Israelis can stay in Romania, as anywhere in Schengen, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Beyond that you need a legal route.
Romania has been a full member of the Schengen area since 1 January 2025. Checks at air and sea borders were already lifted in March 2024.
The reference rate set by the National Bank of Romania on 21 October 2026 was 5.3297 lei to the euro. The rate moves, so a budget needs a margin.
According to Eurostat, the price level for household consumption in Romania in 2025 was 65, the second lowest in the EU after Bulgaria.
Documents, apostilles, school, pets and tax planning take months. If you start a year ahead, you land calmly.
Relocating to Romania: the short answer
Romania is a member of the European Union and, since 1 January 2025, a full member of the Schengen area. The flight from Tel Aviv to Bucharest takes under three hours, and the clock barely moves. Consumer prices in Romania are among the lowest in the EU. Together, that makes it a serious option for families, many of them from Israel.
But relocating is not a flight. Israeli citizens can stay in Romania for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and beyond that you need a legal route. Health insurance, tax residence, national insurance, your driving licence, your household goods and the children's school all need decisions, and most of them before you board the plane.
This guide is the map. For each topic we give the 2 to 4 facts that matter, and a link to the detailed chapter.
In plain words: relocating to Romania is possible and orderly, but it starts with a year of planning, not with buying a ticket.
What this guide does not do
We are property developers, not immigration or tax advisers. This guide puts the topics in order and points to official sources. It does not replace personal advice.
Before you move, hire two independent professionals: a Romanian lawyer who specialises in immigration, and an accountant who understands tax in both your home country and Romania. Our company lawyer represents the company only, and does not advise buyers or families.
Why Romania, and why north Bucharest
Three reasons come up again and again in our conversations with families: it is close to Israel, the cost of living is relatively low for Europe, and it is an EU country. There is also a historical link: according to the Romanian Embassy in Washington, Romania is the only country in Eastern Europe that has kept uninterrupted diplomatic relations with Israel since 1948.
North Bucharest is where foreigners and families with children tend to settle. It is home to the American International School of Bucharest (AISB), founded in 1962 and located on Pipera Boulevard in Voluntari, and to the Pipera office district. Otopeni airport is also in the north.
In Balotești, north of the city, Mark Twain International School is building a new campus. According to the announcement of 10 March 2026, the investment is €30 million, the campus is designed for about 1,500 students aged 18 months to 18 years, and it is planned to open no later than autumn 2028.
We compare the areas in detail in our guide to the best areas near Bucharest for families.
Schengen: what it gives you and what it does not
- Romania has been a full Schengen member since 1 January 2025. Checks at air and sea borders were already lifted on 31 March 2024.
- Israel is on the list of visa-exempt countries for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, under EU Regulation 2018/1806. The days are counted together across all Schengen countries.
- The Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. At the border it records fingerprints, a facial image and entry and exit dates.
- Schengen is about movement, not status. It does not give you the right to live in Romania beyond the 90 days.
More in our article on Romania in Schengen.
Flights from Israel
A direct flight from Tel Aviv to Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) takes about 2 hours 40 to 50 minutes, according to El Al's schedule. Other airlines also fly the route, and the choice changes with the season. Israel and Romania are on the same time almost all year. In 2026 the difference lasted only two days, at the end of March.
We cover the routes, the airport and the drive from it in our guide to flights to Bucharest.
The cost of living
- Price level: according to Eurostat, in 2025 the price level for household consumption in Romania stood at 65 (EU average = 100). Only Bulgaria, at 63, was cheaper.
- Inflation: in September 2026 annual inflation in Romania was 6.61%, according to INS data as reported on 13 October 2026.
- VAT: since 1 August 2025 the standard VAT rate has been 21%, up from 19%. A reduced rate of 11% applies to most food and to medicines.
- Exchange rate: on 21 October 2026 the National Bank of Romania (BNR) set a reference rate of 5.3297 lei to the euro. The rate moves, and a budget built on a fixed rate is a wrong budget.
The items that decide your budget are housing, school and a car. We cover the rest in our guide to the cost of living in Bucharest.
Housing: rent or buy
According to Anunțul Telefonic data published on the Bucharest City Hall portal, in June 2026 the average asking rent was €350 for a studio and €533 for a two-room flat. These are asking prices in listings, not transaction prices, and they are an average for the whole city.
Our advice is simple: in the first year, most families rent. They learn the school run, the traffic and the neighbourhood, and only then decide. If you still want to buy, a Romanian bank may finance up to 70% of the price, subject to the bank's approval, so your equity is at least 30%.
We run the full numbers in our article on renting or buying when you relocate.
Relocating to Romania is possible and orderly, but it starts with a year of planning, not with buying a ticket.
