Romanian citizenship for Moldovans: simplified path to the EU in 2026

Why Moldovans have the right to Romanian citizenship

From 1918 to 1940, Bessarabia was part of Romania. In 1940, the USSR annexed the territory under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Residents living there before 1940 were Romanian citizens de jure. Romania recognized this historical fact and enshrined it in legislation: descendants of those people - in any generation - have the right to restore citizenship. Not to obtain new citizenship, but to restore what was lost. Important nuance: this applies not only to Moldova. The law applies to descendants of residents of Northern Bukovina (now Ukraine) and other territories that were part of Romania before 1940. But Moldovans are the largest category simply because all of present-day Moldova's territory is historically Bessarabian.

Conditions for obtaining Romanian citizenship

There is one main condition: prove that at least one ancestor lived on Romanian territory before 1940 and had Romanian citizenship or resided there permanently. Who falls under the law: - Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Romanian citizens before 1940 - Descendants of persons who were unlawfully deprived of citizenship during 1940–1989 - The applicant himself if there is documented connection with an ancestor Additional requirements for the applicant: - Not convicted of crimes against humanity or war crimes - Does not pose a threat to Romania's state security or public order - Has legal capacity The ancestor's age is irrelevant. Only one thing matters: documenting that a specific person lived on Romanian territory before 1940.

What documents are needed to submit an application

The document package is divided into two parts: the applicant's personal documents and documents on the ancestor. Applicant's documents: - Passport (Moldovan) - notarially certified copy - Birth certificate - Marriage certificate (if name was changed) - Certificate of no criminal record (from Moldova) - Application in the established form Ancestor's documents (chain up to the person before 1940): - Birth certificates for each intermediate generation - Documents confirming the ancestor's residence on Romanian territory All Moldovan documents are submitted with notarized translation into Romanian. Documents must be apostilled in Moldova. A separate question is where to obtain documents on the ancestor. The next section covers this.

Archives: where to find documents on ancestors

This is the most labor-intensive stage. Documents from before 1940 are scattered across several archives. National Archives of Moldova (ANRM, Chișinău): stores metric books of Orthodox parishes in Bessarabia, documents of the Romanian administration 1918–1940, revision records, and other historical records. This is the primary source for most Moldovans. Archives of district centers of Moldova: some metric books are stored at the district level rather than in the central archive. Archives of Romania: Archives of Romania's Interior Ministry (SIPA) and regional archives store some documents from the period of Greater Romania. It is worth contacting them if documents are not found in Moldovan archives. From my practice: documents are found in approximately 80% of cases if the ancestor definitely lived in Bessarabia. It is more difficult when the family moved, changed surnames, or when archive collections were destroyed during the war years.

Order of application submission: step by step

Step 1. Gather and translate documents. All documents are translated into Romanian by a certified translator. An apostille is affixed in Moldova to the originals. Step 2. Schedule an appointment with ANC. ANC is the National Citizenship Agency under Romania's Ministry of Justice. An application can be submitted in person in Bucharest or through the Romanian consulate in Chișinău (Mircea cel Bătrân Street, 25a). Step 3. Submit the application. At the appointment, the staff member verifies that all documents are complete. The application is registered and assigned a case number. Step 4. Await consideration. ANC reviews the documents and, if necessary, makes requests to archives. The majority of time is spent at this stage. Step 5. Oath. After a positive decision, the applicant takes an oath of allegiance to Romania. This can be taken in Bucharest or at the consulate in Chișinău. Step 6. Obtain documents. After the oath, a citizenship certificate is issued. With it, a Romanian passport and identity card are arranged.

Actual timelines: why 2-4 years and not 1

By law, ANC is obligated to consider an application within 1 year. In practice, this does not work. The reason is the volume of applications. ANC receives tens of thousands of applications per year, not only from Moldovans, but also from Ukrainians and Romanians from the diaspora. There are not enough staff members. Archive requests are processed over months. Average timelines in 2024-2026: - Appointment scheduling for initial consultation at the consulate in Chișinău: 3-6 months wait - Case review at ANC: 18-36 months after submission - Total from start to oath: 2-4 years There are cases where the procedure took 5 years. There is no official way to expedite the review - the law does not provide for paid priority. What actually speeds things up: a complete and properly assembled document package on the first try. If ANC requests additional documents, timelines increase by another 6-12 months.

Cost: what to pay and what is free

State fee for application review: 0 lei - the procedure is free. However, there are real expenses: Document preparation: - Notarized translation of each document: 300-600 MDL per page - Apostille: 200-300 MDL per document - Archive certificates: 50-300 MDL per request (depending on urgency) Trips to Bucharest (if submitting in person): - Transport + accommodation: $200-400 per trip - Usually 2 trips are needed: submission and oath Consular fee for passport (after citizenship is obtained): - Standard Romanian passport: 258 RON (~$60) - Expedited: 391 RON (~$90) Services of intermediaries (optional): - Legal support and document search: $500-2000 depending on complexity Total independently: $300-600 with minimal trips. With legal assistance: $1000-2500.

Dual citizenship: Moldova and Romania simultaneously

Moldova officially permits dual citizenship - this is enshrined in Moldova's Citizenship Law. You do not need to surrender your Moldovan passport when obtaining a Romanian one. Romania also permits its citizens to hold other nationalities. In practice, this means: after obtaining a Romanian passport, a person remains a citizen of Moldova with all rights and simultaneously becomes an EU citizen through Romania. Important for taxes: having two passports itself does not change tax status. Tax residency is determined by place of actual residence (the 183-day rule), not by passport. If a person continues to live in Moldova, they remain a tax resident of Moldova.

