Living in Moldova as a French National: Entry, Residence Permit, Cost of Living and Safety

Moldova is an Eastern European country that is not a member of the European Union: neither the European health insurance card nor free movement applies there. Among the advantages of settling are visa-free entry for short stays, crime described as low by France Diplomatie and a compulsory medical insurance system open to foreign residents. The constraints lie in the absence of a social security agreement in force with France (an agreement signed on 10 March 2025 applies only once ratified) and in the special status of Transnistria, a region where France Diplomatie advises against travel except for compelling reasons.

The language of the administration is Romanian: France Diplomatie recalls, for example, that documents translated for procedures must be translated into Romanian. The currency is the Moldovan leu, in which the minimum wage, contributions and the medical insurance premium are expressed. Real-time economic indicators are in the block above.

A French national may stay without a visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. They present a national identity card or an individual passport valid six months from the date of entry; some airlines apply stricter rules. The Moldovan authorities do not recognise the five-year extension granted to certain French cards: a card whose end-of-validity date printed on the back has passed is not admitted. The date of entry must be provable at the border, overstaying or suspected overstaying without proof of entry exposing the person to expulsion, a fine and a three-year entry ban (France Diplomatie).

For a stay of more than 90 days, France Diplomatie recommends contacting the Moldovan embassy in Paris before departure. The French embassy in Chișinău (+373 22 200 400 during opening hours) receives French nationals, and the consular section in Bucharest answers absolute emergencies outside opening hours.

A foreigner wishing to settle for more than 90 days applies for the temporary right of residence from the General Inspectorate for Migration (IGM). The grounds provided include family reunification, work, studies, carrying out projects, humanitarian or religious activities, long-term treatment, investment and other cases. The application is filed in person at the IGM one-stop shop or its regional services, at least 30 days before the end of the legal stay; examination takes 30 days, reduced to 10 days for an additional fee. The permit issued also serves as an identity document for foreigners. The usual documents are the passport, a document on housing and a translated and apostilled criminal record. Foreigners who reside at least three years on a temporary basis (five years depending on the category) may apply for permanent residence (IGM, Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Permanent residence requires holding a residence permit (or the right to obtain citizenship by recognition), housing and no conviction in the last three years. Knowledge of Romanian, attested by a certificate or by a diploma from an institution teaching in Romanian, is in principle required, with an exception for recipients of an old-age pension (IGM). To work, the right of residence must expressly cover that purpose (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

A bill on the regime for foreigners is under examination by the Government: the rules may change, and the conditions should be confirmed with the IGM before any application. Residence permit holders who are not employees and whom the State does not cover pay the annual premium of the compulsory medical insurance (see the page healthcare system in Moldova).

The minimum wage is set at about 6,300 lei a month for 169 working hours (about 37 lei an hour), under a Government decision, and it is raised regularly. The ministry’s preparatory documents estimate the net minimum wage at about 5,000 lei. The forecast average monthly wage for the economy is of the order of 17,400 lei. Employees contribute 6% of gross salary for pensions and 4.5% for health insurance, the employer 24% and 4.5% (CLEISS, the French centre for European and international social security liaison). Details are in the page working in Moldova.

Housing must be justified in the residence permit file, by ownership or a right of use. Rent prices are not reproduced here for lack of an official publication read: a budget is built from the planned salary, the level of contributions and the medical insurance premium, then confirmed on the spot.

France Diplomatie indicates that crime is low, with thefts in Chișinău and in busy places (transport, bars, restaurants), and advises against leaving a drink or dish unattended or accepting one from a stranger. Road accidents are frequent because of reckless behaviour, the state of the roads and insufficient lighting. Moldova lies in a seismic zone. The general recommendations: avoid valuables and large sums of money, avoid travelling alone at night, use licensed taxis and stay away from demonstrations.

Transnistria is a separatist region outside the control of the Moldovan government: travel there is advised against except for compelling reasons, the checkpoints are held by Russian soldiers and by unrecognised border guards, photographing these points, military sites or strategic infrastructure is prohibited, and the French embassy in Chișinău cannot provide assistance there. All crossing points between Ukraine and Transnistria have been closed since 28 February 2022. The emergency number is 112 (police and ambulance).

France Diplomatie requires an assistance contract covering all medical costs (surgery, hospitalisation) and medical repatriation: without cover, access to care may be limited, even in a life-threatening emergency. Tap water does not meet European standards, and the vaccinations of the French schedule must be up to date, with boosters against hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis depending on the conditions of stay. Medical treatment is carried with the prescription and the necessary quantity, customs rules being strict.

For a lasting stay, CLEISS recommends first checking what the local system covers, then considering voluntary membership of the Caisse des Français de l’Étranger (CFE, the voluntary social protection body for French expatriates) or a private insurance contract. The guide CFE presents this option, and the page expat health insurance compares international contracts.

The annual premium of the compulsory medical insurance is a fixed sum, revised each year. Foreigners holding a temporary residence permit for family reunification, studies, humanitarian activities, volunteering or religious activities, if they are not employees, benefit from an 80% reduction if they pay before 31 March; after that date, the full rate applies. Insured status runs from payment, at the earliest 1 January, until 31 January of the following year; payment is made through the government service MPay, online, at the post office or at a bank, and information is provided by the Info-CNAM line (0 800 99999).

Families should ask the French embassy and the Moldovan authorities about schooling options, which this guide does not detail for lack of an official source consulted. Registration on the register of French nationals established outside France with the embassy is recommended on arrival. See also healthcare reimbursement in Moldova and retiring in Moldova.