Foreign nationals who want to visit Moldova may be required to obtain a Moldova visa beforehand.
Moldova is a small country, with only about 3 million inhabitants, located in Eastern Europe. It is mostly known for its vineyards, historical attractions, and natural beauty. Although it is not as popular of a tourist attraction as other Eurpoean countries, it does have its charms, especially for those seeking a less crowded and quiet place to visit.
If you have decided to pay a visit to Moldova, this article will detail the Moldova visa requirements, types, the application process, along with other commonly asked questions regarding Moldova visas.
What are the Types of Moldova Visas?
The Republic of Moldova offers the following types of visas to foreign nationals:
Moldova Airport Transit Visa (Type A), which allows the holder to enter and stay in the international area of a Moldova airport as they wait to catch another flight to a third destination.
Moldova Transit Visa (Type B), which is issued to visa-required foreign nationals who will transit through the territory of Moldova on their way to a third destination. It allows the holder to transit through Moldova for a maximum of 5 days.
Moldova Tourist Visa (Type C or Short-Stay Visa), which is issued to visa-required foreign nationals, allowing them to enter Moldova for up to 90 days in a 180-day period for tourism, business, visit, cultural and sports events, official mission and other short-term travel purposes.
Moldova Long-Stay Visa (Type D), allowing the holder to enter Moldova with the purpose of requesting a residence permit which allows them to stay for longer than 90 days.
Who Needs a Moldova Visa?
You need a visa for Moldova unless you are from a country who has a visa-waiver agreement with Moldova (ie. you are exempt from a Moldova visa).
Moldova visa exemptions for stays of up to 90 days
Nationals of the following countries, including refugees and stateless persons currently living in these countries, may enter Moldova without a visa for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period:
European Union citizensEFTA citizensAlbaniaAndorraAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAzerbaijanBahamasBarbadosBelarusBosnia and HerzegovinaBrazilBruneiCanadaChileColombiaCosta RicaCubaDominicaEcuadorEl SalvadorGeorgiaGrenadaGuatemalaHondurasHong KongIsraelJapanKazakhstanKiribatiKyrgyzstanMacauMalaysiaMarshall IslandsMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMonacoMontenegroNew ZealandNicaraguaNorth MacedoniaPalauPanamaParaguayPeruRussiaSan MarinoSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSerbiaSeychellesSingaporeSolomon IslandsSouth KoreaTajikistanTimor-LesteTongaTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTuvaluUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuela
Other Moldova visa exemptions
You are also exempt from a Moldova visa if you fall under one of the following categories:
You have a diplomatic, official or service passport issued by China, Indonesia, Iran, Qatar, Turkmenistan or Vietnam.
You already have a valid Schengen visa or a valid long-stay visa and residence permit issued by an EU country. However, this exemption does not apply to nationals of the countries listed on the table below (who also need an invitation letter from someone in Moldova before they can receive a Moldova visa).
AfghanistanAlgeriaBangladeshBurkina FasoCameroonChadRepublic of CongoDemocratic Republic of CongoCôte d’IvoireEgyptEritreaGhanaIndonesiaJordanIranIraqLebanonLiberiaLibyaMaliMauritaniaMoroccoNigerNigeriaNorth KoreaPakistanPalestineSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth SudanSudanSyriaTunisiaTurkmenistanYemen
Who Needs a Visa to Transit Through Moldova?
Nationals of the following countries must be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa (Type A) when transiting in Moldova:
AfghanistanAlgeriaAngolaBangladeshBurkina FasoBurma/MyanmarBurundiCambodiaCameroonCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadThe Democratic Republic of the CongoRepublic of the CongoCôte d’IvoireCosta RicaDjiboutiEgyptEquatorial GuineaEritreaEthiopiaThe Gabonese RepublicGambiaGhanaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaIndiaIranIraqKenyaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaMalawiMaliMozambiqueNamibiaNepalNigerNigeriaOmanPakistanPalestineRwandaSenegalSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth SudanSri LankaSudanSwazilandSyrian Arab RepublicUgandaYemenZambiaZimbabwe
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.
What Are the Documents Required for a Moldova Visa?
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:
Moldova tourist visa requirements
For a tourist visa, you must have the following documents when you travel to Moldova and appear before immigration:
The printed Moldova eVisa
Your passport or other travel document, which is issued in the last ten years and valid for at least another three months past the date you will depart Moldova.
Travel health insurance, covering at least €30,000 for the duration of your stay
A recent colored picture with 35mm x 45mm dimensions
An invitation letter from the Bureau for Migration and Asylum
Or, alternatively, a visa or residence permit issued by an EU member state
Proof of sufficient funds to cover the duration of your stay. You must have at least €30 per day, but no less than €300 even if your stay is shorter than 10 days.
Proof of a round-trip ticket or your driving license, green card and your vehicle’s registration documents, if you will be driving.
Proof of accommodation in Moldova, such as a hotel reservation.
If travelling for business: Invitation from the company or organization inviting you.
If you will stay with a friend or family member in Moldova: Accommodation and maintenance form, completed by the Moldovian citizen.
If you are travelling for transport purposes:
Proof of your job and the type of work you will do while in Moldova
A certified copy of the company’s license
Your driving license, green card and the vehicle’s registration documents
If you are travelling for sport-related purposes: A list of the team and details of each of their positions
If you are travelling for official purposes: An official letter or note verbale, stating your status and the purpose of your visit, addressed to the Moldova authorities who will review your application.
Moldova transit visa requirements
If you will travel through the territory of Moldova, you need the following documents when applying for a visa/entering the country:
Moldova Entry Visa Application Form
Your passport or other travel document, which is issued in the last ten years and valid for at least another three months past the date you will depart Moldova.
