Eastern Europe
Moldova for Ukrainians: what to do after arrival
Core route through the GIM: be in Moldova first, have a local +373 number and address, then complete online pre-registration and the official GIM stage.
Booking and filing before arrival
You must already be in Moldova for a first application
The GIM explicitly requires the applicant to be in Moldova. Online pre-registration requires a Moldovan residence address and an active +373 Moldovan phone number; foreign phone numbers are not accepted.
What you can do before arrival
Prepare your documents before entry, but do not expect to complete online registration with a foreign phone number. The official system requires a local +373 number.
What to do after arrival
After arrival, obtain an active Moldovan number, provide your actual address, pre-register at protectietemporara.gov.md, and follow the GIM instructions for the in-person stage.
Core temporary-protection route through the General Inspectorate for Migration (GIM). A first application requires you to already be in Moldova. The current temporary-protection period has been extended until 1 March 2027 (a 2028 draft is not yet confirmed in Monitorul Oficial).
What you need to do
Start with the first practical steps. The full path and official sources are below.
- 1
Arrive in Moldova first
For a first temporary-protection application, the GIM requires you to be physically present in Moldova.
- 2
If you held protection before 1 March 2026 — verify the extension
In 2026 Moldova stopped extending existing statuses automatically for the first time: beneficiaries then holding protection had to submit a free online extension request between 1 February and 30 April 2026.
What to prepare
- · Your temporary-protection document
- · Access to the QR code on the back of the document or protectietemporara.gov.md
- 3
Prepare documents and your address
Prepare identity documents, family-status documents where relevant, and proof of your Moldovan residence address.
What to prepare
- · Passport, ID, or another accepted identity document if available
- · Civil-status documents where needed to prove family relationships
- · Evidence of your residence address in Moldova
Full path and official sources
1
Arrive in Moldova first
For a first temporary-protection application, the GIM requires you to be physically present in Moldova.
Inspectoratul General pentru Migrație
What to do
- · Enter Moldova lawfully
- · Confirm the actual address where you will live in Moldova
- · Prepare a Moldovan +373 phone number for online pre-registration
Why this matters: The online system is not designed to grant a first status to a person who is still abroad.
The official applicant guide explicitly states that foreign phone numbers are not accepted for completing the online application.
Official source: IGM Temporary Protection Information System
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
2
If you held protection before 1 March 2026 — verify the extension
In 2026 Moldova stopped extending existing statuses automatically for the first time: beneficiaries then holding protection had to submit a free online extension request between 1 February and 30 April 2026.
Inspectoratul General pentru Migrație
What to do
- · Verify the extension through the document QR code or the official system
- · If the online extension was filed and confirmed, keep proof of the current status
- · If the extension was not completed, do not assume the old card is automatically valid; open the new-application route or contact the GIM
- · If a child turned 14 between 1 March 2023 and 1 January 2026 and the GIM requested biometrics, complete that in-person stage
Why this matters: An old card alone does not prove that the status remained active after the procedure changed. If an extension request was not filed in time, temporary protection ceased, although a person can make a new application.
Checked 29 September 2026. Moldova's current temporary-protection period runs until 1 March 2027. Draft HG 915-MAI-2026 toward 1 March 2028 was not confirmed as published in Monitorul Oficial. This step is mainly for people who already held status before the 2026 extension cycle.
Official source: IGM — Extension of temporary protection
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
3
Prepare documents and your address
Prepare identity documents, family-status documents where relevant, and proof of your Moldovan residence address.
Inspectoratul General pentru Migrație
What to do
- · Collect the original documents
- · Make sure you can confirm your residence address
- · Do not pay an intermediary for the status itself — the official procedure is free
Why this matters: These details are needed for pre-registration and the GIM verification stage.
Official source: IGM Temporary Protection — Applicant Guide
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
4
Complete online pre-registration
At protectietemporara.gov.md, enter a Moldovan +373 number, verify it by OTP, complete your details and address, and select the available GIM stage shown by the system.
