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About the MCBI
Program

About the Program

Launched in the second half of 2018, the MCBI program was developed by the Government of the Republic of Moldova in partnership with its service provider Henley & Partners and the Moldovan Investment Company.

The MCBI program requires applicants to make a defined economic contribution to the country through the Public Sustainable Development Fund of Moldova (Public Investment Fund).  In exchange, and subject to a stringent vetting and due diligence process, including thorough background checks, applicants and their families are granted citizenship.

To qualify for citizenship, the main applicant must be over 18 years of age, meet the application requirements, and make the primary qualifying contribution:

A minimum non-refundable contribution to the Public Investment Fund:

  • EUR 100,000 for a single applicant
  • EUR 115,000 for a couple
  • EUR 145,000 for a family of four
  • EUR 155,000 for family of five or more

Post-approval government service provider fees of EUR 35,000 per application.

In addition, applicants are required to pay government fees of EUR 5,000 for the main applicant, EUR 2,500 for a spouse, EUR 1,000 for a child aged 0 to 15 years, EUR 2,500 for a dependent child aged 16 to 29 years, and EUR 5,000 for a dependent parent — of the main applicant or of the spouse — who is 55 years of age or older.

Due diligence fees are EUR 6,000 for the main applicant and EUR 5,000 for a spouse, dependent children older than 16 years, and/or dependent parents. Biometric passport fees amount to EUR 300 per individual.

It is imperative that main applicants and their dependents have a completely clear background, with no criminal record.

The MCBI program regulations further stipulate that a person who has been denied a visa to a country or territory with which Moldova has visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel arrangements and who has not subsequently obtained a visa to that jurisdiction shall not be accepted to the MCBI program.

Moldova has implemented a four-tier due diligence system, which is considered the most thorough in the world.

Moldova, a country of about 3 million inhabitants, offers its citizens visa-free access to 122 destinations, including the countries in Europe’s Schengen Area as well as Turkey and Russia. It is the first program of its kind to offer this unique combination of visa-free travel destinations.

Visa-free access to 122 destinations

Why the Republic of Moldova

The Government of the Republic of Moldova has a very clear task: to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

The government understands that to achieve this crucial objective, it needs to employ the most up-to-date developmental practices — especially when it comes to innovation, new technologies, and investment. Moldova is therefore undergoing a comprehensive process of modernization and reformation that will see it realizing its economic potential.

Against this backdrop, Moldova offers foreign companies and individuals an attractive climate in which to do business, as well as a host of facilities and a range of advantageous state programs. From the point of view of investment, one of the biggest and most exciting opportunities available within the country is, without doubt, the MCBI program.

The MCBI program provides successful applicants with an abundance of benefits, which include enhanced global mobility, expanded business opportunities, and greater lifestyle freedom.

The Republic of Moldova has a stable economy and a passport that offers diverse travel freedom. The country has established itself as a global leader in tech innovation.

Regional integration efforts

To capitalize on its strategic geographic position, the Government of the Republic of Moldova has over the past few years stepped up its regional integration efforts, promoting open economic policies. Its legal framework has been strengthened as a result, and several favourable laws governing the regulation of foreign trade, competition, industrial property rights, and so forth have been adopted.

Among the government’s most important achievements with respect to opening up the economy are:

  • The European Union–Moldova Association Agreement
  • The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement
  • Free Trade Agreement with Turkey
  • Membership in the Community of Independent States
  • Membership in the World Trade Organization
  • Membership in the Central European Free Trade Agreement
  • Free Trade Agreements with the People’s Republic of China (in progress)

Key benefits of Moldovan citizenship

World

Visa-free access to 122 destinations around the world, including Russia, Turkey, and the countries in Europe’s Schengen Area

Wine

Citizenship in a country that has a continental climate, a world-class wine industry, and picturesque, varied terrain, including forests and rocky hills

Passport

A reasonable contribution amount and a highly efficient application process

House

Full citizenship, with passport rights, for the applicant and included family members

People

Easy inclusion of dependent children up to 29 years of age and parents (of either the main applicant or the spouse) from 55 years of age in the application

Money

Citizenship transferable to future generations

Globe

Citizenship in a member state of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the World Trade Organization, and many more

ID

Citizenship in a state that has entered into an association agreement with the EU and is aiming to become a candidate country for EU membership

Taxation

Moldova has one of the most competitive tax systems in the region and has 48 operational tax treaties in place, which safeguard against double taxation with other jurisdictions.

Residents of Moldova who do not carry out entrepreneurial activity have to pay tax on income from sources located inside the country, as well as from sources located outside the country.

