Visa requirements for Moldovan citizens

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Moldovan passport

Visa requirements for Moldovan citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of Moldova by the authorities of other states.

As of 2026, Moldovan citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 119 countries and territories, ranking the Moldovan passport 42nd in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.[1]

On 28 April 2014 Moldovan citizens were granted visa-free entry to 29 Schengen Area countries as well as Cyprus, countries that are applying the Schengen policy and also Monaco, San Marino, Andorra and Vatican City, countries that have no immigration control.[2] Visa waiver applies only to holders of biometric passports.[3]

Moldovan citizens in other countries also can benefit from the mobility rights arrangements within the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Visa requirements for Moldovan citizens holding ordinary passports
  Moldova
  Unlimited
  Visa not required
  Visa issued upon arrival
  eVisa
  Visa available both on arrival or online
  Visa required

Visa requirements

Country Visa requirement Allowed stay Notes (excluding departure fees)
Afghanistan eVisa[4][5] 30 days
  • Visa is not required in case born in Afghanistan or can proof that one of their parents is a national of Afghanistan or born in Afghanistan.[6]
  • e-Visa : Visitors must arrive at Kabul International (KBL).
Albania Visa not required[7] 90 days
  • 90 days within any 6-month period.
Algeria Visa required[8]
Andorra Visa not required[9]
Angola eVisa[10][11]
Antigua and Barbuda Visa not required[12] 1 month
Argentina Visa required[13]
  • The AVE (High Speed Travel) is open to Moldovan citizens holding valid, current ordinary passports traveling to Argentina for tourism. To do so, they must hold a valid category B2/J/B1/O/P (P1-P2-P3)/E/H-1B visa issued by the United States of America.[14]
Armenia Visa not required[15]
Australia Online visa required[16][17]
  • Online Visitor e600 visa.
Austria Visa not required[18] 90 days
Azerbaijan Visa not required[21] 90 days
  • If staying more than 10 days passengers visiting relatives must register with local police. If staying in a hotel, this will be arranged by the hotel.
  • Azerbaijan bans the entry of people who are of Armenian descent.
Bahamas Visa not required[22] 3 months
Bahrain eVisa / Visa on arrival[23] 14 days
Bangladesh Visa on arrival[24] 30 days
Barbados Visa not required[25] 28 days
Belarus Visa not required[26]
Belgium Visa not required[27] 90 days
Belize Visa required[28]
Benin eVisa[29][30] 30 days
  • Must have an international vaccination certificate.
Bhutan eVisa[31][32]
Bolivia Online Visa / Visa on arrival[33][34] 30 days
Bosnia and Herzegovina Visa not required[35] 90 days
  • 90 days within any 6-month period.
Botswana eVisa[36][37] 3 months
Brazil Visa not required[38] 90 days
Brunei Visa required[39]
Bulgaria Visa not required[40] 90 days
Burkina Faso eVisa[41][42]
Burundi Visa on arrival[43] 1 month
Cambodia eVisa / Visa on arrival[44][45] 30 days
Cameroon eVisa[46][47]
Canada Visa required[48]
Cape Verde Visa on arrival[49]
Central African Republic Visa required[50]
Chad eVisa[51][52][53]
Chile Visa not required[54] 90 days
China Visa required[55]
  • Visa not required for 30 days for travelling as part of an accredited tour group.
Colombia Visa not required[56] 90 days
Comoros Visa on arrival[57] 45 days
Republic of the Congo eVisa[58][59]
Democratic Republic of the Congo eVisa[60][61] 7 days
Costa Rica Visa required[62]
Côte d'Ivoire eVisa[63][64] 3 months
Croatia Visa not required[65] 90 days
Cuba eVisa[66][67] 90 days
  • Can be extended up to 90 days with a fee.
Cyprus Visa not required[Note 1][68] 90 days
  • 90 days within any 180 day period.[19][20]
Czech Republic Visa not required[69] 90 days
Denmark Visa not required[70] 90 days
Djibouti eVisa[71][72] 90 days
Dominica Visa not required[73] 21 days
Dominican Republic Visa required[74]
Ecuador Visa not required[75] 90 days
Egypt eVisa[76][77] 30 days
El Salvador Visa required[78]
Equatorial Guinea eVisa[79][80]
Eritrea Visa required[81]
Estonia Visa not required[82] 90 days
Eswatini Visa required[83]
Ethiopia eVisa[84][85] up to 90 days
Fiji Visa not required[86] 4 months
