Diplomas, certificates, school-leaving certificates and other educational documents issued in Moldova have official legal validity abroad must first undergo legalisation.
If you intend to use a Moldovan diploma in a country that is a signatory to the 1961 Hague Convention, you can have it legalised for university admission through a simplified procedure known as apostillisation.
Why and when is an apostille required?
An apostille is a special stamp certifying the authenticity of an official document. It can be affixed to documents issued by government authorities, local self-government bodies, educational institutions and organisations vested with special powers by the state.
Commercial documents cannot be apostilled. Therefore, if you have obtained a certificate confirming completion of an educational course offered by a private company that does not hold an educational licence, it cannot be apostilled. The apostille procedure is available only for documents issued by accredited educational institutions holding an official state licence.
It should be noted that an apostille confirms the fact that a document has been issued and the authenticity of the signature of the authorised official. However, it does not automatically grant the right to work in regulated professional fields (such as medicine, law, etc.) and does not replace the recognition of higher education qualifications (nostrification).
An apostille can only be affixed in the country where the document was issued. It is not possible to obtain one through diplomatic or consular missions.
When is an apostille not required?
Most commercial organisations will not require employees applying for positions that do not involve special access to information to have their diplomas or other educational documents legalised by means of apostillisation. Furthermore, an apostille is not required if a special mutual recognition regime for diplomas and academic degrees is in force between Moldova and another country, facilitating university admission or employment in the relevant professional field.
For example, Moldova is a party to the 1993 Minsk Convention and the 2002 Chisinau Convention. Therefore, apostilles are not required for diplomas obtained in Moldova in most CIS countries. A notarised translation of the diploma into the official language of the country where the document is to be used is sufficient.
However, Ukraine withdrew from the Minsk Convention in December 2022, and Moldova adopted a similar decision in 2026. Therefore, diplomas and school-leaving certificates issued in Kazakhstan must be apostilled for use in these countries.
Before using an educational document issued in Moldova, it is advisable to check with the receiving country whether an apostille will be required.
Educational documents issued in Moldova
Educational documents in Moldova are issued upon completion of higher education institutions, vocational and technical schools, general education schools, courses and other educational programmes.
The main types of educational documents issued in Moldova include:
- Gymnasium Education Certificate;
- Bachelor's Degree Diploma;
- Qualification Certificate;
- Vocational Education Diploma;
- Licentiate Diploma;
- Master's Degree Diploma;
- Doctor of Sciences Diploma.
In addition, Moldova has officially approved the formats of certificates confirming completion of postgraduate medical training, the award of academic titles and the award of academic degrees. In certain cases, students also receive official statements or certificates.
Furthermore, Moldova officially recognises "neutral" educational documents (those not bearing state symbols) issued by the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), which is referred to in Moldovan legislation as the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester and the Municipality of Bender. The format of these documents was agreed upon during negotiations between the official authorities in Chisinau and Tiraspol.
Procedure for apostilling diplomas and certificates in Moldova
The apostillisation of educational documents in Moldova falls within the competence of the Ministry of Justice.
Documents for apostillisation may be submitted in either paper or electronic form.
Documents can be submitted online around the clock, seven days a week, and in unlimited quantities via the official website or through the EVO application.
Electronic apostilles are available in Moldova. Since 2013, they have been issued on a mandatory basis. Once the documents submitted for apostillisation have been verified, the electronic apostille can be downloaded in digital format by logging into the government portal for citizens.
The Moldovan authorities also apostille "neutral" educational documents issued by the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. Graduates of accredited PMR universities may additionally apply for specially formatted diplomas, if necessary.
The apostillisation of educational documents in Moldova is governed by Government Decision No. 163 of 15 February 2007 "On Optimising the Structure of the Ministry of Justice and Approving the Regulations on the Application of the Apostille", Government Decision No. 739 of 18 September 2013, and other regulatory acts.
Moldova has initiated the procedure for withdrawing from the CIS and, consequently, from conventions concluded within the framework of the Commonwealth, including the Minsk and Chisinau Conventions. Therefore, it is advisable to have Moldovan educational documents apostilled in advance for use in CIS member states.
What is an apostille?
What is an apostille? Why do I need an apostille? How do I get an apostille? - Our video will explain everything you need to know about the apostille. If you have a document that needs to be certified with an apostille for use abroad, Schmidt and Schmidt will assist you! We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Consular legalisation of Moldovan diplomas and school-leaving certificates
If a document is to be used in a country that is not a party to the Hague Convention, such as the United Arab Emirates or other non-signatory states, the procedure of consular legalisation, also known as "consular certification", applies.
Consular legalisation is the process of verifying the authenticity of or certifying a legal document so that it can be recognised as valid by the legal system of a foreign state. The procedure is carried out by a diplomatic or consular representative of the country in which the document is to be used.
Consular legalisation is a more complex, time-consuming and costly procedure compared to the simpler apostillisation process. While an apostille can usually be obtained in a single step, consular legalisation requires several preliminary certifications before a public document can be authenticated by the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
As a rule, the document must be translated into the official language of the destination country before being submitted to the embassy. The diplomatic mission determines the applicable legalisation procedure.
What is consular legalization?
In our video we are explaining what consular legalization is and where to apply for it.
Schmidt & Schmidt will assist you in all issues concerning the legalization.
Schmidt & Schmidt offers legalization in more than 80 countries all over the world.
Translation of educational documents
When using an educational document issued in Moldova in a foreign country, it must be accompanied by an official translation (notarised, sworn, court-certified or certified), in accordance with the legal requirements of that country.
The translation of the document must undergo a mandatory verification process. This involves sending the completed translation to the graduate for review to ensure that their first and last names, the subjects studied and the titles of academic papers have been spelled correctly, as inaccuracies may occur during translation.
Depending on the requirements of national legislation, the official translation may be attached to a notarised copy bearing an apostille.
Shipping documents from Moldova
Despite the challenging international situation, it is still possible to arrange the shipment of documents from Moldova. However, for certain destinations, delivery can only be arranged in several stages.
What happens next?
Once you have received your diploma with legalisation, together with a copy accompanied by a notarised translation, the documents can be considered officially valid for use abroad.
A bilateral intergovernmental agreement on the mutual recognition of educational documents (Chisinau, 3 March 2003) is in force between some countries and Moldova. As for diplomas that fall outside the periods covered by this agreement, their holders may submit them for recognition through the general procedure, together with the relevant supplements and certified translations, where necessary.
As regards countries with which Moldova has no agreements on legal assistance and the recognition of foreign documents, diplomas must undergo the nostrification procedure before they can be used there, following apostillisation or consular legalisation and the preparation of an official translation.
How can we help?
If you are located outside Moldova, we will be happy to assist you with apostillisation and legalisation of your documents for use abroad.
You can always contact Schmidt & Schmidt. We have extensive experience in legalising a wide range of documents and provide all the services required in this area, including obtaining notarised copies, translation, preparation of the necessary powers of attorney, legalisation of documents with government authorities and foreign consulates, as well as delivery of completed documents to most countries worldwide.
For more information about legalisation and apostillisation procedures, please visit our website.
