Power of Attorney for a Lawyer in Moldova: A Guide for the Diaspora

A power of attorney (in Romanian, procură) is a document by which one person (the principal) authorizes another (the agent) to perform legal acts and to act as their representative before authorities, courts and third parties. For Moldovans living abroad, it is the instrument that lets a lawyer in Moldova take over a case without your physical presence in the country.

Depending on your goal, a power of attorney can be general (covering a broad range of actions) or special (limited to one specific operation - for example, only representation in a lawsuit, only the sale of an apartment, or only collecting certain documents). For sensitive matters, a clearly drafted special power of attorney offers more control, because it defines exactly what the agent may and may not do.

The scope must be worded carefully. A power of attorney that is too narrow can stall a stage of the case, while one that is too broad may grant more authority than you intend. For this reason, the content is agreed in advance, tailored to your specific objective.

A power of attorney drawn up outside Moldova must produce valid legal effects inside the country. In practice there are two main routes, both accepted:

The first route is authentication before a notary in your country of residence, followed by an apostille. The local notary prepares or certifies the document according to that country's form, and then an apostille is affixed - the international certification under the 1961 Hague Convention that confirms the authenticity of the signature and the capacity of the notary. If the document is in the language of that country, it will subsequently need a certified translation into Romanian.

The second route is to have the power of attorney authenticated directly at the Embassy or Consulate of the Republic of Moldova in your country of residence. Moldovan diplomatic missions perform notarial functions for citizens, and a document authenticated by the consulate does not require an apostille - it is recognized directly in Moldova. For Moldovan citizens this is often the simpler path, because it removes the apostille and translation steps.

Obtaining a valid power of attorney can be organized almost entirely online, in clear stages:

To get the power of attorney right the first time, prepare the basic information and documents in advance. Your identification details must match exactly those in your Moldovan documents, otherwise the act may be rejected.

We recommend sending a legible scan of the power of attorney immediately after authentication. Working from the scan, the lawyer can check the scope and wording before the original reaches Moldova, saving time should any correction be needed.

Note for foreign nationals: if you are not a Moldovan citizen, the consular route is generally not available to you, so the notary-plus-apostille path in your own country is the standard option. The rules on foreigners' standing in Moldova are governed, among others, by Law no. 200/2010 on the regime of foreigners.

Costs depend on several factors: notary or consular fees, the apostille fee, the certified translation, and the lawyer's fee for the case itself. These amounts vary from country to country and may change over time, so any figure should be treated as indicative and confirmed at the time of your request.

Timing also depends on institutions: a consular appointment or the issuance of an apostille can take from a few days to several weeks, depending on the country and the time of year. Couriering the original usually adds a few more days.

Your relationship with the lawyer is protected by attorney-client privilege under Law no. 1260/2002 on the advocacy profession. Your personal data is processed in accordance with data-protection legislation (Law no. 133/2011 and the new Law no. 195/2024). Documents and information you share remain confidential.

This article is general information and does not constitute individualized legal advice. Every situation has its own particularities, and the exact form of the power of attorney and the steps required depend on the specific circumstances. To draft a power of attorney tailored to your case and to be properly represented in Moldova, you are welcome to request an individual consultation - including remotely, via WhatsApp, Viber or Zoom, in Romanian, Russian or English.