Finland Visa not required[87] 90 days
France Visa not required[88] 90 days
Gabon eVisa[89][90]
Gambia Visa required[91]
  • In addition to a visa, an entry clearance must be obtained from the Gambian Immigration prior to travel.[92]
Georgia Visa not required[93] 365 days
Germany Visa not required[94] 90 days
Ghana Visa required[95]
Greece Visa not required[96] 90 days
Grenada Visa on arrival[97] 3 months
Guatemala Visa required[98]
Guinea eVisa[99][100] 90 days
Guinea-Bissau Visa on arrival[101] 90 days
Guyana Visa required[102]
Haiti Visa not required[103] 3 months
Honduras Visa required[104]
Hungary Visa not required[105] 90 days
Iceland Visa not required[106] 90 days
India eVisa[107][108] 30 days
Indonesia Visa required[109]
Iran eVisa[110][111] 30 days
Iraq eVisa[112][113]
Ireland Visa required[114]
Israel ETA-IL[115][116] 90 days
  • Biometric passport holders only. ETA-IL required.[117]
Italy Visa not required[118] 90 days
Jamaica Visa on arrival[119]
Japan Visa required[120]
Jordan eVisa / Visa on arrival[121][122]
  • Visa can be obtained upon arrival, it will cost a total of 40 JOD, obtainable at most international ports of entry and land border crossings. (except King Hussein/Allenby Bridge)
Kazakhstan Visa not required[123] 90 days
Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation[124][125] 90 days
  • Applications can be submitted up to 90 days prior to travel and must be submitted at least 3 days in advance.
  • eTA fee is USD 32.50.
  • Proof of reservation at the hotel where visitors plan to stay is required (if staying with friends, an invitation letter is also acceptable).
  • Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if coming from endemic countries.
  • Can also be entered on an East Africa Tourist Visa issued by Kenya or Rwanda.[126]
Kiribati Visa required[127]
North Korea Visa required[128]
South Korea Visa required[129]
Kuwait Visa required[130]
Kyrgyzstan Visa not required[131]
Laos eVisa / Visa on arrival[132] 30 days
Latvia Visa not required[134] 90 days
Lebanon Free visa on arrival[135] 1 month
  • Extendable for 2 additional months.
  • Granted free of charge at Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry if there is no Israeli visa or seal, holding a telephone number, an address in Lebanon, and a non refundable return or circle trip ticket.
Lesotho eVisa[136]
Liberia eVisa[137][138][139]
Libya eVisa[140][141]
Liechtenstein Visa not required[142] 90 days
Lithuania Visa not required[143] 90 days
Luxembourg Visa not required[144] 90 days
Madagascar eVisa / Visa on arrival[145][146] 60 days
Malawi eVisa / Visa on arrival[147][148] 90 days
Malaysia Visa not required[149] 30 days
Maldives Free visa on arrival[150] 30 days
Mali Visa required[151]
Malta Visa not required[152] 90 days
Marshall Islands Visa required[153]
Mauritania eVisa[154][155] 30 days
Mauritius Visa on arrival[156] 60 days
Mexico Visa required[157]
Micronesia Visa not required[158] 30 days
Monaco Visa not required[159]
Mongolia eVisa[160][161] 30 days
Montenegro Visa not required[162] 90 days
  • 90 days within any 180 day period.
Morocco Visa required[163]
Mozambique eVisa / Visa on arrival[165][166] 30 days
Myanmar Visa required[167]
Namibia Visa on arrival[168] 3 months
  • Effective from 1 April 2025, Moldovan citizens must apply for a visa on arrival from one of the following points of entry.[169]
  • Hosea Kutako International Airport, Walvis Bay International Airport, Oshikango Border Post, Trans-Kalahari Border Post, Oranjemund Border Post, Noordover Border Post, Katima Mulilo Border Post, Impalila Island Border Post, Ngoma Border Post and Mohembo Border Post.[169]
Nauru Visa required[170]
  Nepal Online Visa / Visa on arrival[171][172] 90 days
Netherlands Visa not required[173] 90 days
New Zealand Visa required[174]
  • Diplomatic, service and standard passports with the former USSR symbol issued in Moldova are unacceptable, and visas will not be endorsed in them.[175]
  • Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[176]
Nicaragua Visa not required[177] 90 days
Niger Visa required[178]
Nigeria eVisa[179][180] 90 days
North Macedonia Visa not required[181] 90 days
Norway Visa not required[182] 90 days
Oman Visa not required / eVisa[183][184] 14 days / 30 days
Pakistan eVisa[185] 90 days
Palau Free visa on arrival[186] 30 days