A recent colored picture with 35mm x 45mm dimensions
Proof of a round-trip travel ticket or your driving license, green card and your vehicle’s registration documents, if you will be driving.
Visa for the third country of destination, if a visa is required.
Moldova airport transit visa requirements
If you are from a country whose nationals need an airport transit visa for Moldova, you need the following documents when applying:
Moldova Visa Application Form
Your passport or other travel document, which is issued in the last ten years and valid for at least another three months past the date you will depart Moldova.
A recent colored picture with 35mm x 45mm dimensions
Flight ticket for the connecting flight
Visa for the third country of destination, if a visa is required.
Moldova long-stay visa requirements
The Moldova visa requirements for a long-stay visa are:
Moldova Visa Application Form
Your passport or other travel document, which is issued in the last ten years and valid for at least another three months past the date you will depart Moldova.
A recent colored picture with 35mm x 45mm dimensions
An invitation letter from the Bureau for Migration and Asylum
Or, alternatively, a visa or residence permit issued by an EU member state
Travel health insurance, covering at least €30,000 for the duration of your stay
Certificate of police clearance
For Moldova Work Visa: You need a Work Permit, issued by the National Agency for Employment of the Ministry of Economy
For Moldova Student Visa:
Proof you can financially fund your stay, yourself or through a scholarship
Letter of confirmation/enrollment from the Moldova educational institution
For Moldova Family Visa:
Authorization issued by the Bureau for Migration and Asylum that you have met the conditions on family reunion
Proof of family ties, such as a birth or marriage certificate
Any other documents which are requested of you and which support your application
How to Apply for a Moldova Visa?
The application process for a Moldova visa depends on the type of visa you are applying for. In recent years, the Moldovian government has made the process of obtaining a Tourist Visa easier by making it accessible entirely online. However, when it comes to other types of Moldova visas, you will still have to apply in person at a Moldova representation abroad.
Applying for a Moldova Tourist Visa (eVisa)
You have to submit an online application for a Moldova Tourist Visa through this website, and then:
Pay the Moldova visa fee.
Wait for the visa to be processed. It is the General Directorate of Consular Affairs from the Moldova Ministry of Foreign Affairs who reviews all Tourist visa applications.
If your Moldova visa application is approved, you will receive your visa in PDF format on your email, which you have to print. You must show the printed eVisa to the immigration officers at the entry point in Moldova.
Moldova Tourist eVisa processing time
A Moldova tourist visa is processed within 10 calendar days from the time you submit your completed application. However, in some cases, it may take as long as 20 calendar days from the date of submission, depending on the case.
Moldova Tourist eVisa fee
The fee for a Moldova Tourist eVisa is €80. You can pay the fee online by credit or debit card such as Visa or MasterCard after you complete your application.
Applying for other types of Moldova visas
If you want to enter Moldova for long-term purposes, such as for studying or working, or you need to transit through the territory of Moldova, then you have to apply for a visa at a diplomatic mission or consular offices of Moldova:
Contact a Moldova Representative Office, (such as a consulate or embassy in your country or the one responsible for your region) to make an appointment
Submit the required documents for a long-stay Moldova visa
Pay the visa fee
Wait for the visa to be processed
If approved, you can enter Moldova, where you can apply to get e Moldova residence permit
For long stays, you may need prior approval before you apply for the visa, such as a work permit for a Work Visa or being accepted into a university for a Student Visa.
Moldova Residence Permit
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:
A photocopy of your passport and long-stay visa
Three passport-size pictures, 5×6 mm
Original medical certificate
Proof of having paid the fee
Proof of housing in Moldova
Documents depending on the purpose of your travel, such as:
For family reunification: Copy of your spouse’s ID and your marriage certificate
For work: Copy of the work contract and the argued opinion from the National Agency for Employment
For studies: Acceptance into a Moldova educational institution
Any other documents you may be requested to submit
Additionally, foreign nationals who have lived in Moldova on a residence permit for a certain amount of time may be eligible for Moldova citizenship.
How Can I Become a Citizen of Moldova?
As a foreign-born national, you can obtain Moldova citizenship through naturalization if you fulfill one of the following conditions:
You have lived in Moldova with a residence permit for at least ten years
You have been married to a Moldovan citizen for at least three years
You have lived in Moldova with your Moldovan child or parent for at least three years
You have lived in Moldova with a residence permit for at least five years before the age of 18
You are a stateless citizen or recognized refugee who’s been living in Moldova (legally) for at least eight years
However, there is another – faster – way through which foreigners can obtain Moldova citizenship: by investment.
Obtaining a Moldova Citizenship Through Investment
In November of 2018, the Moldova government launched the Moldova Citizenship-by-Investment (MCBI) program. The MCBI program as the name suggests, allows wealthy individuals to obtain Moldovan citizenship by investing a substantial amount of money on Moldova’s Public Investment Fund.
The program is very attractive due to the following reasons:
It is very quick: It takes up to three months
No prior settlement in Moldova is required. You also do not need to spend any time in Moldova during or after you obtain Citizenship in order to maintain it
Moldova citizens have visa-free travel to over 100 countries, including the Schengen zone
You may apply for citizenship for your entire family
You may transfer your citizenship to your descendants
Moldova may join the European Union in the future
To obtain Moldova Citizenship through investment, you must:
Be over 18 years of age
Not have any criminal records
Make a non-refundable Contribution to the Moldova Public Investment Fund in the following amounts:
€100,000 for a single applicant
€115,000 for the main applicant and their spouse
€145,000 for a family of four members
€155,000 for a family of five or more members
You also have to pay several governmental fees during the application process, which may amount to up to tens of thousands of euros.