Retiring in Romania: what does it look like for Israeli retirees?

Retiring in Romania: the short answer

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It is possible, but you need to sort out three things before you pack: pension, healthcare and status. Thanks to the social security agreement between Israel and Romania, in force since 1 January 2013, the old-age pension from Israel's National Insurance Institute can continue to be paid to someone who moves to Romania, but the income support supplement is not paid abroad. Israeli health insurance does not move with you, so you need insurance in Romania. And anyone without a European passport needs a residence route, because there is no dedicated retirement visa.

Over the past year I have heard this question more and more, usually from couples in their sixties whose children have grown up. So I have gathered here what really needs checking, including the points where it is less suitable.

Is the Israeli old-age pension paid in Romania?

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Here the news is good. Romania is one of the countries that has a social security agreement with Israel, and the agreement covers old age, as well as survivors and disability.

According to Israel's National Insurance Institute (in Hebrew), someone who already receives a senior citizen's pension and moves to an agreement country can continue to receive it even if they have stopped being resident in Israel, and someone who reaches pension age while already living in an agreement country can claim from there. Payment can be made to a bank account abroad.

Two important reservations:

• The income support supplement is not paid to non-residents. Anyone whose pension relies on this supplement needs to recalculate.
• Once a year you need a "life certificate", signed at a consulate, by a notary or at a local authority. Up to age 85 it can be submitted digitally.

The old-age pension moves with you to Romania. The income supplement and your Israeli health fund do not.

What happens to Israeli health insurance?

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This is the point most people miss. Anyone who stops being resident in Israel stops being insured with their Israeli health fund.

And if you decide to return? According to National Insurance (in Hebrew), a returning resident enters a waiting period: one month for each year of absence, a minimum of two months and a maximum of six. The waiting period can be redeemed by a special payment. In other words, the door back is open, but not immediately.

And how are you insured in Romania?

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Romania has a public system (CNAS) alongside a broad private system, which is especially strong in Bucharest. Anyone without income in Romania can join public insurance voluntarily: according to an ANAF calculation, in 2026 this is about 2,430 lei a year. Many add a private clinic subscription for routine care, but such a subscription usually does not cover hospitalisation.

In an emergency you call 112, and by law urgent treatment is given to everyone. We set out the whole system in our healthcare guide for residents from abroad.

For older people there is an extra test here: anyone who takes regular medication should check in advance that it is available in Romania, and under which brand name.

What status do you need to live in Romania?

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It all depends on the passport.

With a Romanian or other European passport, you are an EU citizen and can live in Romania and register your residence beyond three months. Many Israelis of Romanian origin are entitled to citizenship, and we wrote about this in our article on Romanian citizenship for Israelis.

With an Israeli passport only, you can stay up to 90 days in every 180 days, as anywhere in Schengen. For a long stay, the law on foreigners, OUG 194/2002, has no "retiree" category. There is a visa for "other purposes" (Article 49), granted to someone whose presence in Romania is "justified", subject to health insurance, accommodation and a criminal record check, at the consulate's discretion. A pension can serve as proof of means of support. Check this with the consulate and an immigration lawyer before planning. We covered the routes in more detail in our guide to residence permits in Romania.

The table: what moves with you, and what you need to set up again

Topic	What happens when you move to Romania	Where to check
Old-age pension from National Insurance	Continues to be paid, under the agreement (2013)	International Agreements Department, National Insurance
Income support supplement	Not paid to non-residents	National Insurance
Israeli health fund	Ends when residence ends; on return a waiting period of 2-6 months	National Insurance
Health insurance in Romania	Voluntary public, about 2,430 lei a year in 2026, or private	ANAF, CNAS
Stay with an Israeli passport	90 days in every 180 days; beyond that a visa and permit	Romanian consulate, IGI
Tax on the pension	By tax residence and the tax treaty	A cross-border tax adviser

How much does it cost to live in Romania as a retiree?

According to Eurostat, the price level for household consumption in Romania in 2025 was about 65% of the EU average, among the lowest in the EU. Bucharest is more expensive than the national average, mainly in housing, and VAT and electricity prices have risen since 2025.

