Visa-Free Regime with the European Union Remains in Effect for Citizens of the Republic of Moldova

23 December 2025, Brussels - Citizens of the Republic of Moldova will continue to benefit from the visa-free regime with the Schengen Area, following the adoption on 19 December by the European Commission of the eighth report under the EU Visa Suspension Mechanism. According to the Commission's conclusions, the Republic of Moldova has implemented the measures recommended in the previous report.

The report provides a detailed assessment of developments regarding:

• Alignment of visa policies with EU standards;

• Trends in irregular migration, international protection applications, returns, and readmissions;

• Cooperation in migration management, border control, and readmission;

• Cooperation in the field of security.
  
  

The report also includes a series of specific recommendations for each beneficiary of the visa-free regime, covering countries in the EU neighborhood, the Eastern Caribbean, and Latin America.

For the Republic of Moldova, the European Commission recommends:

• Aligning visa policies with those of the European Union, particularly regarding third countries that pose a higher risk of irregular migration or security concerns for the EU. Until full alignment is achieved, it is recommended to continue and strengthen rigorous checks on third-country nationals exempt from visa requirements entering Moldova, with a focus on high-risk countries.

• Intensifying efforts to reduce the number of unjustified asylum applications submitted by Moldovan citizens in EU member states, including through targeted information campaigns addressing relevant migration profiles, and introducing exit controls to improve monitoring and discourage such practices.
  
  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms its commitment to continue cooperating with the European Union, together with relevant national authorities, to implement the recommendations outlined in the report.

The European Commission's recommendations are aligned with the Republic of Moldova's status as an EU candidate country. The topics covered by the Commission's annual reports under the EU Visa Suspension Mechanism are also monitored through the annual enlargement packages (2023, 2024, 2025).

Note: Since the visa-free regime for short-term travel to the Schengen Area came into effect 11 years ago, more than 2.6 million Moldovan citizens have benefited. According to statistical data, over 18.2 million trips to the European Union have been recorded.