In brief
Many Israelis are entitled to apply for the restoration of Romanian citizenship under Article 11 of Law 21/1991, if they or their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents lost Romanian citizenship involuntarily. Since Law 14/2025 most applicants must prove knowledge of Romanian, and the authority has up to two years to decide. Citizenship is not a condition for buying property in Romania, but it allows you to register land directly in your name.
Key takeaways
- 1Article 11 of Law 21/1991 applies to those who lost citizenship involuntarily and to their descendants up to the third generation.
- 2You can keep your Israeli citizenship; Romania does not require you to renounce it.
- 3Since Law 14/2025 most applicants under Articles 10 and 11 must prove knowledge of Romanian with a recognised certificate, with defined exemptions.
- 4The National Citizenship Authority has up to two years from registration of the application to decide, with a possible extension of six months.
- 5An EU citizen can register land in Romania in his or her name; a buyer from outside the EU uses a Superficie right or a company.
A conversation about buying a home in Romania often reaches the family album: a grandmother born in Iași, a father who emigrated from Bucharest. And from there comes the question of whether it is possible to obtain a Romanian passport. The answer depends on the documents and not on the story, and it is entirely separate from buying the property. Neither depends on the other, but there is one point where they meet, and we will come to it.
Can Israelis obtain Romanian citizenship?
Often, yes. The Romanian citizenship law (Law 21/1991) includes in Article 11 a route for the restoration of citizenship: it is open to anyone whose Romanian citizenship was lost for reasons beyond his or her control, and also to that person's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. There is no need to renounce Israeli citizenship, and there is no obligation to live in Romania in order to hold the citizenship.
Why does this concern so many families in Israel? Because in the years after the Second World War, leaving Romania for Israel very often involved a forced renunciation of citizenship or its withdrawal.
You can keep your Israeli citizenship; Romania does not require you to renounce it.
Who is covered by Article 11, and how does it differ from Article 10?
The article covers three groups. The first: those who were Romanian citizens by birth or by adoption, and whose citizenship was lost in circumstances beyond their control, such as the emigration rules of the communist period. The second: those whose citizenship was withdrawn against their will. The third: the subsequent generations of both groups, down to the great-grandchildren.
| Article 11 | Article 10 | |
|---|---|---|
| For whom | Those who lost citizenship involuntarily, and their descendants up to the third generation | Former citizens who lost it for other reasons, for example at their own request, and their descendants |
| In Israeli families | The typical case: emigrants of the communist period and their families | Less common |
| Language requirement | Required since Law 14/2025, with exemptions | Required since Law 14/2025, with exemptions |
| Place of residence | Romania or abroad | Romania or abroad |
Which article applies to your case is decided by the National Citizenship Authority (ANC, Autoritatea Națională pentru Cetățenie), on the basis of the documents.
What did Law 14/2025 change?
Since March 2025, with the entry into force of Law 14/2025, applicants under Articles 10 and 11 must as a rule show that they know Romanian. For grandchildren and great-grandchildren applying now, preparing for the language is usually the most time-consuming part.
| Issue | What the amended law provides |
|---|---|
| Method of proof | A certificate from an institution listed in the law, for example a recognised Romanian university with a preparatory year in Romanian, the Romanian Language Institute or the Romanian Cultural Institute, or proof of studies in the Romanian language. The list of accepted certificates was published by the ANC |
| Exemptions | Among others: those who were Romanian citizens themselves and are applying to restore their citizenship, applicants who have reached 65 by the filing date, minors included in a parent's file, and those whose documented medical condition prevents them from acquiring the language |
| Processing time | Up to two years from registration of the file, and in justified cases an extension of up to six months |
Which documents need to be prepared?
Every file is different, and the current forms are published on the ANC website. Usually, in a file under Article 11, three facts must be established:
| What is proven | Typical documents |
|---|---|
| The ancestor's Romanian citizenship | A Romanian birth or marriage certificate, or another record of his or her civil status |
| That the citizenship was lost against his or her will | Documents from the time of emigration, to the extent preserved |
| The link between the generations | A birth certificate for each generation in the chain, including documentation of name changes, a very common phenomenon in Israeli families |
Documents issued in Israel will usually require an apostille and a certified translation. The Romanian records are requested from the civil status office (Starea Civilă) in the city where the birth or marriage was registered, and some of the old records are held in the National Archives of Romania.
What is the sequence of steps?
- Establish eligibility: gather the documents the family already has and identify the relative who was a Romanian citizen.
- Complete the file: records from Romania, Israeli documents with an apostille, and certified translations.
- Prepare for the language test, if you are not in the exempt group.
- File with the ANC, directly in Bucharest or through a Romanian mission abroad, for example the embassy in Tel Aviv.
- Wait for the decision, up to two years under the law.
- Take the oath of allegiance to Romania and receive the citizenship certificate.
- Register the birth and civil status in Romania, and only after that apply for an identity card or passport.
What does Romanian citizenship change for a property buyer?
An apartment or house can be bought without citizenship as well. The biggest practical difference concerns the land, mainly in the case of a villa:
| Issue | Israeli citizen only | Israeli with Romanian citizenship |
|---|---|---|
| Buying an apartment or house | Permitted | Permitted |
| Registering land in your name | Restricted; a Superficie right or a company is used | Permitted, as for any EU citizen |
| Living in Romania beyond 90 days in any 180 | A residence permit is required | No permit required |
| Living and working throughout the EU | A permit is required in each country | Freedom of movement |
| Taxes in Romania | According to the transaction and tax residency, not according to citizenship | The same |
And one thing the passport does not change: tax residency is determined by the place where life is actually conducted, not by citizenship.
What should you do if you are examining both matters in parallel?
If you are considering both citizenship and the purchase of a villa, it is worth planning the order: check what to expect in the citizenship file and when, and choose the land registration route according to the situation on the day of signing. When we accompany a buyer in such a situation, we explain the implications of each route for the property, and the citizenship file itself is filed and managed with the authorities in Romania with the assistance of a Romanian lawyer specialising in citizenship.
The content of this article is general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Every citizenship file is examined separately by the authorities in Romania. Before filing an application, check your case with a lawyer specialising in Romanian citizenship.
Frequently asked questions
Can Israelis obtain Romanian citizenship?
Yes, if they or one of their ancestors up to the third generation were Romanian citizens who lost citizenship for reasons beyond their control. The route is Article 11 of Law 21/1991, and Israeli citizenship can be kept.
Do you need to speak Romanian to obtain Romanian citizenship?
Since Law 14/2025, applicants under Articles 10 and 11 must prove knowledge of Romanian with a recognised certificate or proof of studies. Those restoring citizenship they held themselves, applicants aged 65 and over and minors in a parent's application are among those exempt.
How long does it take to obtain Romanian citizenship?
The law gives the authority up to two years from the date of registration of the application, with a possible extension of up to six months. Preparing the documents and the language certificate usually takes months beforehand.
Do you need to live in Romania to apply under Article 11?
No. Under Article 11 citizenship can be obtained with a place of residence in Romania or abroad.
Does Romanian citizenship help when buying a villa?
You can buy without it as well. The main effect is that an EU citizen registers the land directly in his or her name, while a buyer from outside the EU uses a Superficie right or a company.
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The information in this guide is general in nature and does not constitute legal or tax advice on any specific transaction. Every transaction is assessed on its own facts.