How many years do I need to live in Romania before I can apply for long-term residence?

Romania's EU long-term residence permit is built around a five-year qualifying period. You must have held a legal right to stay in Romania throughout those five years before the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) will consider your application.

The count is not reset by short trips, but long absences matter. As long as no single absence is longer than 6 consecutive months and your total absences stay within 10 months over the whole period, your residence is treated as continuous. Family members of Romanian citizens are treated more generously and can be granted the status without meeting the same conditions as other applicants.