FAQ sul confine con Молдова

Cost and travel time to Chisinau:

Option 1: Taxi / Ridesharing

• Cost: 400–800 MDL (~$24–48 USD)
• Time: 2–2.5 hours depending on crossing point

Option 2: Minibus

• Cost: 100–200 MDL (~$6–12 USD)
• Time: 2.5–3 hours with stops
• Where: At the bus station near the crossing point

Option 3: Bus

• Cost: 100–150 MDL (~$6–9 USD)
• Time: 3–4 hours
• Companies: Autobuz Moldova, Ecolines, Flixbus

Speed limits in Moldova:

Fines:

• Minimum — 50 MDL (~$3 USD) for minor speeding
• Substantial — up to 500 MDL+ (~$30 USD) for serious speeding

Important rules:

• 🚗 Seat belts — mandatory
• 🚘 Headlights on 24/7 while driving
• 🚨 Hazard lights in case of breakdown
• 📱 Phone — prohibited while driving
• 🛑 Pedestrians — have priority

❌ NO. Avoid crossing through the Transnistria region (between Ukraine and Moldova).

⚠️ REASONS: • Unrecognized territory with undefined status • Presence of Russian troops • Possible security issues • Unpredictable border procedures • Limited consular assistance

✅ RECOMMENDED SAFE ROUTES:

🔹 NORTHERN ROUTE: • Otaci (MD) - Mohyliv-Podilskyi (UA) • Stable, reliable crossing • Well-equipped border crossing

🔹 SOUTHERN ROUTE: • Palanca (MD) - Mayaki-Udobne (UA) • Less congestion • Faster processing

💡 Both routes are safe, officially recognized, and have proper infrastructure. Plan your trip through these border crossings.

To purchase a vignette for traveling on Moldova's roads:

• Go to the official Moldova e-vignette website: https://evinieta.gov.md/
• Follow the instructions on the website to select the vignette duration
• Fill in the required information, including the vehicle registration number in Latin characters and contact details
• ⚠️ IMPORTANT: Online payments for the vignette must be made outside the interval from 23:45 to 00:01 to avoid payment blocking
• After successful payment, you will receive confirmation of the vignette purchase, which will be valid for your selected period

If you have any questions or problems, you can contact the State Road Administration of Moldova using the contact details provided on the website.

Routes to Kuchurgan:

Option 1: Passenger car

• Distance: ~100 km from Odesa
• Travel time: 1.5–2 hours
• Cost: 200–400 UAH fuel

Option 2: Public transport

• Minibus / Bus: 80–150 UAH
• Time: 2–3 hours depending on route
• Where: From Odesa central bus station

Option 3: Taxi

• Cost: 500–1000 UAH depending on class
• Time: 1.5 hours

Average waiting time (December 2025):

Factors that affect:

• ⛅ Weather: frost and snow slow down the process
• 📅 Day of week: weekends take longer
• 🚗 Transport type: trucks take longer (X-ray, documents)
• 🔍 Inspections: customs inspections can add 30–120 min

Important: The UA-MD border is usually 'cleaner' than UA-PL, so waiting is shorter.

Optimal days and times:

Day of week:

• 🟢 Best: Monday–Wednesday (low traffic)
• 🟡 Medium: Thursday–Friday
• 🔴 Avoid: Saturday–Sunday, holidays

Time of day:

• 🟢 Best: 10:00–16:00 (daytime activity, stable flow)
• 🟡 Acceptable: 7:00–9:00 (morning)
• 🔴 Avoid: 18:00–22:00 (evening, workers returning)

Border crossing points on UA-MD border:

• Kuchurgan-Pervomaysk — fewest tourists, shortest queues (15–45 min)
• Palanka-Maiaki-Udobne — medium queues (30–90 min)

Practical tips:

• 📊 Check live queues 1–2 hours before departure
• 🚗 Fill up before the border
• 🗂️ Prepare documents (passport, Green Card, vignette, technical certificate)
• ⏰ Allow extra time — minimum 30%

Short answer: Yes, if the car is registered to another person.

If the car is registered to a Ukrainian:

• 📄 You need a notarized power of attorney
• Notary cost: ~200–400 UAH
• Alternative: registration document in the driver's name

If the car is registered to a company:

• 📄 You need a power of attorney certified by company order with director's stamp and signature

If the car is foreign (European registration):

• 📄 Letter from owner (in their language or English) + notarized translation
• Usually a letter in English is sufficient

Vignette — electronic sticker / road use permit in Moldova.

