At a glance
Client: a Romanian citizen married abroad, with two minor children
Area: citizenship and civil status, transcription of foreign records
The problem: three transcriptions issued in different states, each depending on the others
Result: all three completed within the statutory deadline, Romanian passports obtained for both children
The facts
The client is a Romanian citizen by birth, married abroad to a foreign national. Both children were born outside Romania, and neither parent held Romanian civil status records for the events that took place abroad.
In practice, this meant the children could not rely on Romanian citizenship acquired by descent and could not obtain passports. Updating the family's civil status in the Romanian registers, under Law no. 119/1996 on civil status records, was the starting point for everything else.
What we did
Preparing the foreign documents
We obtained the marriage certificate issued by the competent authority of the state where the marriage took place, together with the birth certificates of both children. Each document was certified as a true copy, apostilled under the 1961 Hague Convention and translated into Romanian by an authorised translator.
Acting without the family travelling to Romania
The parents were abroad, so we drafted and notarised the special powers of attorney authorising us to represent them before the Civil Status Office and the Passport Directorate. We also prepared the notarised declarations on identity, civil status and descent.
Three files, in the right order
We assembled three separate files: the transcription of the marriage certificate, and one birth transcription for each child.
Where the file could have stalled
The three procedures were interdependent. The birth transcriptions could not properly be supported until the parents' marriage had been transcribed, because the children's civil status data is tied to that of their parents.
We filed so that the marriage transcription came first and supported the birth transcriptions. The wrong order would have meant refusal for inconsistent data and starting again.
The outcome
All three applications were decided within the 30-day statutory deadline set by Methodology no. 1/1997, at the Civil Status Office of Timisoara.
The parents' marriage and both children's births were transcribed into the Romanian civil status registers, and on the strength of those records we assisted the family with the passport applications. Both children received Romanian passports.
What the file shows
In a family file with records issued in different states, the order of the applications matters as much as the documents themselves. The wrong sequence blocks the whole chain, and the children feel the effect directly.
The second useful point: the entire procedure can be run under a special power of attorney, without the family travelling to Romania.
Frequently asked questions
My child was born abroad. How do they get a Romanian passport?
The foreign birth certificate must first be transcribed into the Romanian civil status registers. The passport application follows, based on the Romanian certificate.
Does the parents' marriage have to be transcribed as well?
Yes, where the marriage took place abroad and was never registered in Romania. The marriage is transcribed first, because the children's data is matched against the parents' records.
How long does the transcription of a civil status record take?
The statutory deadline is 30 days from filing a complete file. The overall timeline also depends on obtaining the apostille and the translations, which are prepared beforehand.
What documents are required?
The original foreign record, apostilled or legalised, an authorised translation, the parents' identity documents and, where a lawyer files on your behalf, a notarised special power of attorney.
Do I have to travel to Romania for this?
### Do I need to travel to Romania for these procedures? Generally, no. For the transcription of civil status documents issued abroad into Romanian civil status registers, you can be represented by a lawyer without travelling to Romania or obtaining a notarised power of attorney to submit the application. Since 6 July 2026, Law No. 120/2026 has expressly allowed lawyers to submit transcription applications under a lawyer’s authorisation (*împuternicire avocațială*), pursuant to Article 59¹ of Law No. 119/1996. This option applies to procedures for which representation is permitted by law. The Arsulescu team can assist with reviewing your documents, preparing and submitting your application, and monitoring its progress. Representation by a lawyer does not remove the requirements for supporting documents: depending on your circumstances, you may still need original documents, notarised translations, an apostille or consular legalisation. Before starting the process, we assess your circumstances and explain which documents you need and whether any formalities require your personal involvement.
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