RomaniaBusiness and self-employment
Romania business visa (Schengen C/A)
Short-stay visa for business trips (C/A)
In short
The C/A visa covers short business trips to Romania: meetings, negotiations, trade fairs and congresses, installing or checking equipment bought under a contract, and training staff for those tasks. It is a Schengen visa for up to 90 days in 180, costs EUR 90 and requires an invitation from a Romanian company or authority. It does not allow employment.
Apply on e-Visa portal of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs checked 24 October 2026
Key facts
- Maximum stay
- 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Validity
- Single, double or multiple entry; frequent travellers can receive multiple-entry visas.
- Fee
- €90MFA fee table checked on 2026-10-24.
- Funds required
- €50 per dayAt least EUR 500 per trip unless the inviting company covers costs.
- Processing time
- 15 days, extendable to 45.
- Work
- No employment; only business activities such as meetings, negotiations, fairs and contract-related installation or checks.
- Where to apply
- Online registration on the e-Visa portal, then in person at the Romanian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence.
What counts as a business trip
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues the C/A visa for economic or commercial purposes: contracts and negotiations; installing, putting into operation or checking goods supplied under commercial or industrial cooperation contracts; training staff for those tasks; and trips by foreigners who are or will become shareholders or associates of Romanian companies.
Anything that is paid work for a Romanian employer, or longer than 90 days, needs a long-stay D visa. Shareholders who will manage a company in Romania for longer use the D/AC visa; employees use D/AM; staff posted within the same group use D/DT.
Business documents
The central document is an invitation from a Romanian company or public authority to meetings, conferences, fairs or congresses linked to trade or industry, in which the inviter undertakes to cover repatriation costs if you do not leave on time. Other documents proving the purpose may be accepted: fair tickets, contracts, correspondence.
Add proof of your own employment or company, such as a letter from the employer stating your position and the purpose of the trip, or the company’s registration and tax documents, plus a ticket, insurance and proof of funds.
Required documents
Identity
- Harmonised Schengen application form completed on the e-Visa portal, printed and signed (minors: signed by a parent or guardian).
- Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after leaving the Schengen area, with at least two blank pages.
- One 35 x 45 mm photo meeting Schengen standards, not older than 6 months; ten fingerprints are taken unless they were collected in the last 59 months.
Travel
- Ticket to Romania and hotel booking.
Money
- Funds of EUR 50 a day, at least EUR 500, or proof that the inviting company pays.
Work
- Invitation from a Romanian company or authority stating the purpose and undertaking to cover repatriation costs.
- Letter from your employer, or your company’s registration and tax documents.
Insurance
- Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay, minimum cover EUR 30,000, including repatriation and emergency treatment.
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Work
- Fair or congress registration, contracts or correspondence with the Romanian partner.
Applying and multiple-entry visas
The procedure is the same as for other C visas: online registration on the e-Visa portal, an in-person appointment at the Romanian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence, fingerprints for first-time applicants, the EUR 90 fee and a decision usually within 15 days.
Regular business travellers with a clean visa history may ask for a multiple-entry visa; the mission decides the validity. Apply at least 15 days before the meeting and no more than 6 months before.
- Obtain an invitation from the Romanian company or authority.
- Register the application on the e-Visa portal, choosing business as the purpose.
- Prepare company documents, insurance, ticket and funds.
- Attend the appointment at the Romanian mission and pay EUR 90.
- Collect the visa and keep the invitation with you at the border.
Common problems
Files are weakened by invitations that do not state who pays repatriation costs, by unclear links between your company and the Romanian partner, or by trips that look like disguised employment. Refusals can be challenged with a preliminary complaint to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 30 days, followed by court action within 6 months of the reply.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work for a Romanian client on a business visa?
No. The C/A visa is for meetings, negotiations, fairs and contract-related technical tasks. Employment needs a D/AM visa based on an approved single application.
Does the Romanian company need IGI approval for the invitation?
Only for the nationalities on the IGI list; for others the company’s own invitation is enough.
I will become a shareholder of a Romanian company. Which visa do I need?
For short trips to sign documents or attend meetings, the C/A visa. To live in Romania and run the company, the D/AC visa for commercial activities after an ARICE business-plan opinion.
How quickly is a business visa decided?
Usually within 15 days of the appointment; up to 45 days if the file needs more checks. The processing period starts on the day you appear at the mission, so book early before a fair date.
Official sources
- Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, eViza – Types of visas and the purpose of your trip
- Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, eViza – Supporting documents
- Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, eViza – Visa processing fees
- IGI – List of states whose nationals need a visa (and an IGI-approved invitation)
- European Commission – Applying for a Schengen visa
- Embassy of Romania in Ankara – Information on the Romanian visa
Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.
Other visa types for Romania
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area; it cannot be turned into a residence permit.
- Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Business and self-employment
- Entrepreneur and start-up visa Maximum stay: Visa 90 days; residence permit for 1 year at a time, or 3 years with EUR 500,000 invested or more than 50 full-time jobs.
- Self-employed and freelancer visa Maximum stay: Visa 90 days; residence permit renewed in steps, at least 30 days before expiry.
Study and training
- Student visa Maximum stay: Visa: 90 days. Residence permit: the length of studies, renewed yearly or for the programme term.
- Researcher visa Maximum stay: Visa 90 days; residence permit for the duration of the hosting agreement, up to 5 consecutive years.
Work
- Work visa Maximum stay: Visa 90 days (seasonal: contract plus 5 days, at most 90); single permit for the contract term, up to 2 years per renewal.
- EU Blue Card Maximum stay: Contract term plus 3 months, up to 3 years per card; renewable.
- Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 3 years for managers and specialists, 1 year for trainee employees, counted from entry.
- Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: Visa 90 days; first residence permit 6 months; later extensions for up to 1 year each.
Family
- Family reunification visa Maximum stay: Visa 90 days; residence permit generally aligned with the sponsor’s permit.
- Spouse and partner visa Maximum stay: Visa 90 days; then a residence permit as a family member of a Romanian citizen.
Residence
- Permanent residence Maximum stay: Indefinite right of residence; the card is renewed.
Protection
- Asylum and international protection Processing time: 30 days from assignment to a decision officer; extendable to a total of 6 months, in some cases 9, plus up to 3 in exceptional situations.