What to do after the oath: transcription of records, the CNP, the passport and the buletin

The short answer

A citizenship certificate is neither an identity document nor a travel document. To make use of it you go through three steps: transcription of your civil status records into the Romanian registers, obtaining the CNP (personal numeric code), then the

passport and — if you have domicile in Romania — the buletin (identity card).

Step 1. Transcription of records

Foreign civil status records — birth and marriage certificates — are entered into the Romanian registers. Where to apply:

The documents for transcription are the original foreign certificate with an apostille or legalisation (for EU countries and countries with bilateral treaties no legalisation is needed) and a certified translation into Romanian. The law allows six months for transcription from returning to the country or receiving the foreign document.

It is at this step that your surname and given name are fixed in their Romanian spelling. An error here follows you into every later document, so the spelling is worth checking before filing, not after.

Step 2. The CNP

The personal numeric code (cod numeric personal) is assigned when the record is entered into the Romanian registers. Without it you cannot obtain a passport or an identity card, nor complete tax and banking procedures.

Step 3. The passport

Citizens who keep their domicile abroad are issued a simple electronic passport stating the country of domicile (CRDS). You can apply in Romania at the passport service or at the consulate where you live.

What you will need: the Romanian birth certificate (and marriage certificate, if applicable) after transcription, the citizenship certificate or card, proof of your right to reside in your country of residence, and the payment receipt. It is valid for 10 years and cannot be extended. Filed in Romania the fee is around 265 lei; rates and production times change from time to time — check the General Passport Directorate website.

An important detail: when a CRDS passport is issued, any identity card issued earlier is withdrawn — domicile abroad and a domestic buletin are incompatible.

Step 4. The buletin and registration — if you need one

The identity card (carte de identitate, commonly the buletin) is issued to citizens with domicile in Romania. It requires an address: property, a registered tenancy agreement or the consent of a host. A buletin makes sense if you plan to live in Romania and use public services and healthcare there. For those obtaining citizenship for freedom of movement in the EU while living elsewhere, the CRDS passport is enough.

What about children

Children entered on a parent’s certificate go through the same transcription of birth certificates, receive a CNP and their own passports. Their presence when applying for a passport is mandatory from a certain age — check at the place of filing.

Where people get it wrong

• They try to obtain a passport straight after the oath. Without transcription and a CNP the application will not be accepted.
• They ignore the spelling of the name. Differences between the Ukrainian, Moldovan and Romanian spellings later break banking and notarial procedures.
• They obtain a buletin “just in case”. Domicile in Romania has consequences, including tax and registration ones; the decision deserves thought.
• They forget about marriage records. It is not only births that are transcribed: without the marriage record the surname in your Romanian documents may not match the one you actually use.

What we take on

Transcription of records — including for those who never had domicile in Romania, through the DPEP of Bucharest Sector 1 — checking the spelling of names, obtaining the CNP, filing for the passport and, if needed, arranging the buletin and registration. Much of this can be done by power of attorney: your presence is not always required at this stage.

This block is often ordered separately — when citizenship was obtained without help and the queue and formalities then became the obstacle.

Frequently asked questions

Can transcription be done remotely? Through a consulate or by power of attorney, depending on the authority. Fully remote is not always possible.

How long does everything after the oath take? Usually 2–6 months: transcription takes weeks, the passport takes weeks, plus logistics.

Is a Romanian address mandatory? No. You may keep your domicile abroad — then the route is the CRDS passport.