Reception - Romania | DIP EUAA
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Romania is bound by the recast Reception Conditions Directive and the Dublin III Regulation and has transposed their provisions through the Law No 122/2006 on asylum (Lege nr 122/2006 privind azilul in Romania).
Romania transposes the recast Reception Conditions Directive by Law No 122/2006 on asylum (Lege nr 122/2006 privind azilul in Romania).
In addition, detailed provisions regarding the accommodation of applicants for international protection are included in Articles 55-59 of the Methodological norms for the application of Law No 122/2006.
| Authority responsible for reception | The General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) is responsible for coordinating and providing reception to applicants for international protection. |
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| Other actors involved | Other actors involved in the provision of material reception conditions include the UNHCR, IOM, and NGOs. |
Romania operates a mixed reception system. At the national level, the GII is composed of various departments, services, and other functional structures. At the local level, it includes regional accommodation centres, asylum procedure centres, detention centres for third-country nationals, and county offices.
The distribution of applicants is made accordingly to law 122/2006, taking into consideration the following: the place of lodging the application, country of origin, the level of occupacy and the situation in the centre, as well as the presevation of family unit.
Dedicated staff are employed in these specific fields, and over time, training sessions are organized in cooperation with support institutions, with participation determined according to the relevant are of expertise.
The reception process for applicants for international protection begins with the registration of their application, when accommodation is provided upon request. The entitlement to material reception conditions starts once the application is made, and these conditions remain consistent throughout the procedure, regardless of its stage or type.
The provision of reception conditions concludes at the end of the asylum procedure.
No information currently available
There are 3 types of accommodations for asylum applicants:
- Special designated premises at border zones, in each border crossing point (being used as initial reception centres)
- Collective accommodation centres, which also serve as the first reception centres, are at the same location as regional centres for registration of asylum applications (Bucharest Centre, the Timișoara Centre, the Galați Centre, the Rădăuți Centre, the Maramureș Centre and the Giurgiu Centre)
- Emergency accommodation used if needed in case of mass influx of persons (e.g. in 2022 for displaced persons from Ukraine).
| Name of the reception facility | Designated premises at border zones, in each border crossing point. |
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| Access description | Closed. |
| Management | Managed by the Border Police. |
| Type of applicants accommodated | Applicants for international protection. |
| Number of centres | At each border crossing point. The exact number is not specified. |
| Capacity | No information currently available |
| Location of the centres within the country | At each border crossing point. |
| Name of the reception facility | N/a |
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| Regime | N/a |
| Management | N/a |
| Type of applicants accommodated | N/a |
| Number of centres | N/a |
| Capacity | N/a |
| Location of the centres within the country | N/a |
| Name of the reception facility | Regular accommodation centres. |
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| Regime | Open. |
| Management | Managed by the GII. |
| Type of applicants accommodated | Applicants and beneficiaries of international protection. |
| Number of centres | 6 |
| Capacity | The reception centres have capacities ranging from 100 to 500 individuals each, with a total accommodation capacity of 1400. The reception centres have the following capacities:
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| Location of the centres within the country |
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| Name of the reception facility | N/a |
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| Regime | N/a |
| Management | N/a |
| Type of applicants accommodated | N/a |
| Number of centres | N/a |
| Capacity | N/a |
| Location of the centres within the country | N/a |
| Name of the reception facility | N/a |
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| Regime | N/a |
| Management | N/a |
| Type of applicants accommodated | N/a |
| Number of centres | N/a |
| Capacity | N/a |
| Location of the centres within the country | N/a |
Specific arrangements are made within the six existing accommodation centres for vulnerable persons, including minors, unaccompanied minors over 16 years old, individuals with disabilities, elderly people, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, victims of human trafficking, and individuals who have been subjected to torture, rape, or other serious forms of psychological, physical, or sexual violence, such as victims of female genital mutilation.
According to Article 17 (1) lit. l of Law No 122/2006 on asylum, applicants with special needs benefit from adaptation of accommodation conditions and assistance in accommodation centres.
Unaccompanied minors: For unaccompanied minors under the age of 16, accommodation is provided in specialized centres within the Romanian General Directorate for Child Protection. Specific arrangements have also been made within the six existing accommodation centres to host UAMs over 16 years old.
