You live in Italy, Germany, France, or the United Kingdom and have a matter in Moldova: an inheritance, a sale, or a court case. You do not need to travel for every document. If you prepare the power of attorney correctly, your representative can act for you legally. I will show you how to prepare it without extra trips or refusals at the counter.
Option 1: power of attorney at a consulate of the Republic of Moldova
Go to the embassy or consulate of the Republic of Moldova in the country where you live. The consul authenticates the power of attorney in Romanian. You can use the document in Moldova directly, without an apostille or translation.
Advantage: you do not need any additional steps. Disadvantage: you may sometimes wait a long time for an appointment.
Option 2: local notary plus apostille
If you live in a state party to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, ask a local notary to authenticate the power of attorney. Then request the apostille from the competent authority in that country. The Republic of Moldova has applied this convention since March 16, 2007.
Attention: if the power of attorney uses a foreign language, order a certified Romanian translation before you use it with institutions in Moldova. Many people apostille the original and forget the translation. The institution then rejects the document.
Option 3: other countries
Moldova has bilateral legal assistance agreements with some states. Moldovan authorities recognize their notarial documents without an apostille, and you translate them into Romanian. For states that belong neither to the Hague Convention nor to a bilateral agreement, you complete consular legalization. Check your country's rules on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
What to include in the power of attorney
A good power of attorney includes:
- your full details and the representative's full details, including identity document details;
- the exact actions the representative may take: accept an inheritance, sign the sale contract for the apartment at address X, represent you in case No. Y, or file documents with the Cadastre or the Public Services Agency;
- the validity period;
- the date, your signature, and the authentication by the notary or consul.
A power of attorney that uses general wording raises concerns. Banks, notaries, and the Cadastre often require clear powers for the specific transaction.
How to revoke a power of attorney
You can revoke the power of attorney at any time. The revocation takes effect after you notify the representative and the institutions where you used the power of attorney. Until then, documents that your representative signs under it can bind you.
Power of attorney for an inheritance
From April 1, 2026, you have 12 months to accept an inheritance in Moldova. A representative with a power of attorney can file the declaration of acceptance with the notary on your behalf. Read the guide to the new inheritance rules.
What to do next
Before you sign, send me the text of the power of attorney. I will check whether it covers exactly what you need and whether the institution in Moldova will accept it. Read about my diaspora services or message me on WhatsApp.
The guide gives you general information as of the update date. Book a consultation for advice about your case.
