How to Apply for a Temporary Romanian Passport in an Urgent Situation

Who can obtain a temporary Romanian passport?

A Romanian temporary simple passport, officially called pasaport simplu temporar, is a travel document issued in legally defined urgent or exceptional circumstances.

The responsible national authority is the General Directorate for Passports within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Applications are received by Public Community Passport Services in Romania and Romanian diplomatic missions or consular offices abroad.

A temporary passport is not issued for exclusively tourist travel. The applicant must establish a qualifying circumstance rather than merely request faster passport processing.

For an objectively urgent journey, the first action is to obtain documents proving why the applicant must be present in another country and why there is insufficient time to obtain an electronic passport, or why the electronic passport is unavailable because it has been submitted for visa processing.

Which urgent situations qualify?

The General Directorate for Passports identifies several circumstances in which a temporary passport may be issued.

For an urgent journey based on objective circumstances, the authority must be able to establish the necessity of the applicant's presence abroad from the supporting documents.

Examples of potentially relevant circumstances include urgent health, family or professional obligations. The specific evidence and urgency matter; describing a journey as important does not automatically make it eligible.

Urgent family and medical circumstances

An urgent family or medical situation may fall within the objective urgency category where the applicant must be present abroad and the circumstances can be documented.

For example, a person who must urgently travel to another country because of a serious family medical situation should obtain evidence explaining the circumstances, the need for personal attendance and the relevant timing.

The passport authority evaluates whether the legal conditions are met. A general personal statement without supporting evidence should not be treated as sufficient proof.

Urgent professional obligations

An objectively urgent professional requirement may qualify when the applicant's presence in another country is necessary and there is insufficient time for an electronic passport.

Relevant evidence should establish the purpose, destination and urgency of the required presence. An employer's explanation may be useful where it documents the actual professional obligation.

A routine business trip or an ordinary scheduling preference does not automatically satisfy the legal urgency requirement.

Passport submitted for visa processing

The official rules also address circumstances in which an existing electronic passport has been submitted to obtain visas.

The applicant must be able to prove that the passport was submitted for visa processing and explain the need for the temporary document under the applicable conditions.

Do not assume that merely possessing a valid passport, or preferring to keep two passports, automatically establishes eligibility.

Can you get a temporary passport for a last-minute holiday?

No. The General Directorate for Passports expressly states that a temporary simple passport is not issued for exclusively tourist purposes.

For example, discovering shortly before a holiday that your passport has expired does not by itself create a qualifying emergency.

The appropriate alternative is generally to apply for a standard electronic passport and check the current processing arrangements. The official passport authority does not offer a separate paid express-processing service that turns ordinary tourism into an eligible temporary passport circumstance.

Buying a non-refundable ticket or accommodation does not override the legal restriction on temporary passports for exclusively tourist travel.

What documents do adults need?

For an adult Romanian citizen domiciled in Romania, the General Directorate for Passports publishes the following core document requirements:

• Valid identity document: original identity card, provisional identity card or identity booklet.
• Birth certificate: original birth certificate if using a provisional identity card.
• Payment confirmation: evidence of payment containing the transaction number, the applicant's name, personal numerical code and the amount paid.
• Previous passport: if the applicant has one.
• Urgency evidence: documents establishing the relevant qualifying circumstance, including proof of necessary urgent presence abroad or evidence that the electronic passport was submitted for visa processing.

The temporary passport procedure does not require fingerprint collection.

The applicant normally attends the passport service personally. Special provisions apply where medical conditions or legal incapacity prevent personal attendance or expression of consent.

How do you prove the urgency?

The official rule requires documents showing the necessity of travel abroad for objective urgent situations. The evidence must support the actual reason for travel, not merely the applicant's preferred departure date.

Depending on the circumstances, this may involve documentation from a medical institution, employer, educational institution or another organisation directly connected to the reason for travel.

For visa-related cases, provide evidence that the existing passport was submitted for visa processing.

