Foreigners shall hold EUR 500 to enter Romania

Starting from January 2007, citizens of the non-EU member countries may enter Romania’s territory with short-stay visa only if they hold minimum EUR 50 per day of staying, and not less EUR 500. According to the Romanian press, the Foreign Ministries of the two countries are negotiating a special regime for Moldovan citizens. In order to enter Romania, a foreigner should present the sum of EUR 500 if he/she doesn’t have an invitation from a Romanian citizen, as a sponsor. The sponsor will fill in a standard invitation, like those in the EU. According to this invitation the pledger will guarantee to cover the expenses of the foreigner’s stay in Romania and the eventual expenses for repatriation. The sponsor will not be obliged any more to prove that he holds a bank deposit in this respect. In addition, to get a visa for entering Romania, the name of the foreigner should not be listed in the system of alerts of the Schengen space. In order to accelerate the procedures for granting visas, from 1 January 2007, the Romanian Authority for Foreigners will issue notifications in maximum 7 days, and not in 30, as till now. Romania introduces these rules in connection with its adhering to the EU on 1 January 2007.