As many as 1,120 foreign citizens have registered at the local offices of the Migration and Asylum Bureau set up along the Nistru River. The first three offices, in Criuleni, Harbovat, and Parata, started work on November 15, 2013, while the other three, in Rezina, Hagimus, and Sanatauca – on November 31, 2013. Most of the foreigners who register at these local offices are from the Commonwealth of Independent States. The information was communicated to IPN by the Migration and Asylum Bureau.
The offices work round-the-clock. The registration services are provided free of charge. A number of 227 foreigners registered in Moldova in 2012, while in 2013 the figure rose almost 8 times, to 1,777. The Migration and Asylum Bureau considers that this is due to the opening of the six local migration offices along the Nistru and to the campaign conducted to inform the foreigners about the need to register their stay.
Despite the initial fears as to the work of these offices, about 20 persons registered at them daily at the beginning. Over the last few days of 2013, the figure stood at more than 40. Most of the registered foreigners were from Ukraine (670), and Russia (369).
The foreign citizens who enter Moldova must register at the Migration and Asylum Bureau or the local migration offices within 72 hours.
