România
#1
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România
Hi there!
Planning to move to România March/April next year. Thinking București, Brașov or Timișoara. Any advice appreciated concerning finding flats/residency certificates!! I have an online job already so that's no worries. Just would like to know about all the little stuff I need to sort out before going!
Many thanks!
Planning to move to România March/April next year. Thinking București, Brașov or Timișoara. Any advice appreciated concerning finding flats/residency certificates!! I have an online job already so that's no worries. Just would like to know about all the little stuff I need to sort out before going!
Many thanks!
#2
Re: România
Hi,
You can get an idea of rental prices for various areas/cities using the website OLX (a classified ad site).
The residency certificate is pretty easy to do. You'll need to open a bank account when you get here and deposit a little money in it (only a few hundred RON), print out a statement showing the amount, then make copies of a few other documents (passport etc), fill in the application form, and go to the immigration office and submit them. You should do this within three months of arrival. You can usually pick up your certificate the same afternoon or the next day. I'm assuming you're an EU passport holder here.
As for the choice of city, that largely depends on what your preferences are. Bucharest is good for social stuff and of course, international connections (going home, holidays, etc). There's a larger expat community obviously. Brasov is great if you like a cosier atmosphere, plus you have good access to the mountains if you like hiking/climbing, and you can get away to the Transylvanian countryside a lot quicker than from Bucharest. I don't know much about Timisoara as I've only been there once more than a decade ago. Bucharest rental prices can be slightly higher, but not that much, as there's a greater supply.
You can get an idea of rental prices for various areas/cities using the website OLX (a classified ad site).
The residency certificate is pretty easy to do. You'll need to open a bank account when you get here and deposit a little money in it (only a few hundred RON), print out a statement showing the amount, then make copies of a few other documents (passport etc), fill in the application form, and go to the immigration office and submit them. You should do this within three months of arrival. You can usually pick up your certificate the same afternoon or the next day. I'm assuming you're an EU passport holder here.
As for the choice of city, that largely depends on what your preferences are. Bucharest is good for social stuff and of course, international connections (going home, holidays, etc). There's a larger expat community obviously. Brasov is great if you like a cosier atmosphere, plus you have good access to the mountains if you like hiking/climbing, and you can get away to the Transylvanian countryside a lot quicker than from Bucharest. I don't know much about Timisoara as I've only been there once more than a decade ago. Bucharest rental prices can be slightly higher, but not that much, as there's a greater supply.
#3
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Re: România
Great thank-you! Yip doesn't sound to complicated thankfully!
#4
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Re: România
No, it's not complicated at all. I'll rather choose Brasov if I was in your shoes, I am the quieter type and I love mountains... Bucharest or Timisoara is a little noisier for me. If you have any connection in Romania they will be happy to help anyways...
#5
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Re: România
Yes Brașov was beautiful I loved it there!! However I know alot more people in Bucharest so it might be easier to stay there for the first wee while as I settle in. Still in the process of weighing it all up! Thanks for your help!
#6
Re: România
Quite a few people I've known over the years have started off in Bucharest till they got to grips with the country, then moved to Brasov for a change of lifestyle. I might even do it myself one day.
#7
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Posts: 9,740
Re: România
I lived on the other side of the Danube, in Bulgaria, for many years, and still have links there. My recommendation for anywhere is COME TO TERMS WITH THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE. In Romania you must learn Romanian.
#8
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Re: România
I've been learning Romanian for 4 years now and do interpretating here in the UK so I think I'll be okay! When I was over there a couple months ago I didn't get the chance to speak English which was great actually! And I've got loads of Romania friends so I understand the culture quite a bit already. Thanks for your help!
#9
Re: România
Romanian is probably the easiest language in the region. I'm no natural with languages, but I could handle myself pretty well after two years, and that's with no lessons and, of course, using English exclusively for work. I'm guessing it would have taken me a lot longer to learn Bulgarian, Hungarian or Czech. I would say after two years I was at about the same level as I was in Turkey after four years, but knowing a little French, Latin and indeed Turkish also helped a lot with Romanian.
