A total of 409 undocumented persons were identified as a result of the mapping exercise carried out by the Law Center of Advocates (CDA), based on the analysis of data received from 582 mayoralties, representing 69% of all local public authorities across the country’s districts and the administrative-territorial units of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia.
The mapping of undocumented persons residing in the Republic of Moldova was conducted by CDA in 2025, with the support of UNHCR Moldova and the Council of Europe Office in Chișinău. Its purpose was to identify persons without identity documents and to assess the risk of statelessness, with a view to improving their access to documentation, legal assistance, and protection services.
The mapping highlights that undocumentedness remains an underreported and insufficiently visible phenomenon, with a major impact on the exercise of fundamental rights. The lack of identity documents restricts access to education, healthcare services, social protection, lawful employment, and pensions, thereby increasing the risk of social exclusion and statelessness.
The socio-demographic profile of undocumented persons reveals common characteristics, including belonging predominantly to the working-age population, being unmarried, having low income levels, and facing limited access to formal education and public services.
In many cases, the lack of documentation results from a cumulative set of factors, where institutional shortcomings, such as insufficient human and financial resources, lack of awareness of legal procedures, and excessive bureaucracy hinder the legal reintegration of these individuals.
The findings further show that the absence of paperwork does not occur in isolated cases. The phenomenon is present consistently across the entire national territory, is systemic in nature, and carries significant legal implications, including the risk of statelessness.
The study underscores the need for proactive interventions by the authorities, including early identification of undocumented persons at the local level; simplification of documentation procedures and reduction of associated costs; and strengthening the system of universal birth registration. It also recommends expanding access to legal assistance and information, as well as monitoring the impact of the new Citizenship Law on vulnerable persons.
The mapping conducted by CDA provides a solid evidence base for the development of more inclusive public policies aimed at preventing statelessness and protecting the fundamental right to identity and citizenship.
