New Intracompany Transfer Visa Available, Among Other Changes
April 17, 2019
At a Glance
- Moldovan authorities recently introduced a new long-term visa for intracompany transfers of managers, specialists and interns. Employers and foreign nationals should benefit from this new permit option for foreign nationals who remain under a home country contract, where none was available before.
- Additionally, Moldovan authorities expanded the scope of activities allowed under a short-term visa to establishing a new company, conducting commercial and independent activities, and reduced short-term visa fees from EUR 60 to EUR 40.
The situation
Moldovan authorities recently introduced a new long-term visa for intracompany transfers of managers, specialists and interns; and expanded the scope of activities allowed under a short-term visa.
A closer look
Moldovan authorities recently introduced the following key changes to the immigration process:
- New intracompany transfer visa. Moldovan authorities created a new long-term visa for intracompany transfers of managers, specialists and interns, where previously all long-term transfers required the foreign national to sign a local employment contract.
- Document requirements. Applicants must submit proof of the corporate relationship between the home employer and host company and an assignment letter detailing the conditions of the transfer, instead of a local employment agreement. Other long-term visa supporting document requirements also apply.
- Process and fees. The visa application process, including government processing times and government filing fees, is the same as under the existing long-term visa option.
- Expanded activities under short-term visa. Moldovan authorities expanded the scope of activities allowed under a short-term visa:
- Establishing a company. Foreign nationals can now establish a company in Moldova under a short-term visa, which was not previously possible. Establishing a company previously did not qualify for a long-term visa either, as a long-term visa required the foreign national to sign a local employment contract. As a result, establishing a company was previously only possible for visa-exempt nationals.
- Self-employment. Self-employment is now allowed under a short-term visa for nationals of states on a not-yet-released government list. Previously, only EU nationals could be self-employed in Moldova for up to six months per year.
- Short-term visa fees reduced. The authorities reduced the short-term visa fees from EUR 60 to EUR 40.
Impact
Employers and foreign nationals should benefit from additional long- and short-term transfer options to Moldova where none existed before. Overall, these changes make Moldova a more attractive destination for foreign talent.
Background
In November 2018, authorities proposed legislative amendments that would expedite processing of Temporary Residence Permit applications and significantly reduce document requirements for visa applications for citizens of 60 countries. This draft bill has not yet been implemented. The availability of the intracompany transferee visa is the next set of major changes in immigration legislation in Moldova.
Looking ahead
Fragomen expects that the previously-announced changes may be reviewed again once the new parliament is in session. Fragomen also expects the Moldovan authorities to continue reviewing the visa and immigration policy to draw more foreign talent in response to the needs of the local economy. Fragomen will report on relevant developments, including the list of nationals eligible for self-employment under a short-term visa.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected]