Mandatory:

• ✅ Mandatory for all foreign vehicles (including Ukrainian)
• ✅ Required for those planning to drive on country roads
• ❌ Not required if only going locally (mini-trip without major roads)

Vignette options:

• 7 days: 100 MDL (~$6 USD)
• 30 days: 200 MDL (~$12 USD)
• 365 days: 450 MDL (~$27 USD)

Where to buy:

• At the border: At crossing points
• Online: At https://www.viniete.md
• At gas stations: In Moldova at most gas stations

Important: The vignette is issued for a specific license plate. Keep proof of purchase.

Yes, Ukrainian citizens can cross the Moldova border with a biometric passport without a visa.

Visa-free conditions:

• Stay period: maximum 90 days within any 180 days
• Purpose: tourism, short meeting, business trip, short work
• Passport validity: at least 3 months after entry date and issued no more than 10 years ago
• Clean record: no marks about non-compliance with previous stay conditions

Important: Unlike Schengen, Moldova does not have mandatory registration through EES or ETIAS. Registration is done in the usual way when passing border control.

For children:

• Children must have their own biometric passports
• If the child is traveling without parents, notarized parental consent is required

The Green Card is a mandatory international insurance policy for civil liability when entering Moldova by car.

When needed:

• When crossing the border in your own or rented car
• Without Green Card, entry is prohibited, fine: 200–2000 EUR

How to get:

• In Ukraine: Contact an insurance company
• Online: Can be ordered through insurers' websites
• Issue time: usually 1–2 hours, online — same day
• Validity: From the date of issue
• Cost: depends on vehicle type and period (70–500 UAH for 15–30 days)

To cross the Ukraine-Moldova border you need:

Basic documents:

• Biometric passport (valid at least 3 months after entry, issued no more than 10 years ago)
• Visa-free entry — Ukrainian citizens have the right to visa-free entry to Moldova for up to 90 days within 180 days

Additional documents:

• Proof of purpose of travel (if needed) — invitation, hotel booking, travel voucher
• Proof of financial means — cash, bank statement (recommended ~45 USD per day)
• Health insurance (recommended, but not mandatory)
• Residence registration — in some cases, confirmation of place of residence will be required

For drivers additionally:

• Vehicle registration certificate and technical passport
• Driver's license (recognized in Moldova)
• International insurance (Green Card) — mandatory for car entry
• Technical certificate — new mandatory document from 2025
• Vignette — electronic road access for Moldova
• First aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, reflective vests

Important for 2025: All vehicles must have a valid technical certificate. Without it, entry to Moldova may be denied.

Technical certificate — new mandatory document for all vehicles crossing the Moldova border from 2025.

What is checked:

• Braking system (efficiency of main and hand brake)
• Steering system (mechanism functionality)
• Lighting devices (headlights, signaling, lanterns)
• Tire and chassis condition (safety compliance)
• Exhaust emissions (environmental standards compliance)

How to get a technical certificate:

• In Ukraine: Contact an accredited laboratory
• Documents: Passport, vehicle registration certificate, notarized power of attorney
• Issue period: Usually 1–2 days
• Validity: 1 year
• Cost: 500–1500 UAH depending on type and location of inspection

Important: Without a technical certificate, entry to Moldova by car will be prohibited by border guards.

Allowed to export (up to certain limits):

• ✅ Personal belongings (clothing, tourist goods)
• ✅ Alcohol: up to 1 l of spirits per person
• ✅ Tobacco products: up to 200 cigarettes per person
• ✅ Food products: limited (non-perishable animal products)
• ✅ Cash: up to 10,000 EUR without declaration (above — declaration required)

Prohibited to export:

• ❌ Precious stones without certificates
• ❌ Works of art and antiques without permission
• ❌ Meat and dairy products (live animals)
• ❌ Plants and seeds without certificate
• ❌ Products from wild animal skins

In short:

• ⚠️ Special DPSU permit required to leave Ukraine
• ✅ Exceptions: foreigners, refugees, people with disabilities, parents with 3+ children, etc.
• ⚠️ Without permit — exit prohibited

Categories who can leave:

• Foreign citizens
• Persons with official refugee status
• People with disabilities (group 1-2)
• Parents with 3+ minor children
• Single parents
• Persons accompanying sick relatives

Contact DPSU: https://dpsu.gov.ua

Official requirements (recommendation):

• Minimum per day: 30–45 USD (~1000–1600 UAH) per person
• Per week: 210–315 USD (~7500–11200 UAH)
• Per month: 900–1350 USD (~32000–48000 UAH)

Moldova asks about money less often than Schengen, but better to have documents:

• Cash
• Bank card with balance
• Bank statement
• ATM receipt

Practically: For a short trip (up to 7 days), 100–200 USD is sufficient.