Residence and legal status, in brief
- Without a visa: up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Beyond that: you need a purpose recognised by law. The Romanian immigration authority (IGI) lists, among others, employment with a work permit, family reunification, studies, administering a company that has invested at least €50,000 of capital in Romania, and other purposes.
- The order: a long-stay visa (type D) for 90 days, and after entry you apply for a residence permit at the IGI office in the county where you live. According to IGI, an extension application must be filed at least 30 days before your right of stay expires.
- Property does not give status. Buying a home does not give you the right to live in Romania.
All the routes, documents and timelines are in the next chapter of this guide: Visas, residence and legal status in Romania.
Health
- The public system is funded by health insurance contributions (CASS). Employees pay 10% of gross salary.
- Alongside it there is a large private sector with chains of clinics and hospitals. A private clinic subscription is not insurance and usually does not cover hospital stays.
- The emergency number is 112. In Romania it is the only national emergency number.
A comparison of public and private care, and what to do about regular medication, is in our healthcare guide for expats.
National insurance (for Israelis)
- Israel and Romania have a social security agreement, in force since 1 January 2013.
- According to Israel's National Insurance Institute, it covers old age, survivors, general disability and children, and does not cover maternity, work injury or unemployment.
- An Israeli resident who stays abroad without income pays, from 1 January 2026, a minimum contribution of 266 shekels a month.
Whether to keep paying, and what happens to your Israeli health cover, is a decision to make before the move. Details in our article on national insurance when living in Romania.
Tax residence
- In Romania you are tax resident if you have your domicile there, if your centre of vital interests is there, or if you stay there for more than 183 days within any 12 consecutive months.
- In Israel the test is the centre of life. There is a presumption that it is in Israel if you spent 183 days there in the tax year, or 30 days in the year and 425 days over three years. The presumption can be rebutted.
- If you are resident in both countries, the Israel-Romania tax treaty decides: permanent home first, then centre of vital interests, habitual abode and nationality.
Residence does not switch on the day you fly. This is the area where an independent accountant saves the most money. The full explanation is in our guide to tax residence in Israel and Romania.
Driving licence
Israel is on the list of countries whose licences can be exchanged for a Romanian one without an exam, according to the annex to Ministry of Internal Affairs Order 163/2011. The exchange is done at the driving licence service of the county where you live, with proof of residence in Romania, the original licence and a certified translation. The fee is 89 lei.
In a suburb like north Bucharest, a car is close to essential. All the details in our guide to using an Israeli driving licence in Romania.
Household goods and pets
- Household goods can enter the EU free of customs duty under Regulation 1186/2009 if you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, have used the items for at least 6 months, and declare them within 12 months of settling.
- A dog or cat needs a microchip before the rabies vaccination, the vaccination itself, and an EU animal health certificate issued no more than 10 days before arrival.
- From most non-EU countries a rabies antibody test is also required, followed by a three-month wait. Check with your vet whether this applies to you, and start at least four months ahead.
The full list is in our guide to moving belongings and pets.
Education
- Kindergarten is compulsory in Romania from age 4, and under the timetable in the law, from age 3 starting in 2030.
- International schools: most are in north Bucharest. AISB, for example, teaches more than 850 students from more than 60 countries and offers the IB Diploma.
- The right order: choose the school, then the neighbourhood. In a suburb, the school run shapes the whole day.
The full education guide is in the chapter International education in Romania. A comparison of the schools is in our article on international schools in Bucharest, and the options close to home in our article on kindergartens and schools in north Bucharest.
The Jewish community
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (FCER) is based at Str. Sf. Vineri 9-11 in Bucharest. The city has the Choral Temple (Templul Coral), the Museum of the History of Romanian Jews and a JCC. Chabad Romania offers prayers, a mikveh, a kindergarten and a school, and a kosher restaurant and shop in Bucharest.
Everything about the community, today and in the past, is in the chapter The Jewish community in Romania.
Israelis who made the move
Israelis also know Romania from the business side. In the chapter Prominent Israelis in Romania we gathered Israelis who built lives and businesses here, based on published interviews and sources.
Retirement
According to Israel's National Insurance Institute, if you already receive an Israeli old-age pension and move to a treaty country such as Romania, the pension continues. Once a year you send a "life certificate". The income supplement, on the other hand, is tied to staying in Israel and limited by days abroad. We did not find a dedicated retirement visa in IGI's list of purposes.
All the considerations are in our guide to retiring in Romania.
Romanian citizenship
Under Article 11 of Citizenship Law 21/1991, as amended by Law 14/2025, people who lost Romanian citizenship for reasons beyond their control, and their descendants up to the third degree, can apply for it. Most applicants must show Romanian at level B1 or higher. Former citizens themselves and applicants aged 65 and over are exempt. The commission has up to two years to prepare its report.
For families with Romanian roots, see our guide to Romanian citizenship for Israelis.