Panama Visa not required[187] 90 days
Papua New Guinea eVisa[188][189] 60 days
  • Visitors may apply for a visa online under the "Tourist - Own Itinerary" category.
Paraguay Visa required[190]
Peru Visa not required[191] 183 days
Philippines Visa required[192]
  • Residents of the United Arab Emirates may obtain an eVisa through the official Philippine eVisa website. A valid Emirati residence visa must be shown upon an eVisa application.[193][194]
Poland Visa not required[195] 90 days
Portugal Visa not required[196] 90 days
Qatar Visa not required[197] 90 days
  • 90 days within any 180 day period.
Romania Visa not required[198] 90 days
Russia Visa not required[199] 90 days
  • 90 days within one calendar year period.
Rwanda Visa not required[200] 30 days
  • Can also be entered on an East Africa Tourist Visa issued by Kenya or Rwanda.[126]
Saint Kitts and Nevis Electronic Travel Authorisation[201][202] 90 days
Saint Lucia Visa required[203]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Visa not required[204] 3 month
Samoa Visa not required[205] 90 days
San Marino Visa not required[206]
São Tomé and Príncipe eVisa[207][208]
Saudi Arabia Visa required[209]
Senegal Visa required[210]
Serbia Visa not required[211] 90 days
  • 90 days within any 6-month period.
Seychelles Electronic Border System[212][213] 3 months
  • Application can be submitted up to 30 days before travel.
  • Visitors must upload a reservation confirmation(s) for each visitor's location of stay in Seychelles.
  • Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if coming from endemic countries.
  • Payment of the fee (EUR 10) by credit or debit card.
  • Valid for one journey only and it expires once exit the country.
Sierra Leone eVisa[214][215] 3 months
Singapore Visa required[216]
  • May obtain visa online.[217]
Slovakia Visa not required[214] 90 days
Slovenia Visa not required[218] 90 days
Solomon Islands Visa required[219]
  • Visa on arrival if having pre-arranged visa.
Somalia eVisa[220][221] 30 days
South Africa Visa required[222]
South Sudan eVisa[223][224]
  • Obtainable online.
  • Printed visa authorization must be presented at the time of travel.
Spain Visa not required[225] 90 days
Sri Lanka eVisa / Visa on arrival[226][227] 60 days / 30 days
  • The standard visitor visa allows a stay of 60 days within any 6-month period.[228]
  • Visa fees (for Standard visitor visa):
  • e-Visa categories will be charged an additional USD 18.50 service fee.
  • If transiting from any of the Sri Lankan airports, An e-Visa is exempted (2 day transit period).
Sudan Visa required[229]
Suriname Visa not required[230][231] 90 days
  • An entrance fee of USD 50 or EUR 50 must be paid online prior to arrival.[232]
  • Multiple entry e-Visa is also available.[233]
Sweden Visa not required[218] 90 days
 Switzerland Visa not required[234] 90 days
Syria eVisa[235]
  • According to the Law No. 2 of 2014 all visitors require visas prior to arrival.[236][237][238] According to the IATA database, visa may be obtained on arrival and is valid for 15 days.[239]
Tajikistan Visa not required[240] Unlimited
Tanzania eVisa / Visa on arrival[241][242] 90 days
Thailand eVisa[243][244] 30 days
Timor-Leste Visa on arrival[245] 30 days
Togo eVisa[246][247] 15 days
Tonga Visa required[248]
Trinidad and Tobago Visa required[249]
Tunisia Visa not required[250] 3 months
Turkey Visa not required[251] 90 days
Turkmenistan Visa required[254]
Tuvalu Visa on arrival[255] 1 month
Uganda eVisa[256][257] 3 months
  • Can also be entered on an East Africa Tourist Visa issued by Kenya or Rwanda.[126]
Ukraine Visa not required[258] 90 days
  • ID-card valid for people living within 30 km (19 mi) border zone.
  • 90 days within any 180-day period.
United Arab Emirates Visa not required[259] 90 days
United Kingdom Visa required[260]
United States Visa required[261]
Uruguay Visa required[263]
Uzbekistan Visa not required[264] Unlimited
Vanuatu eVisa[265][266]
Vatican City Visa not required[267]
Venezuela eVisa[268][269]
  • Introduction of Electronic Visa System for Tourist and Business Travelers.[270][271]
Vietnam eVisa[272][273]
  • e-Visa is valid for 90 days and multiple entry.
Yemen Visa required[274]
Zambia eVisa / Visa on arrival[275][276] 90 days
Zimbabwe eVisa / Visa on arrival[277][278] 30 days

