Moldova: all programs

Moldova in brief

Moldova lies between Romania and Ukraine, with about 2.4 million people on the right bank of the Dniester, excluding Transnistria. The capital is Chișinău. The official language is Romanian, and Russian is widely spoken day to day, especially in Chișinău. The currency is the leu, about 17.85 lei to the dollar in 2026. Moldova has been a European Union candidate since June 2022, and accession talks formally opened in 2024.

The country suits remote workers and IT entrepreneurs who want an affordable base next to the European Union and a 7% tax on revenue in the IT park, as well as people with Moldovan or Romanian roots, for whom Moldova is a path to citizenship.

How to move in 2026

• Entry - citizens of Russia, the European Union and many other countries need no visa for up to 90 days in 180, but border guards may refuse entry, and such cases have become more frequent in recent years.
• Right of residence - to live longer than 90 days you obtain the right of residence and a residence card, issued since 1 January 2026 in a new biometric format instead of the previous two documents.
• Grounds - employment, own business and investment, work at an IT park company, study and family reunification.
• Citizenship by investment - the programme is closed: no applications have been accepted since July 2019, and it was abolished in 2020. Details are on the page Moldovan citizenship by investment.

We choose the residence ground and handle the documents with Romanian translation and the filing end to end.

Citizenship

Citizenship by descent is recognised for those born or living before 28 June 1940 in Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, the Hertsa region or the Moldavian Autonomous Republic and their descendants, as well as for those deported or who fled after that date. The condition is an exam in Romanian and the Constitution, and applications are decided within 12 months. Details are on the page Moldovan citizenship by repatriation.

Standard naturalisation comes after 10 years of legal residence, or for a citizen's spouse after 3 years of marriage and residence, with a language exam. A Moldovan passport opens about 119 destinations visa-free or with a visa on arrival, including Schengen for 90 days in any 180. Many people whose ancestors lived in Bessarabia also qualify for Romanian citizenship by descent, which brings the right to live and work across the European Union.

Taxes

Income tax is a flat 12% on a resident's worldwide income, with no progressive scale. Dividends and deposit interest are taxed at source at 6%. Corporate tax is 12%; companies not registered for VAT may pay 4% of income, and IT park residents pay a single 7% tax on revenue that replaces corporate tax, payroll taxes and contributions, and local taxes. VAT is 20%, with a reduced 8% rate and a registration threshold of 1.7 million lei in turnover.

An important detail: on leaving Moldovan tax residence a person is deemed to have sold all assets except real estate at market value and must declare the capital gain. Details are on the page taxes in Moldova.

Property

Foreigners can buy flats and houses but not agricultural or forest land. A notary handles the deal and the title is registered in the cadastre. New-build flats are often sold unfinished, so the budget should include fit-out. A home purchase does not by itself give the right of residence. We source and check properties on the page property in Moldova.

Business and accounts

A limited liability company is registered in a few working days, and a foreigner can own 100% of it. IT companies join the IT park and pay the single tax. Banks scrutinise foreigners and the source of funds. We help with company registration, a business account and a personal account.

Cost of living

• Rent in Chișinău - a one-bedroom flat costs €250-700, about $280-790 a month; rent is usually quoted in euros, with a deposit of one month.
• Transport - a trolleybus or bus ride costs 7 lei, about $0.40.
• Food - local produce, vegetables, fruit and wine are inexpensive.
• Wages - the projected average for 2026 is 17,400 lei, about $975, so life is cheap for those earning abroad.

Where to live

• Chișinău - jobs, IT companies, cafés and the airport; newcomers settle in the centre, Botanica, Râșcani and Telecentru. More in the Chișinău guide.
• Bălți - the second city, in the north, cheaper than the capital.
• Wine regions - Cricova, Mileștii Mici and the south of the country for a house out of town.
• Transnistria - an unrecognised region outside government control; we do not advise foreigners to live or do business there.

Practicalities

• Flights. Chișinău has flights to European Union cities and Turkey, and there have been no direct flights to Russia since 2022.
• Climate. Moderately continental, with warm summers and mild but snowy winters.
• Healthcare. Private clinics are inexpensive, and complex cases go to Romania or Turkey.
• Documents. Foreign documents need an apostille and a Romanian translation.

Who Moldova suits

Pros: Russian in everyday life, visa-free entry for Russian citizens, low taxes and prices, the 7% IT park regime, proximity to the European Union and a path to a Romanian passport for people with roots. Cons: a small job market, low wages, the risk of being refused entry at the border and infrastructure lagging behind neighbouring European Union countries. Moldova suits remote workers, IT entrepreneurs and people with roots in the region. Write in the chat and we will check whether you qualify for Moldovan or Romanian citizenship and choose a residence ground.