Romania simplifies ID card process, cuts red tape

The Romanian Senate has approved a legislative initiative designed to significantly reduce bureaucracy for citizens seeking to obtain or renew their identity documents. The new measure eliminates the need for individuals to submit civil status documents, such as birth or marriage certificates, if the information is already available in state databases.

The project, which modifies Emergency Ordinance no. 97/2005 concerning the registration, domicile, residence, and identity documents of Romanian citizens, was introduced by USR Senator Ciprian Rus. It mandates that public institutions must now verify civil status data ex officio using state IT systems, rather than requesting physical copies from citizens.

"It is not normal for the state to ask citizens for documents that the state itself already holds," stated Senator Ciprian Rus, the project's initiator. "Digitalization must mean real simplification and more efficient public services, not just the transfer of the same bureaucracy from a file folder to an electronic format. Through this initiative, we are taking a concrete step towards modern administration that utilizes the information it has and respects citizens' time."

The law does allow for exceptions, permitting institutions to request documents if the data is unavailable in the system, incomplete, contains discrepancies, or cannot be verified electronically. In such cases, the institution must clearly state the reason for not performing the ex officio verification. The bill now moves to the Chamber of Deputies for debate and a final vote, as it holds decision-making power.

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It is not normal for the state to ask citizens for documents that the state itself already holds. Digitalization must mean real simplification and more efficient public services, not just the transfer of the same bureaucracy from a file folder to an electronic format. Through this initiative, we are taking a concrete step towards modern administration that utilizes the information it has and respects citizens' time.