Israelis can stay in Romania up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. Settling needs an anchor: work, a company, studies or descent.
Buying a property does not, on its own, grant residence. The October 2025 investor visa bill was withdrawn two months later.
According to business media, an IB campus for about 1,500 pupils is being built in Balotești, planned to open by autumn 2028.
Romania is the only former Eastern Bloc country that never broke off diplomatic relations with Israel, since 1948.
Movers, undecided, or investors from Israel. Each path has a different first step, and buyers need a deal that stands on its own.
"We're thinking of moving. Where do we start?"
A few years ago, "relocation" was a word for engineers heading to Berlin or Lisbon. Today, more and more of the calls I get start differently: "Moti, we're thinking of moving to Bucharest. You live there, tell us the truth."
So here is the truth, without a slide deck. Relocation to Romania is a serious option for Israeli families, but it takes planning: legal status, school for the children, and tax. And not everyone needs to move in order to start.
Five reasons Israelis are considering relocation to Romania
1. Tech at a European level
The EU chose Bucharest to host the headquarters of the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC). Companies such as Amazon, Oracle and IBM run development centres in Bucharest, and UiPath, the automation company born in Bucharest, listed in New York.
For someone from the tech world, it is a job market that works in English.
2. A lower cost of living
Rent, groceries, private schooling, restaurants and private healthcare cost less in Romania than in Israel, and for some items much less. A family working remotely on an Israeli salary often finds it lives more comfortably on the same budget.
It is not running away. It is upgrading quality of life on the same budget.
3. Close, in every sense
About two and a half hours' flight from Ben Gurion, with daily direct flights, and in the same time zone. You can run a business in Israel and live in Bucharest.
There is a deeper closeness too: Romania is the only former Eastern Bloc country that never broke off diplomatic relations with Israel, since 1948. Bucharest has an active Jewish community with synagogues and a Chabad house, and hundreds of thousands of Israelis have Romanian roots.
4. A European capital with relatively low housing prices
According to the Imobiliare.ro index, the average price of a new apartment in Bucharest is about €2,636 per m². For current data and the neighbourhood map, see our article on Bucharest prices, and for why Bucharest is on the map, our article "why Bucharest, why now".
5. The European Union, with all its advantages
Romania is a full member of the EU and NATO, and since 2025 of Schengen as well. Many Israelis of Romanian origin may also have a path to citizenship by descent, a subject that requires a separate legal review.
Legal status: what is allowed without a visa, and what needs an anchor
Israelis can stay in Romania, as in all Schengen countries, up to 90 days in any 180-day period, without a visa.
Beyond that, settling requires a legal anchor. The main options:
Your tax residency does not change the moment you board the plane.
- A work permit with a Romanian employer.
- Setting up a local company and operating through it.
- Studies at a recognised institution.
- Citizenship by descent, for those eligible.
The right route depends on personal circumstances, and it calls for individual advice from an immigration lawyer. Buying a property does not, on its own, grant residence status. In October 2025 an investor visa bill was tabled in the Senate, and it was withdrawn two months later. Don't build on it.
The children: international schools in north Bucharest
This is every family's number-one concern, and rightly so.
North Bucharest has several international schools teaching in English: American, British, French and others. And in Balotești itself, according to business media reports, a new Mark Twain International School campus is being built: an investment of about €30 million, an IB school for around 1,500 pupils, with opening planned by autumn 2028.
Families plan a move around the school. So check the school run before choosing a neighbourhood. Why young Romanian families are moving to villas in the north of the city is covered in a separate article. A Walla Nadlan report (in Hebrew) toured our own villas in Balotești.
Taxes: residency doesn't change on the day you fly
This is the key question, and the short answer is: your tax residency does not change the moment you board the plane.
Your centre of life, the number of days you spend in each country and the Israel–Romania tax treaty determine it. A move requires early tax planning with an adviser who knows both countries, before, not after.
What is relatively simple: buying a property in Romania does not, in itself, change your residency. For Romanian taxes and what is left to pay in Israel, see our tax guide for Israeli buyers.
Three paths: moving, undecided, or just looking
Not everyone reading this guide is about to pack a suitcase. From my conversations, people fall into three groups:
| Path | Who | First step |
|---|---|---|
| Movers | Families relocating their centre of life, around tech, their own business or retirement | Legal status, school, then a home |
| Undecided | Considering it, but not ready to jump | A longer visit, getting to know the neighbourhoods, tax planning |
| Investors from Israel | Not planning to move, want a property in Europe | Legal due diligence on the property and developer, and financing |
In the last two paths, some people choose to buy a property before deciding to move. That is a legitimate choice, but it has to stand on its own: a fair price, a clean legal structure, and a preliminary contract under which advances go into a dedicated account, as required by Law 207/2025.
Checklist before relocation to Romania
- Check a status route with an immigration lawyer.
- Check tax residency with an adviser who knows Israel and Romania.
- Choose a school, then a neighbourhood.
- Visit for at least a week, not a weekend.
- If buying: an independent lawyer, an up-to-date land register extract, and signing before a notary. Notarial signing in Romania cannot be done remotely, but you can sign through a power of attorney.
Frequently asked questions
How long can an Israeli stay in Romania without a visa?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, as in the rest of Schengen. Settling beyond that requires a legal anchor: a work permit, a local company, studies, or citizenship by descent.
Does buying property in Romania give residency?
No. Buying a property does not, on its own, grant residence status. The investor visa bill tabled in the Senate in October 2025 was withdrawn two months later, and you shouldn't build on it.
Are there English-language schools in Bucharest?
Yes. Several international schools operate in north Bucharest, and a new Mark Twain International School campus is being built in Balotești, with opening planned by autumn 2028 according to business media reports.
What happens to my Israeli taxes if I move?
Tax residency is determined by your centre of life, days of presence and the tax treaty, not by the date of your flight. A move requires early tax planning with an adviser who knows both countries.
Is Romania safe for an Israeli family?
Romania has had continuous diplomatic relations with Israel since 1948, an active Jewish community in Bucharest, and thousands of Israelis who live and do business there. As with any move, personal judgement is part of the decision.
The bottom line
Relocation to Romania is not a leap into the unknown, but it is not a weekend decision either. Status, school and tax come before the house.
If you are considering a move, or just its property side, book a half-hour call with me. We'll go through the neighbourhoods of north Bucharest, our project in Balotești if it is relevant to you, and connect you with specialists in status and tax.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) · Imobiliare.ro price index · General Inspectorate for Immigration of Romania (IGI) · Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Israel Tax Authority · European Union, Schengen · Law 207/2025, Romanian legislation portal
This article is for general information only and is not legal, immigration, tax or investment advice. Status, residence and tax residency questions require individual advice. Details of the Mark Twain International School project are based on public reports.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
