How to Get Your Seafarer Certificate Recognized in Romania (2026 Guide)

You hold a valid STCW Certificate of Competency and you want to work on a Romanian-flagged vessel or through a Romanian crewing agency. Good news: you do not need to sit the Romanian ANR examination. What you need is an endorsement attesting recognition of your certificate, issued by ANR — the Romanian Naval Authority (Autoritatea Navală Română).

This guide covers both paths — EU and non-EU certificates, including Ukrainian ones — with the official fees, the documents, and the traps to avoid.

Who this applies to

• Officers and ratings holding a CoC issued by an EU/EEA member state who want to serve under the Romanian flag.
• Seafarers from non-EU countries — Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Turkey, the Philippines and others — whose certificates can be recognized if their country meets the conditions below.

The legal basis: STCW Regulation I/10 (recognition of certificates), Romanian Order MT 1252/2014, Annex 6, and — for EU certificates — Directive 2008/106/EC as amended by Directive (EU) 2019/1159 on mutual recognition.

One thing to understand from the start: recognition does not convert your certificate into a Romanian one. Your CoC remains issued by your home administration; the ANR endorsement is what entitles you to serve in that capacity under the Romanian flag. Obtaining an actual Romanian CoC is a separate, full procedure — with the Romanian examination included.

Scenario A — Your CoC was issued by an EU/EEA state

This is the fast lane:

• Mutual recognition applies between EU member states.
• Verification runs electronically between maritime administrations — no apostille, no legalization.
• Typical processing: 2–4 weeks.

You file the application with your documents, ANR verifies your certificate directly with the issuing administration, you pay the endorsement fee, done.

Scenario B — Your CoC was issued by a non-EU state (Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Turkey...)

Recognition is possible only if two conditions are met:

1. The issuing state is on the IMO STCW "White List" (published and updated on imo.org).

2. The state is recognized at EU level following EMSA assessment.

Ukraine meets both conditions — Ukrainian seafarers are, in fact, among the largest non-EU groups serving on EU-flagged ships, and Ukrainian certificates can receive the ANR recognition endorsement. The same goes for the other major seafaring nations on the EU-recognized list.

The differences compared to the EU path:

• Documents generally need an apostille and/or consular legalization — requirements vary by state, check before you file.
• Everything must come with a certified translation into Romanian or English.
• Verification is manual, so expect it to take longer than the EU route.
• If ANR finds gaps between your training programme and Romanian standards, it can require bridging courses at CERONAV (the state maritime training centre in Constanța) and an examination limited to the missing subjects — not the full Romanian exam.

Recognition lists are not set in stone. States with compliance problems get suspended. Check the current IMO White List before you file.

The documents you need

Non-EU applicants: add certified translations (Romanian or English) for everything.

The official fees

From TARIFE.pdf, the official ANR fee schedule published on portal.rna.ro. The EUR–RON exchange rate is fixed inside the document (~5.10 RON/EUR) — you pay in RON at that rate, not at the daily rate.

Fees change by ministerial order — always check the current TARIFE.pdf before paying.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check eligibility — your issuing state on the IMO White List (and EU-recognized, for non-EU states).

2. Prepare the file — documents above, with apostille and certified translations where required.

3. Book the medical at a Romanian-accredited clinic.

4. File the application — online via pise.rna.ro (the ANR electronic services portal) or in person at ANR headquarters in Constanța. Heads-up: PISE account registration is built around the Romanian personal identification number — if you cannot register as a foreign national, file in person or ask your crewing agency to assist with the submission.

5. Pay the fee — online, by bank transfer to the ANR account (IBAN listed in TARIFE.pdf), or at the counter.

6. Wait for verification — electronic and fast for EU certificates, manual for the rest. The processing clock starts when ANR validates your file as complete, not when you submit it.

7. Complete bridging courses/exam if ANR requires them (non-EU scenario, case by case).

8. Collect your endorsement — and you are entitled to serve under the Romanian flag.

Practical traps

• Poor scans get files rejected. Upload clean PDF/JPG documents; an incomplete file resets the processing clock.
• The medical must be Romanian. A valid medical from your home country does not replace the exam at an accredited Romanian clinic.
• High season is May–September — embarkation season loads ANR and the portals. File 2–4 weeks ahead of your deadline.
• Inland navigation (the Danube) is a separate regime. River qualifications fall under Directive (EU) 2017/2397, with formal registration at ANR and possible Danube-specific requirements — a different procedure from the STCW maritime one described here.

Quick summary

Looking for a berth with Romanian companies? Create your free profile on CrewLink.me — Romanian crewing agencies use the platform to find crew, and your profile with verified documents and sea service does the talking for you. Questions about the process? Join our Discord community — plenty of officers there have been through it.

Fees quoted from TARIFE.pdf, the official ANR schedule on portal.rna.ro. Recognition lists and fees change — verify the current versions before filing. Romanian-language version of this guide: Examenul ANR în 2026.

Published on CrewLink.me — the recruitment platform for the Romanian maritime market.