Moldova Citizenship by Investment

Note: The Moldova Citizenship by Investment Program has been officially closed by government decision.

The Murblz team will help you find other relevant citizenship-by-investment options.

Moldovan citizenship by investment was a fast and affordable way to acquire a second passport with visa-free access to 124 countries, the ability to include the whole family, no residency or renunciation requirements, and long-term benefits of European integration and international mobility.

Moldova is a small country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania and Ukraine, with a population of about 3 million. The capital city is Chișinău. The country is known for its mild continental climate, picturesque landscapes, and winemaking traditions.

The Moldova Citizenship by Investment Program (MCBI) was launched in the second half of 2018 by the Moldovan government in cooperation with international partners. Its goal was to attract foreign investment to support Moldova’s sustainable development. In exchange for a non-refundable contribution to the Public Investment Fund, investors and their families could obtain citizenship through an accelerated process after a strict due diligence review.

The program initially attracted interest from international entrepreneurs, as the Moldovan passport offered extensive travel and business opportunities. Moldova signed an Association Agreement with the European Union and in June 2022 officially obtained EU candidate status, making the passport strategically valuable in the long term.

The main eligibility requirements included: age 18 or older, a clean criminal record, legally obtained funds, and successful completion of a multi-level due diligence process. Authorities could reject an application if the applicant had previously been denied a visa to a country that has a visa-free regime with Moldova and did not later receive one. Applicants also had to be in good health.

The core condition of the program was a mandatory financial contribution to Moldova’s economy. The most common option was a non-refundable donation to the country’s Public Investment Fund. The minimum investment amounts were as follows: €100,000 for a single applicant, €115,000 for a couple, €145,000 for a family of four, and €155,000 for a family of five or more. These funds were directed toward national infrastructure and social projects. In addition to the contribution, applicants had to pay government fees (for processing, due diligence, passport issuance, and agent services) totaling around €35,000 per application.

Importantly, Moldovan law allows dual and even multiple citizenship. This means investors could keep their original nationality while obtaining a Moldovan passport – a major legal advantage.

There were also no language or history tests (unlike naturalization), as participants in the investment program were exempt from such exams by law. No residency requirement applied either – investors were not required to live in Moldova before or after obtaining citizenship.

Alternative investment options: initially, the law allowed several routes besides the donation to the Public Investment Fund. Investors could buy real estate in Moldova worth at least €250,000 or invest the same amount in government bonds for a minimum of five years. However, in practice, the donation option remained the most accessible.

The program also had a quota of 5,000 main applicants, after which it would close.

Due to political reasons, the program was suspended earlier than planned (a moratorium was introduced in July 2019, and the program was permanently closed in 2020).