Three times the average gross wage of 9,192 lei, about €5,150, in each of the six months before the application.
The salary from the foreign company is exempt from tax in Romania as long as you stay up to 183 days in any 12 months.
A long-stay visa application on the e-Visa portal from 27 April 2026 costs €300, instead of €120.
The application requires health insurance for the whole visa period, with cover of at least €30,000, and a criminal record certificate.
Contract, company details, letter of intent, tax certificate, proof of income, insurance, accommodation and criminal record certificate.
Romania's digital nomad visa: the short answer
Romania's digital nomad visa is for people who work remotely for a company registered outside Romania, as employees or as owners. The key condition: income of at least three times Romania's average gross wage in each of the six months before the application. In 2026 that is about 27,576 lei a month, about €5,150. You apply at a consulate, then request a residence permit. A home you own does not give you the visa, but it solves the accommodation requirement.
Most people who ask me about this visa work in Israeli tech and want to live in their own home near Bucharest for several months a year, longer than the 90/180 rule allows. It is a real route, but with a high income threshold and tax consequences you need to understand in advance.
Where the visa came from, and who it is for
Law 22/2022 amended Emergency Ordinance 194/2002 on the status of foreigners and added the "digital nomad" to the list of foreigners who can receive a long-stay visa. Under the legal definition, as cited by Juridice.ro, a digital nomad is a foreigner employed under an employment contract by a company registered outside Romania, or who owns such a company, and works remotely using communication technology.
Note what the visa does not give you: it is not a work permit for a Romanian employer and not a route to opening a local business. It lets you live in Romania and keep working for whoever you already worked for abroad.
The income threshold: how much you need to earn in 2026
The threshold is three times Romania's "average gross wage". For 2026, the state social insurance budget law, Law 44/2026, set an average gross wage of 9,192 lei, in force from 30 March 2026, according to Ziarul Financiar.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gross wage for 2026 | 9,192 lei |
| Monthly threshold (x3) | 27,576 lei |
| Approximately in euros, at about 5.35 lei (ECB, 7.10.2026) | about €5,150 |
| Proof period | Each of the 6 months before the application, and for the whole visa period |
The threshold rises with the average wage. When the law came into force in 2022 it was about €3,300 a month, according to the same source. So check the current figure on the day you apply, not in an old guide. Avocatnet shows the same calculation for 2026.
The documents you need to submit
According to the list on Juridice.ro, with most documents requiring a certified translation into Romanian:
- An employment contract with the foreign company, or proof of ownership of the company.
- A company identification document and its contact details.
- A letter of intent explaining the purpose of the stay and the activity.
- A tax compliance certificate from your country of residence, with an apostille.
- Proof of income at the threshold level.
- Health insurance for the whole visa period, with cover of at least €30,000.
- Proof of accommodation in Romania.
- A criminal record certificate, with an apostille.
The fee: according to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an application for a long-stay visa (type D) submitted on the e-Visa portal from 27 April 2026 costs €300, compared with €120 before.
Where your home comes in
Item 7 on the list is where a home you own makes the difference. Your home does not give you the visa, but it turns the accommodation requirement into the simplest line in the file. A property registered in your name in the land register is clean proof, with no lease to renew.
And the other way round: without a visa, your home is available to you only under the 90/180 rule, meaning up to about 180 days a year in two windows. We explained this in our article on how long you may live in your own home in Romania. The other permit routes, and why buying a property on its own is not one of them, are covered in our guide to residence permits.
Your home does not give you the visa, but it turns the accommodation requirement into the simplest line in the file.
Tax: the 183-day rule
Law 69/2023 added an explicit relief to the tax code: income from work for the foreign company is exempt in Romania from income tax and social contributions, provided the nomad does not stay in Romania for more than 183 days in any 12-month period.
What this means in practice:
- Up to 183 days: Romania does not tax your salary from abroad. You usually remain tax resident in Israel and pay tax there as normal.
- Over 183 days: the exemption does not apply, and you may be considered tax resident in Romania. This is where the Israel-Romania tax treaty comes in, and you need real planning with an adviser who knows both countries.
In other words, anyone who wants to live in Romania for more than half a year needs to think about tax before thinking about the visa.
Three options, side by side
| Tourist (visa-exempt) | Digital nomad | Business activity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How long | 90 days in every 180 | According to the permit, with renewals | According to the permit, with renewals |
| Key condition | Israeli passport | Income of 3 times the average wage, from a foreign employer | A Romanian company and an investment plan |
| Working for a foreign company | Not regulated as residence | Yes, that is the purpose of the visa | Not the purpose |
| Proof of accommodation | Not required | Required | Required |
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits: employees of Israeli or international companies that allow remote work, with stable income above the threshold, who want to live in Romania for several consecutive months a year.
It suits less: freelancers with variable income, who may not meet the threshold in each of the six months; anyone who wants to work with Romanian clients; and anyone planning to move to Romania completely, where another route may fit better.
For the wider picture of relocating, schools and neighbourhoods, read our guide to relocating to Romania.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income threshold for Romania's digital nomad visa in 2026?
Three times the average gross wage, 9,192 lei in 2026, which means 27,576 lei a month, about €5,150. You must prove it for each of the six months before the application and for the whole visa period.
Does buying a home in Romania give you a digital nomad visa?
No. The visa depends on remote work and income, not on property. But a home registered in your name meets the proof-of-accommodation requirement in the application.
Does a digital nomad pay tax in Romania?
Not on the salary from the foreign company, as long as they stay in Romania for up to 183 days in any 12 months. Beyond that the exemption does not apply, and they may be considered Romanian tax resident.
How much does the visa application cost?
An application for a long-stay visa submitted on the e-Visa portal from 27 April 2026 costs €300. Translations, apostilles and health insurance come on top.
Can I work with Romanian clients on this visa?
The visa is for work for a company registered outside Romania. Working for a local employer or local clients is a different route and needs checking with an immigration lawyer.
The bottom line
The digital nomad visa is the most direct way for an Israeli who works remotely to live in their own home in Romania for more than 90 consecutive days. The threshold is high, the paperwork is substantial, and the 183-day rule sets the tax picture.
I will mention this once: in our project in Balotești, too, there are buyers considering this route. If you are one of them, with us or in any other home, book a 30-minute call with me. We will build the timeline together, and I will connect you with an immigration lawyer when needed.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: Romanian legislation portal (Emergency Ordinance 194/2002; Law 22/2022; Law 69/2023) · Juridice.ro, residence visa for digital nomads · Avocatnet, digital nomad in Romania in 2026 · Avocatnet, the tax exemption for nomads · Ziarul Financiar, the average wage for 2026 · Contabun, Law 44/2026 · Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visa fees · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) · money.ro, BNR rate in October 2026.
This article is for general information only and is not legal, immigration or tax advice. The income threshold is updated with the average wage, and the list of documents may change. As of October 2026, check with the consulate and an immigration lawyer before applying.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
