Romanian Citizenship by Repatriation: ANC Art. 11 Guide
Complete guide to citizenship restoration via National Authority for Citizenship
Restoration of Romanian citizenship (Cetățenie Română) under Article 11 of Law no. 21/1991 allows descendants of former Romanian citizens (living in Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, or Romania prior to 1940) to regain EU citizenship.
The process is coordinated by the National Authority for Citizenship (Autoritatea Națională pentru Cetățenie - ANC) in Bucharest.
📋 Steps to Obtain Citizenship
- 1
Archive Ancestry Search
Retrieve birth, marriage, and death certificates of your ancestors from civil archives.
- 2
Translate and Legalize
Translate all foreign documents into Romanian and legalize/apostille them.
- 3
Assemble ANC Dossier
Prepare the official application file following strict ANC formatting guidelines.
- 4
Submit File at ANC
Schedule an online submission appointment at ANC Bucharest or a Romanian consulate.
- 5
Track Order Status
Monitor your file approval order (Ordin ANC) on the official ANC website.
- 6
Take Citizenship Oath
Take the oath of allegiance (Depunerea Jurământului) to obtain your passport.
✅ Required Documents Checklist
- ▸Valid international passport copy
- ▸Clean criminal record certificate from home country and Romania
- ▸Applicant's birth and marriage certificates
- ▸Parents' birth and marriage certificates
- ▸Grandparents' archival civil documents proving pre-1940 Romanian territory residency
- ▸Notarized declarations of loyalty and no illegal acts
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕Submitting archive documents with uncertified name spelling discrepancies
- ✕Submitting expired criminal record checks
- ✕Failing to monitor ANC correspondence and requests for additional documents
- ✕Not learning basic Romanian for the oath ceremony
💶 Fees and Processing Time
ANC state filing is free. Archival searches, notarizations, translations, and legal assistance cost $500–$2,000 USD. Processing takes 2 to 4 years.
📖 Essential Citizenship Vocabulary
- Cetățenie Română
- Romanian Citizenship
- ANC
- National Authority for Citizenship
- Articolul 11
- Article 11 (Repatriation Law)
- Arhivă
- Civil Archives
- Jurământ
- Oath of Allegiance
- Ordin ANC
- Official ANC Approval Decree
- Certificat de Cetățenie
- Citizenship Certificate
- Apostilă
- Apostille Stamp
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to live in Romania to get citizenship under Art. 11?+
No, residency in Romania is not required for citizenship restoration.
Is Romanian language proficiency tested?+
You must be able to read and speak basic Romanian during the oath ceremony.
Interactive AI simulator or vocab training. No account required.