For a retiree, the big items differ from those of a young family: no tuition fees, but health insurance, medication, and above all heating in winter. The full breakdown is in our guide to the cost of living in Bucharest.

And watch the exchange rate: the pension from Israel is paid in shekels, and expenses in Romania are in lei and euros. A change in the rate changes the monthly budget, for better and for worse.

And what about tax on the pension?

In Romania, according to ANAF, someone who stays there more than 183 days within 12 months, or whose centre of vital interests is there, may be considered tax resident. In Israel, the centre of life is decisive. When both countries claim residence, the Israel-Romania tax treaty decides, and it also determines which country taxes which type of pension. A government pension, for example, is treated differently from a private pension.

I deliberately give no rates here: the liability depends on the type of pension, its amount and your residence. It is a conversation for a tax adviser who knows both countries, before the move, not after.

Which home suits retirement?

The home for age seventy is different from the home for age forty. A few questions worth asking about any property:

1. A bedroom and bathroom on the entrance floor. Stairs are a matter of convenience today, and of independence in ten years' time.
2. Distance to a hospital and a clinic, at busy times and not only at night.
3. Insulation and heating. Winter in Bucharest is cold, and the heating bill is a fixed item.
4. Distance from the airport. The grandchildren will come to visit. A direct flight from Tel Aviv to Bucharest is about two and a half hours, and for most of the year it is in the same time zone.
5. Neighbours and community. Loneliness is the great risk of retiring abroad, more than any line in the budget.

Who it suits, and who less so

It suits people with a European passport or a clear residence route, a stable pension, reasonable health, and a wish for a home with a garden at a price that no longer exists in Israel.

It suits less people who need close medical support in Hebrew, people whose pension relies on the income support supplement, and people for whom daily contact with their children and grandchildren is the centre of life. And there is a middle option, which many choose: not to move, but to spend part of the year in Romania and keep their residence in Israel.

Frequently asked questions

Is the National Insurance old-age pension paid to someone living in Romania?

Yes. Thanks to the social security agreement between Israel and Romania, in force since 1 January 2013 and covering old age, the pension can continue to be paid after the move, including to a bank account abroad. The income support supplement is not paid to non-residents.

What happens to Israeli health insurance if you move to Romania?

Anyone who stops being resident in Israel stops being covered by the national health insurance. On return to Israel there is a waiting period of one month for each year of absence, between two and six months, which can be redeemed by a special payment.

Does Romania have a retirement visa?

Not as a separate category. EU citizens, including Israelis with a Romanian passport, can live there. With an Israeli passport only, you need a long-stay visa, for example a visa for "other purposes" under Article 49 of the law on foreigners, at the consulate's discretion.

How much does public health insurance in Romania cost a retiree?

Anyone without income in Romania can join voluntarily by declaration to ANAF. In 2026 the cost is about 2,430 lei a year, and cover is for 12 months from the date of submission.

Can you live in Romania for only part of the year?

Yes, and that is what many do. With an Israeli passport you can stay up to 90 days in every 180 days without a visa. Someone who remains resident in Israel keeps their health fund and the income support supplement, and a home in Romania serves as a second home.

The bottom line

Retiring in Romania is possible and easier than many think, mainly thanks to the social security agreement. But it requires order: pension, healthcare, status and tax, in exactly that order.

If you are considering retiring in Romania, fully or for part of the year, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the list, and if you like, I will show you what to check in a home that suits the years ahead. I will mention this once: from our project in Balotești, Compass on the Lake, the airport is about ten minutes' drive away, without traffic.

Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania

Sources and data: Israel's National Insurance Institute, international agreements and branches covered · National Insurance, old-age pension in an agreement country (in Hebrew) · National Insurance, waiting period for health services (in Hebrew) · Eurostat, price levels for household consumption 2025 · ANAF · Romania's National Health Insurance House (CNAS) · Law on foreigners OUG 194/2002, Romanian legislation portal · General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) · Israel Tax Authority (in Hebrew)

This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Entitlement to benefits is determined by Israel's National Insurance Institute based on your personal data, and immigration conditions are determined by the Romanian authorities. Before moving, check with National Insurance, the consulate and a cross-border tax adviser.