This article summarizes the most accurate high-quality information that will help you know if you are eligible for Romanian citizenship and a European passport, and how to obtain this passport if you are eligible. The following contains a concise orderly explanation of the eligibility stages for the various types of candidates.<\/p>\n
The article also describes the ancient and recent history of the Jewish community in Romania. Romanian Jews have been an integral part of the country for many centuries. At its peak, before the outset of World War II, the Jewish population of Romania numbered over 750,000 individuals.<\/p>\n
Today, most of the Romanian diaspora lives in other parts of the world, such as Israel, the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Most Romanian descendants don’t know that they are entitled to Romanian citizenship.<\/p>\n
Our law firm specializes in Romanian immigration law. We can help you understand how to obtain Romanian citizenship<\/a> in the surest, most efficient, most professional way. Our firm works on a daily basis with the authorities in Romania and, in addition, with local Romanian archives, which help us to locate old documents and determine eligibility. Documented Jewish history in Romania begins almost two thousand years ago. However, first notable mentions began to appear in the 14th century, after a massive wave of immigration of refugees from the Kingdom of Hungary who were persecuted in their country. The community closed in on itself as is usual in Eastern European regions, and made almost no contact with the rest of the Jewish communities.<\/p>\n In the 16th century, Jews that were expelled from Spain<\/a> came to Romania through various Balkan countries such as Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, and more. These took part in local key positions, when they were appointed to be diplomats and doctors of the local Wallachian rulers. The reason for their arrival was due to Romania’s location on the trade route between the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania<\/a>. Jews expelled from Spain became rich in Romania and traded in a wide range of products such as iron, cotton, and grain, and they especially excelled in wine trade.<\/p>\n Considerable population growth occurred in the 16th century. During this period, there was massive Jewish settlement in many cities such as Bucharest, Ia\u0219i, Siret, and Boto\u0219ani. At the same time, their numbers increased even more exponentially in the 17th century – a time when tens of thousands of refugees flocked to the country as a result of the Khmelnytsky uprising<\/a> and the Cossack riots that accompanied it. The riots destroyed many Jewish settlements in present-day Moldova and Ukraine.<\/p>\n Following the above-mentioned period, the community grew in strength and also began to be known in the Torah world due to its Jewish scholars. Books of Rabbinical interpretation, Musar<\/a>, and commentaries on the Jewish sages were written by rising prodigies in the community, became known in other places, as well, and reached Western Europe, the Middle East, the Maghreb, and other distant lands.<\/p>\n The Romanian state gained its independence in 1878, when several regional principalities named Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia united. The establishment of the state provoked much interest among the Romanian leaders and laymen regarding the “Jewish question.” What would be the status of Romanian Jews from a legal and national perspective?<\/p>\n These questions aroused a patriotic fervor among the people, who had just gained independence after many struggles against the forces of the Ottoman army. The unification of the newly established state instilled a spirit of hostility in the people of Romania toward “foreigners”. After years of wars and distress, an atmosphere of national pride and hatred toward the “dangerous” stranger developed.<\/p>\n These led to harassment and anti-Jewish riots, since the Jews were immediately suspected of being a fifth column operating against national interests. As a result, many Jews began to pack and look for an alternative place in enlightened Western Europe, the United States, Canada, and other countries.<\/p>\n Today, many descendants of Jews who fled at that time (late 19th and early 20th century) are eligible for a Romanian passport<\/a> if they can prove by official documents that, at some point, their ancestors held Romanian citizenship or lived in Romania after it gained independence in 1878.<\/p>\n Due to World War II and its tragic consequences, some 400,000 Romanian Jews were murdered in extermination camps operated by Nazi supporters. The exterminations took place in the frontier areas of the northeastern part of the country, under the dictatorship of Ion Antonescu.<\/p>\n Hundreds of thousands of remaining refugees fled to many different countries and, today, the vast majority of descendants are eligible for a Romanian-European passport if they can prove a past family connection to the original Romanian family member, as mentioned above.