Territories and disputed areas

Visa requirements for Moldovan citizens for visits to various territories, disputed areas, partially recognized countries and restricted zones:

Visitor toVisa requirementNotes (excluding departure fees)
Europe
Abkhazia Visa not required[279]
Mount Athos Special permit required Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[280][281]
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Visa not required 3 months[282]
United Nations UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus Access Permit required[283] Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas.
Faroe Islands Visa not required[284]
Gibraltar Visa required[285]
Guernsey Visa required[286]
Isle of Man Visa required[287]
Norway Jan Mayen Permit required Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[288] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[289]
Jersey Visa required[290]
Kosovo Visa required[291]
Russia Special authorization required Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.[292]
South Ossetia Visa not required Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[293][294]
Africa
British Indian Ocean Territory Special permit required Special permit required.[295]
Eritrea outside Asmara Travel permit required To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[296]
Mayotte Visa not required[297] 90 days within 180 days
Réunion Visa not required[297] 90 days within 180 days
Ascension Island eVisa[298][299] 3 months within any year period.
Saint Helena eVisa[300][301]
Tristan da Cunha Permission required Permission to land required for 15/30 pounds sterling (yacht/ship passenger) for Tristan da Cunha Island or 20 pounds sterling for Gough Island, Inaccessible Island or Nightingale Islands.[302]
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Undefined visa regime in the Western Sahara controlled territory.
Somaliland Visa on arrival 30 days for 30 USD, payable on arrival.[303][304]
Sudan Travel permit required All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit.
Sudan Darfur Travel permit required Separate travel permit is required.[305]
Asia
Hong Kong eVisa[306]
India PAP/RAP PAP/RAP required Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim and parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.[307][308][309][310][311][312]
Kazakhstan Special permission required Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[313]
Iran Kish Island Visa not required Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[314]
Macao Visa not required[315] 90 days
Maldives Maldives Permission required With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[316]
North Korea outside Pyongyang Special permit required People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving)
Palestine Visa not required[317] Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[318]
Taiwan Visa required[319]
Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province OIVR permit required OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[320][321][322]
China Tibet Autonomous Region TTP required Tibet Travel Permit required (10 USD).[323][324][325]
Turkmenistan Special permit required A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat.[326]
United Nations Korean Demilitarized Zone Restricted zone.
United Nations UNDOF Zone and Ghajar Restricted zone.
Yemen Special permission required Special permission needed for travel outside Sanaa or Aden.[327]
Caribbean and North Atlantic
Anguilla Visa required[328]
Aruba Visa not required[329][330] 30 days
Bermuda Visa required[331]
Netherlands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba Visa not required[332][333] 90 days
British Virgin Islands Visa required[334]
Cayman Islands Visa required[335]
Curacao Visa not required[336] 90 days
France French Guiana Visa not required[297] 90 days within 180 days
France French West Indies Visa not required[297] French West Indies refers to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy.
Greenland Visa not required[284]
Montserrat Electronic visa[337]
Puerto Rico Visa required[338]
Saint Pierre and Miquelon Visa not required[297] 90 days within 180 days
Sint Maarten Visa not required[339][340] 90 days
Turks and Caicos Islands Visa required[341]
U.S. Virgin Islands Visa required[342]
Oceania
American Samoa Entry permit required[343]
Australia Ashmore and Cartier Islands Special authorisation required Special authorisation required.[344]
Cook Islands Visa not required[345] 31 days
Fiji Lau Province Special permission required Special permission required.[346]
French Polynesia Visa not required[297] 90 days within 180 days
Guam Visa required[347]
New Caledonia Visa required[348]
Niue Visa on arrival[349] 30 days
Northern Mariana Islands Visa required[350]
Pitcairn Islands Visa not required 14 days visa free and landing fee US$35 or tax of US$5 if not going ashore.[351][352][353]
Tokelau Entry permit required[354]
United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Special permits required Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.[355][356][357][358][359][360][361]
Wallis and Futuna Visa required[362]
South Atlantic
Falkland Islands Visa required[363]
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Permit required Pre-arrival permit from the Commissioner required (72 hours/1 month for 110/160 pounds sterling).[364][365]
Antarctica Special permits required for British Antarctic Territory, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Argentine Antarctica, Australia Australian Antarctic Territory, Antártica Chilena Province Chilean Antarctic Territory, Australia Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norway Peter I Island, Norway Queen Maud Land, New Zealand Ross Dependency.[366][367][368][369][370][371][372][373][374][375][376][377]

