Registering a Company in Moldova as a Foreign Founder: A Guide for Non-Residents

Want to open a company in Moldova but live in another country? Good news: you don’t have to be a citizen or resident of the Republic of Moldova to own a company here — and in most cases, you don’t even need to travel to the country in person.

Moldovan law allows any foreign individual or legal entity to found an LLC. And the entire registration process can be handled remotely, through a power of attorney — signed just once before a notary in your home country. This guide explains, step by step, how it works, what documents you need, what it officially costs, and why the remote route is considerably cheaper than a trip to Chișinău.

Can non-residents own a company in Moldova?

Yes. There is no citizenship or residency requirement to found a commercial company in Moldova. A foreign founder has the same rights as a Moldovan citizen:

• Can own 100% of the share capital — you don’t need a local partner
• Can be both founder and administrator of the company
• Does not need a residence permit just to own the company

The only practical requirement is that the submitted documents be in the state language (Romanian) and that your foreign identity documents be prepared according to the law — more on that below.

Recommended legal form: the LLC (SRL)

For foreign founders, the LLC (SRL — Limited Liability Company) is the standard choice, for a few reasons:

• Limited liability — you only risk the capital invested, not your personal assets
• No mandatory minimum share capital — you can register with symbolic capital
• A single founder is enough — you can be the sole shareholder
• Credibility with banks, partners and international clients

If you work in IT, after registration you can apply for the 7% tax regime of Moldova IT Park. To choose the right field of activity, see our guide on the CAEM code.

Documents required for a foreign founder

State registration is handled by the Public Services Agency (ASP), the official authority that manages the State Register of Legal Entities. The file for a foreign founder includes:

1. Identity document of the founder (passport) and of the administrator
2. Registration application following the model approved by ASP
3. Founding decision and articles of incorporation (statute), in two copies
4. Beneficial owner form (under Law no. 308/2017)
5. Proof of fee payment

If the founder is not an individual but a foreign company, you also attach:

• Extract from the register where the foreign company is registered, translated and notarially legalized
• Constituent documents of the foreign company

Important for foreign documents: all documents issued outside Moldova must be translated into Romanian and, depending on the issuing country, either apostilled (for Hague Convention member states) or legalized through the consular office.

Exception for Romania: documents issued by Romanian authorities are recognised in Moldova without an apostille and without legalisation, under the 1996 bilateral treaty on legal assistance. Founders with Romanian documents only need the notarised power of attorney.

The key to the process: the power of attorney

This is the part that saves you a trip to Moldova. The law allows the file to be submitted not only by the founder in person, but also by a representative empowered through an authentic power of attorney.

In practice, this means:

1. You sign a single power of attorney before a notary in your country, authorizing us to act on your behalf.
2. The power of attorney is translated into Romanian and apostilled/legalized.
3. We handle everything else in Moldova — name verification, drafting the articles of incorporation, filing the application with ASP, and collecting the registration certificate and the IDNO code.

You don’t have to take a flight, queue at a counter, or look for a notary who speaks your language. The entire bureaucratic process takes place locally, through your representative.

Remote via power of attorney vs. traveling to Moldova

Many foreign founders believe they have to come to Chișinău in person. Let’s compare the two options concretely. The figures below are estimates and vary by departure country and season — the ASP state fees, however, remain the same in both cases.

Cost	Traveling in person	Remotely via power of attorney
Round-trip flight	~€150–500	—
Accommodation (3–4 nights)	~€180–400	—
Meals and local transport	~€100–200	—
Interpreter/translator at the notary	~€50–100	—
Notarized power of attorney + apostille (in your country)	—	~€30–80
Document courier (optional)	—	~€30–50
Days off work	4–6 days	0
ASP state fees	identical	identical

The conclusion is simple: a single power of attorney signed at home costs a fraction of a trip to Moldova — no flights, no hotel, no days lost from your holiday, and no hassle of a language you don’t speak. The money saved on travel you can invest directly in your business.

Alternative: online registration with an electronic signature

ASP also offers remote state registration through its portal, without a power of attorney — but it requires an advanced qualified electronic signature recognized in Moldova. For most non-residents, obtaining such a signature is more complicated than signing a power of attorney before a local notary, which is why the power-of-attorney route remains the most practical option.

Next steps

1. We define the company structure — name, CAEM code and administrator
2. You sign the power of attorney before a notary in your country and apostille it
3. We register the company with ASP and send you the certificate and IDNO code
4. We set up accounting and, if applicable, the 7% IT Park regime

The DeschideCompanie team manages the entire process for foreign founders — from the power of attorney to the company’s first day of activity, without you needing to travel to Moldova. Explore our corporate services for non-residents to see how incorporation, banking, accounting and a registered address fit together under one partner. Contact us for a free consultation and a quote tailored to the country you’re founding from.

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Source for required documents, fees and official terms: Public Services Agency (asp.gov.md). Fees are valid as of the publication date and may be updated by ASP.