Commissioner Malmström on visa-free travel for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova

Following the European Commission's proposal, tomorrow the decision to transfer the Republic of Moldova to the list of third countries whose nationals are exempt from visa requirement comes into effect. This means that, as from tomorrow, the visa obligation for citizens of the Republic of Moldova who hold a biometric passport and want to travel to the Schengen zone for a short-stay is abolished. 

Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström said: "I am extremely pleased that visa free travel has become a reality for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova with a biometric passport, who want to travel to the Schengen zone for short-stays.

We launched the Visa Dialogue with Chisinau in June 2010, and less than four years later travelling to the Schengen zone without a visa has become a reality for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. This decision will further facilitate people-to-people contacts and strengthen business, social and cultural ties between the European Union and Moldova. It also shows how efficient our relationship can be, and that closer relations with the European Union do bring tangible benefits to all. I have to pay tribute to the continuous efforts by the Moldovan authorities that demonstrate that with determination and hard work the necessary changes can be made that allow the EU to abolish the visa obligation".

• Background: from visa facilitations to visa-free regime for the Republic of Moldova

As a first step towards the long term goal of visa-free travel, citizens of the Republic of Moldova already enjoyed the benefits of a Visa Facilitation Agreement with the EU since 1 January 2008 (an upgraded Visa Facilitation Agreement entered into force on 1 July 2013). 

• The visa facilitation agreement set a lower visa fee (€35 instead of €60) for all Moldovan visa applicants, and waived fees for broad categories of citizens such as children, pensioners, students, people visiting family members living in the EU, people in need of medical treatment, economic operators working with EU companies, participants in cultural exchanges, journalists, etc. 

The visa facilitation agreement also simplified and accelerated procedures and provided for easier access to multiple-entry visas with longer term of validity.

The Republic of Moldova lifted the visa obligation for EU citizens on 1 January 2007........http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-137_en.htm?locale=en

27/4/14