Electronic ID cards instead of bulletins
Romanian citizens from the Republic of Moldova, left without identity cards, may soon receive electronic documents that will indicate their address in the Republic of Moldova. This measure will solve the problem that arose after changes in the legislation introduced by the Romanian state.
Eugen Tomac, honorary advisor to the Romanian president, said that the Romanian state takes the situation very seriously and has found several solutions that are likely to be implemented already this month. He explained that this will allow people to return to normal life more quickly.
One of the solutions is the issuance of electronic identity cards, which will indicate the place of residence in the Republic of Moldova, so that there will be no more problems related to the address.
He also said that the authorities have been working for more than two months to find solutions for the victims and that the necessary details and steps will be announced in the next two weeks. The aim is to simplify procedures and reduce the time to obtain documents.
What caused the problems
The problems arose following a change in the law on residence, which no longer allows multiple people to be registered at the same address as was previously possible. Because of the lack of a clear address, many ID cards have been canceled.
Eugen Tomac said that Romanian citizenship itself is not affected by these changes and cannot be lost. He added that solutions have been found for those who were left without identity cards so that they can legally restore their rights and documents.
One of the solutions will be the issuance of new electronic identity cards indicating the place of residence in Moldova, so that the problem related to the home address will no longer exist.
More than 162,000 identity cards have been canceled
Legislative changes adopted in Romania in 2023 regarding population records have led to the revocation of more than 162,000 identity cards by the end of 2025. According to Romanian authorities, approximately 66% of those affected are Romanian citizens residing in the Republic of Moldova, which means that more than 100,000 of them have been left without Romanian “buletins” over the past two years.
The new law stipulates that a maximum of ten people can reside at one address, unless they are members of an extended family. In addition, the residence can be revoked either at the request of the landlord or following inspections by the authorities. This measure was introduced following the identification of extreme situations where thousands or even tens of thousands of people were registered at a single address.
As a result of the checks, the authorities identified the residence addresses of more than a thousand people, and in one case in Bucharest, more than 22,000 people indicated a two-room apartment as their place of residence. In this context, a significant proportion of the revocations, about half of them for 2025 alone, were at the request of the owners, thus exacerbating the problems for those who did not update their residence data in time.
Comparison: Traditional “bouletin” versus the new electronic ID card
| Charasteristics | Classic “bouletin” (old format) | New electronic card (CEI) |
| Size | Large format, difficult to carry in a wallet | Like an ID-1 format bank card, compact and sturdy |
| Security | Simple graphics that are easy to counterfeit | Reliable chip and state-of-the-art security features |
| EU travel | Allows transit but requires manual inspection | Passport feature allows passage through automatic gates (e-gates) |
| Digital signature | Does not allow signing documents remotely | Digital authentication for accessing government online services |
| Medical Services | Requires a separate medical card | Can replace medical records (dual function) |
| Data storage | Only information printed on plastic | Biometric data (fingerprints, facial image) stored on chip |
| Interaction status | Personal presence required | Provides digital interaction with institutions (service centers) |
And in addition – residence registration in the Republic of Moldova (or Romania).
