A family relationship is based on personal ties between persons. These are most commonly blood ties. However, you may also be bound to your family members through an officially recognized relationship such as marriage or adoption.
Blood relatives
We often use the word “family” in reference to our blood relatives. We are bound to all the members of our family (and kin) by virtue of these biological ties
example Your blood relatives are your biological parents, grandparents, siblings and your biological children. Siblings and grandparents and grandchildren are also blood relatives and their relationship is protected by the human right to a family life.
Legally recognized family
The relationship between family members may also be founded on legal recognition by the State.
example A marriage establishes a relationship between a husband and a wife, as well as a relationship to their respective relatives – a father-in-law, a mother-in-law, a brother- or sister-in-law, etc. An adoption also establishes a relationship between adopted children and their adoptive parents, as well as creating ties between the children and other relatives of their adoptive parents.
Other relationships
A factual relationship which is not legally recognized, such as a co-habiting couple, regardless of their sexual orientation, may also be considered to be a family, if it satisfies certain criteria. It has to be based on close personal ties with mutual understanding and respect at its core.
In order to assess whether such a relationship constitutes a family, a number of factors may be relevant:
- whether the couple lives together
- the length of their relationship
- whether they have children in common
- whether they have demonstrated their commitment to each other by other means
example A couple that has been living together for several years and has a child in common will be considered a family.
As a rule, co-habiting couples are not recognized in the Republic of Moldova. Such relationships have little to no legal consequences in the eyes of the Moldovan state.
Exceptionally couples who could not register their marriage and were co-habiting before 8 July 1944 may be considered as in an unregistered marriage.