What a Romanian passport gives to a Moldovan citizen

Right to live and work in the EU without visas and permits. All 27 EU countries are open without additional procedures. Visa-free entry to 170+ countries worldwide - including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia. For comparison: a Moldovan passport provides visa-free entry to approximately 120 countries. Access to European education at EU citizen prices. Study at Romanian, German, French, Dutch universities without a surcharge for foreigners. Healthcare and EU social programs. When relocating to any EU country - access to the local healthcare system equal to citizens. For business: company registration in any EU country without additional permits. Opening bank accounts in European banks. Important to note: a Romanian passport by itself does not change tax status and does not automatically mean the right to benefits in other EU countries - these must be earned through actual residence and work.

How to check your chances before starting the procedure

The first step is to establish which of your ancestors lived in Bessarabia before 1940. For most Moldovans, these are grandfathers or great-grandfathers. A simple check using family documents: if the birth certificate of your grandfather or great-grandmother lists a birthplace in Moldova, there is a high probability they lived there during the Romanian period. Request to ANRM: The National Archives of Moldova accepts requests to search for pre-revolutionary and interwar period documents. It is worth making a request before starting the application process to understand what has been preserved. Checking by surname and locality: some metric books have been digitized. Family search resources (FamilySearch, Ancestry) contain digitized Romanian metrics from Bessarabia. What is a stop factor: if the family moved to Bessarabia from Russia after 1940, there is no right to Romanian citizenship through this line.

Typical mistakes that prolong the procedure

I regularly see the same mistakes that cost people an extra year of waiting. Incomplete document package. ANC requests missing papers by letter. While the applicant receives the letter, finds the documents, and sends them—6-12 months pass. Solution: have a specialist check your package in advance. Incorrect translation. The translator must be authorized in Romania or hold appropriate certification. Translation "from a neighbor" is not accepted by ANC. Missing apostille. All Moldovan documents must be apostilled. Many forget about intermediate birth certificates. Errors in the document chain. If your grandfather is listed in different documents with different name or surname variants (Romanized and Soviet)—additional certificates of identity are needed. Submitting without archival research. Some submit an application hoping ANC will find the ancestor itself. ANC does not search—you must provide the evidence yourself.

Children and spouses: how to include them in the procedure

Minor children of the applicant can obtain Romanian citizenship simultaneously with the parent. To do this, they are included in the parent's application and do not submit separate applications. If both parents submit applications independently—each includes the children in their own application. Children will receive citizenship together with the parent whose case is reviewed first. A spouse has no automatic right to Romanian citizenship through marriage to the applicant. If the spouse has no own Romanian roots, they cannot apply under this procedure. An alternative path for a spouse: obtaining Romanian residence permit and subsequent naturalization after 8 years of residency (or 5 years if married to a Romanian citizen). Adult children (from age 18) submit separate applications and go through the procedure independently.

Tax consequences for Moldovans with a Romanian passport

Obtaining Romanian citizenship in itself does not create tax obligations to Romania if a person continues to live in Moldova. Romania taxes only tax residents—those who spend more than 183 days per year on Romanian territory or have permanent accommodation there and a center of vital interests. If you obtained a Romanian passport but live in Moldova: - You are a tax resident of Moldova - You pay taxes in Moldova at Moldovan rates - No additional obligations to Romania If you move to Romania or another EU country: - You become a tax resident of the country of residence - Moldovan tax residency ceases (if residency change criteria are met) - You need to properly complete your exit from Moldovan tax residency For entrepreneurs: a Romanian passport opens the opportunity to register a company in Romania (corporate tax rate of 1-3% for micro-enterprises). But this requires real presence or appointment of a resident director.

Submission through the consulate in Chisinau: nuances

The Romanian Consulate in Chisinau is the main submission point for Moldovans. You do not need to travel to Bucharest. Address: Mircea cel Batran Street, 25a, Chisinau. Appointment booking: through the consulate's official website. Queues for booking are 3-6 months. I recommend monitoring available dates: sometimes cancelled slots open up. What happens at the appointment: the officer checks the documents for completeness, accepts the application, transfers the case to ANC in Bucharest. The review itself already takes place in Bucharest. Oath ceremony: also administered at the consulate in Chisinau. After the oath, a citizenship certificate is issued, and the passport is then processed with it. Passport: processed in Romania (you can visit any passport center) or through the consulate. Through the consulate it takes longer—about 2-3 months. In Romania—7-30 days.

Summary: who should apply right now

The procedure is suitable for those who: - Have a documentable ancestor who lived in Bessarabia before 1940 - Have time to spare: plan for 3-4 years - Have no convictions for serious crimes To be : if you expect to get a passport in 1 year—this is unrealistic under current conditions. But if you are looking at a 3-4 year horizon, this is one of the most affordable ways to obtain an EU passport. For Moldovans, this is essentially a restoration of historical justice enshrined in law. More than 600,000 people have already gone this route—this shows that the procedure works. First step today: ask older relatives about grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Find out the localities. Make a request to ANRM. This will take a month, but will give you an understanding: do you have grounds to apply?