Romania Travel Guide

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Passports and Visas

All passports must be valid for period of intended stay. Visitors must hold all documents required for further travel, onward or return tickets, sufficient funds for period of stay, and proof of reserved accommodation. It is highly recommended that passports have at least six months validity remaining after your intended date of departure from your travel destination. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.

Americans

United States nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.

UK Nationals

UK nationals require a valid passport but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.

Canadians

Canadian nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.

Australians

Australian nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.

South Africans

South Africans require a valid passport and a visa to enter Romania. Visa exemptions include those traveling through Romania for a maximum period of five days and continuing their journey to a third country, provided holding a Schengen visa, or a visa issued by Bulgaria or Cyprus. South African temporary passports are not accepted by the Romanian government.

Irish Nationals

Irish nationals require a valid passport but no visa.

New Zealanders

New Zealand nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.

Healthcare

Medical facilities in Bucharest are good, but poor in the smaller towns and basic medical supplies are often in short supply. There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK and most EU countries, whose citizens are entitled to free or low-cost emergency medical treatment on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), but travel health insurance is strongly advised. There have been a number of Hepatitis A cases in Romania and visitors are advised to seek medical advice about inoculations before traveling. Tap water is safe to drink, although bottled water is widely available. Stray dogs carry rabies and should be avoided. Cases of Avian bird flu have been reported in the country, but no human incidences have been reported. The risk for travelers is very low, but visitors should avoid any contact with domestic, caged or wild birds and ensure that eggs and poultry dishes are well cooked.

Safety

Visitors should take normal safety precautions in Romania; keep valuables safe and be aware of pickpockets and scam artists in major cities. Corruption is rife and visitors should be cautious of policemen demanding fines for spurious offenses, or asking to see documents as a way of stealing cash; if approached in this way visitors should offer to go with them to the nearest police station before handing over any money or documents. Valuables, including passports, should not be left in hotel rooms, or near the window of a hotel room when you are there.