1. ENTRY OF THE FOREIGNERS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF
MOLDOVA
The legal regime regulating the borders of the Republic of Moldova was established by Law
215/2011 on the state border of the Republic of Moldova, in force since 2012. The norm regulates
the methods of mapping the state borders; border area; state border guard; conditions for the
movement of persons, their means of transport, goods across borders, as well as the conditions for
carrying out economic and leisure activity in the border area.
Another normative act that regulates the entry, stay and departure from the territory of the Republic
of Moldova, including the provision and prolongation of the right of stay, their repatriation and
documentation is Law 200/2010 on the regime of foreigners in the Republic of Moldova. It also
provides for enforcement measures in case of non-compliance with the laws on residence and
specific measures for the registration and processing of personal data of foreigners, in accordance
with the obligations assumed by the Republic of Moldova through the international treaties to which
it is a party. For the purposes of that law, a foreigner is defined as a person who has no nationality
of the Republic of Moldova or is person without citizenship.
We must mention that foreigners in the Republic of Moldova enjoy the same rights and freedoms as
citizens of the Republic of Moldova, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova
and other normative acts, as well as international treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a
party.
According to Law 283/2011 on Border Police, GIBP is the administrative authority, subordinated to
the MIA, which exercises the powers and implements the State policy in the field of integrated state
border management, combating irregular migration and cross-border crime. According to the
competences assigned by Law 215/2011, GIBP carries out a range of measures for authorizing the
crossing of the state border of persons and means of transport. Persons entering or leaving the
Republic of Moldova may cross the state border only through crossing points during working hours.
The Border Police may allow exceptions to the obligation to cross the state border only through
crossing points:
on the base of international treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a party;
cases laid down in legislative acts;
in the event of recreational navigation;
in the event of seamen coming ashore in the area of the port where their vessels are
anchored or in adjacent localities;
for persons or groups of persons, if there is a special need and who are in possession of state
border crossing documents and there is no conflict of interest related to state security and
public order;
for persons and groups of persons, in exceptional circumstances.
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