<\/p>\n This must be done by presenting official documents<\/a> issued by the Romanian government in the past, or by a recognized Romanian body in Romania such as a hospital, school, university, community center, etc. These documents will serve as proof that your family has a connection to the Romanian state.<\/p>\n The war left tens of thousands of Jews homeless, as well as widowed, with no family, orphaned, and sick, seeking refuge in any country that would agree to accept them. Conversely, masses of Jews were left penniless and without economic means to leave Romania. This was one of the reasons that a large number of Jews chose to immigrate to Israel after the Holocaust.<\/p>\n In 1989 the country left the bloc of Eastern European communism and began an accelerated process of democratization, national industrialization, and a policy of capitalism similar to that existing in developed Western countries. In March 1991, the Romanian Parliament passed the new nationality law<\/a> that replaced the old one.<\/p>\n How is the new nationality law different from the old one?<\/strong> The new nationality law is considered more flexible and is based on jus sanguinis<\/em> (“right of blood”). Under this law, citizenship is automatically transferred from parent to offspring regardless of the place of birth of the offspring. This contrasts with the old law, which was based on jus soli<\/em> (“right of soil”), according to which citizenship was determined by the place of birth of the offspring.<\/p>\n The Romanian law of return allows individuals born in Romania to obtain citizenship or restore it if it was lost. However, descendants of former Romanian citizens may obtain citizenship under specific conditions, as detailed below. The term “descendants” under Romanian nationality law refers to both biological and adopted descendants.<\/p>\n The process of obtaining citizenship does not require that the parents and \/ or grandparents be alive. In addition, unlike a large number of foreign citizenships that do not allow “skipping generations” – when it comes to Romanian citizenship, generations may be skipped when passing citizenship to a younger generation, from grandfather to grandson.<\/p>\n How long does it take to obtain Romanian citizenship?<\/strong> There is no fixed length of time for the naturalization process, because it depends on internal proceedings in Romania. The average waiting time is about three years and, in some cases, two years. However, the process never takes longer than about four years.<\/p>\n According to the Romanian nationality law that was passed in March 1991, Romanian citizenship is approved if at least one of the three following conditions takes place. The first condition for obtaining citizenship refers to the children<\/strong> of Romanian citizens:<\/p>\n The Romanian regulations stipulate that a descendant of a Romanian citizen shall be recognized as Romanian in any of the following cases:<\/p>\n This section aims to reinforce and clarify the above points.<\/p>\n If your parents or grandparents have lost their Romanian citizenship, you are still eligible for a Romanian passport. If you are the grandchild or child of a person born within the borders of present-day Romania, but one of the parents or grandparents has lost his Romanian citizenship due to immigration, you may legally restore<\/strong> the citizenship in accordance with Section 10 of the law. In this case, both children and grandchildren are eligible, as stated above.<\/p>\n![\"Passaporte](\"https:\/\/lawfirmbackup_200125.k1uagm.ap-southeast-2.wpstaqhosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/parliament-bucharest-romania-300x138.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIntroduction – The History of the Jews in Romania<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Historical Background of Romania – Eligibility for Romanian Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Descendants of World War II Refugees Are Eligible<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\nThe Updated Law Regulation from 1991<\/strong><\/h4>\n
General Information About Eligibility and Naturalization<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Eligibility for Romanian Citizenship – Naturalization Process<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nDescendants of Romanian Citizens from Within the Borders of Present-Day Romania<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"Romanian](\"https:\/\/lawfirmbackup_200125.k1uagm.ap-southeast-2.wpstaqhosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/employees-are-managing-documents-office-300x200.jpg\")
<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n![\"european](\"https:\/\/lawfirmbackup_200125.k1uagm.ap-southeast-2.wpstaqhosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/romanian-lettering-red-background-300x199.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Romanian](\"https:\/\/lawfirmbackup_200125.k1uagm.ap-southeast-2.wpstaqhosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/flag-romania-with-coat-arms-300x200.jpg\")
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