Real estate and wealth taxes are charged for residents of Moldova. Wealth tax is charged on taxpayer’s wealth in the form of residential real estate, including holiday cottages (except for land plots), if a) the total estimated value is EUR 1.5 million or more and b) the total area is 120 m2 or more. The wealth tax rate is 0.8% of the taxable base.

The standard VAT rate is 20%, while the reduced rate is 8%. The recent fiscal reform established a unique tax rate on the income of individuals and legal entities at the level of 12%.

Business

Business climate

Moldova ranks highly in leading international business-climate rankings.

  • Doing Business 2019: Ranked 47th out of 190 countries
  • Global Competitiveness Index 2017–2018: Ranked 89th out of 137 countries (an 11-position climb year-on-year, making Moldova “the most improved Eurasian economy started from a low base”)
  • Global Location Trends 2017: Ranked 6th in the world and named a top destination country by estimated jobs per million inhabitants (exceeding Ireland, the UAE, Hungary, Czech Republic, and others)
  • The editors of the Global Location Trends index named Moldova “the newest emerging investment destination”.

Business platforms

Free economic zones, offering:

  • A 50% decrease in national corporate income tax
  • Three (five)-year income tax exemptions if investing USD 1 (5) million
  • VAT and excise duties exemption
  • Ten-year state warranty for changes in legislation

Industrial parks, offering:

  • The ability to change the destination of agricultural land free of charge
  • The right to privatize state-owned land for construction at a normative price
  • Free allocation of public property assets for the creation of parks, at the owner’s discretion
  • A decrease of up to 70% in annual fees related to land or space leasing

Information technology parks, offering:

  • A 7% unique tax for the sales income charged by residents

Other useful information regarding doing business in Moldova is available via the Investment Agency of the Republic of Moldova. See ‘Useful links’ below.

Application

Application process

Through the MCBI program, successful candidates can gain Moldovan citizenship within a period of approximately 90 days, provided that the due diligence process can be completed without any hurdles. The key stages of the application process are outlined in detail below.

The Program Guidelines and Application Forms are available in the Agents section

Moldova House
1.

Submission of the specified government forms and the required personal documentation, including passport copies, birth certificates, and police certificates confirming that applicants have no criminal record

2.

Initiation of extensive due diligence processes

3.

Verification of all the information provided and the sources of all funds

4.

Announcement of the application decision

5.

Fulfilment of outstanding financial obligations and collection of biometric data at a consulate or embassy

6.

Issuance of the passport

Due diligence

The Moldova Citizenship-by-Investment program boasts a highly streamlined application process and applies the world’s strictest and most advanced due diligence and vetting system. Below is a detailed mapping of the client’s due diligence and approval journey.

Gain Moldovan citizenship within approximately 90 days
1.

Once the application pack has been finalized and all the necessary supporting documents furnished — including proof of payment of the initial fees (government fees, due diligence fees, and passport fees) — the application is submitted to the Secretariat of the Commission. The police certificate may be submitted, by agreement, at a later date.

2.

The pack is received by the Secretariat and checked for completion.
a) If complete, the pack is officially accepted
b) If incomplete, the pack is returned (and possibly payment too, depending on the policies and procedures of the Secretariat)

3.

Once accepted, a reference number is assigned, a letter of acknowledgement is issued, and the application review process commences.

4.

The four-tier due diligence process consists of:

Tier 1:

Public database searches (including sanctions databases)

Tier 2:

Public searches

Tier 3:

Background verification checks, conducted by contracted third-party specialist agencies

Tier 4:

Government checks conducted by the Centrul Național Anticorupție (National Anti-Corruption Centre), the Biroul Migrație și Azil (Bureau for Migration and Asylum), and the Security and Intelligence Service, among others.

5.

The culmination of the completion of the due diligence tiers is the presentation of a recommendation from the Secretariat to the Commission.

6.

The recommendation is considered by the Commission, and in the case of approval in principle, a letter is issued by the Secretariat, instructing the applicant to fulfill the financial obligations of the program by transferring the final balance (contribution and fees) of the required funds to the designated account.

7.

Upon demonstration of the fulfillment of the financial obligations, the application is transferred to the office of the President of the Republic of Moldova for the final granting of citizenship by decree.

8.

The applicant is invited to an approved venue (consulate, embassy, or equivalent) to provide the required biometric data and swear an oath of allegiance.

9.

The Secretariat coordinates the issuance and release of the citizenship documents, including the passport, and the application is deemed complete.

Contact Us

For more information on how you can obtain citizenship through the Moldova Citizenship-by-Investment program, please contact us.

Take the first step in powering your and Moldova’s shared progress today.