Unaccompanied children, victims of violence, older people, and people with disabilities will receive additional safeguards during the asylum application process in Moldova. Recent amendments to the Asylum Law expand the categories of individuals with special needs and establish specific protection measures during application assessments, according to IPN.
The General Inspectorate for Migration (GIM) stated that it evaluates all asylum applications individually, objectively, and impartially while fully respecting human rights and prohibiting discrimination based on race, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation, or age. Authorities are also drafting secondary legislation, updating internal procedures, and developing methodologies to address the real needs of applicants, especially those in vulnerable situations.
The reform project focuses on three main goals: strengthening the GIM’s institutional and administrative capacity, aligning national legislation on asylum, refugees, and stateless persons with European and international standards, and enhancing the state’s ability to manage a potential surge in migrants and asylum seekers, including their integration.
The GIM highlighted that one of the key changes involves how authorities treat individuals with special needs. The amendments, adopted in 2024, significantly broaden this category and introduce new safeguards. These include appointing a legal representative or guardian, ensuring access to medical examinations, using adapted interview techniques, and providing special accommodation conditions—especially for unaccompanied minors.
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Authorities now classify the following as persons with special needs: children (including those unaccompanied), single-parent families, people with disabilities, pregnant women, victims of human trafficking, individuals with mental or behavioral disorders, and those subjected to domestic violence or other severe abuse. Elderly persons may also qualify based on individual assessments.
Authorities will implement these legal changes gradually throughout the year, aligning national legislation with EU requirements. The GIM and European experts assess infrastructure, train staff, and prepare institutions to implement the EU’s New Migration pact.
In the first quarter of 2025, the GIM registered 733 asylum applications. Men submitted 686 of them, and women filed 47, including seven accompanied by minors. Authorities approved 40 of these applications, rejected 57, and closed 699 cases. Under current legislation, authorities may discontinue the review process if the applicant withdraws the request, leaves the country without notice, fails to attend interviews, or refuses to cooperate with the Inspectorate. Repeated applications without new evidence may also lead to dismissal.
Authorities have not specified whether the new rules will simplify or complicate the application process. However, they stated that the reform aims to create a more effective system that meets international standards and safeguards the fundamental rights of people seeking protection.
The GIM is currently implementing an 18-month EU-funded Twinning project launched in April 2025 in partnership with authorities from Sweden, Greece, and Romania, with Sweden leading the European consortium. The project focuses on harmonizing national legislation with the EU acquis, improving administrative capacity, and strengthening Moldova’s response to increased migration flows.
Authorities consider the legal and administrative overhaul a key part of Moldova’s European integration path. According to the GIM, Twinning project activities are crucial for enabling national institutions to establish a functional and equitable system of international protection.