Romanian Dual Citizenship in the U.S. — 2026 Guide

Romania’s citizenship law is built around restoration rather than a general descent claim, and the two routes that matter run to different degrees of kinship. Under article 10, people who lost Romanian citizenship and their descendants to the second degree may reacquire it. Under article 11, for those who lost it through no fault of their own or had it taken without their consent, the reach extends to the third degree.

Quick facts

The difference between second and third degree is the whole case for many families. Grandchildren fall inside article 11 where the loss was involuntary, and outside article 10 where it was not.

The routes

Once the parents have obtained citizenship, a separate procedure issues the citizenship certificate for their minor children, which is not automatic and has to be applied for.

How to apply

1. Establish which article applies to your family, because the degrees of kinship differ.
2. Gather certificates for every generation in the chain, apostilled and translated.
3. Document how and when Romanian citizenship was lost, which decides the article.
4. Open the file on the national consular portal.
5. Attend the appointment and follow the file through to the decision in Romania.
6. Apply for the children’s certificates separately once you have succeeded.

Required documents

• Applicant’s long-form birth certificate, apostilled and translated.
• Birth and marriage certificates for every generation in the chain.
• Evidence of the ancestor’s Romanian citizenship.
• Evidence of how citizenship was lost.
• Valid identification and proof of address.
• Completed portal application.

Where to apply

Through the national consular portal, at a career consulate. Decisions are taken by the citizenship authority in Romania.

Additional notes

How the loss happened decides the reach

Documenting whether citizenship was given up voluntarily or removed is the single most important part of the file, because it determines which article applies.

Children are a separate application

Parents regularly assume their minor children are covered automatically. They are not: the certificate is applied for afterwards.

Dual citizenship is allowed

Romania does not require renouncing another nationality, and Romanian citizenship carries EU rights.

Transcription follows

Once citizenship is recognised, foreign certificates still have to be transcribed before a passport can reflect them.