Europe

Visas

The Moldovan Government lifted the visa requirement for EU nationals on 1 January 2007.  Visas are no longer required to enter Moldova if your stay is under 90 days.  The Moldovan Embassy in London now issues visas.

 

You should check your visa after it has been issued and before travelling to ensure that it is valid for the time of the proposed visit, as there have been occasional errors resulting in fines and delays to travel plans.  The Moldovan authorities are now strictly enforcing penalties (including deportation) against foreign visitors who overstay the terms of their visas.  As a visitor you are allowed to spend no more than 90 days in a 6 months period in Moldova.  Alternatively, you must regularise your stay by applying for a residence or work visa.

 

Entry into Moldova via Transnistria

 

Visitors entering into Transnistria overland from Ukraine (e.g. by bus or rail) should be aware that the Transnistrian border guard will not place entry stamps into passports. There are no ‘immigration controls’ in place on the internal boundary between Transnistria and Moldova proper and entry stamps will also not be placed into passports at this juncture. Visitors who enter Moldova in this way (via Transnistria) are likely to encounter problems when leaving Moldova (by air from Chisinau or overland into Romania) as their passport will show no valid entry stamp into Moldova and may potentially be deemed to have illegally entered the country.   Visitors intending to enter Moldova overland from Ukraine are advised to do so at one of the internationally recognised border crossing points between Moldova (excluding the Transnistria segment) and Ukraine in the north and south of the country.

 

Passport validity

Before setting off you should ensure that your passport has at least six months’ remaining validity and at least one unused page.

 

Registration

If you arrive in Moldova by air you will automatically be registered with the local authorities.  If you travel to Moldova by land you are required to register your stay if you intend to stay in private accommodation for more than three days.  If you are staying in hotel accommodation then registration should be automatic.  You must register with the Department of Information Technologies (address:  42 Pushkin Str. Chisinau; tel:; 504 656) or the local passport office (the British Embassy can provide you with the address of the relevant passport office for your area) within three working days.  To register your stay in Moldova you must present the following documents:

 

 

Failure to register may result in fines and/or difficulties when leaving Moldova.

 

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.  For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration, please contact the Moldovan Embassy in London.