Retiring in Romania in 2026: visa, cost, healthcare & tax

Overview

Romania is one of the EU's best-value retirement destinations and one of its least discovered. It offers EU and Schengen membership, a low cost of living, dramatic scenery from the Carpathians to the Black Sea coast, and a flat 10 percent income tax that is among the lowest in the bloc. English is widely spoken by younger Romanians in the cities, and connectivity to the rest of Europe is good. There is no visa officially called a "retirement visa" - non-EU retirees settle through the long-stay visa for "other purposes", a catch-all route for people who can justify their presence and support themselves without working.

EU and EEA/Swiss citizens do not need a visa at all: they can move to Romania freely and simply register their residence after 90 days. The rest of this guide is written primarily for non-EU retirees (Americans, Britons, Canadians and others), for whom the visa, healthcare and tax steps matter most.

The retirement route (long-stay visa for "other purposes")

Non-EU retirees generally use the long-stay visa for "other purposes" (visa D/AS), granted by the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It covers foreigners carrying out lawful activities that do not fit the employment, study or business categories - which in practice is how self-supporting retirees qualify. You apply at a Romanian consulate in your home country, receive a long-stay visa valid for 90 days, then apply to IGI inside Romania, before the visa expires, for a residence permit that is extended for successive periods of up to one year.

The core financial test is proof of stable means of support at least at the level of the national minimum gross wage. Romania's minimum gross wage is 4,050 lei per month in the first half of 2026, rising to 4,325 lei (about 825 euros) from 1 July 2026. A pension, investment income or other reliable passive income can satisfy this, and consulates want to see the income comfortably covers real living costs, not just the bare minimum.

• Proof of stable income at least at the national minimum gross wage (4,050 lei in early 2026, 4,325 lei from July 2026); budget well above the floor.
• Travel medical insurance with minimum coverage of 30,000 euros for the visa stage.
• Proof of accommodation in Romania (rental contract or property).
• Clean criminal-record certificate.
• Health insurance / proof of health cover, and a medical certificate.
• The visa fee is 300 euros; apply to IGI for the residence permit within the visa's validity.

After five years of continuous legal residence (with absences of no more than six consecutive months and 10 months in total), you can apply for long-term (permanent) residence. For the rules on when your move actually makes you a Romanian taxpayer, see our companion guide on tax residency in Romania.

Cost of living

Romania is one of the cheapest countries in the EU, and this is a large part of the appeal for retirees on a fixed pension. Bucharest is the most expensive city and still costs a fraction of western Europe; regional cities like Cluj-Napoca, Brasov, Sibiu, Timisoara and the Black Sea coast are cheaper again. The figures below are from Numbeo for Bucharest (September 2026), converted from lei at roughly 5 lei to the euro.

A couple renting a one-bedroom apartment in central Bucharest and living comfortably should plan for roughly 1,800 to 2,500 euros a month including rent. Choose a regional city or the coast over central Bucharest and the figure drops further, often meaningfully on rent. For many western pensioners, this is the single biggest reason Romania works: a pension that feels tight at home stretches a long way here.

Healthcare

Romania has a public health system run through the National Health Insurance House (CNAS). Legal residents can register and access public care, and the system is inexpensive, though quality and waiting times are uneven and the best facilities are private and concentrated in the larger cities. Most expat retirees combine CNAS access with private health insurance, which is cheap by North American or western European standards and buys faster access to English-speaking doctors and private clinics.

• Public CNAS: legal residents can insure into the public system; the health contribution (CASS) is 10 percent of relevant income.
• Pensioners: pension income is subject to the 10 percent CASS only on the part above the 3,000 lei monthly threshold; below it, no health contribution is due on the pension.
• Voluntary insurance: people without taxable income can insure voluntarily via ANAF (roughly 1,900-2,500 lei for 2026), with a waiting period before some cover applies.
• Private insurance and care: high quality relative to price, widely used by retirees for speed and English-language service; also useful to satisfy the visa's insurance requirement.

Note that health cover is a document requirement at both the visa and residence-permit stages. For a fuller look at how CNAS registration works, what it covers and typical private-insurance costs, see our guide to healthcare in Romania.

How pensions & foreign income are taxed

This is where Romania stands out. Once you spend more than 183 days in Romania in any 12-month period, or make it the centre of your vital interests, you become a Romanian tax resident and are taxed on your worldwide income. But the rate is a flat 10 percent - one of the lowest personal income tax rates in the EU, tied with Bulgaria - not a progressive scale that climbs with income.

Pensions get specific, favourable treatment. Under Romania's Fiscal Code, pension income is taxed at 10 percent only on the amount exceeding a non-taxable monthly threshold of 3,000 lei (about 600 euros); the portion below that is tax-free. Just as important, Romania's double-tax treaties frequently assign the taxing right over pensions to the country of residence, and in some cases (for example certain government and social-security pensions) to the source country - so exactly what Romania can tax depends on your treaty and pension type.

• Romanian tax residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign pensions.
• The personal income tax rate is a flat 10 percent, not progressive.
• Pension income is taxed at 10 percent only above the 3,000 lei/month non-taxable threshold.
• Double-tax treaties decide which country taxes your pension; state and government pensions are often treated differently from private ones.
• A separate 10 percent health contribution (CASS) can apply to pension amounts above 3,000 lei/month.
• Get personalised advice: treaty relief, pension type and where income arises all change the outcome.

Best areas

• Bucharest: the capital, best connectivity, healthcare and English, highest (but still moderate) costs.
• Cluj-Napoca: lively university and tech city in Transylvania, well connected, popular with expats.
• Brasov & Sibiu: scenic Transylvanian towns near the Carpathians, walkable, strong quality of life.
• Timisoara: western Romania, close to Hungary and Serbia, cosmopolitan and green.
• The Black Sea coast (Constanta, Mamaia) and smaller towns: lower costs, quieter, seasonal in the resort areas.

How to apply

• Get a Romanian tax identification number and, where useful, open a Romanian bank account.
• Gather proof of stable income, accommodation, health/travel insurance (30,000 euros minimum) and a criminal-record certificate.
• Apply for the long-stay visa for "other purposes" (visa D/AS) at the Romanian consulate covering your home country.
• Enter Romania on the 90-day long-stay visa and apply to IGI for a residence permit before it expires.
• Register for healthcare (CNAS and/or private cover) and, crucially, get tax advice before you trigger residency to plan around your pension treaty.
• Renew the permit annually and, after five years of continuous legal residence, apply for long-term residence.

How Expectat helps you get there

Romania can be one of the best-value retirements in the EU, but whether it beats the alternatives comes down to how your specific pensions are taxed under the relevant treaty once you are resident. We start from your numbers, not a brochure.

• We map your situation: your pensions, Social Security, investment income and home-country treaty position, and model your real after-tax income as a Romanian resident under the flat 10 percent regime.
• We pressure-test the pension question: what your treaty assigns to Romania versus your home country, how the 3,000 lei threshold and CASS apply, and whether Romania or an alternative gives the better outcome.
• We execute on the ground: the "other purposes" visa filing, IGI residence permit, tax registration, banking, accommodation proof and healthcare setup, with vetted local lawyers and tax advisers in Romania.

Get a clear read on your after-tax retirement before you move. Book a strategy call.