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Intercountry Adoption

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Country Information

Moldova

Moldova
Moldova
Exercise increased caution while traveling to Moldova due to unresolved conflict between the breakaway region of Transnistria and the central government. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. 

Exercise increased caution while traveling to Moldova due to unresolved conflict between the breakaway region of Transnistria and the central government. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Reconsider Travel To:

The Transnistria breakaway region due to the unresolved conflict with the central government and the armed conflict in neighboring Ukraine.

Country Summary:   Approximately 100,000 refugees are residing in Moldova as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, but there has been no military spillover into Moldova from the conflict. As of December 2023, the Moldovan government has ended its State of Emergency. The Chisinau airport is operating normally although there are no flights available to or from Belarus, Russia or Ukraine. 

Read the Moldova country information page for additional information on travel.

If you decide to travel to Moldova:

Transnistria – Level 3: Reconsider Travel

Transnistria is a breakaway region that is not under the control of the Moldovan government in Chisinau. Visitors are required to present identification to cross the administrative boundary of the Transnistria region; those without a Moldovan government-issued identification document may be requested to present a passport. Visitors may also be required to present identification and/or a passport at additional checkpoints manned by uniformed peacekeepers along roads leading into and out of the region. Ukraine has closed its border crossing points into the Transnistrian region. Taking photographs of military facilities and security forces is prohibited and may result in trouble with authorities.

 

The U.S. government’s ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens traveling in Transnistria maybe be limited or delayed since Transnistria’s de facto authorities control access to the region.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

... [READ MORE]

Hague Convention Participation

Hague Adoption Convention Country?
Yes
Are Intercountry Adoptions between this country and the United States possible?
Intercountry adoptions to the United States from Moldova and from the United States to Moldova are possible.

Hague Convention Information

Moldova is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention).  Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Hague Adoption Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); and the IAA’s implementing regulations; as well as the implementing legislation and regulations of Moldova.

U.S. Immigration Requirements

To bring an adopted child to the United States from Moldova, you must meet certain suitability and eligibility requirements. USCIS determines who is suitable and eligible to adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States under U.S. immigration law.

Additionally, a child must meet the definition of a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States with an IH-3 or IH-4 immigrant visa.

Who Can Adopt

In addition to being found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS, prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt a child from Moldova must meet the following requirements imposed by Moldova:

  • Minimum Residency:  None.
  • Age of Adopting Parents:  Adoption is permitted only by persons who exercise full legal capacity, are at least  25 years old, and are at least 18 years older that the person they want to adopt, but not older than 48 years old. If a couple is adopting in Moldova, only one member of the couple must be at least 25 years old in order to be eligible. Both prospective adoptive parents must be at least 18 years older than the child to be adopted. The Moldovan court may make an exception to the minimum 18 year age difference requirement in rare cases; however, an exception is never made for an age difference of less than 16 years. 
  • Marriage:  Married couples and single people may adopt. Married couples must be married for at least three years before submitting an adoption application. Unmarried couples may not adopt from Moldova.
  • Minimum Income:  None.
  • Other requirements: Prospective adoptive parents are required to present a medical certificate indicating that they are suitable  to adopt.  Same-sex couples, regardless of marital status, are not expressly prohibited by law from adopting in Moldova, however, due to social stigmatization regarding homosexuality, it is very unlikely that same sex couples will be permitted to adopt in Moldova.

Who Can Be Adopted

Because Moldova is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from Moldova must meet Convention requirements in order to be eligible for intercountry adoption.  For example, the adoption may take place only if the competent authorities of Moldova have determined that placement of the child within Moldova has been given due consideration and that an intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests.

Intercountry adoptions from Moldova are rare and are only permitted if there are no relatives or other Moldovan families able to adopt or become the child’s legal guardian.  Children who have health or developmental problems that Moldovan families cannot afford to treat, or children in sibling groups are more likely to become eligible for intercountry adoption.  