The authority determines whether the submitted evidence meets the legal conditions. There is no universal document that automatically proves every possible emergency.

How do the requirements differ for minors?

Romania has separate document checklists for children under 14 and those aged 14 or older.

Children younger than 14

The published checklist includes the child's original birth certificate, valid identity documents of the applying parent or legally authorised person, payment evidence and the child's previous passport if available.

Parental consent or proof of legal authority is required according to the circumstances. Where a single parent or another authorised person applies, the authority may require a notarised consent declaration, special power of attorney, relevant court decision, death certificate or other legally recognised document.

The temporary passport procedure permits submission of two identical colour photographs measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm when a child under 14 is not present. The photographs must meet the official identification requirements.

Children aged 14 or older

Children aged 14 or older must present a valid identity document and their original birth certificate, together with the required parental consent, payment evidence and previous passport if available.

The minor's presence at the passport counter is mandatory under the ordinary procedure, subject to the officially recognised medical or legal exceptions.

Additional evidence may be necessary where a parent has sole parental authority or where the other parent's consent has been replaced by a court decision.

Can one parent apply without the other's consent?

Romanian passport rules provide a specific urgent exception where a minor must travel abroad for studies, an official competition or medical treatment essential to the child's life or health, and there is insufficient time to obtain the other parent's consent.

The parent must provide the evidence required for the applicable circumstance. For studies or official competitions, the documents must identify the relevant period and destination country. For essential medical treatment, appropriate medical evidence is required.

This exception is not a general permission to bypass parental consent for ordinary holidays.

Where parents disagree and no statutory exception applies, the competent court may need to resolve the consent issue. A temporary passport application does not automatically settle a parental authority dispute.

What if you urgently need a passport while abroad?

Romanian citizens abroad who no longer possess valid travel documents may qualify for a temporary passport when they urgently need to continue travelling abroad or regularise their residence or legal situation in another country.

The application is submitted through the competent Romanian diplomatic mission or consular office.

The domestic passport fee of 265 RON should not automatically be applied to consular applications. The official passport authority distinguishes fees collected in Romania from those charged under Romanian consular fee legislation.

Contact the consular authority to establish the applicable documents, fee and submission arrangements for your circumstances.

A temporary passport for continued travel or legal-status regularisation should not be confused with a travel document requested solely to return to Romania. The appropriate consular service depends on the actual journey and purpose.

Where can you apply?

Within Romania, applications may be submitted at any Public Community Passport Service, regardless of the applicant's county of domicile.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs provides an online appointment portal called ePasapoarte, where applicants can choose the passport service, date and available appointment time.

The published MAI service instructions describe appointments that can be arranged up to three months in advance.

Booking an appointment is not the same as submitting the passport application. The applicant must still attend the receiving office and present the required original documents and evidence.

Because an emergency may not fit an ordinary appointment schedule, consult the chosen passport service's official reception arrangements and explain the urgency before attending.

Outside Romania, applications are handled by Romanian diplomatic missions and consular offices.

Is the application available online?

No complete online application route is established for the ordinary temporary passport procedure.

Romania provides online passport appointments and online payment facilities, but these services do not replace the application and identity verification process at the competent authority.

The applicant must present the documents required for the relevant category. Certain exceptional cases permit alternative arrangements where a medical or legal condition prevents personal attendance.

Use the official MAI ePasapoarte service for appointment booking and Ghiseul.ro for an eligible domestic passport payment.

How much does a temporary Romanian passport cost?

The official fee for a temporary simple passport application submitted in Romania is 265 RON, including VAT.

This tariff has applied since 1 August 2025 and is the same domestic tariff published for a standard electronic passport.

Payment can be made through:

• Ghiseul.ro, the official electronic payment platform.
• CEC Bank cashiers.
• CEC Bank SelfPay payment stations.

Retain the payment confirmation and ensure that it contains the identifying information required by the passport service.

The General Directorate for Passports confirms that there is no separate express-processing surcharge.

