Moldovan Translation

Documents from Moldova do not fit one mould. The same person may hold a current Latin-script document, a Cyrillic Soviet-era one and a third issued by Romania.

4 min readLast updated 2 September 2026

Short answer

Moldova's official language is the same language as Romanian, and current documents are issued in Latin script. Soviet-era documents were written in Cyrillic. Moldova is a party to the Convention, so the apostille chain is valid.

Language: The same language as Romanian
Current alphabet: Latin
Soviet period: Cyrillic
Apostille: Moldova and Türkiye are both parties

Cyrillic Moldovan documents

In the Soviet period the same language was written in Cyrillic in Moldova. That did not turn Romanian into another language: the words were the same, the letters different. Latin script was restored in 1989, but documents issued before then remain valid in Cyrillic.

The same word in two alphabets
Meaning	Latin (today)	Cyrillic (Soviet period)
Birth	naștere	наштере
Act, document	act	акт
Family	familie	фамилие
City	oraș	ораш

The same word in two alphabets

Two sets of documents from two countries

Some Moldovan citizens are also Romanian citizens and can obtain documents from both countries. In a Turkish procedure that produces two sets of records, and the spelling of a name can differ between them.

Differences between documents from the two countries
Item	Moldovan document	Romanian document
Identity number	IDNP	CNP
Issuing authority	Moldovan civil registry	Romanian civil registry
Apostille authority	Moldova	Romania
Name spelling	Follows that passport	Follows that passport

Differences between documents from the two countries

What matters for a Turkish institution is which document you submit and that it carries an apostille from its own country. Mixing the two sets leads to the apostille being requested from the wrong authority. Decide at the outset which country's documents you will use, and we will keep the translation consistent with that choice.

Documents from territory outside government control

There is a region in eastern Moldova outside the central government's control, and documents issued there are not recognised by the Moldovan authorities. They cannot be apostilled, because an apostille can only be placed on the signature of a recognised authority.

01
Establish where the document came from
The name and location of the issuing authority appear on the document. If it came from the uncontrolled region, that is a problem to resolve before translation.
02
Obtain a recognised copy
A copy recognised by Moldova can sometimes be requested for a document originating in the region. The process varies by institution.
03
Translation does not solve it
Translating a document does not make it recognised. A recognition problem must be resolved before translation, or the cost is wasted.
04
Ask the institution first
We recommend asking the Turkish institution in advance whether the document will be accepted.

the year Latin script was restored: 1989the year Latin script was restored
where the same language is official: 2 countrieswhere the same language is official
the Moldovan identity number: IDNPthe Moldovan identity number

Moldovan documents and how we render them

Frequently seen documents
Document	What it is	Our approach
Certificat de naștere	Birth certificate	A Soviet-era copy may be in Cyrillic
Buletin de identitate	Identity card	The IDNP field is stated separately
Cazier judiciar	Criminal record certificate	Its validity is limited in time
Diplomă / Supliment	Diploma and supplement	Two separate documents
Certificat de căsătorie	Marriage certificate	Shows the surname chosen after marriage

Frequently seen documents

Frequently asked questions

Are Moldovan and Romanian the same language?

Current Moldovan documents are in the same language and the same script as Romanian, and for translation there is no practical difference. The differences lie in the countries: which authority issues the apostille, which identity number applies, which registry issued the document. Those are separate for each.

What do I need for an older Cyrillic Moldovan document?

A translator who can read Romanian in Cyrillic script. Someone who knows Russian reads the letters but not the text; someone who knows only Latin-script Romanian understands the text but struggles with the letters. Send one page and we will route it appropriately.

I hold both Moldovan and Romanian documents. Which should I use?

Decide which country's documents you will present to the Turkish institution and have them apostilled by that country. Mixing the two sets leads to requesting the apostille from the wrong authority. Tell us your decision and we will keep the name spelling consistent with it.

Is an apostille enough for a document going to Moldova?

Yes. Moldova is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so sworn translation, notarisation and an apostille are valid; consular legalisation is not required.

My document is from the uncontrolled region. Can you translate it?

Technically yes, but that will not make it recognised. An apostille cannot be placed on a document from an unrecognised authority, and the Turkish institution may not accept it. We recommend confirming with the institution before starting, or the cost is wasted.