The separation of siblings by adoption is prohibited under Moldovan law, thereby requiring that all siblings be adopted by the same prospective adoptive parents, except for rare cases in which it is determined that this is not in the child’s best interest.  The suitability of separating siblings through domestic or international adoption is reviewed by the Advisory Council for Adoptions based on criteria, procedures, and terms approved by the Central Authority (Art.10 of Law 99 in the Legal Regime of Adoption).

In addition to qualifying as a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law, the child must also meet the following requirements of Moldovan law:

  • Eligibility for adoption:  Abandoned children of unknown parents are eligible for adoption. Parental consent is not required if it is evident that the parents have abandoned the child for more than six months and their residence and identity are not known. This determination is made by the Basic Court on the recommendation of the local Guardianship authorities. Further information about children eligible for adoption is published in the Monitorul Official, the Moldovan Government’s official register. For the first six months after this information is published, an adoptable child is only eligible for domestic adoption by Moldovan citizens.  If the child remains on the register for more than six months, the child becomes eligible for intercountry adoption.
  • Age of Adoptive Child:  According to Moldovan law, a child is eligible for intercountry adoption until he/she reaches 18 years old.  There are no minimum age restrictions.  Please note that for a child to meet the definition of Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law, a Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, must be filed on the child’s behalf while the child is under the age of 16 (or under the age of 18 if the child is the birth sibling of another adopted child who meets the age and other requirements to immigrate based on adoption by the same adoptive parent(s)).  Please see the USCIS website for special rules on filing dates for children aged 15-16, or siblings aged 17-18.

Caution:  Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that not all children in orphanages or children’s homes are eligible for adoption.  In many countries, birth parents place their child(ren) temporarily in an orphanage or children’s home due to financial or other hardship, intending that the child return home when possible.  In such cases, the birth parent(s) have not relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren).

How to Adopt

Warning:  Do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in Moldova before:  1) USCIS has approved your Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, 2) the Central Authority of Moldova has determined the child is eligible for intercountry adoption, 3) USCIS has provisionally approved your Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, and 4) a U.S. consular officer has issued an “Article 5/17 Letter” in the case.  Read on for more information.

Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority

Department of Policies for the Protection of Family and Children's Rights, within the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Social Protection  

The Process

Because Moldova is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, adoptions from Moldova must follow a specific process designed to meet Convention requirements. A brief summary of the Convention adoption process is provided below. You must complete these steps in the following order to meet all necessary legal requirements. Adoptions completed out of order may cause significant delays or result in the child not being eligible for an immigrant visa to the United States.

1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider To Act as Your Primary Provider That Has Been Authorized by Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority to Operate in Moldova

2.  Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (Form I-800A)

3.  Apply to Moldova’s Authorities to Adopt, and Be Matched with a Child

4.  Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States as a Convention Adoptee (Form I-800) and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption (Art. 5/17 letter)

5.  Adopt the Child in Moldova

6.  Apply for a U.S. Immigrant Visa for Your Child and Bring Your Child Home
 

1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider to Act as Your Primary Provider That Has Been Authorized by Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority to Operate in Moldova

The first step in adopting a child from Moldova is to select an adoption service provider in the United States that has been accredited or approved to provide intercountry adoption services to U.S. citizens and that has been authorized by the Government of Moldova.  A primary provider must be identified in each Convention case and only accredited or approved adoption service providers may act as the primary provider in your case.  Unless a public domestic authority is providing all adoption services in your case, a primary provider is required in every intercountry adoption case.  Your primary provider is responsible for:

  • Ensuring that all six adoption services defined at 22 CFR 96.2 are provided consistent with applicable laws and regulations;
  • Supervising and being responsible for any supervised providers, and otherwise complying with the requirements regarding the provision of adoption services using other providers (see 22 CFR 96.14); and
  • Developing and implementing a service plan in accordance with 22 CFR 96.44.

For more information on primary providers and the UAA, please see Universal Accreditation Act of 2012.  Learn more about Agency Accreditation.