Romanians are generally fairly good at English as, unlike some neighbouring countries, most of their imported TV shows have traditionally been in English with Romanian subtitles rather than dubbed. You'll manage fine here even if you can't speak Romanian right from the start but obviously you'll get a lot more out of your stay once you're conversant in the language.
(Edit: You posted while I was still typing )
Romanians are generally fairly good at English as, unlike some neighbouring countries, most of their imported TV shows have traditionally been in English with Romanian subtitles rather than dubbed. You'll manage fine here even if you can't speak Romanian right from the start but obviously you'll get a lot more out of your stay once you're conversant in the language.
(Edit: You posted while I was still typing )
#10
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: România
The difficulty of Bulgarian is exaggerated,often by monoglot Brits looking for excuses. It is the easiest of all the Slavonic languages with a grammar nowhere near as complex as Russian or Polish. The Cyrillic Alphabet gives the impression it is hard - but it is not. The lexical base shares much with French and German. Lots of loan words from those languages.
#11
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Re: România
Haha well good to know anyways!!!
#12
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Re: România
PS have you ever had big problems with powercuts in Romania? My job is online so it's important that I have a stable Internet connection. The odd powercut is not problem it's just if it's a frequent occurrence.
#13
Re: România
Can't remember the last time we had a significant power cut here in Bucharest. Sometimes there is a momentary out, a second or two, then it's back. It's just a pain as it'll restart the PC. Doesn't happen often though, once or twice a year maybe. The net in Bucharest is also fast, fastest in Europe I think, plus pretty cheap. You can get unlimited date, optical fibre link, fast enough to stream HD and so on, for less than 10 quid a month.
From time to time I've had problems with the ISP, but it usually gets resolved. There are numerous providers and it's so cheap you could even have two if you really need to be connected all the time.
I have a place out in the sticks too, in a village. Power cuts are common there. Sometimes for hours at a time. But that's a local problem rather than a general one, and anyway, who cares? Good excuse to light some candles and crack open a bottle of homemade wine, right?
From time to time I've had problems with the ISP, but it usually gets resolved. There are numerous providers and it's so cheap you could even have two if you really need to be connected all the time.
I have a place out in the sticks too, in a village. Power cuts are common there. Sometimes for hours at a time. But that's a local problem rather than a general one, and anyway, who cares? Good excuse to light some candles and crack open a bottle of homemade wine, right?
#14
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Re: România
Phew! That's great. Powercuts are an online teachers worst nightmare! When I stayed in a Romanian village yeah they were quite common...but thought the city should be safe! Unfortunately we were there during the 'caniculă' ie 44 degrees.... So the loss of our freezer was felt!!😂
#15
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Re: România
Hello all! First of all big thanks to everyone here for all your advice it really has been invaluable!! My flights are booked so I'm leaving for Romania beginning of March.
Currently trying to get a flat sorted. Thankfully I've got friends who are going to help me do that from here. I'm talking with someone about a possible flat. Its difficult of course because we are negotiating in Romanian and while I speak Romanian on the phone and about legal terms which I've never had to use before can be challenging! Anyway this flat was too expensive for me, but I said I'd be willing if it was cheaper. The response was
'Vrei contract prin ANF (fisc) sau fara?'
So it says 'do you want a contract with ANF , fisc or without.'
What is ANF? Will I need one? How is that related to the price?
Thanks!
Currently trying to get a flat sorted. Thankfully I've got friends who are going to help me do that from here. I'm talking with someone about a possible flat. Its difficult of course because we are negotiating in Romanian and while I speak Romanian on the phone and about legal terms which I've never had to use before can be challenging! Anyway this flat was too expensive for me, but I said I'd be willing if it was cheaper. The response was
'Vrei contract prin ANF (fisc) sau fara?'
So it says 'do you want a contract with ANF , fisc or without.'
What is ANF? Will I need one? How is that related to the price?
Thanks!