Romania Work Visa From Pakistan: $350 D/AM Visa, and Why D/AM2 Is on Hold
Romania work visa from Pakistan: D/AM1 and D/AM2, the WorkinRomania single application, $350 embassy fee, documents, the court hold on D/AM2 and agent scams.
A Romania work visa for a Pakistani is a long-stay D/AM visa. Your Romanian employer, or a licensed Romanian placement agency, files one online application on WorkinRomania.gov.ro, and after approval you apply in person at the Romanian Embassy in Islamabad. The embassy's long-stay visa fee is $350. On 30 September 2026, the route most factory, driving and farm workers use, D/AM2, was switched off on the platform after a court ruling.
That last point matters more than anything else in this guide. Anyone in Pakistan selling a Romania "work visa" for a cook, driver or labourer right now is selling something the Romanian platform says it cannot process.
Romania had been a real destination for Pakistani workers. The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) registered 3,263 Pakistanis for jobs there in 2022 and 4,947 in 2023. Then the numbers fell to 1,357 in 2024, 1,109 in 2025 and 517 from January to August 2026.
We read the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform, the long-stay work visa page of Romania's General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), the Romanian Embassy in Islamabad's visa page, and BEOE's fee table and statistics on 30 September 2026.
Romania's two work visas, D/AM1 and D/AM2
From 2026, Romania issues two work visas under Government Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026. D/AM1 is for highly qualified workers and a few special groups, and the employer files for it. D/AM2 is for ordinary permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers, filed by a licensed placement agency or an authorised employer.
| Feature | D/AM1 | D/AM2 |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Highly qualified staff, such as IT specialists and engineers; teachers, researchers, artists, athletes | Permanent, seasonal and cross-border workers, such as cooks, drivers, carpenters, farm workers |
| Who files the application | The employer | A licensed placement agency, or an authorised employer |
| Job list | No shortage list needed | Job must be on the shortage occupations list |
| Quota | Where applicable | Issued only if the yearly quota is not used up |
| Status on 30 September 2026 | Open | Switched off on the platform |
Older advice describes a separate work permit from IGI as the first step. Under the 2026 rules, the platform calls it a single application: one online form that covers the checks on the employer, the worker and the job. You cannot file it yourself. Only the employer or the agency can.
Why D/AM2 is on hold in 2026
The Bucharest Court of Appeal suspended the labour ministry's Order No. 1073/2026, which approved the shortage occupations list, in case No. 5633/2/2026. Since D/AM2 depends on that list, the platform has switched off employer registration, employer authorisation and new single applications for D/AM2 visas.
The notice sits at the top of WorkinRomania.gov.ro. It does not say when the flows will reopen. That depends on the court case and on any new order from the ministry.
What this means for you is simple. A genuine D/AM2 application cannot be filed today. If an agent says your Romania file is "in process" for a general worker job, ask for the single application number and check it against the platform once it reopens.
Documents, the embassy step and the fee
Once the single application is approved, you book an appointment on evisa.mae.ro and apply in person at the Romanian Embassy in Islamabad. The embassy charges $350 for a long-stay visa and says processing takes 3 to 7 days. It does not accept applications by post or courier.
The IGI page lists what the employer or agency uploads for you:
- A valid passport.
- An employment contract registered in Romania's REGES-ONLINE employee register.
- Travel medical insurance for the whole visa period, with cover of at least €30,000.
- A police character certificate from Pakistan, translated into Romanian, English or French and legalised.
- Proof of money equal to Romania's minimum gross salary for 90 days, where the law requires it.
- Your CV and recognised qualifications for the job.
The visa's first validity is 90 days. After you arrive, you apply for a residence permit, called the single permit, or an EU Blue Card if you are highly qualified. The employment contract must be in Romanian and in a language you understand.
WorkinRomania.gov.ro says the visa cost, your flight to Romania, local transport and housing are paid by you, unless the job offer says the employer pays. So read the offer. If the employer gives housing, rent cannot be more than 25% of your net salary.
Protector registration in Pakistan
Before you fly, register with a Protectorate of Emigrants office, like every Pakistani going abroad for work. BEOE charges Rs 9,200 for direct employment and Rs 22,200 through a licensed Pakistani agent. The agent's share of that is Rs 15,000, and that is all the official table allows it.
| Cost | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Long-stay (D) visa | $350 | Romanian Embassy, Islamabad |
| Romanian placement agency fee | Nothing | Not allowed to charge the worker |
| Protector, direct employment | Rs 9,200 | BEOE |
| Protector, through a Pakistani licensed agent | Rs 22,200, including Rs 15,000 service charge | BEOE and the agent |
Bring your visa, passport, CNIC, contract and State Life insurance certificate. The steps are in how to get emigrant protection.
Warning signs of "Europe visa" fraud
Romania's own platform lists the warning signs. The clearest rule is this: a licensed Romanian placement agency may not charge the worker any commission, fee, guarantee or deposit. The embassy also refuses tourist visas longer than 15 days, to stop people using them to work.
- A "Europe visa" or "Schengen work visa" package. Romania's work visa is a national D/AM visa tied to one employer and one contract.
- A general worker file "in process" now. D/AM2 filing is switched off on the platform.
- Lakhs of rupees to a Romanian agency. It is not allowed to charge you.
- No contract before you fly, or one you cannot read.
- A tourist visa "to convert later". The embassy caps tourist visas at 15 days for that reason.
- A Pakistani agent with no BEOE licence. Check it with the steps to check an overseas job agency.
Other European countries run their own legal routes, each with its own rules and quotas. The Portugal work visa for Pakistanis and the Italy work visa from Pakistan are two. None is sold as a package.
After arrival, you can change employer only after 6 months, unless the employer seriously breaks the contract. If you are exploited, the platform has a confidential report form, and you can also go to Romania's Labour Inspectorate, IGI or the police.
Common questions
How much is the Romania work visa fee in Pakistan?
$350 for a long-stay visa, according to the Romanian Embassy in Islamabad. A short-stay visa costs $105.
Can I apply for a Romania work visa myself?
No. The employer or a licensed placement agency files the single application on WorkinRomania.gov.ro. You then apply in person at the embassy.
Is the Romania D/AM2 visa open for Pakistanis now?
No. On 30 September 2026, the platform said D/AM2 applications were switched off after a court suspended the shortage occupations list.
Can a Romanian agency charge me a fee?
No. A licensed Romanian placement agency may not charge the worker any commission, fee, guarantee or deposit.
How long does the Romanian Embassy take to process a visa?
3 to 7 days, the embassy says, once the application is submitted in person.
Can I change employer in Romania?
Usually after 6 months with the first employer, or earlier if the employer seriously breaks the contract.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 30 September 2026. The D/AM1 and D/AM2 routes, the single application, the court suspension notice, workers' rights and costs are read on WorkinRomania.gov.ro, the Romanian government's platform. The document list is read on IGI's long-stay work visa page. The $350 fee, 3 to 7 days, in-person rule and 15-day tourist visa cap are read on the Romanian Embassy in Islamabad's visa page. Pakistani fees, protection steps and Romania figures are read on the Bureau of Emigration's website. We did not find a date for D/AM2 to reopen.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