 

2.  Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt

In order to adopt a child from Moldova, you will need to meet the requirements of the Government of Moldova and U.S. immigration law.

After you choose an accredited or approved adoption service provider, you must be found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS by submitting Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. You will need to submit a home study, provide biometrics, and cooperate in a background check as part of this application. Read more about Suitability and Eligibility Requirements. Unless an exception applies, the home study must be prepared by a person who is authorized under 22 CFR 96 to prepare home studies and must comply with the requirements in 8 CFR 204.311.

 

3.  Apply to Moldova’s Authorities to Adopt and be Matched with a Child Submit Your Dossier to the Central Adoption Authority

After USCIS determines that you are suitable and eligible to adopt and approves the Form I-800A application, your adoption service provider will provide your approval notice, home study, and any other required information to the Central Adoption Authority in Moldova as part of your adoption application. Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority will review your application to determine whether you are also suitable and eligible to adopt under Moldova’s law.

Receive a Referral for a Child from the Central Adoption Authority

If both the United States and Moldova determine that you are suitable and eligible to adopt, and Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority has determined that a child is eligible for adoption and that intercountry adoption is in that child’s best interests, the Central Adoption Authority for Convention adoptions in Moldova may provide you with a referral. The referral is a proposed match between you and a specific child based on a review of your dossier and the needs of the child. The Central Adoption Authority in Moldova will provide a background study and other information, if available, about the child to help you decide whether to accept the referral.  We encourage families to consider consulting with a medical professional and their adoption service provider to understand the needs of the specific child, but you must decide for yourself whether you will be able to meet the needs of, and provide a permanent home for, a specific child. You must also adhere to the recommendations in the home study submitted to USCIS with respect to the number of children and capacity to deal with any special needs of an adoptive child. Learn more about Health Considerations. If you accept the referral, the adoption service provider communicates that to the Central Authority in Moldova. Learn more about this critical decision.

If the prospective adoptive parents agree to accept the referral for a specific child, they send a letter to the Central Adoption Authority through their adoption service provider, acknowledging that they are aware of any specific health problems or other deficiencies, and accept the child. The orphanage receives a copy of the letter from the Central Adoption Authority.  

 

4.  Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States as a Convention Adoptee and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption Submit a Petition for a Determination on the Child’s Immigration Eligibility

After you accept being matched with a particular child, you will apply to USCIS for provisional approval for the child to immigrate to the United States by filing the Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative. USCIS will make a provisional determination as to whether the child appears to meet the definition of a Convention adoptee and will likely be eligible to be admitted to the United States.

Submit an Immigrant Visa Application

After provisional approval of Form I-800 petition, you or your adoption service provider will submit a visa application to the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau responsible for issuing immigrant visas to children from Moldova.  

You should receive a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assigning a case number and an invoice ID number. Use this information to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to file the Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) for your child. An adoptive parent should fill out these forms in your child's name. Answer every item on the form. If information is not applicable, please write “N/A” in the block.  Please review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact the NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov or +1-603-334-0700 if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form.  A consular officer will review the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and the visa application and, if applicable, advises you of options for the waiver of any ineligibilities related to the visa application.

The consular officer will send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen parents and a child from Moldova if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States. This letter will inform the Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority that the parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, that the child appears eligible to enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.S. Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed.

Warning:  Do not attempt to adopt a child in Moldova before you receive provisional approval of your Form I-800 petition AND a U.S. consular officer issues the “Article 5/17 Letter” for your adoption case.

Remember:  The consular officer will make a final decision about a child’s eligibility for an immigrant visa later in the adoption process.

 

5.  Adopt the Child in Moldova

Remember:  Before you adopt a child in Moldova, you must have completed the above four steps. Only after completing these steps can you proceed to finalize the adoption

The process for finalizing the adoption in Moldova generally includes the following:

  • Role of the Central Adoption Authority:  To begin the intercountry adoption process, an adoption service provider forwards the foreign prospective adoptive parents’ file to the Moldovan Central Adoption Authority, which then registers the prospective adoptive parents’ dossier and proposes a tentative match with a child to the Consultative Adoptive Council within the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Social Protection, based on the prospective adoptive parents’ suitability.

