The Romanian authorities have canceled more than 162,000 national identity cards as part of the fight against fictitious residence registration. Among the holders of canceled documents are natives of Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, and other European countries. Learn more about the reasons for the mass cancellation of documents, who has been most affected, and whether this affects citizenship

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The Romanian authorities conducted a large-scale check of citizens' registration data, resulting in the cancellation of more than 162,000 national identity cards. The reason was fictitious registration at addresses where no one actually lived.

Who exactly was affected, why did this happen, and will these people lose their citizenship? We will tell you more in this article.

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Why Romania canceled more than 162,000 identity cards

The Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the General Directorate for Population Registration, has identified massive violations in the residence registration system. Tens of thousands of people were registered at addresses where they did not actually live, which is a violation of the country's legislation. As a result of the checks, a decision was made to cancel 162,036 national identity cards.

The scale of the problem is best illustrated by the situation in the country's capital, Bucharest. There were cases where more than 22,000 people were registered at one address. Obviously, such a number of people cannot physically live in one place, so the authorities classified such registrations as fictitious.

We discussed the path to Romanian citizenship in our previous article.

Citizens of which countries had their documents canceled

An analysis of the canceled certificates showed that the vast majority of documents — 66% — belonged to people born in Moldova. In second place were persons born directly in Romania, accounting for 17%. Third place was taken by citizens of Ukrainian origin, accounting for 12% of the total number of canceled documents.

The rest of the canceled certificates were distributed among persons born in other European countries. Approximately 1% each were born in Italy, Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain, and Russia. Thus, the problem of fictitious registration affected citizens of various origins, although most were from Moldova.

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Does the cancellation of an ID card mean the loss of Romanian citizenship?

It is important to understand that the cancellation of an identity card and the deprivation of citizenship are two different things. The canceled documents only confirmed the registered place of residence (domicile), and therefore their cancellation does not affect citizenship status in any way. Persons whose identity cards have been canceled remain Romanian citizens and are entitled to have their documents restored.

According to Radio Moldova, approximately 20% of people who lost their certificates due to fictitious registration have already obtained new documents on legal grounds. This indicates that the renewal procedure is accessible and effective, but requires proper confirmation of actual residence in Romania.

Issues related to documents, registration, and legal status in European countries require a careful approach and understanding of local legislation. The Visit World portal provides the opportunity to obtain professional advice from an immigration lawyer who will help you understand the nuances of document processing, legalization of stay, and protection of your rights abroad.

Book a consultation with an immigration lawyer on the Visit World portal to avoid problems with documents and secure your legal status.

Reminder! In October 2025, the Romanian government published a draft law on the launch of an official “Residence Permit for Investment” program for citizens of countries outside the European Union. For more information about Romania's so-called “Golden Visa” as well as the requirements, investment programs, and benefits for foreigners, click here.

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