Tajikistan passport holders not in Moldova's planned visa change for Russia, Belarus

Moldova could require visas from citizens of Russia and Belarus as part of its efforts to align its entry rules with European Union standards, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan has said. He gave no date for any change, and travellers from both countries can still enter Moldova visa-free for short-term stays.

Key facts

• Who is affected: citizens of Russia and Belarus, who currently enter Moldova visa-free for short-term stays
• What is proposed: introducing visa requirements to align Moldova's visa policy with EU standards
• Start date: none announced — the prime minister declined to give one
• Why: aligning visa policy is a commitment of Moldova's EU accession process
• Wider group: the European Commission identified 11 countries whose citizens travel to Moldova visa-free but generally need a visa for the Schengen Area

What is being considered?

Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said Moldova must take the steps needed to advance its EU accession process. Speaking on November 5 on TV8, he said he was "not prepared to give a date" but that the country must make the decisions required to move forward if EU standards demand it.

No draft law, timeline or details of the proposed visa rules have been announced.

Who else could be affected?

The European Commission's report, presented on November 4, states that Moldova has not yet fully aligned its visa policy with the EU's. It identifies 11 countries whose citizens can travel to Moldova without a visa even though they are generally required to obtain one to enter the Schengen Area: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu.

Visa requirements for short-term travel to the Schengen Area are set by EU Regulation 2018/1806, which lists the countries whose citizens need a visa and those exempt from it.

Why is this happening?

Aligning its visa policy with EU standards is one of the commitments Moldova accepted as part of its accession process, meaning the authorities in Chișinău must gradually bring entry requirements for non-EU citizens into line with those applied across the European Union.

Moldova has already moved in this direction: in December 2025 the authorities adopted legislation denouncing the CIS agreement on visa-free travel, which the European Commission regards as a preparatory step towards harmonising the country's visa policy with the EU's. Brussels has also recommended stronger border controls, particularly for arrivals from countries seen as posing a higher risk of irregular migration or security threats.

What have other countries done?

Montenegro, an EU candidate country, introduced visa requirements for citizens of several countries, including Russia, Belarus and China, on November 1, 2026, subject to certain exceptions, as part of its own alignment with EU standards.

As for Russia, the EU tightened visa procedures in September 2022 after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Council of the EU fully suspended the visa facilitation agreement with Russia, with the measure taking effect on September 12, 2022, making visas harder, more expensive and slower to obtain for Russian citizens.

What this means for travellers

Citizens of Russia and Belarus can currently still enter Moldova without a visa for short-term stays, and no change has been confirmed or dated. Travellers from the 11 countries listed in the European Commission report should check Moldova's entry requirements before booking, since the authorities have said they intend to align those rules with EU standards.

No timeline for a decision has been announced. The prime minister said the government would act if EU standards require it.