Visa-free travel to Schengen Area: facility stays valid for Moldovan citizens, European Commission confirms

Moldovan citizens will continue to benefit from the visa-free regime for travel to Schengen Area countries after the European Commission adopted, on December 19, the eighth report on the EU Visa Suspension Mechanism. The European Commission's recommendations are aligned with Moldova's status as an EU candidate country, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE).

According to the Commission’s conclusions, Moldova has taken the necessary steps to implement the recommendations from the previous report. The document provides a detailed assessment of developments in aligning visa policies with EU standards, trends in illegal migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmissions, cooperation in migration, border management and readmission, as well as cooperation in the security sector.

The report also includes specific recommendations for each beneficiary of the visa-free regime, targeting countries in the EU neighborhood, the Eastern Caribbean, and Latin America.

In Moldova's case, the European Commission recommends the continued alignment of visa policies with the EU, especially regarding third countries presenting increased risks of illegal migration or security threats to the EU. Until full alignment is achieved, strengthening rigorous checks of third-country nationals exempted from visa requirements when entering Moldova is recommended, with a focus on those from high-risk countries.

At the same time, the European Commission calls for enhanced efforts to reduce the number of unfounded asylum applications submitted by Moldovan citizens in EU member states. Recommended measures include conducting information campaigns tailored to relevant migration profiles and introducing exit controls for better monitoring and discouragement of this phenomenon.

“The Foreign Affairs Ministry reaffirms its readiness to continue, together with relevant national authorities, cooperation with the European Union in implementing the recommendations outlined in the report,” reads the MAE’s release.

The European Commission's recommendations are aligned with Moldova's status as an EU candidate country, and the targeted areas are also monitored through the EU's annual enlargement packages for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025.

On April 28, 2014, as a result of a lengthy and complex process, the European Union abolished the short-stay visa requirement for Moldovan citizens holding biometric passports to travel to the EU and Schengen Area. Thus, Moldova became the first country of the Eastern Partnership to get a visa-free regime with the European Union.

According to the MAE, on this period, 2,668,615 Moldovan citizens have benefited from the visa liberalization regime, traveling to the EU 18,279,446 times. The total number of border crossings between Moldova and the EU was 36,290,266, with 18,279,446 exits and 18,010,820 entries.