Document checklist
Lesotho → Moldova: Long-stay visa for studies (D/AS) and residence permit for studies
What you need before you submit, checked against official requirements, not guesswork.
Checked by our automated verification on 20 Oct 2026: every source on this page resolves and the data is structurally complete. This does not confirm a person re-read the source text for accuracy.
Required documents
11 itemsIdentity
Valid passport
RequiredA travel document issued within the last 10 years, valid for at least 3 months beyond the date you plan to leave Moldova. If you are a minor, you also need your birth certificate and your legal representative's passport.
Financial
Consular fee payment
RequiredA consular fee of 40 euro for the long-stay visa for studies. This can change, so check the current fee with the embassy or consulate before you apply.
Proof of money for study and living costs
RequiredProof of real means of payment for your studies and your living costs in Moldova, in the amount set by the authorities. No figure is published on the MFA page, so check the current amount with the Moldovan embassy or consulate where you apply.
Purpose of travel
Confirmation of approval to study
RequiredA confirmation from your Moldovan educational institution that you have been accepted onto a course of study.
Invitation from the Bureau for Migration and Asylum, or a valid EU/Schengen residence permit or visa
RequiredEither an invitation issued by Moldova's migration authority, or proof you already hold a residence permit or valid visa (other than a transit visa) from an EU member state or a Schengen Area state.
Study contract and proof of enrolment
RequiredFor your residence permit: the application and request submitted by your educational institution, a document confirming you are enrolled, your study contract, and the Ministry of Education and Research's approval where it is required.
Accommodation
Proof of where you will live
RequiredFor your residence permit: a rental agreement, an extract from the Real Estate Register, or confirmation of dormitory accommodation showing where you will live in Moldova.
Insurance
Medical insurance policy
RequiredA valid medical insurance policy, which the Inspectorate lists among the documents for your study residence permit.
Other
Criminal record certificate
RequiredA criminal record certificate, translated into Romanian or English.
Parents' or guardian's consent (if you are a minor)
RequiredIf you are under 18, written consent from your parents or legal guardian for your stay to study in Moldova.
Residence permit for studies after arrival
RequiredOnce you are admitted, you apply to the General Inspectorate for Migration for a temporary residence permit for study purposes. The residence card is valid for the whole duration of your studies, as long as the institution is accredited. You also need your passport and long-stay visa, a 3x4 cm colour photograph, and any other documents the Inspectorate asks for; the full list is in the Inspectorate's own study-permit leaflet. If you lived legally in another country for at least two years, you also need a criminal record certificate from that country and proof of residence there.
Why applications on this route get refused
No confirmation of acceptance to study
The D/AS visa depends on your Moldovan educational institution's confirmation that you have been accepted. Without it, the application is incomplete.
How to avoid it: Get written confirmation of your acceptance from your institution before you apply.
Insufficient proof of money for study and living costs
Not showing real means of payment for your studies and maintenance, at the level set by the authorities, does not meet the visa condition.
How to avoid it: Check the current required amount with the Moldovan embassy or consulate and gather clear bank or sponsor evidence before you apply.
Missing or untranslated criminal record certificate
A criminal record certificate, translated into Romanian or English, is a stated condition for the visa.
How to avoid it: Get your certificate and a certified translation before you apply.
Incomplete documents for the residence permit
The Inspectorate lists the documents needed for a study residence permit, including an apostilled criminal record certificate, accommodation proof, medical insurance and proof of financial means. A permit cannot be issued until the institution has finished its procedures and you have all of them.
How to avoid it: Prepare every document on the Inspectorate's list before you arrive, and ask your institution when it will submit its part.
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Types of visas and requirements · checked 18 Oct 2026
- General Inspectorate for Migration of the Republic of Moldova, Studying in the Republic of Moldova: useful information for international students · checked 18 Oct 2026
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