What is temporary protection?
Temporary protection is an exceptional European Union measure designed to provide immediate and temporary protection to persons fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. This gives you certain rights, including a residence permit, access to the labour market, healthcare and access to education for your children. Registering for temporary protection is a simple and quick procedure.
You can register for temporary protection in Romania at any of the immigration offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration. The list is available here and here(map).
Who can benefit from temporary protection in Romania?
In Romania, the following categories of persons are eligible for temporary protection:
- Ukrainian citizens who resided in Ukraine before 24.02.2022, regardless of the time of leaving the territory of Ukraine, and their family members;
- non-EU third-country nationals or stateless persons who were beneficiaries in Ukraine before 24.02.2022 of a form of international protection or an equivalent national form of protection, and their family members;
- non- Ukrainian third-country nationals and stateless persons who can prove that they are legally resident in Ukraine on the basis of a valid permanent residence permit and who are unable to return to their country or region of origin in safe and stable conditions.
Family members are, regardless of their nationality:
- Spouse (legally married)
- Unmarried minor children born in or out of wedlock or adopted
- Other close relatives who were living together as part of the family at the time of the events leading to the mass influx of displaced persons and who were at that time wholly or mainly dependent on the person enjoying temporary protection.
Each Member State of the European Union may decide to include other categories of persons eligible for temporary protection in that State. For example, an unmarried partner who is in a stable relationship under national law. In Romania, Ukrainian citizens who lived in Ukraine and left Ukraine before 24 February 2022 and their family members are also eligible for temporary protection.
You should always check whether your category of persons is eligible for temporary protection in the country you are in or wish to travel to.
How is temporary protection granted in Romania?
Temporary protection is granted by the General Inspectorate for Immigration to the categories of persons mentioned in the question “Who can benefit from temporary protection in Romania?“. You can register as a beneficiary of temporary protection in Romania at any of the immigration structures of the General Inspectorate for Immigration (Immigration Directorate/Services/Bureaux or Regional Centre for Procedures and Accommodation for Asylum Seekers). You can find the list here or here.
Non-Ukrainian third citizens and stateless persons who can prove legal residence in Ukraine on the basis of a valid permanent residence permit issued in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and who are unable to return to their country or region of origin in safe and sustainable conditions can only register with the Immigration Directorate/services/bureaux.
Is there a deadline by which I can register as a beneficiary of temporary protection?
If you entered Romania with any kind of documents, you can legally stay in Romania for up to 90 days, even if you do not register as a beneficiary of temporary protection.
You can register as a beneficiary of temporary protection in Romania for the duration of the temporary protectio. We recommend that you register as soon as possible so that you can benefit from the specific rights of temporary protection in Romania.
What are the steps to register as a beneficiary of temporary protection in Romania?
Registration as a beneficiary of temporary protection in Romania is a simple procedure carried out by the General Inspectorate for Immigration.
When you present yourself to the authorities, you will go through the following steps:
- you sign a consent to the processing of your personal data;
- photocopies of the personal documents submitted will be made;
- your personal documents are checked;
- you are photographed;
- you are registered with the following data: name and surname, date of birth, nationality, sex, identity, civil status, family situation, family ties, address in Romania (if known);
- you receive a residence permit for Romania with a personal identification number (CNP).
You do not need to provide proof of your address in Romania if this is not possible.
The physical presence of each person to be recorded for the purpose of photography is required for registration. Children must be present in order to be identified, photographed and recorded.
What documents do I need to present when registering?
The relevant documents for registration as a beneficiary of temporary protection are, where applicable, the following:
- identity documents (identity card, driving licence, travel document or any other authentic photo document);
- documents proving the person’s status in Ukraine (e.g. permanent residence permit, document issued to beneficiaries of international protection, etc.);
- documents proving the family relationship (e.g. family book, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.).
How to register a minor who is not accompanied by parents as a beneficiary of temporary protection?
Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child/minor. Unaccompanied minor is a minor who has arrived on the territory of Romania unaccompanied by any of his/her parents or by another legal representative who can prove with official documents that the minor has been entrusted to his/her care in accordance with the law. If the minor arrived in Romania with adult relatives (e.g. grandparents, aunt, uncle, etc.) who cannot prove with official documents that the minor has been entrusted to them in accordance with the law, the minor will be considered unaccompanied.
Unaccompanied minors are entitled to special protection from the Romanian state, including the right to a legal representative appointed by the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection.
The General Inspectorate for Immigration can only register an unaccompanied minor in the presence of a legal representative. The General Inspectorate for Immigration requests the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection to appoint a legal representative, if one has not already been appointed. For this purpose, the General Inspectorate for Immigration collects the personal data and contact details of the minor and forwards them to the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection.
