In brief
An Israeli without a European passport may stay in Romania for up to 90 days in any rolling period of 180 days, with a single counter for the entire Schengen area, and owning a home does not add days. With proper planning you can live in the home for up to about 180 days a year, in two windows of 90 days with a 90-day break between them. Anyone who wants more needs a residence permit or citizenship of an EU country.
Key takeaways
- 1The allowance is 90 days in any rolling 180 days, and it is shared across all Schengen countries. Owning a property does not change it.
- 2Days of arrival and departure are counted, and there is no reset at the start of a calendar year.
- 3From 10 April 2026 the EES system digitally records every entry and exit, and an overstay is detected automatically.
- 4In Romania, a stay of more than 183 days within 12 months may create tax residence. 180 days a year remain below the day threshold.
- 5Purchasing a property alone is not a route to a residence permit.
Many Israeli buyers purchase a "second home" in Romania: a place for a long summer, for holidays, and sometimes for an entire winter. The first practical question is how long you can actually live in it. The answer does not depend on ownership of the home but on the rules of entry into the Schengen area, and it is worth building the calendar around them even before the purchase.
How long can an Israeli stay in Romania without a visa?
Up to 90 days in any rolling period of 180 days. According to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since 31 March 2024 a stay in Romania counts as a stay in the Schengen area, and since 1 January 2025 Romania has been a full member of Schengen, after the Council of the EU also lifted checks at the land borders.
The method of calculation: on each day that you are in Romania, look back 180 days and count all the days you stayed in all the Schengen countries together. The total cannot exceed 90.
- The counter is shared across all of Schengen. A week in Italy in February comes off your allowance for the home in Romania in March.
- Days of arrival and departure are counted. Landing on a Thursday and flying back on a Sunday are four days.
- There is no reset in January. The window rolls and is not a calendar year.
- The home does not add days. It gives you an address in Europe, not an additional allowance.
Days of arrival and departure are counted, and there is no reset at the start of a calendar year.
What does a calendar that complies with the rule look like?
The examples assume that you did not stay in another Schengen country during the same periods:
| Pattern of use | Schedule | Days in Romania per year | Does it comply with the rule? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday home | Four two-week visits | About 56 | Yes, with a wide margin |
| Long summer | 1 June to 29 August continuously | 90 | Yes, and then you leave for about 90 days |
| Half and half | 1 January to 31 March, and 30 June to 27 September | 180 | Yes, at the upper limit |
| Permanent residence | Most of the year in Romania | More than 180 | No, not without a residence permit |
The "half and half" pattern is the maximum the rule allows, and it works only if for the rest of the year you are in Israel or outside Schengen. A week in Greece in April will push back your return to the home by a week. To check specific dates, the European Commission publishes a short-stay calculator. It is worth using it before booking a ticket, not after.
What happens if you exceed 90 days, and what does the EES system change?
Until recently, counting relied on stamps in the passport. From 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational, digitally recording every entry and exit of a traveller from a country outside the EU. In other words, an overstay is detected automatically on exit.
An overstay is a breach of the entry rules, and may result in a fine and even a ban on entry to the Schengen area. For someone who has a home in the area, this is a risk not worth taking. Plan with a safety margin of a few days.
And what about ETIAS, the online travel authorisation? As of October 2026 it is not yet operational, and according to the EU's official website the start date will be announced in advance. Once it is in operation, an authorisation will be required before the flight, but the 90/180 rule will not change.
Does half a year in Romania make you a Romanian tax resident?
On the day threshold alone, no. The 90/180 rule keeps you, almost without your noticing, below the threshold for tax residence in Romania. But the day threshold is only one of the tests.
| Country | Residence test | What it means for someone living about 180 days in Romania |
|---|---|---|
| Romania | Under the Tax Code and ANAF: more than 183 days within 12 months, or a centre of vital interests in Romania | Below the day threshold, as long as the centre of life has not moved to Romania |
| Israel | Under the Income Tax Ordinance: a presumption of residence at 183 days or more in the tax year, or 30 days or more in the year and 425 days or more over three years | Usually remain Israeli residents |
Anyone who moves family, work and assets to Romania may be considered resident there because of the centre of life even without exceeding 183 days. In such a situation, and certainly when moving to a long stay with a permit, genuine tax planning is needed in both countries, including an examination of the tax treaty between Israel and Romania.
What ways are there to stay in Romania for more than 90 days?
- A residence permit on a recognised ground: work, business, family, studies or remote work. Purchasing a property alone is not one of the grounds.
- A digital nomad visa, for those who work remotely for a company outside Romania and meet a high income threshold.
- A passport of an EU country. An Israeli with European citizenship is not subject to the 90/180 rule. Those with Romanian roots should look into the Romanian citizenship route.
Applications for a residence permit are filed with the Romanian immigration authority (IGI), usually with the assistance of a Romanian lawyer.
What do you do with the home in the months you are in Israel?
Anyone who lives in the home for half a year leaves it empty for half a year. This is part of the planning and not a marginal detail: someone needs to check the house, heat it in winter to prevent frost damage, look after the garden and open the door for technicians. Before the purchase, it is worth finding out who will maintain the home during the periods when you are not there, and what it will cost.
Before buying a second home in Romania: how we help you plan
The 90/180 rule does not prevent you from enjoying a home in Romania, but it requires planning: up to about 180 days a year, in two windows, with a shared count for all of Schengen. We go through with buyers the pattern of use they are planning, the tax implications in both countries and the options for a long stay, before they commit to a transaction. Applications for residence permits and representation before the authorities in Romania are handled by locally licensed lawyers.
This article is general information, current as of October 2026, and is not legal, immigration or tax advice. Schengen entry rules and residence tests may change. Before planning a long stay, it is advisable to check with the authorities or with a lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
How long a year can an Israeli live in their home in Romania?
Up to 90 days in any rolling 180 days, that is, up to about 180 days a year in two windows, provided that you do not stay in another Schengen country during the same periods. Owning the home does not add days.
Do days in Greece or Italy count towards the Romanian allowance?
Yes. Romania is part of the Schengen area, and there is a single counter for the whole area. Every day in any Schengen country counts towards the same 90 days.
What happens if you stay in Romania for more than 90 days?
It is a breach of the entry rules, and the EES system detects it on exit. It may result in a fine and even a ban on entry to the Schengen area.
If I live in Romania for half a year, will I be a Romanian tax resident?
Not on the day threshold, because 180 days are fewer than 183. But tax residence is also determined by the centre of life, so anyone who moves family, work and assets to Romania should check this with a tax adviser.
Does buying a home in Romania give a right to live there all year?
No. To live in Romania all year you need a residence permit on a recognised ground, such as work, business, family, studies or a digital nomad visa, or a passport of an EU country.
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- Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: entry rules
- European Commission: crossing Schengen borders and short-stay calculator
- European Commission: the Entry/Exit System (EES)
- ETIAS, the official website of the European Union
- Council of the European Union: Romania and Bulgaria in Schengen
- Romanian immigration authority (IGI)
- ANAF, the Romanian tax authority
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.