Romanian President Promulgates Simplified Citizenship Procedures Law

The Presidential Administration said Wednesday the head of state signed the decree promulgating the Law that simplifies the citizenship procedures.

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday, on television station Etno TV, that Wednesday he will promulgate the citizenship law, approved by government emergency ordinance, adding that in 2009 there were more citizenships granted on this ordinance „than there were since 1990”.

„Tomorrow, I will promulgate the citizenship law, which has created wide facilities for Romanians up to the third generation, those who unwillingly lost their Romanian citizenship. For example, after the split between Moldova and Romania, Romanians in Moldova lost their citizenship. Those who are still alive, as well as third generation Romanians, can simply reclaim their citizenship. We don’t require a great deal of documents to grant it,” Traian Basescu said yesterday.

He added the law requires authorities to grant the requested citizenship within five months.

„This law was initiated by emergency ordinance. (…) This year Romania granted more citizenships based on this ordinance than it has between 1990 and now ,” Basescu said.

Late October, Romanian deputies voted 209 to one and two abstentions to adopt a government emergency decree that eases procedures for reacquiring Romanian citizenship.

Under the act, passed by the government in April and adopted by the Senate, former Romanians who gained citizenship by birth and then lost it or it was lifted for reasons independent of their will, as well as their descendants up to the third degree can reacquire or can obtain Romanian citizenship upon request, provided they meet the legal requirements – excepting the requirement to take an interview in Romanian.

Romania’s citizenship committee must check to see whether a citizenship applicant meets all the requirements of the law within five months of the application.

Applications to regain Romanian citizenship are submitted at the citizenship department within the Ministry of Justice after they gain rights of residence in Romania. Applicants residing abroad may submit applications at Romania’s diplomatic and consular missions.