The timeline: from 12 months before to the first month
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 12 months before | A visit of at least a week to north Bucharest. A meeting with an immigration lawyer to choose a route. A meeting with an accountant about tax residence. A check of eligibility for Romanian citizenship, if you have roots. A shortlist of schools and a first contact with them. |
| 6 months before | School applications. Collecting documents, apostilles and translations for the residence route. A decision on national insurance and health insurance. Starting the pet process (microchip, vaccination and antibody test). Quotes from movers. |
| 3 months before | Applying for a long-stay visa (D), if your route requires one. Looking for a rental near the school. Health insurance that starts on the day you land. Booking the container and listing your goods for the customs declaration. |
| The first month | Applying for a residence permit at IGI. Opening a bank account. Registering with a family doctor or taking a clinic subscription. Starting the driving licence exchange. Clearing your goods through customs. Meeting the community. |
The checklist: 10 steps
- Decide why you are moving and for how long. That sets the residence route and the decision to rent or buy.
- Choose a residence route with an independent Romanian lawyer.
- Plan your tax with an accountant who knows both countries, before the move.
- Choose the school, and only then the neighbourhood.
- Arrange health insurance that is valid from day one.
- Decide about Israeli national insurance, if you are moving from Israel.
- Prepare documents: birth and marriage certificates, apostilles and certified translations. See our apostille guide.
- Start the pet process at least four months ahead.
- Rent before you buy. A first year in a rental teaches you a lot.
- In the first week: IGI, the bank, a doctor, the licence, and a visit to the community.
Frequently asked questions
How long can an Israeli stay in Romania without a visa?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and that allowance is shared across all Schengen countries. Israel is on the list of exempt countries in EU Regulation 2018/1806. Beyond that you need a legal route, such as employment, family reunification or studies.
Does buying a home in Romania give residence?
No. Buying property on its own does not give you the right to live in Romania. It gives you an address, not a status. The routes that do give status are in the chapter on visas and residence.
How long before the move should we start planning?
We recommend a year. Documents, apostilles, school registration and the pet process take months. Tax planning has to happen before the move, not after it.
Can I keep Israeli national insurance after the move?
It depends on your residence. An Israeli resident who stays abroad without income pays a minimum of 266 shekels a month. The agreement with Romania prevents double contributions in the branches it covers. Check with the National Insurance Institute before you go.
Will the children study in Romanian?
Not necessarily. North Bucharest has several international schools teaching in English, French or German, alongside state schools that teach in Romanian. The choice depends on language, budget and distance from home.
What do I do about my driving licence?
If you move to live in Romania, you can exchange an Israeli licence for a Romanian one without an exam. The exchange is done at the county driving licence service, and the fee is 89 lei.
The bottom line
Relocating to Romania is a family decision, not a weekend one. The right order: status, tax, school, and only then a home. If you start a year ahead, you arrive with an organised file and a calm first week.
If you are considering a move to north Bucharest, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the areas, the schools and the roads, and tell you what to check with your own lawyer and accountant. If our project in Balotești is relevant to you, we will talk about that too.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: European Commission: Bulgaria and Romania join the Schengen area · Regulation 2018/1806, Annex II · European Commission: visa policy · European Commission: Entry/Exit System · National Bank of Romania: reference rates · Eurostat: price levels 2025 · Financial Intelligence: September 2026 inflation, INS data · PwC: VAT in Romania · PwC: significant developments · PwC: social contributions for individuals · PwC: tax residence in Romania · Bucharest City Hall: the rental market in June 2026 · IGI: frequently asked questions · European Commission: 112 · National Insurance Institute: existing agreements (Hebrew) · National Insurance Institute: contributions while abroad (Hebrew) · National Insurance Institute: old-age pension in a treaty country (Hebrew) · Kol Zchut: income supplement while abroad (Hebrew) · Israeli Income Tax Ordinance, section 1 (Hebrew) · Romania-Israel tax treaty (ANAF) · National public services guide: exchanging a foreign licence · Avocatnet: countries whose licences are exchanged without an exam · Regulation 1186/2009 (EUR-Lex) · Your Europe: travelling with pets · Jurnalul: compulsory kindergarten from age 4 · AISB · The Diplomat Bucharest: Mark Twain campus in Balotești · Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania · Chabad Romania · G4Media: 75 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations · Law 14/2025 amending the citizenship law (lege5) · Trip.com: El Al flights from Tel Aviv to Bucharest · IANA time zone database
General information only, not legal, immigration, tax or financial advice. Correct as of 22 October 2026. Residence, tax and insurance rules change and depend on your personal circumstances. Before you decide, consult an independent lawyer and accountant.
The complete guide: relocating to Romania
- Relocating to Romania: the complete guide (you are here)
- Visas, residence and legal status in Romania
- The Jewish community in Romania
- International education in Romania
- Prominent Israelis in Romania
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
