United States to Romania visa requirements

US ordinary passport holders do NOT need a visa for short tourist or business stays in Romania. Romania is a full Schengen member, so the stay limit is up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area. As of 2026-06-21, ETIAS is not required; EES registration happens at the external Schengen border and requires no advance application. Romania is part of the borderless Schengen Area: internal air and sea checks were lifted on 31 March 2024, and land border checks were lifted on 1 January 2025, making Romania a full Schengen member. US citizens holding an ordinary passport may enter Romania for tourism, business, family visits, or transit without a visa and stay up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period. Because Romania now counts as part of Schengen, days spent in Romania count against the same 90/180 allowance shared with all other Schengen countries; travelers who have already used their 90 days elsewhere in Schengen may be refused entry. The passport must have been issued within the previous 10 years and be valid for at least three months beyond the intended departure date from the Schengen Area; the US State Department recommends six months and lists one blank page per stamp. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 and replaces routine passport stamping at Schengen external borders with electronic entry/exit records and biometrics, with no fee or advance application. No advance authorization is currently needed: ETIAS is scheduled to start operations in the last quarter of 2026, followed by transition/grace periods, so it is NOT required as of 2026-06-21. Once operational, ETIAS is expected to cost EUR 20 for most adult applicants. Travelers staying longer than 90 days, working, studying, or residing in Romania should not rely on the visa-free stay; they should arrange the appropriate purpose-specific authorization and apply in time to the Romanian General Inspectorate for Immigration for residence permission.