Job mobility has become an attractive option for more and more people, as technology makes it possible to work remotely from anywhere in the world. In this context, digital nomad visas are gaining popularity, offering the opportunity to live and work legally in different countries for extended periods. This new form of visa promises a unique combination of adventure and stability. 

What the digital nomad visa is and how it can be obtained in Bucharest, find out below: 

What is a digital nomad visa?

A digital nomad visa is a type of residence permit that allows remote workers to live legally in another country for an extended period.

Law no. 22/2022 introduced a new subtype of visa that can be granted to foreigners who want to come and stay in Romania. According to the definition, he/she can be either the employee of a foreign company or the owner of the foreign company, i.e. not registered in Romania (but registered for at least three years already in the foreign state), but both categories must provide services through the use of information and communication technology and choose to settle in Romania, applying to the Romanian state for such a visa. 

Attention! The digital nomad visa is NOT a traditional work visa as it does not require employment in a local company in the host country. Instead, it allows workers to continue their work for employers in other countries or run their own businesses while enjoying the cultural advantages and lifestyle in their new location.

What documents are needed to obtain a digital nomad visa?

•     an employment contract concluded with a company registered outside Romania (in original, together with an authenticated translation into Romanian), providing proof of the provision of services at a distance, using information and communication technology, or proof of remote management and using information and communication technology of a company registered outside Romania for at least three years at the date of the visa application;
•     an original document, together with an authenticated translation into Romanian, issued by the company registered outside Romania with which he/she has an employment contract or by the company registered outside Romania that the foreigner owns, presenting all the identification and contact details of the company, as well as its field of activity, the foreigner's participation in the company and information on the company's legal representatives;
• a letter of intent, in original, together with an authenticated translation into Romanian, detailing the purpose of the foreigner's journey to Romania and the activities he/she intends to carry out in Romania;
• an apostilled or supralegalized document (in original), as the case may be, together with an authenticated translation into Romanian, issued by the competent central or local public administration institution of the place of residence for tax purposes, certifying that, at the date of the visa application, the foreigner employed or, as the case may be, the company he/she owns has paid up to date the taxes, duties and other mandatory contributions, as well as that he/she is not registered with acts and deeds that have or have had the effect of tax evasion and tax fraud;
• reservation of a valid travel ticket to the destination or driving license, green card, registration documents of the means of transport and proof of itinerary, in the case of drivers;
• proof of medical insurance for the entire period of validity of the visa, valid throughout the territory of Romania and with cover of at least EUR 30 000;
• proof of means of subsistence derived from the activity carried out, amounting to at least three times the average gross monthly salary in Romania for each of the last six months preceding the date of submission of the visa application, as well as for the entire period indicated on the visa;
• proof of accommodation;
•  a criminal record certificate or other document with the same legal value, apostilled or supralegalized, as the case may be, and translated into Romanian in an authentic form, issued by the authorities of the country of origin and, if applicable, of the state in which the foreigner is legally resident and in which he/she derives income from employment with a company registered outside Romania or from activities carried out by a company registered by him/her outside Romania, proving that there are no records of criminal acts;
•  other supporting documents as required by the competent Romanian authorities.

From a fiscal point of view, those with a digital nomad visa do not owe, for the first six months of their stay in Romania, neither income tax nor social security contributions. The special regime is valid only if the foreigner stays in Romania for a maximum of 183 days (a single period or several periods cumulated) during any period of 12 consecutive months ending in the calendar year concerned.

After this period, the digital nomad working in Romania will be considered by the Tax Code as having tax residence in Romania. As a consequence, he/she will be subject to tax and contributions on the salary income earned here. 

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