Moldova Entry Requirements

Moldova Entry Requirements

Visa, immigration, and customs information

Important Notice Entry requirements can change at any time. Always verify current requirements with official government sources before traveling.
Most travellers breeze into Moldoxa with either a visa-free stamp or an eVisa secured online before departure. At Chișinău International Airport and the three main land crossings, Leușeni, Sculeni, Cahul, immigration is painless if you keep your passport, return ticket, lodging proof and enough cash ready for inspection. Queues shrink outside peak summer weekends. Yet budget 30, 40 minutes in case you must buy supplementary health insurance at the booth.

Visa Requirements

Entry permissions vary by nationality. Find your category below.

Visa-Free Entry
90 days within any 180-day period

Holders of EU, UK, US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese, South Korean, Norwegian, Swiss, most CIS and several Balkan passports may enter Moldova visa-free for tourism or business.

Includes
All EU/EEA countries United Kingdom United States Canada Australia New Zealand Japan South Korea Switzerland Norway Iceland Ukraine Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Kazakhstan Russia Serbia Montenegro Bosnia and Herzegovina North Macedonia Albania Kosovo

A quick border hop does not reset the 90-day tally; overstay and you face a fine plus a possible entry ban.

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA/eVisa)
90 days within 180 days

Nationals who once queued at a consulate can now skip the line and apply online for a single- or multiple-entry eVisa.

Includes
China India Mexico South Africa Turkey Thailand Philippines Indonesia Egypt Morocco Saudi Arabia Qatar Kuwait Oman Bahrain Jordan Lebanon Iran Iraq Pakistan Bangladesh Sri Lanka Myanmar Vietnam Cambodia Laos Mongolia Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Israel Brazil Argentina Chile Colombia Peru Venezuela Cuba Jamaica Dominican Republic
How to Apply: File your application at https://www.evisa.gov.md; upload the passport bio page, itinerary and hotel voucher. Most cases clear in 7 calendar days, straightforward ones in 24, 48 h.
Cost: mid-range, payable by card

Print the eVisa pdf. Mobile screenshots are not accepted at border control.

Visa Required
Single-, double- or multiple-entry, validity up to 1 year

Travellers whose passports are on neither list, or anyone carrying refugee or alien travel documents, must arrange a sticker visa in advance.

How to Apply: Apply at the nearest Moldovan embassy or, where none exists, through the Romanian mission that covers Moldova. You will normally need an invitation letter from a Moldova-based entity or individual.

Processing can take 10-20 days; apply at least one month ahead.

Arrival Process

You will land either at Chișinău International Airport or roll in by road from Romania or Ukraine Ukraine.

1
Primary Passport Control
Hand over your passport, and printed eVisa if you have one, to the border officer. Most foreign adults then pose for a digital photo and give fingerprints.
2
Insurance Check
Travellers without a European Health Insurance Card may be told to buy a local medical policy (€1, €1.5 per day) at a nearby counter before the entry stamp is issued.
3
Baggage Claim & Customs Channel
Grab your bags, then pick the Green channel if you have nothing to declare or the Red channel if you do. Random x-ray checks on the Green line are common.

Documents to Have Ready

Passport valid 3 months beyond intended exit
Must have at least one blank page for the entry stamp.
Return/onward ticket or confirmed bus/train reservation
Proof you will leave Moldova within the permitted period.
Accommodation confirmation
Bring a hotel voucher, rental contract or host letter. Officers sometimes phone your host for confirmation.
Proof of funds
Bank statement, cash or card showing roughly €30 per day of stay.

Tips for Smooth Entry

Keep a hard copy of your accommodation address in Romanian or Russian, taxi drivers and border guards seldom recognise English street names.
If you land after midnight, pull lei from the airport ATM; exchange kiosks in town shut early and plastic is not accepted everywhere.
Hold on to the small white entry slip returned with your passport. Hotels request it and you must show it when you leave.

Customs & Duty-Free

Moldova runs a two-channel system and enforces tight limits on alcohol, tobacco and cash.

Alcohol
2 L wine plus 1 L spirits over 22% OR 4 L wine plus 2 L beer
Minimum age 18. Moldova wine is cheaper in supermarkets than duty-free shops.
Tobacco
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g loose tobacco
Only one of the three categories may be chosen duty-free.
Currency
Amounts equal to or exceeding EUR 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared
Declaration form available at border. Failure can lead to seizure.
Gifts/Goods
Personal goods up to EUR 430 value (air) or EUR 300 (land/sea)
Laptops, phones and cameras are usually waved through if obviously used.

Prohibited Items

  • Narcotics and psychotropic substances, zero tolerance
  • Weapons, ammo, explosives, unless pre-authorised
  • Printed or digital material promoting extremism or pornography
  • Meat/dairy products from outside the EU, veterinary ban

Restricted Items

  • Medication containing tramadol, codeine or pseudoephedrine, bring prescription plus translated note
  • Cultural artefacts over 50 years old, need export permit from Ministry of Culture on departure

Health Requirements

No vaccinations are compulsory for entry into Moldova. But routine immunisations should be up to date.

Required Vaccinations

  • None for entry

Recommended Vaccinations

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Tick-borne encephalitis if visiting rural areas April, October
  • Rabies for long-stay outdoor workers
  • MMR and Tetanus-diphtheria booster

Health Insurance

Insurance is not mandatory for EU/EEA citizens holding EHIC, yet border officers can still insist that everyone else buy a local policy covering only emergency care in Moldova.

Current Health Requirements: COVID-19 measures were lifted in 2023; requirements can be reinstated with little notice. Check https://msmps.gov.md 24 h before departure.

Protect Your Trip with Travel Insurance

Comprehensive coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and 24/7 emergency assistance. Many countries recommend or require travel insurance.

Get a Quote from World Nomads
Read our complete Moldova Travel Insurance Guide →

Important Contacts

Essential resources for your trip.

Embassy/Consulate
Find your country's embassy or consulate
Check your government's travel advisory website
Immigration Authority
Official immigration website
https://www.immigration.gov.md for visa applications and entry rules
Emergency
Emergency services number
112 for police, ambulance, fire throughout Moldova

Special Situations

Additional requirements for specific circumstances.

Traveling with Children

Children need their own passport. If only one parent travels, carry notarised consent from the other parent plus the child's birth certificate. Guards screen for child-trafficking indicators.

Traveling with Pets

Dogs, cats and ferrets must be micro-chipped, vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before arrival, and carry an EU (or equivalent) veterinary certificate issued within 10 days of travel. Entry is allowed only via Chișinău Airport, Leușeni or Cahul checkpoints.

Extended Stays

You cannot stretch a visa-free stay beyond 90 days inside the country. If you need longer, apply for a residence permit, available for study, work or family reunion, at the Bureau for Migration and Asylum in Chișinău before the 90-day window closes.

Know What to Pack

Climate-specific clothing, travel documents, electronics, and gear, with shopping links for every item.

View Moldova Packing List →