Foreign nationals wishing to visit Moldova may need to apply for a Moldovan visa in advance. Moldova is a small country, with only about 3 million people, located in Eastern Europe. It is best known for its wineries, historical attractions, and natural beauty. Although it is not as famous a tourist attraction as other European countries, it has its own appeal, especially for those looking for a less crowded and quieter place to visit.
If you decide to visit Moldova, this article will detail the Moldova visa requirements, types, application process as well as other frequently asked questions related to Moldova visas.
You need a visa to Moldova unless you are from a country that has a visa-free agreement with Moldova (i.e. you are visa-free to Moldova).
Citizens of the following countries, including refugees and stateless persons currently living in these countries, can enter Moldova visa-free for a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period:
You already have a valid Schengen visa or a valid long-term visa and residence permit issued by an EU country. However, this exemption does not apply to nationals of the countries listed in the table below (who also need a letter of invitation from a person in Moldova before they can receive a visa to Moldova).
The Republic of Moldova offers the following visa types to foreigners:
Nationals of the following countries must be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa (Type A) when transiting in Moldova:
Nationals of other countries do not need an airport transit visa as long as they don’t leave the international transit area of the airport or pass through customs.
When applying for a Moldova visa, you need several documents to support your application, depending on the purpose and duration of your visit, such as:
To get a tourist visa, you must have the following documents when traveling to Moldova and present them upon entry:
If you are passing through the territory of Moldova, you will need the following documents when applying for a visa/entering the country:
If you are from a country whose nationals require a Moldova Airport Transit Visa, you will need the following documents when applying:
Visa requirements for long-term visas to Moldova are as follows:
As a foreign-born citizen, you can obtain Moldovan citizenship through naturalization if you meet one of the following conditions:
However, there is another – faster – way for foreigners to obtain Moldovan citizenship : by investment.
If you want to stay in Moldova for longer than 90 days, after entering the country on a long-stay visa, you have to apply for a residence permit from the Bureau for Migration and Asylum of Ministry of Internal Affairs. To apply for a residence permit, you must have the following documents:
Additionally, foreign nationals who have lived in Moldova on a residence permit for a certain amount of time may be eligible for Moldova citizenship.
In November 2018, the Moldovan government launched the Moldovan Citizenship by Investment (MCBI) program. The MCBI program, as its name suggests, allows wealthy individuals to obtain Moldovan citizenship by investing a significant amount of money in Moldova’s Public Investment Fund.
This program is very attractive for the following reasons:
To obtain Moldovan citizenship through investment, you must:
You also have to pay some government fees during the registration process, which can amount to tens of thousands of ‘euros.
