How to renew a Romanian passport abroad
One route, one place: the Romanian embassy or consulate that covers your address. In the UK that means the consular section in London or a consulate general; in the USA and Canada, the mission for your state or province. You book an appointment online, then attend in person for fingerprints and a photo.
The electronic passport cannot be renewed fully online. The online part is the booking and, at some missions, the pre-filled application form. The biometric step needs you at the desk.
Fees and processing times are set by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and published by each consulate. They change, and they are not in our checked reference data, so we do not quote them here. Check the page of your own mission on the day you book.
Moving to another EU country on a Romanian passport
A valid Romanian passport or identity card is your proof of EU citizenship. With it you move to Germany, Spain or Ireland without a visa or work permit — you register your residence locally, get a tax number and join the health insurance system there.
Registration offices ask for a valid document. An expired passport is where most EU moves stall: renew it before the move, not after, because a consulate appointment abroad can take longer to get than one at home.
Citizenship does not change your tax residency. Where you pay tax follows where you live and work; see the Romanian tax system if part of your income stays in Romania.
Why passport applications are sent back
Almost every rejected passport file abroad has the same cause: the Romanian civil records do not match your current life. The consulate issues the passport on the basis of your Romanian birth certificate and personal numeric code (CNP), not your UK or US documents.
- Marriage abroad not transcribed. You married in the UK and changed your name, but Romania still holds your maiden name. Fix: transcribe the foreign marriage certificate into Romanian civil records first.
- Foreign birth certificate only. Children born abroad need their birth transcribed into Romanian records before they get a CNP and a passport.
- Divorce not recognised. A foreign divorce must be recognised in Romania before the name on the passport can change back.
- Address abroad not registered. Residence abroad is recorded in the passport; the consulate checks it against your proof of address.
- Photo or signature rejected. Biometric rules are strict; you usually just repeat the capture at the desk.
How to get a Romanian passport after citizenship
The passport is the easy step. The birth certificate, marriage record and CNP behind it decide whether you leave the consulate with one.
A first passport comes last, not first. After the oath you transcribe your birth certificate into Romanian records, receive a CNP, and only then apply for the passport at a consulate.
If your Romanian citizenship is through a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent — descent reaches degree 31 — the route starts with Article 11 of Law 21/1991. See Romanian citizenship by descent. Foreigners without Romanian ancestry naturalise after 8 years12 of residence.
What this guide does not cover
- Emergency travel documents after a lost passport — contact the consulate directly.
- Consular fees and waiting times: they are published by each mission and change; we do not restate them.
- Citizenship applications themselves — see citizenship by descent.