Opening a personal bank account in Romania: living, working or buying

EU citizen settled in Bucharest or Cluj

A personal bank account in Romania serves anyone who needs to receive a salary in lei, pay rent and utilities, make local purchases or settle a property purchase. It is opened with an ID document, an address and, in most cases, the holder's CNP or NIF. An EU national staying more than three months gets a CNP through a registration certificate.

An EU national staying more than three months registers with the Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări and receives a registration certificate bearing a CNP. This document makes opening an account and accessing online banking much easier.

Salary paid in lei by a Romanian employer

Romanian employers, including the many IT and service centres in Cluj and Iași, pay the net salary in lei after withholding tax and contributions. A personal current account is therefore essential for a local employee.

Buying a flat and paying at the notary

To buy a property, a foreign buyer obtains a NIF and pays the price by transfer from an identified account. The Romanian notary checks the source of funds; a local account in lei or euros makes payment of the price and taxes easier.

Retiree receiving a French pension

A French pension arrives in euros via SEPA; keeping it in a EUR sub-account and converting as needed reduces currency costs. The bank will ask for the pension statement and the new tax address for its CRS reporting.

Cards, mobile payments and cash

Card and phone payments are now widespread in large cities, but cash remains common in markets and rural areas. Romanian cards avoid the conversion fees that foreign cards incur on every purchase in lei.

Mortgages in lei and the IRCC index

Variable-rate mortgages in lei are generally indexed to the IRCC, an index published by the BNR. A non-resident finds credit harder to obtain than a Romanian employee, and the bank often requires a larger deposit and documented income.

Term deposits in lei and euros

Romanian term deposits in lei often pay more than euro-area rates, but the leu can depreciate against the euro. Interest is subject to withholding at source in Romania; a non-resident should check the rate set by the relevant tax treaty.

Current-account offers at a Romanian bank

Banca Transilvania offers current-account packages with a card and mobile app widely used in Romania; comparing maintenance, withdrawal and international transfer fees before signing remains the best approach for a foreign customer settling in the country.

Medical students in Iași, Cluj or Timișoara

Many French-speaking students study medicine at Romanian universities. A Romanian personal account lets them pay tuition and rent in lei; the bank asks for the enrolment certificate and sometimes the residence permit as well.

Declaring the Romanian account from France

A French tax resident who opened an account in Romania declares it every year on form 3916, even if it is rarely used. The Romanian bank, for its part, reports balances to the French authorities under CRS.

Steps to open a personal bank account in Romania

You choose a bank with branches in the city where you live, book an appointment and present your documents to the adviser. The adviser enters the application, checks identity and address, then has you sign the agreement. Depending on the bank, the account is active the same day or after a few days of checks, especially for a foreign client who has only recently arrived in the country.

Once the agreement is signed, the bank gives you the Romanian IBAN, orders the debit card and activates online banking. Take the time to install the mobile app, which is also used to approve payments and view statements. Note the IBAN at your first appointment: your employer, landlord or notary will need it before the first salary, rent or property payment falls due.

The bank first observes how the account works and what income is paid in. Ask what conditions apply to a new foreign client rather than assuming they match those of a long-standing resident, and keep the answers in writing. This is common practice and does not mean your personal current account application is weak.

Documents for a Romanian personal account: identifiers and proofs

Prepare your passport or identity card, proof of address and evidence of your situation in Romania: registration certificate, employment contract, enrolment certificate or purchase deed. The bank often asks for the CNP or the NIF, depending on your status. If you do not have it yet, ask what it accepts in the meantime and which services will be limited without that number.

Documents issued abroad may require translation, sometimes legalisation or an apostille. Find out before having them translated, because each bank has its own formal requirements. Also check that your name is spelled the same way on every document: a missing accent or a swapped first name and surname is enough to block a file until it is clarified. Settling these details early avoids repeated visits to the branch.

Keep digital copies of everything you hand over, along with your exchanges with the adviser. They are useful when closing the account, for tax filings in your home country and to answer a request to update the file. Banks can make such a request at any time, even several years after opening, notably after a change of address or of professional situation.

Personal current account in Romania or home account: how to choose

As soon as the move lasts, a personal current account in Romania becomes more practical: salary paid without conversion, rent and bills settled in lei, direct debits accepted and a local card without currency fees. The difference shows mainly in daily life and in the cumulative cost of foreign-currency operations.

The two accounts can coexist. Many expats keep their home account for euro spending and use the lei account for everyday life. You only need to set up a regular transfer, comparing the bank’s rate with the market rate to limit hidden charges. For a property project, also plan the date on which the funds will need to be available. A bank account for individuals works best when each account has a clear role.

Finally, think about leaving. A Romanian account stays useful as long as commitments run in the country: a lease, a subscription, a loan or the running costs of a property. Close it only after changing your payment arrangements and waiting for the last direct debits, otherwise unpaid items and rejection fees can appear, sometimes long after you have gone. A short closure letter kept on file prevents later disputes.

Common mistakes and questions to ask the bank

The most common mistakes are comparing only monthly fees, giving out the IBAN before the checks are finished and failing to declare the account in the country of residence. Another is believing that an account opened online with a foreign bank is the same as a local one: only a bank authorised in Romania can give you a Romanian IBAN.

Before signing, ask precise questions: what maintenance fees, what fees on international transfers, what support in English, what conditions for the card and the overdraft, and how closure works. Also note the name of the adviser who gave you the information, to find it again if needed.

Keep the annual statements of your current account in Romania with your other tax papers.