Inspectoratul General pentru Migrație
What to do
- · Use only protectietemporara.gov.md
- · Receive the OTP on the Moldovan number
- · Complete the form without invented addresses or phone numbers
- · Save the confirmation and the next GIM instruction
Why this matters: Pre-registration reduces processing time and links the application to your local contact details.
Official source: IGM Temporary Protection Information System
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
5
Complete the in-person GIM stage
After pre-registration, follow the system instructions for the in-person GIM stage and bring the original documents.
Inspectoratul General pentru Migrație
What to do
- · Attend the designated GIM office at the assigned time if the system requires a visit
- · Present the original documents
- · Keep the issued temporary-protection document
Why this matters: Beneficiary status does not arise merely from completing the online form; the official procedure must be completed and the GIM document issued.
Official source: Inspectoratul General pentru Migrație
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
6
Enrol your child in school and record their education status
Children from refugee families can enrol in Moldovan general-education institutions. School-age children with temporary protection must also have their education status recorded, whether they attend school in Moldova or continue online education in a Ukrainian school.
Ministerul Educației și Cercetării
What to do
- · Contact the chosen school or local education authority for your place of residence
- · Submit the enrolment application and the documents you have
- · If the child continues online in a Ukrainian school, still complete the MEC education-status registration
- · If some records are missing, do not abandon the application: official rules include simplified arrangements for refugee children
Why this matters: This is a separate settlement task after migration registration. You do not need to wait until every other household issue is resolved.
Official source: Ministerul Educației și Cercetării — Procedures for school enrolment
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
7
Register with a family doctor
Temporary-protection beneficiaries have access to defined healthcare services. To use primary care, prevention, vaccination, referrals and some compensated medicines, each family member should be registered with a family doctor.
Compania Națională de Asigurări în Medicină
What to do
- · Find a primary-care provider serving your address or another family doctor with available places
- · Submit a separate registration application for each person, including each child
- · Do not prepare a rental contract or other extra papers unless the medical provider requests them for a special case
- · In an emergency, do not delay care while arranging family-doctor registration
Why this matters: The temporary-protection document does not automatically attach you to a specific family doctor.
Official source: CNAM — Healthcare for refugees from Ukraine
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
8
Start work without a separate work-purpose residence permit
A temporary-protection beneficiary may work in Moldova without obtaining a separate temporary residence right for employment. Employment is formalised through an individual employment contract.
Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă
What to do
- · Show the employer your valid temporary-protection document
- · Sign a written employment contract
- · The employer must notify ANOFM of the employment within the required period
- · If you need job-search help, contact a territorial ANOFM unit for free vacancy information and employment support
Why this matters: This status does not require you to complete the ordinary work-residence route first. The employer has a separate duty to notify ANOFM.
Official source: ANOFM — Employment of temporary-protection beneficiaries
Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Moldova
The source page may be in the destination country’s language.
Popular questions
Official institutions
- IGM — Direcția regională Centru — Official regional GIM office. For a first temporary-protection application, start at protectietemporara.gov.md and follow the official appointment route.
- IGM — Direcția regională Nord — Official regional GIM office. For a first temporary-protection application, start at protectietemporara.gov.md and follow the official appointment route.
- IGM — Direcția regională Sud — Official regional GIM office. For a first temporary-protection application, start at protectietemporara.gov.md and follow the official appointment route.
Show all verified institutions
- IGM — Direcția regională Sud / Comrat — Official regional GIM office. For a first temporary-protection application, start at protectietemporara.gov.md and follow the official appointment route.
- Inspectoratul General pentru Migrație (IGM) — The General Inspectorate for Migration runs Moldova's temporary-protection procedure. First online pre-registration is handled through the official protectietemporara.gov.md platform.
What is available now
The core path is available. For some topics BESSMERA may ask for more details or mark that additional verification is needed.
- Core journeyVerified
- Temporary protectionVerified
- Address registrationVerified
- WorkBasic guidance available
- HealthcareBasic guidance available
- SchoolBasic guidance available
- HousingBasic guidance available
- BankingBasic guidance available
- Life toolkitBasic guidance available
- PetsBasic guidance available
- Driving licenceAdditional verification needed
- Car registrationIn preparation
- DocumentsBasic guidance available
- Local languageIn preparation