Diplomatic and official passports only

Moldovan ID as optional passport replacement

Non-visa restrictions

Moldovan passports are recognized by all countries of the world. However, in some rare cases, Moldovan citizens may be refused entry.

Blank passport pages

Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[386] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.

Vaccination

Cover of the new International Certificate of Vaccination issued by the Bureau of Quarantine in the Philippines since 2021

The African countries of Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo, South Sudan and Uganda, along with French Guiana in South America, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year[387], to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.[388]

Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[389][390]

Passport validity length

Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.

However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[391][392] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[393]

Some countries, such as Japan,[394] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[395] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.

In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[396] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[397] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[398] Philippines,[399] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[400]

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.

Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.

Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.

Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[401] and South Africa.

Maximum passport age

Countries of the Schengen area require non-EU passports to be less than 10 years old upon entry.[402]

Criminal record

Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[403] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record, while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.

Persona non grata

The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning them from entering the country or expelling them if they have already entered. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[404]

Israeli stamps

Kuwait,[405] Lebanon,[406] Libya,[407] and Yemen[408] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.

To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.[citation needed]

Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.

Biometrics

Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.[409]

Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[410][411] Argentina,[412] Brunei, Cambodia,[413] China,[414] Ethiopia,[415] Ghana, Guinea,[416] India, Japan,[417][418] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[419] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[420] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[421] the Schengen Area,[422] Singapore, South Korea,[423] Taiwan, Thailand,[424] Uganda,[425] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by its own legislation),[426][427][428] intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[429]

Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports[430] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[431][432] The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to greatly increase the biometric data it collects at US borders.[433] In 2018, Singapore began trials of iris scanning at three land and maritime immigration checkpoints.[434][435]

Fingerprinting

Several countries including Argentina, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United States demand all passengers to be fingerprinted on arrival.[436][437][438][439][440][441][442]

See also

References

Notes

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI