How do you get a CNP or tax ID in Romania in 2026?

For most long-stay newcomers, CNP arrives with the IGI document that proves lawful residence: a temporary residence permit for many non-EU cases, or a registration certificate for EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens staying beyond three months: Apply for a residence permit. You do not usually “apply for CNP alone” as a tourist hobby. The code is assigned inside the immigration registration lane.

Bring passport or national ID, address proof (ANAF-registered lease or notarised host declaration), and the work, study, or means evidence your IGI category requires. After issuance, check that the 13-digit CNP on the card matches every later bank and employer form. Mistyped digits create months of cleanup.

ANAF issues a NIF (Număr de Identificare Fiscală) to natural persons who owe Romanian tax filings or need a fiscal identifier without a CNP yet. Form 030 is the common registration path for non-residents, with passport copies and supporting reasons attached. Banks sometimes accept NIF while your residence card is pending: Open a bank account. Guides describe employers and tax desks replacing NIF with CNP in records once IGI issues the permanent personal code.

NIF does not replace IGI stay rules. It also does not erase rent and setup cash needs: Monthly budget and How expensive is Romania. Keep ANAF receipts and the NIF decision letter with your passport pack. Ask each bank whether they mean Romanian NIF, CNP, or a foreign tax ID when the counter says “we need your tax number.”