Moving to the UK from Romania: The Complete Guide

Yes. Free movement between Romania and the UK ended in January 2021 when the Brexit transition period closed. Romanians who were already living in the UK by 31 December 2020 could apply for EU Settled Status — that scheme is now closed to new applicants.

Anyone moving to the UK from Romania in 2026 needs a visa before arriving. The right visa depends on why you are moving: the Skilled Worker visa is the main route for employed professionals, but there are also routes for healthcare workers, students, entrepreneurs, and family members joining someone already in the UK. See all visa options →

Yes, since 25 February 2026. The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is now mandatory for Romanian citizens travelling to the UK for tourism, family visits, or short stays of up to six months. It costs £16, is valid for two years or until your passport expires, and is linked to your passport electronically — there is no physical document.

The ETA is not a work or study visa. It does not allow you to live in the UK or take up employment. Romanians who already hold a UK visa, biometric residence permit, or EU Settled Status do not need an ETA. Full ETA guide →

The standard minimum salary threshold for the Skilled Worker visa is £41,700 per year as of 2026. This applies to most roles at RQF Level 6 and above. Some roles on the Immigration Salary List (formerly the Shortage Occupation List) have lower thresholds, and there are reduced rates for workers under 26, recent graduates, and those in PhD-level roles.

You also need a job offer from a licensed UK sponsor — your employer must be on the Home Office register of approved sponsors before they can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship. You cannot apply without one. Always verify the salary requirement for your specific occupation code before applying, as thresholds vary. Skilled Worker visa guide →

The total cost of moving from Romania to the UK typically ranges from £5,000 to £12,000, depending on your visa type, family size, where you are moving to, and how much you are bringing with you. The largest single costs are usually the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is paid upfront for the full visa duration.

For a Skilled Worker visa, the application fee is currently £719 for roles on the Immigration Salary List or £1,420 for roles not on it, per person. The IHS is £1,035 per year per person. On top of that, you will typically need a rental deposit (usually five weeks' rent), first month's rent in advance, and enough savings to cover yourself while you settle in. Full cost breakdown →

Realistically, between 8 and 20 weeks from decision to arrival — and that assumes you already have a job offer or are actively searching. The single biggest variable is how quickly you secure a job with a licensed sponsor. Once you have a Certificate of Sponsorship, the visa application itself typically takes 3 weeks for standard processing or 5 working days for priority processing.

The process is not as linear as it looks on paper. You can and should do several things in parallel: research employers, get your documents apostilled, arrange accommodation, and sort your NHS registration, all before the visa decision arrives. Realistic timelines guide →

It depends on your profession. Regulated professions — medicine, nursing, architecture, law, engineering — require formal assessment by the relevant UK regulatory body before you can practise. The process and timeline vary significantly: doctors apply through the GMC, nurses through the NMC, architects through the ARB, and solicitors through the SRA. For professions that are not regulated, employers generally accept Romanian degrees and Ecctis can provide a comparable UK level statement if needed.

The recognition process is not automatic, and the outcome is assessed on a case-by-case basis for each individual — no guide can tell you in advance whether your specific qualifications will be approved. The relevant regulatory body is the only authoritative source for your situation. Qualifications recognition guide →

Yes, in most cases. Your partner and dependent children under 18 can apply to join you as dependants on a Skilled Worker visa, provided your salary meets the £41,700 threshold. Each dependant pays a separate visa fee and IHS on top of your own costs.

There is an important restriction introduced from July 2025: workers in roles below RQF Level 6 that are on the Temporary Shortage List are generally not permitted to bring dependants. If your role falls into this category, the Home Office guidance on your specific occupation code will confirm whether the restriction applies. Family visa rules →

Not currently. The UK Youth Mobility Scheme is only open to nationals of specific countries with a bilateral agreement in place — Romania is not on that list as of 2026. Bilateral negotiations between the UK and EU have been ongoing, but no agreement for Romanian nationals has been confirmed.

Young Romanians aged 18–30 still have other routes available: the Skilled Worker visa (with a job offer), the Graduate Route if you have studied in the UK, or the Student visa as a route in. Visa options for young Romanians →

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a fee paid upfront as part of most UK visa applications, covering your NHS access for the duration of your visa. The current rate is £1,035 per year per person, so for a five-year Skilled Worker visa you pay £5,175 per applicant at the point of application — before you even arrive in the UK.

Once paid, you have full NHS access equivalent to a UK resident. You do not pay for GP appointments, hospital treatment, or most NHS services on top of the IHS. Healthcare workers applying on the Health and Care Worker visa are currently exempt from the IHS — one of the key advantages of that route.

The visa process is identical — there is no separate Scottish visa route. You apply for a Skilled Worker visa (or whichever route applies) in the same way regardless of where in the UK you are moving to. Immigration is reserved to Westminster and applies UK-wide.

The practical differences are real, though. Scotland has its own legal system, its own NHS structure (NHS Scotland, separate from NHS England), different council tax bands, and a different school admission system. The Romanian community in Scotland is older and more settled than the London community — many have been there for more than 20 years, concentrated in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen. Moving to Scotland guide →

On the Skilled Worker route: five continuous years of qualifying residence to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), then one further year with ILR before you can apply for British citizenship — six years in total. You also need to pass the Life in the UK test and meet an English language requirement at both stages.

Romania permits dual citizenship, so you do not need to give up your Romanian passport to become British. Many Romanians in the UK hold both. There are also absences rules — spending too many nights outside the UK in a 12-month period can break your continuous residence and reset the clock, so it is worth understanding these before planning extended trips home.

That is genuinely a personal question, but the factual picture is this: there are over half a million Romanians already living in the UK, with strong communities in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Coventry, Bristol, and Scotland. The Romanian Embassy in London describes the community as well integrated and professionally diverse. That infrastructure — community organisations, Romanian Orthodox churches, language schools, professional networks — exists and is active.

The UK offers competitive salaries in sectors where Romanians are well-represented (tech, finance, healthcare, engineering), an established legal framework for workers' rights, and a clear path to permanent residency and citizenship. The process is more complicated than it was before 2021, and the upfront costs are significant. Whether that trade-off makes sense depends on your profession, your family situation, and where you are in your career. These guides are here to help you make that decision with accurate information.