Author
In Romania, asylum applications are registered by IGI-DAI within 3 working days if submitted directly to IGI and within 6 days if filed with other authorities such as the Border Police, police staff in detention centres, or the National Administration of Penitentiaries within the Ministry of Justice.[1] In cases of high number of applications, registration can take up to 10 working days.[2]
At border crossings, detention centres, or units subordinated to the National Administration of Penitentiaries within the Ministry of Justice, applications are recorded in special registers before being sent to the Regional Centres for Asylum Seekers, along with any relevant documents.[3] At the border, applicants fill out a form in a language they understand, receive information on their rights via an interpreter, and their application is sent to IGI-DAI.[4] If submitted at an airport or land border, the application is accompanied by details such as arrival time, documents, and accompanying persons.[5]
In 2024 IGI-DAI mentioned that only few asylum seekers have their claim assessed in border procedures, as this can be applied only for those applying for asylum at border crossing points. Those who apply for asylum after being apprehended in the context of an irregular crossing are instead brought to centres on the territory.[6]
There is no legal time limit for filing an asylum application, and authorities cannot reject an application solely due to the fact it was submitted late.[7] Once an application is registered in IGI-DAI’s database, the applicant is fingerprinted, photographed, and issued a temporary identity document, which is periodically renewed.[8]
For unaccompanied minors, applications are recorded in a special register, but they can only be formally lodged after a legal representative is appointed. If a minor applies through an authority other than IGI-DAI, they are immediately transferred to a competent Regional Centre.[9]
In 2023, the total number of asylum applications was 10,346, of which 10,158 were first-time asylum applications.[10] In 2024, there were 2467 asylum applications, marking a 76% decrease compared to the previous year.[11]
There were no cases where IGI-DAI refused to have the asylum application lodged. Applicants receive a plastic temporary identity document containing a photograph, personal details and a registration number, similar to a residence permit, which replaced the previous paper format in 2021.[12]
EUAA involvement
In March 2022, the EUAA signed its first operational plan with Romania, within the context of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and subsequent displacement. A new operating plan was signed in December 2022 to cover the year 2023.[13] In December 2023, the 2023 operational plan was amended and extended until 31 December 2024.[14] In December 2024, the EUAA and Romania agreed on an operational plan for 2025-2026, with support in temporary protection, asylum procedures and reception.[15]
In 2024, the EUAA deployed 61 experts in Romania,[16] mostly external experts (37) and Member State experts (20). The majority of these experts were asylum registration experts (18), junior asylum registration experts (17) and case experts (10) as well as other program and support staff.[17]
As of 11 December 2024, there were 35 EUAA experts present in Romania, out of which 16 were junior asylum registration experts, 9 case experts, and 3 registration experts.[18]
In 2024, the EUAA carried out a total of 933 registrations of international protection applications. 79% of these were related to the top 10 citizenships of applicants, mainly nationals from Syria (318), Nepal (74) and Iraq (68).[19]
In 2024, the EUAA carried out 23,820 registrations for temporary protection in Romania, a decrease from 32,359 in 2023.[20] Nevertheless, Romania remained by far the country where the EUAA registered the highest number of persons under temporary protection in 2024. In 2024 over 162,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection were issued by the Romanian authorities.[21]
In 2024, the EUAA delivered 32 training sessions to a total of 251 local staff members.[22]
[1] Article 36^1(2) Asylum Act, citing Article 35 Asylum Act.
[2] ibid.
[3] ibid. Article 38(5) citing Article 35.
[4] Information provided by Border Police, 27 August 2018.
[5] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 21 August 2018.
[6] Meeting with the General Inspectorate for Immigration – Asylum and Integration Directorate during ECRE fact-finding visit to Romania, 18 March 2025.
[7] Article 36(3) Asylum Act. Article 13(3) Asylum Act.
[8] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 21 August 2018.
[9] Article 39(3) – (4) Asylum Act. Information provided by IGI-DAI, 21 August 2018.
[10] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 18 January 2024.
[11] ibid., January 2025.
[12] A template can be found here.
[13] EUAA, Operational Plan 2023 agreed by the European Union Agency for Asylum and Romania, December 2022, available here.
[14] ibid.
[15] ibid.
[16] EUAA personnel numbers do not include deployed interpreters by the EUAA in support of asylum and reception activities.
[17] Information provided by the EUAA, 14 March 2025.
[18] ibid.
[19] ibid.
[20] ibid.
[21] According to the Assessment of the activity of the general inspectorate for immigration in the year 2024 of the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), published in April 2025, summarizing its operations during 2024. Official source here.
[22] Information provided by the EUAA, 14 March 2025.