More and more residents of Transnistrian region applying for Moldovan passport; expert says one of main stakes access to EU

For many residents on the left bank of the Dniester, the passport of the Republic of Moldova is a practical tool that ensures access to the European Union. This is because documents issued by the Tiraspol administration have no external utility, while people need internationally recognized documents for free movement. This conclusion belongs to a Romanian political analyst, Mihai Isac, who analyzed data published by the Public Services Agency, showing an increase in the number of citizens benefiting from the passport of Moldova.

The expert stressed that the biometric passport issued by Moldova provides visa-free travel for short stays in the Schengen Area, which facilitates visits, studies, business contacts and ties with the Diaspora.

“For residents on the left bank of the Dniester, one of the main stakes of the Moldovan passport is access to the EU. In recent years, the workforce has been moving toward EU member states, such as Italy, Germany, Romania, etc. The region’s economic orientation has switched increasingly toward the European area, including the fact that a large share of remittances and trade is linked to the eurozone,” said Mihai Isac.

He noted that, according to official statistics, “there are more passports than ID cards for the region in the records of the constitutional authorities.”

“This is easily explained. The passport is the ‘key’ to the EU and to external mobility, while the ID card is mainly used in internal relations with institutions on the right bank. Moldovan documents also open economic and administrative doors, such as contracts, bank accounts, property registration, access to public services and interaction with state institutions, including easier access to services on the right bank. For a significant number of citizens, social benefits also matter, such as pensions, allowances and medical services, where they meet the conditions. In addition, in an unstable regional context, the Moldovan passport functions as an ‘insurance policy’ against isolation. It is also worth mentioning that part of the increase in registrations is due to administrative measures, such as the ex officio registration in the State Population Register of children without identity documents,” added Mihai Isac.

According to data provided by the Public Services Agency (ASP), on 31 December 2025, the State Population Register included 364,885 residents domiciled in localities on the left bank of the Dniester and in the municipality of Bender, of whom 356,833 are citizens of Moldova.

As many as 298,851people of the total number of registered persons hold internal identity documents and 337,516 hold a passport of the citizen of Moldova. At the same time, the State Population Register contains records for 8,052 foreign nationals, including holders of permanent and temporary residence permits, stateless persons, refugees, beneficiaries of humanitarian protection, as well as persons registered after entering Moldova via the Transnistrian region, crossing the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border.

An increase in the number of registered persons is due, among other factors, to the application of provisions under which ASP ensured the initial ex officio registration in the State Population Register of children who did not hold identity documents, at the domicile or temporary residence address of their mothers.

“The process of documenting residents from the left bank of the Dniester shows the constant commitment of Moldova’s authorities to facilitate their reintegration into the national legal framework by ensuring access to public services and guaranteeing fundamental rights. At the same time, citizens of Moldova benefit from the advantages of the country’s status as a candidate for accession to the European Union, including free movement within the EU and access to multiple economic, educational and social opportunities,” the Bureau for Reintegration Policies said.

According to the Henley Passport Index 2025, the passport of Moldova ranks 44th out of 227 countries, giving holders the possibility to travel visa-free or with a visa on arrival to approximately 120 destinations. Residents of settlements on the left bank of the Dniester and the municipality of Bender also benefit from this advantage.