Romania is one of the busiest corridors Green Outdoors Global works on, and the questions we hear most from Indian candidates are about the work visa process: who applies first, what documents matter, how long it takes, and what can go wrong. This guide explains the process in plain steps, with the honesty that a licensed recruiting agent should give you.
Step 1: The employer and the job offer come first
Everything in the Romania corridor starts with a real employer demand. A Romanian company decides it needs foreign workers for a specific role, and the vacancy has to be one for which Romanian employers are formally allowed to hire from outside the EU under the country's annual quota or labour rules. That is why we always begin with a written demand letter and role specification — no demand letter, no process.
Step 2: Work permit application
The employer (or its authorised representative) applies for the work permit with the Romanian authorities — the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI). The application is tied to the specific job and employer, and the permit is issued for that role. This is an employer-side step: the candidate does not apply for the permit directly. Our Bucharest subsidiary and our employer-side desk coordinate this documentation chain so nothing is left to guesswork.
Step 3: The visa file and embassy submission
Once the work permit is approved, the visa application is prepared. For Indian candidates the file typically includes the passport, the approved work permit documents, the employment contract, medical fitness evidence, police clearance and passport photographs. The application is submitted at the Romanian embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your location, and you attend the interview if requested.
Step 4: Documents that routinely cause delays
- Passport validity — most embassies expect the passport to be valid well beyond the intended stay; renew early.
- Consistent spelling — your name must be spelled identically across passport, contract, permit and visa; a single mismatch can stall the file.
- Police clearance — obtain it only when the file requires it, because it has a validity window.
- Medical fitness — Romania requires a medical certificate for work; incomplete or expired certificates are a common rejection cause.
Step 5: Arrival, registration and the first 90 days
After the visa is stamped, the practical phase begins: travel, arrival coordination, accommodation and registration with the local authorities where applicable. The first 90 days in any new country involve paperwork, learning the workplace culture and settling in. We prepare candidates for this phase during pre-departure orientation, because a worker who arrives prepared starts earning and adapting faster.
Costs and compliance — what a licensed agent can and cannot charge
Under Indian law, a Registered Recruiting Agent cannot charge a worker more than ₹30,000 + GST in service charges, collected only by digital payment or bank draft against a receipt. Visa fees, medicals and airfare are employer-borne costs and must never be charged to the worker. If an agency asks for more, or promises a visa in exchange for extra payment, walk away — that is a red flag, not a shortcut.
How long does it take?
The honest answer: it depends on employer documentation, permit processing and embassy workloads — commonly a few weeks to a few months. No licensed agent can guarantee a fixed timeline, and you should treat any agency that does as a warning sign. What we can promise is a documented process, transparent fees and a named coordinator you can hold accountable.
Start with the right questions
Before you pay anyone, ask: Is the agency MEA-licensed? Does the employer's demand letter exist? Which role and city is the job in? What exactly am I paying for, and what is written into the contract? Green Outdoors Global Pvt Ltd is a Registered Recruiting Agent (Licence B-1873/GUJ/COM/100/5/10332/2023) under the Emigration Act, 1983, and we publish our compliance framework openly. If you are considering Romania, start on the Romania corridor page or talk to our team.