For applications submitted at Romanian diplomatic missions or consular offices abroad, consult the applicable consular fee arrangements rather than assuming the domestic amount applies.

How quickly is the temporary passport issued?

The General Directorate for Passports publishes a maximum issuance period of three working days from the date of application submission.

This is the official period for the temporary simple passport. It does not establish a guaranteed same-day or next-day service.

The applicant must meet the legal conditions and provide the required documentation. Preparing the evidence before attending is particularly important where the reason for travel is time-sensitive.

The three-working-day issuance period is different from the processing arrangements for a standard electronic passport.

Can you travel anywhere with a temporary Romanian passport?

A temporary Romanian passport is a recognised category of Romanian travel document, but its acceptance for entry and transit depends on the destination country's rules.

Do not assume that every country accepts a temporary passport under the same conditions as a biometric electronic passport.

Before paying for travel, verify the destination country's entry rules, the minimum passport validity required, any visa requirements and the conditions of transit countries.

Airlines may also check whether the travel document satisfies the destination's entry requirements.

The temporary passport is intended to address the qualifying situation; it should not be treated as an unrestricted substitute for an electronic passport in every destination.

Should you request a temporary or electronic passport?

The deciding factor is not simply which document might be issued sooner. It is whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for a temporary passport.

A temporary passport should not be requested merely because the applicant prefers a shorter waiting period.

What should you do after applying?

Follow the instructions given by the receiving passport service or consular office regarding issuance and collection.

Keep your application details and payment confirmation available in case the authority needs to clarify the request.

Before departure, verify that the issued passport is accepted by the destination and any transit countries.

If the temporary passport was issued while another valid electronic passport was retained for visa processing, check the official rules concerning simultaneous possession of passports. The General Directorate for Passports identifies circumstances in which simultaneous possession is permitted and requires surrender of one of the passports within the prescribed period after the qualifying situation ends.

What if you do not qualify or your evidence is insufficient?

If the authority determines that the journey is exclusively tourist travel, the temporary passport procedure does not provide an alternative expedited entitlement.

If the issue concerns insufficient evidence, ask the receiving authority which facts or documents are missing and whether additional evidence can establish the legally recognised circumstance.

Where the applicant does not qualify for a temporary passport, the standard electronic passport procedure may be the appropriate route.

For a minor, missing parental consent may require a legally recognised substitute, relevant court decision or proof of the specific urgent statutory exception.

The reviewed official service instructions do not publish a single special appeal deadline applying to every refusal of a temporary passport. Applicants should obtain the authority's explanation and follow the remedy indicated for their particular decision rather than assume an appeal period.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using tourism as the emergency: a last-minute holiday does not satisfy the temporary passport eligibility rules.
• Failing to document urgency: an unsupported statement that travel is important may not establish an objective urgent circumstance.
• Bringing an incomplete identity file: a provisional identity card must be accompanied by the original birth certificate for the adult procedure.
• Forgetting the previous passport: bring it if one exists.
• Using the wrong child checklist: requirements differ for children under 14 and those aged 14 or older.
• Ignoring parental consent: urgent travel does not automatically remove consent requirements.
• Assuming online booking is an application: the actual request must still be submitted to the competent authority.
• Assuming universal international acceptance: destination and transit rules may differ for temporary passports.
• Assuming same-day issuance: the published maximum period is three working days, not an immediate-service guarantee.

Which official services should you use?

The General Directorate for Passports publishes the authoritative temporary passport eligibility conditions, document checklists, payment rules and issuance period.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also provides the official passport issuance service description and the ePasapoarte appointment platform.

For an urgent application, begin with the General Directorate for Passports' Documente Necesare pentru Pasaport Simplu Temporar instructions. Select the checklist for the applicant's age and domicile, then prepare the evidence of the qualifying circumstance.

If the difficulty concerns incorrect personal information on the applicant's Romanian identity record, consult the separate Helpydo guide to correcting personal data in Romania's persons register. That procedure does not replace the passport application or establish an emergency entitlement.