Citizens of the Republic of Moldova, holding biometric passports will be able to travel to and throughout the Schengen area without a visa, as a result of amendments to the regulation No 539/2001 which the Council approved today (14.3.2014). The visa free regime concerns stays of up to 90 days and should enter into force in early May 2014.

The visa liberalisation dialogue with Moldova was opened in June 2010 and a Visa Liberalisation Action Plan was established. The decision on visa free access to the Schengen area is based on the progress made by the country in implementing major reforms in areas such as the strengthening of the rule of law, combating organised crime, corruption and illegal migration and improving their administrative capacity in border control and security of documents.