Identity papers to be replaced by identity cards in Moldova

Chisinau, 13 March /MOLDPRES/ - The identity papers will be replaced by identity cards, which meet the European security standards. Also, the foreign citizens will receive residence cards, which will replace the permits of stay and the identity papers issued to foreign citizens. The parliamentary commission for national security, defence and public order today approved a draft law to this effect.   

The draft law was worked out by the Public Services Agency (ASP), in order to adjust the national legislation to the rigours of the European Union’s acquis, as well as to continue the process of digitalization of the public services.  

The identity card will be compulsory for all Moldova’s citizens beginning with the age of 14 years. It will be able to be used also to travel based on international agreements. Presently, the Moldovan citizens can travel based on the identity paper to Turkey and Ukraine.    

Both the identity card and the temporary identity card, as well as the residence card will be written in the Romanian and English languages. The information on the holder’s temporary residence will not be contained in these documents. This data will be available on the MConnect governmental platform. Thus, the holders will no longer be obliged to change the identity papers when they change their place of residence.  

The identity cards and the residence cards contain data in printed format written through special techniques, data in electronic format, as well as elements of customization and safety. They will be issued with different validity terms: four years, for people with ages between 0 and 7 years; seven years, for people with ages between 7 and 14 years; ten years, for people with ages between 14 and 70 years and for indefinite period for people older than 70 years.   

The environment of electronic stocking of data will be included in the identity and residence cards. It will contain both the data from the printed format and the biometric data (facial image, fingerprints), as well as the means of the qualified electronic signature and the public key certificates. Due to this fact, the holders of the documents will have easier access to the e-governance and e-business services.  

Following the adoption, the legislative amendments will enter into force not later than 31 March 2025.