  • Role of the Court:  The approved adoption file proceeds to the court system through the district’s Inspector for the Protection of Children’s Rights. Once prospective adoptive parents satisfy the Moldovan adoption requirements, a judge may grant a final adoption.

  • Role of Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Providers:  In order to operate in Moldova, U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers must also be accredited by the Central Adoption Authority in Moldova and subsequently registered as legal entities by the Ministry of Justice. ASPs assist prospective adoptive parents throughout the adoption process and facilitate communication between the prospective adoptive parents and Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority, including providing prospective adoptive parents with information on a child the Central Adoption Authority has matched them with and providing the Central Adoption Authority with the appropriate documentation if the prospective adoptive parents accept the match. 

Unless a public domestic authority is providing all adoption services in your case, there must be a U.S. accredited or approved adoption service provider acting as the primary provider in every case.  Also, any agency or person providing an adoption service on behalf of prospective adoptive parents in any Convention or non-Convention intercountry adoption case must be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or exempted provider.  Adoption service means any one of the following six services:

1) Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption;

2) Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption;

3) Performing a background study on a child or a home study on a prospective adoptive parent(s), and reporting on such a study;

4) Making non-judicial determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child;

5) Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with prospective adoptive parent(s) until final adoption; or

6) When necessary because of a disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing (including facilitating the provision of) child care or any other social service pending an alternative placement. 22 CFR 96.2 Definitions.

  • Adoption Application:  Adoption applications and supplementary documents must be submitted to the Central Adoption Authority of Moldova with an authenticated translation into the Romanian language.  Adoption applications without authenticated translations will not be considered. The adoption application does not consist of a specific form, rather prospective adoptive parents are expected to submit a document that must include the following:
    • Full names, date of birth, and residence of prospective adoptive parents;
    • Reasons why the prospective adoptive parents want to adopt a child from Moldova;
    • Whether the prospective adoptive parents are willing to adopt a number of children, and if so, how many children.

A list of supplementary documents that must be included with the adoption application can be found under the “documents required” section below.
 

  • Time Frame:  Intercountry adoptions in Moldova may take approximately four months to complete from the time a child is matched with the prospective adoptive parents until the adoption is finalized in court.

  • Adoption Fees:  There is a fixed fee of 3000MDL that covers translations, postal services, and international phone calls that is paid to Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority. The fee is reimbursable if prospective adoptive parents withdraw their application for adoption.  Additional costs include:
    • Attorney fees: Variable
    • Immigrant medical exam: $130
    • Court fees: $0
    • Translations/Notarials: Approximately $10-20 per document
    • Professional services (medical, facilitators, legal translation): Fees vary depending on the quantity and quality of services
    • New birth certificate:  up to $10
    • Child’s passport fee: $79 if requested the same day
    • Legalization/Hague Apostille: Approximately $8 per document
    • Air fare:  Variable

We encourage prospective adoptive parents to obtain detailed receipts for all fees and donations paid, either by them directly or through your U.S. adoption service provider, and to raise any concerns regarding any payment that you believe may be contrary to the Convention, U.S. law, or the law of Moldova, with your adoption service provider, and, when appropriate, through the Complaint Registry.  Improper payments may violate applicable law and/or create the appearance of buying a child, and could put all future adoptions in Moldova at risk. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, for instance, makes it unlawful to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business. Further, the IAA makes certain actions relating to intercountry adoptions unlawful, and subject to civil and criminal penalties.  These include offering, giving, soliciting, or accepting inducement by way of compensation intended to influence or affect the relinquishment of parental rights, parental consent relating to adoption of a child, or a decision by an entity performing functions as a competent central authority, or to engage another person as an agent to take any such action.