The unaccompanied minor will be registered as a beneficiary of temporary protection only after appointment and in the presence of the legal representative, who will sign all the documents drawn up.
What document do I receive as a beneficiary of temporary protection?
The General Inspectorate for Immigration issues beneficiaries of temporary protection with a residence permit on Romanian territory and assigns a personal numerical code (CNP). The residence permit and the personal numerical code can be used in interaction with the Romanian authorities in order to benefit from the specific rights of temporary protection.
What rights do I have as a beneficiary of temporary protection?
You will have the following rights as a beneficiary of temporary protection in Romania:
- to be issued with a document granting you permission to stay on Romanian territory (residence permit);
- to be informed, in writing, in a language you are presumed to understand, of the provisions relating to temporary protection;
- to be employed by natural or legal persons, to carry out self-employed activities, respecting the rules applicable to the profession, as well as activities such as educational opportunities for adults, vocational training and practical work experience, in accordance with the law;
- to receive, on request, the necessary maintenance assistance if you do not have the necessary material means;
- to receive free of charge primary health care and appropriate treatment, emergency hospital care, medical care and treatment in cases of acute or chronic illnesses which are imminently life-threatening;
- to receive appropriate medical assistance if you have special needs;
- to have access to the state education system under the conditions provided by law for Romanian citizens, if you have not reached the age of 18.
Access to health, work, education and care is provided by various central and local authorities. You can use your residence permit and personal identification number (CNP) issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration to interact with the Romanian authorities.
On the government platform protectieucraina.gov.ro you can find official and useful information on access to rights.
How long does temporary protection last?
Temporary protection lasts until 4 March 2025. The General Inspectorate for Immigration has informed that already issued permits will be extended automatically until this date, without the need for a request in this regard.
Temporary protection may be terminated before the above deadlines, under conditions laid down by law, when decided by a decision of the Council of the European Union.
Please note that is in line with the latest FAQ published on the issue by the GII where the GII explains: “The Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 establishing the existence of a massive influx of displaced persons from Ukraine, within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/EC and having the effect of introducing temporary protection was extended until 04.03.2025. Permits issued to beneficiaries of temporary protection in Romania are valid for the entire period of application of the EU Decision, so they will be extended automatically, without the need for a request in this regard.”
Can I go back to my home country?
Yes. You can return to your home country at any time. If you wish to return or request return to your country of origin, you will be supported in this by the Romanian authorities.
Can I return to Romania if I have temporarily returned to Ukraine, for example to visit my family?
Yes, you can return to Romania as long as the period of temporary protection has not expired and you meet the entry conditions. On your return to Romania you will continue to benefit from temporary protection until the period for which you were granted it expires.
Can I travel to other EU Member States if I am registered as a beneficiary of temporary protection in Romania?
After registering as a beneficiary of temporary protection in Romania and issuing a residence permit in Romania, you have the right to travel freely to other EU countries for 90 days within a 180-day period, if you meet the travel conditions.
Please note that Romania is not part of the Schengen area (area without internal border controls). Therefore, your travel documents (e.g. biometric passport or simple passport with visa) will be checked again at the border of the first EU country that is part of the Schengen area (e.g. Hungary). Before you travel, we recommend that you always check with the Embassy of the country where you want to travel the entry conditions and the documents you need.
Note that the residence permit issued by the General Inspectorate for Immigration to beneficiaries of temporary protection in Romania is not a travel document and does not take the place of a passport.
More information on travelling to the European Union and the Schengen area can be found on the European Commission’s website, with links to the official pages of the Member States: Information for people fleeing the war in Ukraine (available in all EU languages, Ukrainian and Russian).
More information on Temporary Protection in Romania can be found on the website of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here: igi.mai.gov.ro/ucraina/
Please note that UNHCR DOES NOT do registration for Temporary Protection, examine applications or issue Temporary Protection or other protection documents in Romania. The government is responsible for that. You can still contact UNHCR and its partners if you wish to seek advice and information about the procedure or to know more about the services available.
Extension of the validity of temporary protection residence permits
Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 establishing the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/EC and having the effect of introducing temporary protection was extended until 04.03.2024., Permits issued to beneficiaries of temporary protection in Romania are valid for the whole period of application of the EU Decision, so they will be automatically extended, without the need for an application.
What does this mean for me if I have temporary protection?
This means that your residence permit is now valid until 4 March 2024.
What do I need to do at this point?
According to the General Inspectorate for Immigration you do not need to take any action. The validity of the residency permit has been extended by law.