Residence information excluded from new identity cards

The new identity cards issued to citizens of the Republic of Moldova will not contain information regarding the holder's residence or temporary residence, nor the patronymic information. The provisions are included in a bill voted today by the Parliament in the first reading, which aims to amend certain normative acts regarding the issuance of identity cards.

Thus, some holder's data will not be included in the document, but they will be accessible in the State Population Register through the platform (MConnect).

Excluding residence data will relieve holders of the obligation to replace documents each time they move.

Besides personal data, the identity card will also contain an electronic signature valid for 5 years, allowing access to data in electronic format.

The initiative also provides for the exemption from the state fee for the registration of newborns at their domicile and/or temporary residence upon their initial registration in the State Population Register. The same facility will benefit children under 14 years old who do not have an identity document when they are registered in the State Population Register after updating the data from their birth certificate.

The document also contains provisions for the exemption from the state fee for foreign or stateless children who entered the territory of the Republic of Moldova without being accompanied by an adult or were left on the territory of the Republic of Moldova without a legal guardian.

Additionally, the amendments also address the way national minority names will be inscribed in official documents. Thus, people belonging to national minorities will have the right to use their names in the accepted form of their mother tongue.

Citizens of the Republic of Moldova can request the issuance of new type identity cards starting April 2nd. The first million identity cards will be issued for free to those requesting the document for the first time, with a completion term of 20 working days.

Representatives of the Public Services Agency announced at the Parliament session that so far, about 50,000 people have requested identity cards.

After the one million free identity cards are exhausted, citizens will pay the amount of 290 lei for completing the document within 20 working days.

Citizens holding a valid identity bulletin are not required to obtain a new identity card. Identity bulletins remain valid until their expiration.