Moving to Moldova

Employment with an MITP resident company; a monthly salary at or above the forecast national average monthly salary for the year; a criminal record certificate issued abroad, translated and legalised or apostilled; proof of accommodation in Moldova; and documents evidencing IT qualification or certification such as diplomas, certificates, recommendation letters or knowledge-assessment results. Documents go first to the MITP Commission, which issues a statement and transmits it to the applicant and to the General Inspectorate for Migration. The right of residence runs up to four years, extendable by a further four, for administrator, director and board roles, and up to two years, extendable by a further two, for IT specialists. Foreign IT specialists may also work up to 90 days in any six-month period without a residence permit, on the employer's notification to the Inspectorate. After 5 years of temporary residence a foreigner may apply for permanent residence.

The General Inspectorate for Migration lists, for an immigrant worker: a standard application letter; the identification page of the passport; the individual employment contract, stating a monthly salary of at least 50 percent of the forecast average monthly salary in the economy for the year; a criminal record certificate from the country of citizenship, legalised or apostilled (and from the country of residence as well, after two years' lawful stay there); proof of ownership or use of the accommodation (a real-estate register extract, or a lease registered with the State Tax Service); and a colour 3x4 photo. The Inspectorate's list for this category does not include an employer authorisation. Applications from immigrant workers are examined within 15 days, which can be cut to 10 days for a fee. Posted workers, highly qualified workers, teaching, culture, health and sport, priority occupations and free-economic-zone employees have document sets of their own. After 5 years of temporary residence a foreigner may apply for permanent residence.

For an associate or shareholder the General Inspectorate for Migration lists: a standard application letter; the passport; an extract from the State Register of legal entities or from the register of shareholders; confirmation of the investment by an accredited auditor, or the tax report on income tax, health-insurance premiums and social contributions withheld that attests the creation of jobs; a criminal record certificate, legalised or apostilled; proof of ownership or use of the accommodation; and a colour 3x4 photo. A manager also files the individual employment contract, or a management or mandate contract, stating the monthly salary. The Inspectorate's page states no investment amount, and the statute that sets the conditions (Law No. 200/2010 on the regime of foreigners) could not be archived for this review, so confirm the current threshold with the Inspectorate before planning around a figure. Applications from foreign investors are examined within 15 days, which can be cut to 10 days for a fee. After 5 years of temporary residence a foreigner may apply for permanent residence.

The application form; the passport (with a copy of the long-stay visa where the applicant entered on one); the marriage certificate and any child's birth certificate, transcribed into Moldova's civil-status register when the family member is a Moldovan citizen, or legalised or apostilled, translated into the state language and notarised or consular-certified when the family member is a foreigner; the family member's identity document (a Moldovan identity card, or the residence permit showing a foreigner's lawful residence); proof of ownership or use of the accommodation; a criminal record certificate (not for minors under 16); medical insurance valid for at least 3 months (not for minors); and a colour 3x4 photo. Joining a foreigner also needs proof of means of support. Both family members must attend. Applications are examined within 30 days, which can be cut to 10 days for a fee. After 3 years of temporary residence for family reunification a foreigner may apply for permanent residence. Citizenship normally needs 10 years' continuous lawful residence; a person married to a Moldovan citizen for at least 3 years, with 3 years' continuous lawful residence, may apply after 3 (Law No. 253/2025 art. 14(d)). Either way the applicant must hold permanent lawful residence on the day of applying and know the Romanian language and the provisions of the Constitution.

A request from the educational institution and the application form; the passport with the border-control entry marks (and a copy of the long-stay visa where the student entered on one); the approval of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, except for nationals of states party to the Lisbon Convention; proof of enrolment and the study contract; proof of ownership or use of the accommodation, or a student-residence allocation; a criminal record certificate (not for minors under 16); medical insurance valid for at least 3 months; proof of means of support, or of a Moldovan state scholarship instead; and a colour 3x4 photo. Applications are examined within 30 days, which can be cut to 10 days for a fee.