How to apply for Romanian citizenship without a B1 certificate

The window until March 14, 2027

Until March 14, 2027, a file for Romanian citizenship through repatriation (Articles 10 and 11) can be submitted without a B1 language certificate at the filing stage. The government extended the transition period by emergency ordinance OUG No. 16/2026. After that date, files without proof of language will be rejected or suspended. The window is limited in time, and it is a rare opportunity to enter the procedure under the current conditions.

What exactly changed: from Law 14/2025 to OUG 16/2026

The language requirement did not appear yesterday. Law No. 14/2025, which entered into force on March 12, 2025, introduced mandatory proof of Romanian language proficiency at B1 level for the repatriation procedure. The transition period was originally set to expire on March 15, 2026, meaning that after that date, files without a certificate would no longer have been accepted. However, on March 13, 2026, emergency ordinance OUG No. 16/2026 was published in the official gazette (Monitorul Oficial), extending the transition period by another year, to March 14, 2027. The reason is practical: launching the requirement in full needs infrastructure, namely accredited examination centers, uniform standards and procedures for confirming the level. While it is still being built, applicants have been given extra time. What this means in practice: the coming months are a window in which a repatriation file can be submitted without presenting a language certificate at the outset.

What else Law 14/2025 changed

The language requirement is not the only innovation of the reform. Law No. 14/2025 significantly restructured the repatriation procedure: the official time limit for reviewing an application was increased from 5 months to 2 years (with a possible extension of another 6 months), and one year from filing is allowed for preparing for the oath. At the same time, ANC tightened its checks on the authenticity of documents. All this means that a file is now assessed more strictly and for longer, which makes it all the more valuable to enter the procedure during the window, under the current conditions, with solidly prepared documents.

Who the window applies to, and who it does not

It is important not to confuse the categories here, because there is a lot of unreliable information around this topic.

Those filing through repatriation now (Art. 10, 11): can enter the procedure without a certificate at the filing stage, as long as the window until March 14, 2027 is open.

Those who submitted their file before March 12, 2025: no language certificate is required at all. The principle of non-retroactivity applies: the law has no retroactive effect.

Categories exempt from the language requirement: people over 65, as well as those who are reacquiring Romanian citizenship they personally held before.

Repatriation is most often sought by those whose ancestors lived in territories that were part of Romania before 1940: part of present-day Moldova, the Chernivtsi and Izmail (Odesa) regions, and adjacent districts. If your family includes people from these places, a ground for the procedure may exist even for those who have never associated themselves with Romania. That is why the first practical step is not signing up for an exam, but checking your family tree: that is what determines whether this window is available to you at all.

A separate warning is due about a common manipulation. Some people who filed in 2021–2024 are being sent messages demanding that they "urgently submit a B1 certificate," citing supposed letters from the authority. In practice, this does not comply with the law: the requirement applies to those who file after March 12, 2025. Before paying for a certificate, you need to make sure you actually need it.

What is accepted as proof of language

When a certificate is needed after all, it is important not to waste money on a document that will not be accepted. If you studied in Romanian, a legalized school diploma can fully replace the exam; this is often overlooked by those who graduated from a Romanian high school or university. That is why, even before signing up for the exam, it is worth checking whether you already have a ready basis for proving your language skills with an education document.

Your language will be checked at the oath anyway

The window removes the barrier at the entry point, but does not cancel the language requirement at the end. At the oath stage, an interview is held in Romanian: questions about family, work, the reasons for seeking citizenship, as well as the basics of the Constitution and national symbols. This also applies to those who are formally exempt from the certificate. That is why the right strategy is to enter the procedure during the window and calmly improve your language while the case is being reviewed, especially since the time limit is now long. In practice, this takes the pressure off the applicant: there is no need to rush through an exam before filing; it is enough to prepare for the interview while the case is under review.

Why the window is an opportunity, not a reason to delay

The "I'll make it at the last minute" logic is dangerous here for several reasons at once. First, the official time limit for reviewing an application is now up to 2 years, so the earlier the file is submitted, the earlier the clock starts. Second, an apostille and checks on the authenticity of documents can be requested at any stage, so preparation takes time. Third, the B1 certificate does not expire: it pays to get it in advance and use it when convenient. Entering the procedure now locks in the current conditions. Besides, there is no guarantee that the transition period will be extended again after March 2027: it has already been done twice in a row as a temporary measure, but a third extension cannot be taken for granted.

There is also a strategic coincidence of dates. Temporary protection for Ukrainians ends on March 4, 2027, almost at the same time as the B1 window closes. For a person with Romanian roots, this leads to a simple conclusion: instead of applying for a temporary residence permit, it makes more sense to put your efforts straight into EU citizenship while the window is open.

Where to start to get in during the window
To use the window to good effect, rather than filing "just to make it in time," the order of steps is as follows. The first step is to confirm the ground for repatriation: find and check the documents proving Romanian ancestry in the ascending line. The second is to build an unbroken chain of evidence and bring the spelling of names across generations into a single consistent line; this is where weak files most often break down. The third is to legalize the documents: translations, apostilles, extracts from registers. The fourth is to settle the language question: check whether you need a certificate at all and, if so, start preparing in advance, bearing in mind that it does not expire. The fifth is to file during the window, without waiting for March 2027. This order protects against two extremes: losing the window, and submitting documents that will not withstand scrutiny.

What to do if you have already made a mistake

The most common mistakes around this topic go in opposite directions. Some paid for a B1 certificate even though they filed before March 2025 and did not need it. If that is your case, check your filing date: the document may have been unnecessary, but it can still be used in future procedures, since it does not expire. Others, on the contrary, count on slipping through the window and do not prepare their language at all, and then face the interview at the oath. The solution here is simple: start learning Romanian now, in parallel with the review of the case. Still others rush to file "at least something" before the window closes and put together a weak file. This is the worst option: getting in during the window will not save documents that do not withstand scrutiny. First a solid file, and only then filing.