Russian visitors to Moldova could need visas if EU standards require it

Moldova is not ruling out the introduction of a visa requirement for Russian citizens — and travellers from other countries — if that is needed to bring its visa policy into line with European Union standards. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan raised the possibility as his country pushes forward with its EU membership bid.

Key facts

• Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said a visa requirement for Russian citizens is possible if EU standards require it.
• The move is linked to Moldova's EU course and the need to align national legislation with EU requirements.
• The European Commission published its annual enlargement report on 4 November 2026.
• The Commission said Moldova could finish accession talks on the 25 negotiating chapters by 2027.
• Montenegro introduced visas for Russian citizens on 1 November 2026 to align with EU rules.

What is changing?

Nothing has changed yet. Tofan did not announce a decision to impose visas, but confirmed the government may consider such a step. He said he was not ready to specify the exact circumstances, and added that if EU standards require it, the government would have to take decisions that support the country's economic progress.

No start date, application procedure, visa fees or exemptions have been announced.

Why is this happening?

The Prime Minister tied the possible change to Moldova's European course and the need to bring national legislation into line with EU requirements. On 4 November the European Commission published its annual report on EU enlargement, which assessed the progress of candidate countries.

Officials in Brussels described Moldova's goal of joining the European Union by early 2028 as ambitious but achievable, provided the current pace of reforms continues. The Commission also believes Moldova could complete negotiations on the 25 chapters of the accession process by 2027.

President Maia Sandu welcomed the Commission's conclusions, saying in an interview with TV8 that the report confirms the country's steady progress towards European integration.

Who else has done this?

Montenegro introduced a visa requirement for Russian citizens on 1 November 2026 as part of the full alignment of its visa policy with EU rules. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently announced a visa requirement for Montenegrin citizens.

What this means for travellers

For now, the situation for Russian citizens travelling to Moldova has not changed, and no decision has been published. Travellers planning trips to Moldova should watch for any official announcement on visa policy as the country's EU accession process moves forward.