Moldova to negotiate with government of Qatar on abolition of visa regime

Chisinau, 23 August /MOLDPRES/ – The Cabinet of Ministers decided at the meeting today to start negotiations on the draft Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of Qatar on the abolition of the short-stay visa regime for up to 90 days for the holders of ordinary passports.

The project incorporates under the category of intergovernmental treaties monitoring the conditions of entry, stay and transit of the territories of Moldova and Qatar by holders of ordinary passports, ship crew members and seaman's record-book. The agreement is to be concluded for an indefinite period.

The Republic of Moldova signed eight bilateral agreements with the State of Qatar, including on mutual travel for holders of diplomatic and special passports, the promotion and mutual protection of investments, economic, commercial and technical cooperation. According to the State Registration Chamber, there are five firms which are active in the Republic of Moldova with Qatar capital.

Qatar is the first country in southwest Asia with which the Republic of Moldova intends to sign the visa-free mutual visa agreement for holders of ordinary passports. According to the Visa Management Information System’s data, the Republic of Moldova issued a number of 41 visas for citizens in Qatar in 2015, and 19 visas in 2016.

Citizens of the Republic of Moldova may enter without visas in about 70 countries.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor A. Raileanu)