The short answer
The state charges little: the citizenship card costs 91.50 lei per person, the exam around 250 lei. The real money goes on working with documents: archival requests, extracts, apostilles, sworn translations and support. The final sum depends not on a “tariff” but on how many documents you already hold and how far down the chain of descent we had to go — which is why an honest estimate comes after the case review, not before it.
What the estimate is made of
| Item | Order of magnitude | What it depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship card | 91.50 lei for the applicant and for each child in the application | fixed |
| B1 exam | around 250 lei at the ILR; other centres set their own prices | format and centre |
| Exam preparation | from nothing (if exempt) to a course lasting several months | your starting level |
| Archival requests | per request; a thematic search costs more than a targeted one | how many links have to be restored |
| Extracts and certificates | the issuing country’s fees | the number of events in the chain |
| Apostilles | per document | the issuing country; not needed under Convention no. 16 |
| Sworn translations | per page | the number of documents and the source language |
| Travel to file | transport and accommodation | where you file: a consulate or Romania |
| Support | by stage | the volume of work, not “for a result” |
| Documents after the oath | transcription, passport, buletin if wanted | whether you keep your domicile abroad |
Two items in this list usually decide everything: the archives and the translations with legalisation. They are where the difference shows between a case where almost everything is at hand and one where three generations have to be reconstructed.
Where money is wasted
- An apostille where none is needed. Moldovan multilingual extracts are accepted without an apostille or translation. This is the most common overpayment.
- Documents ordered too early. An extract older than two years on the filing date is no good — it will have to be ordered and translated again.
- Translations before the set is complete. One extra document ordered later drags a new translation and new certification behind it.
- A second trip. Since 1 December 2025 an incomplete file is not registered: travelling and coming back empty-handed costs the tickets plus the lost slot.
- “Expediting” through an intermediary. Paying for something that does not exist is the most expensive line in other people’s estimates.
How we calculate
First, the free eligibility check: it answers whether there is any point in starting. Then the paid case review: we look at your documents, identify the line of descent to follow and produce a written plan with an estimate broken down by stage. From that moment you see the full picture of the costs — and you pay for each stage separately, as it happens, not everything upfront.
If the review shows the case is hopeless as it stands, you will hear that straight away — and will not spend money translating documents that lead nowhere.
Frequently asked questions
Why can the price not simply be quoted on the website? Because one case needs two documents restored and another twelve, and that is a difference of several times over. The price of the stages is fixed in the contract after the review and does not change afterwards.
Is there a state fee for the citizenship itself? There is no separate “citizenship fee”: what is paid for is the citizenship card — 91.50 lei, through CEC Bank, with the receipt submitted together with the file.
Can I do it all myself and save money? You can. Realistically that means: corresponding with archives in two or three countries yourself, keeping track of how long documents remain valid, getting the legalisation right, and one trip to file with no room for error. Some of our clients come to us after a first attempt ended with the file being refused registration.
Are children charged separately? For the citizenship card, yes, for each of them. The rest depends on how many documents have to be restored for them.
Where this comes from
We publish only what we have checked against the primary source. Here it is — open it and see for yourself.