Short answer: At some points, but rarely.

Points with pedestrian crossings:

• Kuchurgan-Pervomaysk — ✅ Allowed (there are pedestrian lanes)
• Palanka-Maiaki-Udobne — ❌ Cars and buses only

Documents for pedestrians:

• Biometric passport
• Proof of purpose (invitation, hotel booking)
• Proof of funds (cash or card)
• Insurance not required for pedestrians

Waiting time: 10–45 minutes (usually faster than by car)

⚠️ IMPORTANT WARNING: UK FCO and US recommend avoiding travel to Transnistria.

In short:

• Transnistria — de facto region of Moldova not controlled by the government in Chisinau
• International status: Not recognized by any UN country
• How to get there: Only through Moldova (no direct access from Ukraine)

Documents for entry to Transnistria:

• ✅ Passport (biometric or regular)
• ✅ Moldovan visa (if you already have one) or visa-free regime
• ❌ Transnistria stamps are NOT put in the passport
• ✅ Immigration card (issued at the border, required for exit)

IMPORTANT:

• 📸 Photographing troops and facilities is prohibited — may lead to detention
• 🚗 Green Card for Moldova is not valid in Transnistria — need separate
• 🛑 FCDO (UK) recommends avoiding travel there due to security risks
• ☠️ Russian military are present, there may be checkpoints

Recommendation: Stay in Moldova, which is safe and open to tourists.

To purchase a vignette for driving on Moldova's roads, you need to visit the official Moldova e-vignette website at https://evinieta.gov.md/. Then, follow the instructions on the website to select the duration of the vignette and fill in the required information, including the vehicle registration number in Latin characters and contact details. It's important to remember that online payments for the vignette should not be made between 23:45 and 00:01 to avoid payment blocking. After successful payment, you'll receive confirmation of your vignette purchase, which will be valid for the selected period. If you have any questions or encounter difficulties, you can contact the State Road Administration of Moldova using the contact details provided on the website.

Required documents for pet transport:

• ✅ Veterinary passport (Pet Passport)
• ✅ Microchip (ISO 11784/11785)
• ✅ Rabies vaccination (at least 21 days before travel)
• ✅ Veterinary certificate (inspection 10 days before)
• ✅ Health declaration (in some cases)

Approximate cost: 450–900 UAH total

State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (DPSU):

• Website: https://dpsu.gov.ua
• Hotline: +38 (440) 2000 (9:00–18:00, Mon–Fri)
• Emergency: 112
• Telegram: @official_dpsu

State Border Control Service of Moldova:

• Website: https://www.border.gov.md
• Phone: +373 (22) 225577
• English: https://www.border.gov.md/en/

Consulate of Ukraine in Moldova:

• Address: Chisinau
• Website: https://moldova.mfa.gov.ua/
• MFA Hotline: +38 (044) 2369102

Nakordoni service for live queues:

• Live queues: /en/stat/1/6 — updates every 15 minutes

Data accuracy for UA-MD border:

Nakordoni service receives data from:

• ✅ DPSU — official source
• ✅ State Border Control Service of Moldova — official source

Reliability:

• 🟢 95%+ — during quiet times
• 🟡 70–85% — during peak times (dynamics change quickly)
• 🔴 May lag by 10–15 minutes during extreme loads

Practical recommendation: Check data 1–2 hours before departure. At the UA-MD border, waiting is usually shorter than at UA-PL.

🆕 Yes, since 2025, a valid technical inspection certificate is mandatory for entering Moldova by car.

📋 What is checked: • Brakes • Steering • Lights • Tires • Emissions

⏰ Validity: 1 year

⚠️ Without the certificate, Moldovan authorities may refuse entry

We recommend getting a technical inspection in Ukraine before traveling.