How to Enter Moldova
Do I need a passport or visa to enter?
If you have a U.S. passport, you do not need a visa to enter Moldova. The Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs posts a current list of countries whose citizens do not need visas to enter Moldova. For more information on entry requirements, please contact the Embassy of Moldova in Washington, D.C. or the Embassy of Moldova in a country near you.U.S. citizens can stay in Moldova for up to 90 days within a six-month period. Residence permits are required for stays over 90 days. Immigration, residence, and work permits are issued for up to five years. The Moldovan Government receives applications at a "one-stop window" located at the Bureau of Migration office at 124, Stefan cel Mare Street in Chisinau.
Visitors to Moldova are required to register their arrival with the Moldovan government. Visitors are typically automatically registered upon arrival at Chisinau Airport or a land border with Romania or Ukraine.
U.S. citizens are permitted to enter Moldova through the separatist region of Transnistria. However,visitors who enter Moldova through Transnistria are not automatically registered and must register themselves within three days of their arrival in right-bank (western) Moldova at the Ministry of Information Development (MID) registration office located in central Chisinau at 49 Kogalniceanu Street.
Special Travel Circumstances in Moldova
You should register large sums of foreign currency and declare all valuable goods with Moldovan customs authorities when you arrive in Moldova. Contact the Moldovan Embassy in Washington, D.C. for more information about customs requirements.
Business in Transnistria: As noted in the "Threats to Safety and Security" section above, a separatist regime controls a narrow strip of land in eastern Moldova known as Transnistria ("Pridnestrovie" in Russian). Exercise caution if you plan to do business in Transnistria. The U.S. Embassy cannot offer consular or commercial services to U.S. citizens in Transnistria. Moldovan law requires firms (including those located in Transnistria) to register with the Moldovan Government and to use Moldovan customs seals on their exports. Under a December 2005 agreement between Moldova and Ukraine, Ukrainian customs and border officials require Moldovan customs seals on goods exported from Moldova, including Transnistria, and are enforcing this requirement with EU assistance. Transnistrian firms not legally registered with Moldovan authorities operate in contravention of Moldovan law, which complicates or even prevents the import or export of goods. The Government of Moldova has indicated that it will not recognize the validity of contracts for the privatization of firms in Transnistria that are concluded without the approval of the appropriate Moldovan authorities. A number of Internet fraud schemes also originate in Transnistria.
Telephone, internet, and postal service: Cell phone coverage in Moldova is excellent. Many restaurants, bars, and public places in Chisinau have free Wi-Fi Internet access, but availability is limited outside Chisinau. Express mail services, such as DHL, UPS, and Federal Express, are available in Chisinau.
Commercial transactions: Moldova is still generally a cash-only economy. Credit cards are often accepted in Chisinau, but rarely in the rest of the country. Use your credit card with caution, and protect your personal information.
Disclaimer
You are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. Information provided is subject to change without notice. One should confirm content prior to traveling from other reliable sources. Information published on this website may contain errors. You travel at your own risk and no warranties or guarantees are provided by us.