In the adoption services contract that you sign at the beginning of the adoption process, your adoption service provider will itemize the fees and estimated expenses related to your adoption process.

  • Documents Required:  The adoption package submitted to Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority should contain:
    • Adoption application;
    • Government issued ID and one photocopy;
    • A report on the capacity and suitability of the prospective adoptive parents;
    • Birth certificates of prospective adoptive parents;
    • Marriage certificate and/or divorce certificates if applicable;
    • Employment certificate, including occupational information, years of service, and income;
    • Authenticated copy of deed of sale for a home or lease agreement for residence;
    • Medical report and doctor’s certificate of eligibility to adopt;
    • Criminal record;
    • Explanation of why the prospective adoptive parent wants to adopt a child from Moldova;
    • Description of the child the prospective adoptive parent has the capacity to adopt (i.e. types of special needs, sibling groups, etc.);
    • Declaration on the right of the child to keep Moldovan citizenship until becoming an adult;
    • Declaration of acceptance of post-adoption reporting requirements;
    • Prospective adoptive parents’ statement of consent to adopt internationally;
    • Biography of prospective adoptive parents;
    • Social-economic and legal assurances that the child would benefit from the intercountry adoption;
    • Evidence of USCIS suitability and eligibility determination (Form I-800A approval notice);
    • Homestudy;
    • Request to change name and register the adoptive parents as the birth parents on the child’s new birth certificate.

Note:  Additional documents may be requested.

Authentication of Documents:  The United States and Moldova are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.  U.S. public documents may be authenticated with Apostilles by the appropriate U.S. Competent Authority.

 

6.  Apply for a U.S. Immigrant Visa for Your Child and Bring Your Child Home

Once your adoption is complete, there are a few more steps to take before your child can head home.  Specifically, you need to apply for three documents before your child can travel to the United States:

Birth Certificate

You will need to obtain a birth certificate for your child.

If you have finalized the adoption in Moldova, you will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child.  Your name will be added to the new birth certificate.

Adoptive parents can change the child’s name and request a new birth certificate that would include the adoptive parents’ names at the Moldovan Civil Registry Office.  Afterwards, the parents need to apply for a passport on behalf of the child.  Processing times for issuance of the amended birth certificate range based on how quickly the birth certificate is requested.  Cost and turnaround estimates are as follows:

  • Requested within 24 hours:  $10 USD
  • Requested within 5 business day:  $7.50 USD
  • Requested within 15 business days:  $4.50 USD
  • Requested within 20 business days:  $1.50 USD
  • Requested within 30 business days:  Free of charge

For more information on acquiring a new birth certificate, please visit the Public Services Agency of Moldova’s website (in Romanian or Russian).

Moldova Passport

Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or passport from Moldova.

Adoptive parents can apply for a passport for the child at the Moldovan passport office. Wait times for acquiring a passport for your child similarly depend on how quickly you are requesting to receive the passport.  An estimate of turnaround times and fees are detailed as follows:

  • 1 hour:  $140 USD
  • 3 hours: $118 USD
  • 6 hours: $98 USD
  • 24 hours: $79 USD
  • 5 business days:  $69 USD
  • 10 calendar days: $60 USD
  • 15 calendar days: $49
  • 30 calendar days: $40

More information on acquiring a passport and related fees can be found on the Public Services Agency of Moldova’s website here. A list of passport office throughout Moldova can also be found on this site.  Every city and district has at least one office.

U.S. Immigrant Visa

After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child you need to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa for your child from the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau.  After the adoption is granted, visit the U.S embassy for a final review of the case, and if applicable, the issuance of a U.S. Hague Adoption Certificate or Hague Custody Certificate, the final approval of the Form I-800 petition, and to obtain your child’s immigrant visa.  This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you and be admitted to the United States as your child.  Please contact the U.S. embassy in Chisinau by email at Chisinau-CA@state.gov to schedule your child’s immigrant visa appointment.  As part of this process, you must provide the consular officer with the Panel Physician’s medical report on the child if you did not provide it during the Form I-800 provisional approval stage.

