In brief
In Romania any foreigner may register a building, house or apartment in their own name; the differences between passports concern only land. Citizens of Romania, the European Union and the European Economic Area hold land like Romanians, a Swiss citizen only if resident in Romania, and other citizenships hold land through a Superficie right or through a Romanian company. Agricultural land outside the built-up area is additionally subject to Law 17/2014.
Key takeaways
- 1Under Article 44(2) of the Constitution and Law 312/2005, the restriction on foreigners applies to land only, not to buildings.
- 2Citizens of Romania, the European Union and the European Economic Area acquire land like Romanians, even if they do not live in Romania.
- 3Israelis, Britons, Americans, Canadians, Australians and Gulf citizens register the house in their own name and the land through a Superficie right or a Romanian company.
- 4A Moldovan citizen holds land directly only from the day of the Romanian citizenship oath, not from the day the application is filed.
- 5No citizenship has a residence-by-property route in Romania.
The question “am I allowed to buy in Romania?” sounds simple, but it has three different answers: one for the building, one for the land the building stands on, and one for agricultural land. The passport you hold determines only the last two.
In this guide we have gathered the comparison between the citizenships we encounter in transactions in Romania. We set out the Superficie right itself, what a Romanian passport changes and agricultural land in separate guides, so here we focus on the question of who gets what and on what basis.
What actually changes according to the passport?
Only the land. Article 44(2) of the Romanian Constitution guarantees private property regardless of the owner's identity, and restricts foreigners only with regard to land. Law 312/2005, which governs the acquisition of land by foreigners, also applies under its Article 1(1) to land only.
- The building (apartment, house, villa): any citizenship may register it in its own name.
- Land inside the built-up area (intravilan): open to citizens of Romania, the European Union and the European Economic Area. Anyone outside them can buy land only under a reciprocity treaty between the states, and according to the source no such treaties were found for the citizenships in the table.
- Agricultural land outside the built-up area (extravilan): in addition to all of the above, Law 17/2014 applies to it, with pre-emption rights and conditions for the buyer.
Citizens of Romania, the European Union and the European Economic Area acquire land like Romanians, even if they do not live in Romania.
The table: what can each passport register in its own name?
| Passport | Building | Land inside the built-up area | Agricultural land outside the built-up area | Main legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romanian, including dual citizenship | Yes | Yes | Yes, under the rules of Law 17/2014 | Constitution, Article 44; Law 312/2005, Article 1(1) |
| European Union or European Economic Area | Yes | Yes, even without living in Romania | Yes, under the rules of Law 17/2014 | Law 312/2005, Articles 2(a), 3, 4 and 9 |
| Switzerland | Yes | Only for a resident of Romania; otherwise Superficie or a company | Under conditions | Law 312/2005, Article 6; EU-Switzerland free movement agreement |
| United Kingdom (after Brexit) | Yes | No; Superficie or a company | No | EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, Annex 19 |
| Israel, without a European passport | Yes | No; Superficie or a company | No | Law 312/2005, Article 6; no reciprocity treaty |
| USA, Canada, Australia | Yes | No; Superficie or a company | No | As for Israel |
| Moldova, without Romanian citizenship | Yes | Not until the citizenship oath; until then Superficie or a company | Not until the oath | Law 312/2005; Civil Code, Articles 693-699 |
| Ukraine, including temporary protection | Yes | No; Superficie or a company | No | As for Israel; temporary protection is not citizenship |
| Russia, Belarus | Yes | No; Superficie, or a company subject to sanctions | No | Law 312/2005; EU Regulations 833/2014 and 765/2006 |
| Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) | Yes | No; Superficie or a company | No | As for Israel |
| Any citizenship, through a Romanian company (SRL) | Yes, in the company's name | Yes, in the company's name | Only if the company meets the conditions of Law 17/2014 | Civil Code, Article 225 |
The expression Superficie or a company in the table means that the house is registered in your name and the land comes to you through a registered real right, or that everything is registered in the name of a Romanian company you own. Both routes are lawful; the differences between them concern tax, management and financing.
What lies behind each row?
- Romanian citizens. Citizenship applies from the day of the oath, not from the day the passport is issued. An Israeli with Romanian citizenship buys a house and land like any Romanian.
- EU and European Economic Area citizens. Full equality in acquiring land. What does not derive from ownership is a right to live in Romania: a stay of over 3 months requires another ground, such as employment or sufficient means, and registration within 3 months.
- Switzerland. Under Law 312/2005, Switzerland is not part of the EU or the European Economic Area. Under the free movement agreement, a Swiss citizen with a right of residence and a main place of residence in Romania acquires like a Romanian; a non-resident uses Superficie or a company.
- United Kingdom. Britons lost the land rights of EU citizens at the end of the transition period, 31 December 2020. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement preserves the Romanian rule requiring a reciprocity treaty, and there is no such treaty.
