Author
The travel document is issued, upon request, to the beneficiaries of international protection (both persons with refugee status and subsidiary protection) in Romania for a period of 2 years, without the possibility of prolonging its validity. Upon expiry, a new travel document with the same validity period is issued.[1] Refugees receive a dark blue trilingual travel document (Romanian, English, French) as specified in the 1951 Refugee Convention, while beneficiaries of subsidiary protection receive a different travel document, also trilingual but of grey colour, which mentions “subsidiary protection”.[2]
For beneficiaries of international protection who are abroad and do not possess valid travel documents, the diplomatic missions or consular offices of Romania, with the approval of IGI, will provide them with travel documents valid only for the return to Romania. The validity of the travel title is at most 30 days and ceases upon the holder’s entry on Romanian territory.[3]
The travel document is valid for travel to all countries, except the country of origin of the beneficiary.
Refugees may travel freely in the EU, without a visa, while beneficiaries of subsidiary protection must apply for a visa. At the base of this trend lies the European Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees signed at Strasbourg on 20 April 1959,[4] and the Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001. Before 2014, beneficiaries with subsidiary protection were assimilated to refugees and they were also exempt from the visa requirement.
In order to apply for a travel document, beneficiaries of international protection are obliged to certify their residence by submitting one of the following documents: lease agreement registered with the fiscal authority; commodity contract concluded in authentic form; or any other documents concluded under the conditions of validity provided by Romanian legislation in force regarding the housing title, which prove the acquisition of some housing rights. In addition, beneficiaries should also submit an ID photo when applying for a travel document. The travel document is issued for a fee of 258 RON/€60, which represents a tax imposed by the National Printing House.
The application (standard form) for the travel document is made at IGI-DAI, after the temporary residence permit is issued. The authority issues the travel document within 30 days.
IGI-DAI issued 1,622 travel documents to beneficiaries of international protection in 2019.[5]
In 2020, IGI-DAI issued 573 new travel documents and 909 travel documents were renewed.[6] In 2021, IGI-DAI issued 2,386 travel documents.[7] In 2022, IGI-DAI issued 2,204 travel documents.
In 2023, IGI-DAI issued 2981 travel documents:[8]
- IGI-DAI Galati: 255 travel documents (123 refugees, 132 beneficiaries of subsidiary protection).
- IGI-DAI Bucharest: 2,312 travel documents (1,274 refugees, 1,038 beneficiaries of subsidiary protection).
- IGI-DAI Rădăuţi: 80 travel documents (10 refugees, 70 beneficiaries of subsidiary protection).
- IGI-DAI Giurgiu: 61 travel documents (37 refugees, 24 beneficiaries of subsidiary protection).
- IGI-DAI Maramureș- Şomcuta Mare: 100 travel documents (39 refugees, 61 beneficiaries of subsidiary protection)
- IGI-DAI Timisoara: 173 documents (51 refugees, 122 beneficiaries of subsidiary protection).
[1] Article 20(8) Asylum Act.
[2] Annexes 5 and 6 Government Decision 557/2006.
[3] Article 20(9) Asylum Act.
[4] European Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees signed at Strasbourg on 20 April 1959, signed by Romania on 5 November 1999 and ratified through Act 75/2001.
[5] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 20 February 2020.
[6] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 16 February 2021.
[7] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 10 March 2022.
[8] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 18 January 2024.