Families are accommodated together whenever possible. No exceptions are made to family unity.
Depending on the specific needs of each asylum seeker considered a vulnerable person, GII staff provides assistance within the scope of their competences, or notify and cooperate with the competent authorities and specialized institutions in order to ensure the necessary assistance.
Articles 17(1)(j) and 17(5) of Law No 122/2006 on asylum grant the right to an applicant for international protection, who does not have means of maintenance, to benefit, upon request, from material conditions of reception throughout the asylum procedure, which ensure subsistence and protect physical and mental health.
Detailed provisions regarding the provision of material reception conditions to applicants for international protection are included in Articles 55-56 of the Methodological norms for the application of Law No 122/2006.
| Type and purpose | Equipment maintenance and hygiene products are provided. |
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| Duration and recurrence | For the duration of the asylum procedure and the integration program. once per month, only to the applicants. |
| Type and purpose | Part of material reception conditions are provided in the form of financial allowances, such as for food, clothing, and transport. Other cash provisions include 12 RON per person daily for local transport, cultural services, the press, repair and maintenance services, personal hygiene products, etc. (Government Decision No. 277/2022, amending Article 55 of the Methodological Norms for the Application of Law No. 122/2006). The reimbursement of travel expenses is available upon the applicant's request, submitted at the accommodation centre. Additionally, an allowance for children up to the age of 18 is provided. |
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| Duration and recurrence | Financial allowances are provided for the duration of the asylum procedure and the integration program. |
| Calculation and amount | Food and other expenses: According to Government Decision No. 277/2022, which amended Article 55 of the Methodological Norms for the Application of Law No. 122/2006, the financial allowance is paid in two instalments and is as follows:
The amount of the financial allowance is reviewed periodically and is linked to the state budget. It may also be reviewed on an ad hoc basis, depending on inflation rates. The calculation of the financial allowance is defined by legislation and is based on the cost of living, excluding housing costs. During the execution of the state budget, if the inflation rate increases by at least 5% compared to the last month when the update of the amount provided by GII was made, it is mandatory for the financial allowances to be increased by the inflation rate. Clothing benefits: According to Government Decision No. 277/2022, the clothing benefits are as follows:
Monthly financial allowances for different categories (according to Article 55 of Government Decision No. 1251/2006 for the approval of the Methodological Norms for the Application of Law No. 122/2006 on asylum in Romania):
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| Applicants granted allowance | Individuals in the asylum procedure, including applicants in subsequent applications (if the application has been deemed admissible), are eligible for the allowance, unless they possess sufficient means and live outside the reception centres. Applicants with sufficient resources and those for whom reception conditions have been withdrawn are not entitled to financial assistance, as stipulated in Article 19^1 of Law No 122/2006 on asylum. |
| Modalities of provision | Financial allowances are paid in cash, although the law provides for the possibility to pay them by card. |
Applicants who require special reception conditions include minors, unaccompanied minors (UAMs), persons with disabilities, elderly individuals, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, victims of human trafficking and persons who have suffered torture, rape, or other serious forms of psychological, physical, or sexual violence, including female genital mutilation.
In general, for applicants with special needs, specialized units or NGOs provide psychological assistance upon referral by authorities or upon the applicant's request. Services provided by NGOs involved in AMIF projects may include counselling, educational and recreational activities, and adaptation to society. Individual and group counselling is available as necessary.
Minors, including unaccompanied minors, receive the same level of free medical assistance as Romanian minor citizens. Psychological services are provided by specialised units or NGOs upon referral by authorities or upon the applicant's request. The NGOs involved in AMIF projects offer these services, which may include individual and group psychological counselling. Educational, recreational, and adaptation activities to society are also organized.
For victims of human trafficking, torture, or other forms of violence, medical insurance may be covered through AMIF project funds.