- Israel, the USA, Canada, Australia and the Gulf states. Citizens of third countries without a reciprocity treaty. A second passport of an EU state, for example Irish or Romanian, moves the buyer to the European row.
- Moldova. Romanian citizenship granted or restored takes effect on the day of the oath. If the purchase happens before then, it is advisable to structure it so that the land can be regularised afterwards.
- Ukraine. The European Union's temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2028 (Council Implementing Decision 2026/1912). It is a right of stay only, and does not change the land rules.
- Russia and Belarus. Neither the sanctions nor Romanian law prohibit buying a house. But the EU regulations limit deposits to a cap of 100,000 euro at each bank, and restrict payment services, electronic money and crypto, for anyone without citizenship or a residence permit in the EU, the European Economic Area or Switzerland. This mainly affects the way the price is paid.
A Romanian company (SRL): does it solve the passport question?
For land inside the built-up area, yes. Under Article 225 of the Civil Code, a company with its seat in Romania is a Romanian legal person, and it may hold land regardless of the citizenship of its shareholders.
The price is a change in what you own: you hold shares, not the house. The company is subject to obligations under company law, bookkeeping and tax, and all of these continue as long as it exists. For agricultural land outside the built-up area, a company must additionally meet the conditions of Law 17/2014, which we set out in the guide on land for foreigners. The comparison between a private purchase and a purchase through a company appears in a separate guide.
What else changes according to the passport: entry, documents and tax treaty
Land is not the only difference. The passport also determines whether you will need a visa to come to the signing, how documents from your country will be authenticated, and whether there is a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation. The data is correct as of October 2026.
| Passport | Entry to Romania | Document authentication | Tax treaty with Romania |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU, European Economic Area, Switzerland | Free movement | Apostille | Exists with most states; Switzerland since 1994 |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free, 90 days in 180 | Apostille | New treaty from 2026 |
| Israel | Visa-free, 90 days in 180 | Apostille | Exists, since 1999 |
| USA, Canada, Australia | Visa-free, 90 days in 180 | Apostille (Canada joined the Convention on 11 January 2024) | Exists |
| Moldova | Visa-free, 90 days in 180 | Apostille | Exists, since 1997 |
| Ukraine | Visa-free, 90 days in 180 | Apostille | Exists, since 1998 |
| Russia, Belarus | Visa required | Apostille; actual practice not checked | Suspended since 2024 |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free, 90 days in 180 | Consular legalisation | Exists |
| Saudi Arabia, Qatar | Schengen visa required | Saudi Arabia: apostille; Qatar: consular legalisation | Exists |
For someone who cannot travel, a notarial power of attorney makes it possible to close a transaction without a trip, and then the visa question is less pressing. The question of document authentication, by contrast, applies to every foreign document submitted to a notary in Romania.
What does no passport give?
Residency. Romanian law has no residence-by-property-purchase route, for any citizenship. Emergency Ordinance 194/2002 lists the purposes of long stay, such as employment, studies, family or business activity, and owning a house is not one of them. We set out the difference between NIF and CNP and the residence routes in a separate guide.
The only business route linked to investment is based on a company: an approved business plan and at least 100,000 euro as a partner in an SRL company, in an account at a Romanian bank. The passport also does not change the price, the VAT or the notary and registration costs.
What should you do before signing?
Before committing, decide which citizenship will appear in the contract, and if you or your spouse hold a passport of an EU state, check whether it is worth using it now. Then decide between Superficie and a company and prepare the documents with the appropriate authentication. We accompany Israeli buyers in choosing the structure and preparing the documents from Israel, and the signing and registration in Romania are carried out by locally licensed notaries and lawyers.
This guide is general information, current as of October 2026, and is not legal or tax advice for a specific case. Entry rules, sanctions and tax treaties change, and before a purchase it is advisable to check them against the current official source.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Romania in their own name?
Yes. The restriction on foreigners in Romania applies only to land, under Article 44(2) of the Constitution and Law 312/2005. A building, house or apartment can be registered in the name of any citizenship.
I have an Israeli passport and a European passport. Which should I use?
If you buy as citizens of an EU state, you can also register the land in your name, like a Romanian. When buying with the Israeli passport only, the land will come to you through a Superficie right or through a Romanian company.
Can a Moldovan citizen who has applied for Romanian citizenship buy land?
Romanian citizenship takes effect on the day of the oath. Until then they are considered a third-country citizen, and can hold the land through a Superficie right or through a company.
Can Russians buy property in Romania?
Yes, owning a house is not prohibited, and the land rules are the same as for third-country citizens. The EU sanctions limit deposits to a cap of 100,000 euro at each bank and restrict certain payment services, which affects how the price is paid.
Does buying a house in Romania give residency?
No, for any citizenship. A long-stay visa is granted only for the purposes listed in Emergency Ordinance 194/2002, and owning property is not one of them.
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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.