Before coming for your child’s immigrant visa interview, please complete an Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) online at the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC). You should receive a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assignment of a case number and an invoice ID number.  You will need this information to log into CEAC to file the DS-260 for your child. You should fill out these forms in your child's name.  Answer every item on the form.  If information is not applicable, please write “N/A” in the block.  Print and bring the DS-260 confirmation page to the visa interview.  Review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov or +1-603-334-0700 if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form.

Upon receipt of the case at post, the Consular Section generally notifies the petitioner. If the consular officer determines that the child is eligible for an immigrant visa, visa issuance after the final interview generally takes 24 hours.  It is not usually possible to provide the visa to adoptive parents on the same day as the immigrant visa interview.  You should verify current processing times with the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau before making final travel arrangements.  Additional information on immigrant visa processing can be found on our website.

Child Citizenship Act

For adoptions finalized abroad prior to the child’s admission into the United States:  An adopted child residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence generally will acquire U.S. citizenship automatically if the child otherwise meets the requirements of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, including that the child is under the age of eighteen.

For adoptions finalized after the child’s admission into the United States:  You will need to complete an adoption following your child’s admission into the United States and before the child turns eighteen for the child (if he or she otherwise meets the requirements of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000) to automatically acquire U.S. citizenship.

Read more about the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

Traveling Abroad

Applying for Your U.S. Passport

U.S. citizens are required to enter and depart the United States on a valid U.S. passport.  Once your child acquires U.S. citizenship, s/he will need a U.S. passport for international travel. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify U.S. passports.

Getting or renewing a passport is easy. The Department of State’s Passport Application Wizard will help you determine which passport form you need, help you to complete the form online, estimate your payment, and generate the form for you to print—all in one place.

Obtaining a Visa to Travel to Moldova

In addition to a U.S. passport, you may also need to obtain a visa. Where required, visas are affixed to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation. To find information about obtaining a visa for Moldova, see the Department of State’s country pages.

Staying Safe on Your Trip

Before you travel, it is always a good practice to investigate the local conditions, laws, political landscape, and culture of the country. The Department of State provides Country-Specific Information for every country in the world about various issues, including health conditions, crime, currency or entry requirements, and any areas of instability.

Staying in Touch on Your Trip

When traveling abroad during the adoption process, we encourage you to enroll with the Department of State through our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country. Enrollment makes it possible for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Moldova, to contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency. Whether there is a family emergency in the United States or a crisis in Moldova, enrollment assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in reaching you.

Enrollment is free and can be done online via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

After Adoption

Post-Adoption/Post-Placement Reporting Requirements

Post-adoption reports are required by Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority for the first five years after adoptions are finalized. Three post-adoption reports are required during the first year at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the adoption is finalized. Two post-adoption reports are required during the second year at 6 months and 12 months. One post-adoption report is required during the 3rd, 4th, and 5th year. All post-adoption reports should be submitted to the Central Adoption Authority of Moldova.

We urge you to comply with Moldova’s post-adoption/post-placement requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption service provider may be able to help you with this process. Your cooperation will contribute to Moldova’s positive experiences with U.S. citizen adoptive parents.

 

Post-Adoption Resources

Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption.  There are many public and private nonprofit post-adoption services available for children and their families. There are also numerous adoptive family support groups and adoptee organizations active in the United States that provide a network of options for adoptees who seek out other adoptees from the same country of origin. You may wish to take advantage of all the resources available to your family, whether it is another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services. Your primary provider can provide or point you to post- placement/post-adoption services to help your adopted child and your family transition smoothly and deal effectively with the many adjustments required in an intercountry adoption.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a website, the Child Welfare Information Gateway, which can be a useful resource to get you started on your support group search.