For the elderly, medical insurance may be covered through AMIF project funds and specialized units or NGOs provide psychological services, with counselling depending on project selection sessions.
| Modalities of information provision on benefits and obligations related to reception conditions | Information on reception conditions is provided orally and through leaflets by reception officials within 7 days of the applicants' arrival at the reception centre. NGOs also provide this information to the applicants. |
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| Provision of legal assistance on the reception conditions available | According to Article 88^1 of Law No 122/2006 on asylum, applicants are also informed about how to contact NGOs, the UNHCR, and the process for obtaining legal assistance and representation. |
| House rules | When they are accommodated in reception centres, applicants are informed of their rights, obligations, prohibitions, and disciplinary sanctions applicable during their accommodation in the centre. The information is received in writing through an information sheet in a language that the person understands or is reasonably presumed to understand and in which the applicant can communicate clearly. To acknowledge receipt of the information, the document must be signed by the applicant. Where appropriate, the information may also be provided orally, through an interpreter. Information on the rights, obligations, prohibitions, and disciplinary sanctions applicable during accommodation in the centres is displayed in each room, in a language of international use. |
| Assignment of a particular area of residence to applicants | Applicants cannot leave the residence area without the approval of the management of the centre. ‘Residence’ refers to the place within the city where the applicant benefits from reception conditions, usually the reception centre. The residence could also be a rented private apartment where the applicant lives. The applicant receives correspondence for the asylum procedure at that specific place. A request to leave the residence must be reasoned, and authorisation is issued following an individual, objective, and impartial assessment. A refusal decision must be reasoned. According to legal provisions, the applicant should not leave the city of residence. If the applicant attempts to leave the city, cross the border illegally, or if there is information in this respect, the GII has the right to determine the place of residence for that person and the right to refuse permission to leave the assigned area/place of residence. SOPs are applicable in regional reception centres, defining how the applicant can make a request (in written format with a proper motivation/reason), how the centre’s management decides on the request, what timeframes apply, depending on the case, and the form of the decision. When a written request is approved, a copy is given to the person. Applicants may also be transferred to a different reception centre (e.g. for reasons of capacity), and transfer decisions cannot be appealed. |
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| Reporting obligations | No reporting obligation is in place. Applicants need to report when the validity of their status document is extended. |
| Time limit to access the labour market | According to Article 17(1)(o) of Law No 122/2006 on asylum, access to the labour market is allowed, once the applicant for international protection is in the administrative stage of the asylum procedure, or after 3 months if they are still in this phase. |
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| Criteria to access the labour market | No specific restrictions or conditions apply for granting access to the labour market. Applicants have the right to benefit from measures to stimulate employment, as well as protection within the unemployment insurance system, under the conditions provided by law for Romanian citizens (Article 17(1)(o^1) of Law No 122/2006 on asylum). |
| Employment support for applicants | No specific procedural provisions are in place to organize applicants' effective access to the labour market. Upon request, applicants may benefit from the services of County Employment Agencies (AJOFM), which provide information and counselling to persons seeking employment. |
| Adults’ access to vocational training | Access to vocational training is available and depends on the applicant's access to the labour market. Enrolment in vocational courses is conditioned by the submission of the applicant's study documents. |
| Access to tertiary education | Access to tertiary education is not provided by law. |
| Medical screening | A medical check is conducted upon the applicant's entry into the accommodation centre. The medical check is performed by the centre’s doctor or in his or her absence by the nurse, with a follow-up check by the doctor. Signs of violence or any other medical conditions are recorded and the director of centre is informed if signs of violence are recorded. Applicants also provide a personal statement on use of drugs, chronic diseases, psychological problems and infectious diseases. |
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| Level of healthcare | According to Article 17 (1) m)-n) of Law No 122/2006 on asylum, applicants have the right to receive free primary medical care and appropriate treatment, emergency hospital medical care, as well as free medical care and treatment for acute or chronic diseases through the national system of emergency medical care and qualified first aid. These services are provided, as applicable, by the medical service of the accommodation centres and/or by other health facilities accredited and authorized according to the law. Applicants also have the right to be included in national public health programs aimed at the prevention, surveillance, and control of communicable diseases, in situations of epidemiological risk. Applicants with special needs have the right to receive adequate medical assistance. |
| Access to healthcare | Medical care is provided by the medical staff in accommodation centres, who monitor the health of applicants and, in case of illness, provide primary medical care and free treatment. According to the law, emergency care, as well as medical care in the case of acute illness that poses an imminent threat to life, is provided free of charge in state hospitals and covered through the Ministry of Interior's budget. Persons with specific medical conditions, such as diabetes, TB, or HIV/AIDS, may be enrolled in National Government Programs and receive free treatment. |
Under Article 17, al. (1)(p) of Law No 122/2006 on asylum, all children have free and unconditional access to education in the same conditions as minor Romanian citizens.
