Before you start

Passport and, for a resident account, the residence permit with your CNP
Proof of address in Cluj
A Romanian phone number for two-factor authentication
Employment contract or proof of income, requested by some institutions

Step-by-step

1
Open a non-resident account if the permit is still pending
Several Romanian banks will open a restricted account on a passport alone, enough to receive money and pay for things. Converting it once the residence permit and CNP exist is a single branch visit.
In personWho: You
2
Pick a branch near the tech districts for English service
Banca Transilvania — which is headquartered in Cluj — plus BCR, BRD, ING and Raiffeisen all offer comparable products. Branches in the centre and around the Marăști and Bulevardul 21 Decembrie office clusters handle foreign customers daily.
In personWho: You
3
Enrol in the app before you leave the branch
Romanian banking apps are genuinely good and instant domestic transfers are standard. The SMS-based activation is the step most likely to go wrong once you are outside, so do it while someone can help.
In personWho: You
4
Open a euro sub-account from the start
Cluj rents and deposits are quoted in euro and settled in lei at the National Bank rate on the payment date. Holding a euro balance removes a conversion at every step and is free at most banks.
Mobile appWho: You
5
Keep some cash for the market and small suppliers
Card acceptance is close to universal, including taxis and most market stalls. The Central Market dairy and meat counters, some notaries and rural trips are where cash still matters.
In personWho: You
6
Use a specialist for non-SEPA transfers
SEPA euro transfers from a Romanian bank are cheap and quick. Anything outside that carries fees and a poor spread; use a specialist service for larger amounts.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport
Residence permit with CNP, for a resident account
Proof of Cluj address
Romanian mobile number
Employment contract, where requested

Things most newcomers don’t know

The euro-quoted rent and lei salary mismatch is sharper in Cluj than anywhere else in Romania.

Cluj has Romania's most expensive housing and prices it almost entirely in euro, while most local salaries — including tech salaries — are paid in lei. Rent therefore floats month to month with the exchange rate while income does not. Holding a euro balance, and asking whether the lease can fix a rate or agree a band, are both reasonable and both are more valuable here than in a city where rent is a smaller share of income.

Source: community-reported

Banca Transilvania is headquartered here, which occasionally matters.

Romania's largest bank by assets is a Cluj institution and its head office functions are in the city. In practice that means denser branch coverage, more decision-making capacity locally, and a reasonable chance that an unusual request can be resolved without being escalated to Bucharest. It is a small advantage but a real one for anyone with a non-standard situation.

Source: community-reported

The CNP gates the account, and the CNP arrives with the residence permit.

Your personal numeric code is issued as part of the residence permit and is what banks, employers, the health system and the tax authority all key on. Until it exists you are limited to a restricted non-resident product. This is the practical reason to book the IGI appointment the week you land rather than in the last fortnight of the visa.

Source: General Inspectorate for Immigration

Banks freeze accounts when the residence permit on file expires, and it happens without warning.

Romanian anti-money-laundering practice requires banks to hold a valid identity document for foreign customers. When the recorded expiry date passes with no renewal supplied, accounts are commonly restricted — outgoing payments blocked, card declined. It is fixed with a branch visit and the new permit, but it lands at the worst moment. Upload the renewal the day you collect it.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for the residence permit before opening any account at all.
Holding only lei while paying a euro-quoted Cluj rent.
Choosing a branch without checking whether the staff will work in English.
Using a Romanian bank for non-SEPA transfers instead of a specialist.
Letting the bank's copy of your residence permit expire and having the account frozen.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.

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