Long-stay visa for economic activities / company director
Romania’s primary founder-relevant immigration path is the long-stay visa associated with economic activities, including roles as associate or director of a Romanian company — commonly an SRL (societate cu răspundere limitată). Consular long-stay visas are handled under Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) procedures; stay and residence formalities after entry fall under the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI). Applicants typically must show company formation documents, proof of capital contributions as required for the company type and purpose, and evidence that the business will actually operate. Romania does not offer a widely branded “startup visa” product comparable to the Netherlands or Estonia; plan around company-director / economic-activity rules instead of incubator marketing. Extensions and residence permits depend on continued lawful purpose and activity — shelf companies are a common failure mode. Always verify-on-official-site on mae.ro and igi.mai.gov.ro for document lists, capital expectations, and appointment systems before transferring funds.
Min. capital
Company capital / contribution per commercial and immigration rules (verify live amounts)
Best for: Founders and executives who will incorporate an SRL (or eligible vehicle), inject required capital, and personally run or direct activity in Romania.
Not a golden-visa cheque. Capital must match company-law and IGI/MAE expectations for the economic-activities purpose. Older blog figures may be outdated — verify-on-official-site before budgeting.
Investment options
- Incorporate a Romanian SRL (or other eligible form) with associates/directors as planned
- Prove capital contribution / financial capacity as required for the visa purpose
- Document business plan / activity evidence where requested
- Accommodation and health insurance for long-stay / residence stages
- Do not rely on a branded “startup visa” narrative — it is not the NL/EE model
Eligibility
- Third-country national seeking long-stay for economic activities / director purpose
- Company documents proving role as associate, shareholder, and/or director
- Capital and activity evidence meeting current official standards
- Clean criminal record / entry conditions as published
- Consular appointment and biometric steps completed
Process timeline
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1
Structure the SRL & capital
Decide ownership, director roles, and capital funding with Romanian counsel.
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2
Incorporate & bank
Register the company; open accounts; document source of funds from Pakistan.
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3
Long-stay visa (MAE channel)
Lodge at the competent consular post with IGI-aligned supporting documents.
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4
Enter, residence card, extend
Complete IGI residence formalities; keep activity alive for extensions.
Family
Family reunification may be available for spouses and minor children when statutory conditions are met — confirm dependent work rights on IGI pages (verify-on-official-site).
Work rights
Economic-activities / director purpose authorises work tied to the company role. Separate employment for another employer may require a different visa/purpose — verify IGI annotations.
Route to PR
Long-term residence / permanent options may open after continuous legal stay and meeting income/integration conditions. Confirm current IGI guidance — not automatic with SRL ownership.
Route to citizenship
Romanian citizenship by naturalisation is a separate nationality-law process. Dual nationality implications for Pakistani citizens need personal advice.
Pros
- Clear MAE + IGI institutional split for visa vs stay
- SRL is a standard, bankable EU company form
- Competitive costs and growing tech/services market
- No need to force-fit a nonexistent branded startup visa
Watch-outs
- No NL/EE-style branded startup visa — ignore agent packaging that invents one
- Capital and activity proof are scrutinised; paper SRLs fail
- Consular wait times can dominate planning
- Always verify-on-official-site for capital figures cited online