Women in Moldova paid at least 8.5 million lei in 2023 to change the identity documents and driving licenses as a result of name change. The normative framework does not provide for a differentiation between issuing a new document and changing the document after changing the name. The procedure is the same in terms of duration and cost. There is also no possibility to apply electronically to obtain new documents due to name change. The subject was discussed during a policy dialogue organized by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), IPN reports.
The author of an analytical note on this subject, Diana Doroș, said the burden falls disproportionately on women as 97% of all requests to change documents due to marriage or divorce are requested by women. In 2023, the number of applications submitted by women for the issuance of new documents due to name change after marriage or divorce was 10,482 for identity card, 9,125 for passport and 3,580 for driving license.
The author of the analytical note recommends reducing or eliminating the fees for issuing identity documents and driving license following the name change, in the context in which the citizen is obliged to change a document with a valid period. It is also recommended to digitize the service of obtaining all identity documents, including their delivery to home in case of name change.
At the same time, it is recommended to adjust the normative framework in order to establish a deadline for issuing identity documents and driving licenses or to examine the preservation of the driving license with the initial name for its period of validity, as well as to exclude the presentation of the medical certificate when applying for a driving license after changing the surname, if this is still valid.
Liliana Palihovici, president of the Institutum Virtutes Civilis, noted that the analytical note shows how much gender stereotypes cost, because the name change starts from the tradition that the woman changes the name to that of the man and it is considered shameful for the man to take the woman’s name. The costs increase if the woman is from rural areas, as long as transport costs to the district are added here. There should be particular provisions in the legislation, regarding the obligation to change the name in the identity card. For example, in Romania a document is issued by e-mail to confirm that the person, even if he/she has a different name, is the same person.
Public Services Agency deputy director Iurie Cristea noted that he does not see why the costs of changing names would be a burden namely for women, as long as both of the spouses have the right and can change their names or neither of them can do so. In 2022, out of about 19,000 marriages, more than 5,000 or 28% of women chose not to change their names. In 2023, nearly 30% of the women did not change their name. It is the same fee because it is a standard procedure for changing documents.
Svetlana Andrieș, Deputy Country Representative of UN Women Moldova, believes that having the same IDNP, it would be welcome if the state institutions do not put pressure on a woman or a man when they get married and change their names to immediately change the documents and the papers with different names should be valid until they expire.