COMPLAINTS

If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with the U.S. embassy in Chisinau, particularly if it involves possible fraud or misconduct specific to your child’s case. The Department of State takes all allegations of fraud or misconduct seriously.  Our Adoption Comment Page provides several points of contact for adoptive families to comment on their adoption service provider, their experience applying for their child’s visa, or about the Form I-800/A petition process.

The Complaint Registry is an internet based registry for filing complaints about the compliance of U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers with U.S. accreditation standards. If you think your provider's conduct may not have been in compliance with accreditation standards, first submit your complaint in writing directly to your provider. If the complaint is not resolved through the provider's complaint process, you may file the complaint through the Complaint Registry.

Post-Adoption/Post-Placement Reporting Requirements

Post-adoption reports are required by Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority for the first five years after adoptions are finalized. Three post-adoption reports are required during the first year at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the adoption is finalized. Two post-adoption reports are required during the second year at 6 months and 12 months. One post-adoption report is required during the 3rd, 4th, and 5th year. All post-adoption reports should be submitted to the Central Adoption Authority of Moldova.

We urge you to comply with Moldova’s post-adoption/post-placement requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption service provider may be able to help you with this process. Your cooperation will contribute to Moldova’s positive experiences with U.S. citizen adoptive parents.

 

Post-Adoption Resources

Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption.  There are many public and private nonprofit post-adoption services available for children and their families. There are also numerous adoptive family support groups and adoptee organizations active in the United States that provide a network of options for adoptees who seek out other adoptees from the same country of origin. You may wish to take advantage of all the resources available to your family, whether it is another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services. Your primary provider can provide or point you to post- placement/post-adoption services to help your adopted child and your family transition smoothly and deal effectively with the many adjustments required in an intercountry adoption.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a website, the Child Welfare Information Gateway, which can be a useful resource to get you started on your support group search.

COMPLAINTS

If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with the U.S. embassy in Chisinau, particularly if it involves possible fraud or misconduct specific to your child’s case. The Department of State takes all allegations of fraud or misconduct seriously.  Our Adoption Comment Page provides several points of contact for adoptive families to comment on their adoption service provider, their experience applying for their child’s visa, or about the Form I-800/A petition process.

The Complaint Registry is an internet based registry for filing complaints about the compliance of U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers with U.S. accreditation standards. If you think your provider's conduct may not have been in compliance with accreditation standards, first submit your complaint in writing directly to your provider. If the complaint is not resolved through the provider's complaint process, you may file the complaint through the Complaint Registry.

Contact Information

U.S. Embassy in Moldova
103 A. Mateevici St, Chisinau
Tel:  (+373 22) 40 83 00
Fax:  (+373 22) 22 63 61
Email:  ChisinauACS@state.gov
Internet: md.usembassy.gov

Moldova’s Central Adoption Authority
Ministry of Heath, Labor, and Social Protection
Department of Policies for the Protection of Family and Children's Rights
2 Vasile Alecsandri St., MD-2009
Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Tel:  +373 22 262 140
Email: natalia.levinta@msmps.gov.md
Internet: https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=106567&lang=ro


Embassy of Moldova in the United States
2101 S Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel:  202-667-1130
Fax:  202-667-2624
Email:  Washington@mfa.md
Internet: https://sua.mfa.gov.md/en

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, D.C.  20522-1709
Tel:  1-888-407-4747
Email:  Adoption@state.gov
Internet:  adoption.state.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about filing a Form I-800A application or a Form I-800 petition:

USCIS National Benefits Center (NBC):
Tel:  1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax: 1- 913-214-5808
Email:  NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov

For general questions about immigration procedures:

USCIS Contact Center
Tel:  1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet:  uscis.gov

Last Updated: April 14, 2020

Assistance for U.S. Citizens

U.S. Embassy Chisinau
103 Mateevici Street
Chisinau MD-2009
Republic of Moldova
Telephone
+(373)(22) 40-83-00
Emergency
+(373)(22) 40-83-00
Fax
+(373)(22) 22-63-61

Moldova Map