Eastern Europe · UN member
Moldova: Travel Guide & Requirements
Republic of Moldova
Moldova is a country in Eastern Europe with its capital in Chisinau in Romanian. It has a population of 2.4 million (#145 in the world) and covers 33,851 km². The official language is Moldavian. The currency is the Moldovan leu (MDL, L).
Where is Moldova? Map of Moldova
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania.
- Region
- Eastern Europe
- Coordinates
- 47° N, 29° E
- Neighbours
- 2 — see list
- Coastline
- Landlocked
- Moldova
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Moldova showing Chisinau in Romanian (capital) and the largest cities: Tiraspol, Bălţi, Rîbniţa, Cahul, Ungheni, Soroca, Comrat and Edineţ.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Moldova
- Passport
Moldova's Border Police says that on the day you enter, your travel document must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the date set for leaving Moldova, must have at least two blank pages and, except for identity cards…
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 102 need no visa, 95 need an eVisa, 1 needs a visa from an embassy. Check yours or see Moldova entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
Moldova's Border Police lists a return or round-trip ticket among the documents that justify a tourist or personal trip, together with proof of accommodation, and the entry conditions require proof of adequate means for…
- Proof of funds
Moldova's Border Police says foreigners must present documents justifying the purpose of entry, such as a hotel booking or a host's invitation for tourist or personal trips, and proof of adequate means both for the stay…
- Travel insurance
For tourism (C/T), visit (C/V), transport (C/TS), sport (C/S) and cultural, scientific, humanitarian and short medical-treatment (C/AD) visas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks for travel medical insurance valid thro…
- Customs allowance
Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says amounts over €10,000 (or the equivalent) per person per trip must be declared in writing to customs; for taking out larger sums it lists documents to present, such as proof the…
- Travel advice
High risk — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Moldova
- Safety: Travel to Moldova carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Moldova Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of the country.
- Best time to go: May to June and September — when daytime highs in Chisinau in Romanian are around 23–27°C.
- Money: the Moldovan leu (MDL) — 1 US dollar is about 17.9980 MDL.
- Plugs: type C and F, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 112, Ambulance 112, Fire 112.
- Language: Moldavian is official.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside built-up areas and 110 km/h on expressways.
- Time zone: UTC+2 in Chisinau in Romanian.
- Capital: Chisinau in Romanian. About 2.4 million people live in Moldova.
- Outdoors: 2 national parks.
Key facts
Moldova at a glance
Languages spoken: Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% Moldovan; 23.5% Romanian), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014)
Geography & history
About Moldova
A large portion of present-day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001 to 2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010 to 2019, but pro-Russ…
Read the full history
A large portion of present-day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001 to 2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010 to 2019, but pro-Russia candidate Igor DODON won the presidency in 2016, and his Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova won a plurality in the legislative election in 2019. Pro-EU reformist candidate Maia SANDU defeated DODON in his reelection bid in 2020, and SANDU's Party of Action and Solidarity won a parliamentary majority in an early legislative election in 2021. Prime Minister Natalia GAVRILITA and her cabinet took office in 2021. In early 2023, Moldova's parliament confirmed a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN, which retained the majority of the former ministers.
Location
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Climate
moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Highest point
Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources
lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land
Natural hazards
landslides
National symbols
aurochs (type of wild cattle)
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Moldova
The default speed limits in Moldova are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside built-up areas and 110 km/h on expressways. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.3‰. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 2020 km/hResidential zonesLiving streets & residential areas
- 5050 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and cities
- 9090 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roadsWith a trailer: 70 km/h
- 110110 km/hExpresswaysDual carriageways & expresswaysWith a trailer: 90 km/h
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1968 ViennaCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Alcohol limit0.3‰ blood alcohol (0.03% BAC)
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsRequired by law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)9.1 per 100,000 peopleSafer than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Moldova safe to visit?
Travel to Moldova carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Moldova Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of the country.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).
Updated 10 Dec 2025 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Moldova
The best time to visit Moldova is May to June and September, when daytime highs in Chisinau in Romanian are around 23–27°C. July to August are also a good time to go. July is the warmest month (30°C by day), January the coldest (-7°C at night), and June the wettest with about 70 mm of rain.
- Jan-1°C-7°C
- Feb2°C-6°C
- Mar9°C-2°C
- Apr16°C4°C
- May23°C11°C
- Jun27°C15°C
- Jul30°C18°C
- Aug30°C17°C
- Sep24°C11°C
- Oct16°C5°C
- Nov8°C0°C
- Dec2°C-5°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Moldova
Plugs & sockets
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
112 works from any mobile phone, even without a SIM card in most networks. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
National parks
2 national parks in Moldova
- 338 km² protected
- oldest from 2013
Largest: Orhei National Park · Rașcov National Park
Currency · 26 October 2026
Moldovan leu exchange rates today
Moldova uses the Moldovan leu (MDL, L). One US dollar buys 17.9980 MDL; over the last 30 days the MDL has lost 1.7% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in MDL
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Moldova ranks
How Moldova compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Moldova
12 airports and airfields — 1 large, 4 medium and 6 small, plus 1 heliports. 1 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Moldova borders 2 countries along 1,885 km of land borders. It is landlocked.
Military
Moldovan armed forces
Moldova ranks #143 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $113 million (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Chisinau (488,000)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Export partners
Romania 31%, Ukraine 13%, Italy 6%, Germany 6%, Czechia 4% (2023)
Top exports
insulated wire, garments, refined petroleum, seed oils, wheat (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Moldova
Next public holiday
South Capital's Day Cahul — Saturday, 21 November 2026. Then Christmas Day (25 Dec).
Moldovan passport
Ranked #87: 74 countries visa-free, 34 with visa on arrival, 3 with an eTA and 34 with an eVisa.
Moldovan passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Moldova's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Moldova
Dial +373 before the local number. Internet domain .md.
Climate footprint
5.3 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 1.76 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Moldova: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Moldova
Moldova and Argentina weigh visa-free travel, but no deal or date yet
Moldova and Argentina are discussing the possibility of visa-free travel for Moldovan citizens, but no agreement or timetable has been announced. The…
Ukrainian Guards Detained in Moldova After River Chase of Men Fleeing
Ukrainian border guards pursuing men trying to reach Moldova have ended up on Moldovan soil and been detained at least twice in October. Men aged 23-…
Bosnia and Herzegovina workers: Czech work visa route stays open through 2028
The Czech government has extended its special work visa scheme for workers from Ukraine, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and North Macedonia…
Frequently asked questions about Moldova
What do I need to travel to Moldova?
How long must my passport be valid for Moldova?
Where is Moldova?
What is Moldova known for?
What is the capital of Moldova?
What language is spoken in Moldova?
What currency does Moldova use?
What is the calling code of Moldova?
Which countries border Moldova?
How strong is the Moldovan passport?
What is the speed limit in Moldova?
Is Moldova safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Moldova?
What plug type does Moldova use?
How many airports does Moldova have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.