Children are enrolled in regular local schools within the same jurisdiction as the accommodation centre and attend the same classes as Romanian children. Preschool children can be enrolled in kindergarten. To facilitate access to the Romanian education system, minor applicants benefit from a free intensive preparatory course for enrolment in the national education system.
Additionally, complementary to the courses offered by the governmental program, Romanian language courses are also conducted by NGOs implementing projects financed through European funds.
| Access to socio-cultural orientation | Provided on an ad-hoc basis. Cultural orientation sessions are held over a period of 3 months and are offered free of charge to asylum seekers. Cultural orientation is provided by specialised staff within the Regional Centers for Procedures and Accommodation for Asylum Seekers under the General Inspectorate for Immigration, as well as by NGOs carrying out projects funded through AMIF, upon request from asylum seekers. |
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| Language classes | Romanian-language classes for adults are provided under AMIF-funded projects and are organised at the reception centre. Romanian language courses for adults are delivered by lecturers within NGOs that carry out projects funded through AMIF, at the request of asylum seekers. |
Applicants with sufficient means may live outside GII regional centres.
Where means of subsistence exist, an asylum seeker will no longer benefit from accommodation in the Regional Centers for Procedures and Accommodation for Asylum Seekers under the General Inspectorate for Immigration. Depending on the value of the available means of subsistence, the right to financial assistance may also be suspended. Access to other social services (education, healthcare, access to the labor market, etc.) is free of charge regardless of the level of financial resources.
The possibility that applicants with sufficient resources be asked to contribute to the cost of material reception conditions is foreseen by law (Article 55 (8) of the Methodological norms for the application of Law No 122/2006).
In cases where means of subsistence exist, the contribution to covering accommodation or medical assistance costs is assessed depending on the individual situation of the asylum seeker.
According to the law, all applicants are subject to a means test.
The identification of financial resources is carried out through checks performed at the accommodation in the IGI Regional Centers and based on the asylum seeker’s declaration.
In Romania, material reception conditions may be reduced or withdrawn in the following circumstances, as stipulated by Law No 122/2006 on asylum and the Regulation of Internal Order adopted on 25 August 2016:
- If an applicant abandons the place of residence assigned by the General Inspectorate for Immigration (GII) without informing them or, if requested, without obtaining permission to leave, their material reception conditions can be reduced or withdrawn.
- If an applicant fails to comply with reporting duties, requests to provide information, or does not appear for personal interviews concerning the asylum process within a reasonable period as outlined in national legislation, material reception conditions may be reduced or withdrawn.
- In cases of serious violations of the rules of the accommodation centre or violent behaviour, material reception conditions may be reduced or withdrawn. However, such cases are rare in practice.
- Applicants who submit subsequent asylum applications will only be entitled to material reception conditions after their application is determined to be admissible.
Article 47 of the Regulation of Internal Order of 25 August 2016 provides that the following sanctions apply individually, gradually and proportionately depending on the seriousness of the act:
- Oral warning;
- Written warning;
- Suspension of the daily amount of 6 RON for local transport expenses, cultural services, press, repair and maintenance services and expenses for personal hygiene products, for a period of one to 3 months;
- Temporary eviction from the centre for 24 hours;
- Temporary eviction from the centre for 7 days;
- Final eviction from the centre.
The decision whether sanctions will be imposed on an applicant is made by the director of the respective accommodation centre (Articles 48 and 49 of the Regulation of Internal Order of 25 August 2016). The decision must be reasoned and communicated to the applicant.
Applicants can appeal the withdrawal/reduction decision at the court of territorial jurisdiction, which is the competent appeal body, within 7 days after the decision is communicated to them. Decisions on appeals are to be issued within 10 days (Articles 19^1, 80 and 81 of Law No 122/2006 on asylum).
Eviction from the reception centre is done by reasoned decision, which is communicated to the applicant, and which can be contested, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 80 and 81 of Law No 122/2006 on asylum. An appeal can be lodged within 7 days from notification and a court decision is issued within 10 days.