.
What we check together
Before proposing a path forward, we listen to your family's situation (who's relocating, in what order, and which documents are already available), so reunification, housing, and integration are coordinated as one process, not separate efforts.
Frequently asked questions
How long does family reunification take?
It depends on the status of the person already settled in Romania and the institutions involved. A realistic timeframe is set after assessing the situation, not given generically.
Can children start school right after relocating?
Enrollment happens as soon as possible, in parallel with the rest of the file. You don't have to wait for the administrative side to be fully finished.
What happens if the documents are issued in another language?
They typically require authorized translation and apostille, so the documents are recognized in Romania.
- General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI): igi.mai.gov.ro (opens in a new tab)
This material is for informational purposes and does not replace the legal, tax, or administrative analysis of a specific situation.
Need clarity for your case?
Tell us what you want to do in Romania, and we'll work out the relevant next steps for your situation together.
Related articles
Immigration · Guide24 August 2026
Residence permit in Romania: what to know before you start
What a residence permit is, which documents are generally required, where to file, and what happens if it expires. A Bosfora guide, with official sources.
Immigration · Continuity24 August 2026
Why Monitoring Your Residence Permit Matters
What you risk if a renewal deadline passes unnoticed, and how active monitoring prevents it.