Moldova (MD)
Moldova is Eastern Europe's hidden gem — an EU candidate country since June 2022 and one of the continent's most affordable destinations, with a thriving wine culture, warm hospitality and a rapidly modernising capital.
Leaving Moldova
How to properly exit — protecting your finances, rights and records.
📅 General Timeline
Recommended departure preparation timeline: 8 weeks before — give rental notice, notify employer, begin tax clearance; 6 weeks — cancel utility contracts, begin CNAS refund process (if applicable); 4 weeks — close or transfer bank accounts, ship personal belongings (allow 3–4 weeks for EU destinations via DHL/FedEx); 2 weeks — final SFS declaration, deregister at BMA, settle all outstanding payments; 1 week — vehicle deregistration if selling/exporting, final utility meter readings, return keys with signed handover protocol.
Deregistration
Deregister your residence at BMA (Biroul Migrație și Azil, Str. Vasile Alecsandri 42, Chișinău) by submitting a written notice of departure. Return your residence permit card if it is still valid. There is no penalty for early departure before permit expiry. BMA cancels your IDNP record as an active resident. EU citizens who registered their presence also deregister at BMA. Deregistration updates the address register and is required before requesting a CNAS contribution refund.
Tax clearance
File a final annual PIT (Personal Income Tax) declaration with SFS (Serviciul Fiscal de Stat) for the tax year in which you leave. Include all income earned in Moldova from January 1 to your departure date. PIT declarations for the previous year are due by 25 March. If you leave mid-year, file a departure-year declaration. Settle any outstanding tax, VAT or IT Park declarations via etaxe.sfs.md. Request a fiscal clearance certificate (certificat de absență a restanțelor fiscale) from SFS if needed for pension refund or property sale. Outstanding taxes create a travel ban.
Pension portability
If you have fewer than 15 years of CNAS contributions, you may request a lump-sum refund of your employee pension contributions (9% of salary). Apply at a CNAS territorial office after deregistering from BMA. CNAS processes refunds within 30–60 days. Note: the employer-side CNAS contributions (24%) are not refunded. If your home country has a totalization agreement with Moldova (Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Portugal, and others), your Moldovan contribution years count towards your home-country pension — in that case, do not request a refund; instead request a CNAS contribution certificate for use abroad.
Health insurance
CNAM (Compania Națională de Asigurări în Medicină) coverage ends on the last day of the period covered by your annual premium or payroll contributions. If you leave mid-year having paid the annual premium, the unused portion is not refunded. After deregistering from BMA, you are no longer eligible for CNAM-covered services. Obtain a summary health record (extras medical) from your medic de familie before leaving — useful for continuity of care in your next country.
Bank account
You may keep your Moldovan bank account active after leaving — MAIB, MIB and other banks allow non-resident accounts. Inform your bank of your change in residency status. If closing the account: withdraw or transfer remaining funds, notify the bank in writing, return all cards. SWIFT international transfers are straightforward for exiting funds. Wise and Revolut remain fully usable from abroad. Close any outstanding loans or credit facilities before leaving.
Utilities
Cancel or transfer utility contracts before leaving. For electricity (Premier Energy): submit a final meter reading and request contract termination in writing. Gas (Moldovagaz): same process at local Moldovagaz office. Water (Apă-Canal Chișinău): notify in writing with final reading. Internet/TV (Starnet, Orange, Moldtelecom): cancel online or in-store. Allow 2–4 weeks for processing. Failure to close utility accounts can result in ongoing bills, debt and collection actions even after departure.
Rental contract
Provide written notice to your landlord per the terms of your rental contract (standard 30-day written notice). Conduct a move-out inspection (proces-verbal de predare la ieșire) with the landlord, comparing conditions against the move-in protocol. Ensure the deposit return is agreed in writing before handing over the keys. If the deposit return is disputed and you are leaving imminently, consider court deposit protection — a Moldovan lawyer can file a claim on your behalf if you leave before resolution.
Leaving the Country
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