Moldova

Last Updated: 2026-03-31

Official Portal: Agency for Public Services (ASP) — Citizenship

Embassy Finder: Moldovan Diplomatic Missions

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Residency for naturalization	10 years of lawful residence (8 years for stateless persons; 5 years for spouses)
Language requirement	Knowledge of the Moldovan/Romanian language (Constitution designates “Moldovan” as the state language, identical to Romanian)
Civics test	Basic knowledge of the Constitution and national anthem
Processing time	6—12 months
Naturalization fee	MDL 100—300 (approximately EUR 5—15)
Dual citizenship	Fully permitted since 2003
Citizenship by birth in Moldova	Limited jus soli for statelessness prevention
Citizenship by descent	Automatic for children of at least one Moldovan citizen parent
Governing law	Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Moldova (No. 1024-XIV, 2000, as amended)

Dual Citizenship

Moldova has fully permitted dual and multiple citizenship since a 2003 amendment to the Citizenship Law. This was a significant shift; the original 2000 law prohibited dual citizenship.

Moldovan citizens who acquire a foreign nationality retain their Moldovan citizenship with no notification or authorization requirement. Foreign nationals who naturalize in Moldova are not required to renounce their prior nationalities.

Practical significance: This provision is heavily used by Moldovans acquiring Romanian citizenship (which provides EU free movement) and by the Moldovan diaspora in Russia, Ukraine, Italy, and other countries. An estimated 600,000—1,000,000 Moldovan citizens also hold Romanian citizenship.

EU accession context: Moldova was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. If accession negotiations progress, the dual citizenship framework will likely remain intact, as the EU does not mandate single nationality.

Acquisition of Nationality

By Birth (Jus Sanguinis with Limited Jus Soli)

A child acquires Moldovan citizenship at birth if:

At least one parent is a Moldovan citizen at the time of birth, regardless of where the child is born.
The child is born on Moldovan territory and at least one parent is a Moldovan citizen.
The child is born on Moldovan territory to parents who are stateless persons or foreign nationals, and the child would otherwise be stateless.

Pure jus soli does not apply. Birth in Moldova to two foreign parents who hold citizenships that transfer to the child does not confer Moldovan citizenship.

By Descent

Moldovan citizenship by descent is robust and extends to persons who can demonstrate that they or their ancestors were born on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the Moldovan Democratic Republic (1917—1918), or Bessarabia/Northern Bukovina/Hertza region as of June 28, 1940. This provision effectively allows descendants of historical Moldovan/Bessarabian residents to claim citizenship.

Key provision (Article 12): Persons born in the territory of Moldova (including those born in the Moldavian SSR) and their descendants to the third generation have the right to acquire Moldovan citizenship by recognition (declaration), without meeting the standard naturalization requirements. This is one of the most generous descent-based pathways in Europe.

By Adoption

A foreign child under 18 adopted by a Moldovan citizen acquires Moldovan citizenship upon the finalization of the adoption. If only one adoptive parent is Moldovan, the parents may jointly determine the child’s citizenship. International adoptions must comply with both Moldovan law and the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption (to which Moldova is a party).

By Marriage

Marriage to a Moldovan citizen does not confer automatic citizenship. A foreign spouse may apply for naturalization under reduced conditions:

5 years of marriage to a Moldovan citizen.
Lawful residence in Moldova (the period may be shorter than the standard 10 years, at government discretion).
Must meet general naturalization conditions (language, no criminal record, means of subsistence).
The marriage must be legally recognized under Moldovan law. Marriages performed abroad are recognized if they comply with the law of the country where they were performed, provided they do not contravene Moldovan public policy.

By Naturalization

Requirement	Details
Lawful residence	10 years of lawful and habitual residence in Moldova
Language	Knowledge of Moldovan/Romanian sufficient for everyday communication
Constitution	Basic knowledge of the Constitution and national anthem of Moldova
Means of subsistence	Lawful source of income
Criminal record	No serious criminal convictions
Renunciation	Not required (dual citizenship permitted)
Fee	MDL 100—300

Reduced periods:

8 years for stateless persons.
5 years for spouses of Moldovan citizens.
Recognition pathway for descendants of historical Moldovan territory residents (no residency requirement).

Loss and Renunciation

Voluntary Renunciation

A Moldovan citizen may renounce citizenship by application. Renunciation is approved provided:

The person holds or has been assured another citizenship.
The person has no outstanding legal obligations to the Moldovan state.

Involuntary Loss

Moldovan citizenship may be revoked if:

The citizenship was acquired through fraud, false documents, or deliberate concealment.
The person voluntarily entered the military, security, or police service of a foreign state without authorization from Moldovan authorities.

Note: Acquiring a foreign nationality does not result in loss of Moldovan citizenship.

Restoration of Nationality

Former Moldovan citizens who lost citizenship through renunciation may apply for restoration at any time. The standard naturalization requirements (including the 10-year residency) may be waived or reduced. The applicant must demonstrate a genuine intention to reside in or maintain a connection with Moldova.

Persons who were citizens of the Moldavian SSR and lost their citizenship upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union may apply through the recognition pathway (Article 12) without residency requirements.

Stateless Persons and Foundlings

A child found on Moldovan territory whose parents are unknown is presumed to be a Moldovan citizen until proven otherwise.
A child born in Moldova who would otherwise be stateless acquires Moldovan citizenship at birth.
Stateless persons lawfully residing in Moldova may apply for naturalization after 8 years (reduced from 10).
Moldova is party to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
Transnistria: The breakaway region of Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic) issues its own identity documents, which are not internationally recognized. Persons born in Transnistria who hold only Transnistrian documents may face statelessness challenges. Moldova considers all persons born in Transnistria to be eligible for Moldovan citizenship, and the Moldovan government issues passports to Transnistrian residents who apply.

Document Checklist

Sources

Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Moldova (No. 1024-XIV, 2000) — As amended. Official Gazette (Monitorul Oficial). https://www.legis.md/
Agency for Public Services (ASP) — Citizenship and civil status services. https://www.asp.gov.md/
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration — Consular services and missions abroad. https://mfa.gov.md/en/
Constitution of the Republic of Moldova — Citizenship provisions, Article 17—18. https://www.legis.md/
Global Citizenship Observatory (GLOBALCIT) — Comparative citizenship law database, Moldova country profile. https://globalcit.eu/

Moldova.md

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