Issuance of the identity card

The first one million persons who are citizens of the Republic of Moldova and who apply for the issuance of their first identity card within the maximum period established for the provision of the respective service, including persons benefiting from exemptions when receiving the identity card issuance service, as provided for in point 2 of Annex No. 3 to Government Decision No. 966/2020 on the services provided by the Public Services Agency, are exempt from paying the fee for the issuance of the identity card established in Annex No. 2 to Government Decision No. 966/2020 on the services provided by the Public Services Agency.

Currently, citizens of the Republic of Moldova may travel to Ukraine and Türkiye using their domestic identity document, in accordance with the agreements concluded for this purpose.

Although the new identity cards, introduced into circulation as of 31 March 2025, comply with the requirements of minimum security standards and incorporate biometric data, they cannot be used for international travel until bilateral or multilateral agreements to this effect are concluded with other states.

If the qualified electronic signature (eCA) stored on the electronic identity card has expired or can no longer be used, the document remains valid for identification until the expiry date indicated on the document. The Public Services Agency no longer provides the renewal of the electronic signature for the electronic identity card.

To continue using a qualified electronic signature, the applicant may submit an application for an identity card (eID), which includes a valid qualified electronic signature certificate. The issuance of the first one million identity cards is free of charge.

The devices must ensure operation in accordance with the specified parameters:

Card format

• ID1 (85.60 × 53.98 mm) is the standard size of plastic cards.
• Compatible with chip and NFC cards for storing cryptographic data and performing signatures.

Interface type

•  Contact (ISO 7816)
• Contactless (ISO 14443 A/B, NFC)

The card reader is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems.
It does not require additional driver or software installation (Plug & Play).
 

The first one million individuals who are citizens of the Republic of Moldova and obtain their first qualified electronic signature certificate, which is stored on the identity card, including those who benefit from reduced fees for public key certification services, will receive a smart card reader free of charge, provided by PSA.

The first one million persons who are citizens of the Republic of Moldova and obtain their first qualified electronic signature certificate, which is stored on the identity card, including beneficiaries of benefits for public key certification services, will receive a smart card reader free of charge.

The Public Services Agency does not issue a replacement card reader in the event of its loss, theft or damage.

In such cases, the person may independently purchase a card reader from any provider in the field, provided that the device meets the specified technical requirements:

Card format

• ID1 (85.60 × 53.98 mm) is the standard size of plastic cards.
• Compatible with chip and NFC cards for storing cryptographic data and performing signatures.

Interface type

• Contact (ISO 7816)
• Contactless (ISO 14443 A/B, NFC)

The card reader is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems.
 

According to the provisions of Article 5(2) of Law No. 273/1994 on identity documents within the national passport system, a person may not simultaneously hold more than one valid identity document of the same type, except for a passport of a citizen of the Republic of Moldova.

The qualified electronic signature certificate is incorporated into the identity card of a person with full legal capacity.

The qualified electronic signature certificate is not incorporated into the identity card issued to the following categories of persons:

• a child;

• a person subject to a judicial protection measure in the form of guardianship;

• a person admitted to a medical institution and in a serious condition (unconscious, in a coma);

• a represented person:

a) a person with a mental illness or physical, mental or psychological impairments, receiving care in a treatment institution or social institution, for whom no protection measure in any form has been established;
b) an immobile person, a person undergoing compulsory treatment, or a person in pre-trial detention.

According to the provisions of Article 4 para. (13) of Law No. 273/1994 on identity documents within the national passport system, the submission of an application by other persons is permitted in the following special situations:

a) in the case of a child, including a child deprived of parental care or a child temporarily deprived of parental care who is placed under guardianship/custody, the child's legal representative (one of the parents, guardian or custodian) acts as the applicant, with the mandatory presence of the child. The term “child” does not include persons who, under Article 26 para. (2) and (3) of Civil Code No. 1107/2002, have acquired full legal capacity before reaching the age of 18;

b) in the case of a child whose parents are minors or whose sole parent is a minor, the legal representative of the minor parents/the minor sole parent acts as the applicant;

c) in the case of a child separated from their parents, including a child placed in a family-type placement service, except for guardianship/custody, or in a residential placement service, the application is submitted by the territorial guardianship authority within whose territorial jurisdiction the child is located or placed, with the mandatory presence of the child;

d) in the case of a person subject to a judicial protection measure in the form of guardianship, their legal representative (guardian) acts as the applicant, with the mandatory presence of the represented person;

e) in the case of an immobile person, a person undergoing compulsory treatment, a person in pre-trial detention or detention, the application for the issuance of an identity card may be submitted through a representative authorized by a power of attorney certified by a notary or by other persons legally empowered to perform such functions, or through a representation authorization based on an electronic signature, recorded in the Register of Representation Authorizations Based on Electronic Signature;

f) in the case of an immobile person for whom fingerprinting is not mandatory or is impossible, the application for the issuance of an identity card may be submitted through a representative authorized by a power of attorney certified by a notary or by other persons legally empowered to perform such functions, or through a representation authorization based on an electronic signature, recorded in the Register of Representation Authorizations Based on Electronic Signature;

g) in the case of a person admitted to a medical institution who is in a serious condition (unconscious, in a coma), the application is submitted by a person acting in their interest (a family member or relative), and in the absence of such a person, the identity document is issued following a request from the respective medical institution or the local public administration authority, if the hospitalized person receives social assistance;

h) in the case of a person with mental illnesses or physical, mental or psychological impairments who is receiving care in a treatment institution or social institution and for whom no protection measure in any form has been established, the identity document is issued following a request from the respective institution.