Marriage in Russia

Updated on Monday 08th August 2022

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Foreigners who move to Russia can obtain various rights. They can apply for work and residence permits which can allow them to open companies, obtain jobs with Russian companies, but also to marry Russian or foreign citizens.

Marriages in Russia must be registered with the local civil registry office, ZAGS (Zapis Aktov Grazhdanskogo Sostoyaniya). Before starting the marriage registration procedures, foreign and local citizens are advised to check with the registry office what documents are required. Marriage registration in Russia does not take very long, the period ranging between 32 and 60 days until the marriage certificate is issued, but an additional month may be added prior to the marriage registration until all the documents are ready for submission.

Getting married in Russia implies different procedures for foreign and local citizens, however, with specialized help, the procedure can be easy and quick. Our family law attorneys in Russia provide specialized support to those seeking to get married in this country.

What documents are necessary to register a marriage in Russia?

The documents required for marriage registration in Russia:

the filed application form,
a passport with a valid visa - it is strongly advisable to obtain the visa before starting the translation process, as all documents must be submitted in Russian;
a certificate of no impediment that will attest the applicant’s current marital status and that can be obtained with the embassy,
for people that have been married before, another document as proof of marriage dissolution or death certificate must be obtained,
foreign people must also supply proof of residency,
receipts after paying all the relevant fees.

The documents must be supplied in original or notarized copies only. All foreign documents must be translated and certified. It is important to know that the certificate of no impediment has a 90-days validity period.

Getting married as a foreign citizen in Russia

In order to be allowed to get married in Russia, a foreign citizen must have a valid passport which will be present before the ZAGS officer. The documents to be submitted are the same with the ones mentioned above, however, a foreigner must also keep in mind the following:

both spouses must go in person to the office and file the application issued by the officer of the law;
in case the foreign spouse does not have a passport with them, a notarized copy can be used instead;
the immigration documents must be presented in original, while a copy must be submitted with ZAGS;
in case any document is missing, the spouses will be allowed to complete their application.

Our family law attorneys in Russia can help foreign citizens who want to get married here with the preparation of the necessary documentation based on their nationality.

Visas for foreigners getting married in Russia

In the case of at least one of the future spouses being a foreign citizen, a valid passport with a visa is required. The good news is that the visas accepted by the Russian state include all the types of visas which can be issued. Tourist, business and student visas are all accepted for marriage registration in Russia provided that they are valid.

The visa must be accompanied by a certificate issued by the embassy of the foreign citizen’s home country in Russia. The certificate will attest to the right of getting married.

The joint declaration of spouses

One of the most important documents to be filed with getting married in Russia is the joint declaration of the future spouses. This must be completed and signed by both parties before the officer of the Marriage Registrar, however, there are cases in which one of the spouses cannot be present. In this case, two separate declarations can be prepared, but they will need to be authenticated by a public notary in Russia.

It must be noted, though, that at least one of the spouses must submit both declarations with ZAGS.

We remind that you can also solicit us information about immigration to Russia. We have a dedicated team of immigration lawyers in Russia.

The marriage registration process in Russia

Before filing the documents, one or both future spouses are recommended to go to ZAGS and ask for relevant information about the required documents and the bank account number where the marriage registration fee must be deposited. Once the documents are ready and the registration fee paid, the file will be submitted with the local civil registry office.

Once the documents are verified, the spouses will receive an application form that must be filled in and signed by both spouses. The following step will be booking a wedding day. According to the Russian civil laws, the wedding will take place anytime between 32 and 60 days, but in emergency cases, the date could be shortened.

Once the marriage is registered, the spouses will receive a wedding certificate. The marriage certificate must bear an apostil from the Central ZAGS Archive in order to have international recognition.

Refusal of marriage registration in Russia

It is possible for the ZAGS to refuse to register the marriage of two foreign citizens or of a foreigner to a Russian citizen under certain circumstances. Even if this is rarely met, our Russian lawyers mention that this is possible under the Civil Code if the marriage does not comply with the Federal Law. Also, if the documents filed with the officer of the Marriage Registry do not fulfill the legal requirements imposed by the Civil Code, the officer can refuse their request.

A particular case in which marriage registration can be refused is the mental incapacity of one of the spouses. However, only a court of law can issue a decree in this sense.

Even if it is not very common for a marriage to be refused, it best to request the services of family lawyers in Russia in order to ensure a smooth process. You might also be interested in the services of our immigration lawyers in Russia.

How much does it cost getting married in Russia?

Our family law attorneys in Russia are asked all the time about the costs associated with getting married here and the answer is pretty simple: the marriage registration is not expensive. When getting married in Russia, no matter if you are a foreigner or not, you will need to consider the notarization cost of the documents and the marriage registration fee. The notary fees depend on the number of documents to be authenticated. Also, if you will need any documents translated, you should also consider the costs related to this procedure. This will depend on the language the documents must be translated from.

Why choose our family law attorneys in Russia?

The procedure of registering a marriage in Russia can seem difficult and lengthy to foreign citizens, however, with the help of our family law attorneys in Russia the process can be sped up and simplified.

We offer support with the preparation of the documents needed to register a civil marriage in Russia, including assistance in notarization and translation of specific documents required to foreign citizens.

With our law firm, you will benefit from personalized services, which is why we invite you to our offices across Russia to discuss your case and options. Our lawyers in Russia can guide you through the marriage registration process.

You can contact us for any information related to the provisions of the Russian Civil Code. Plus, for information about immigration to Russia, feel free to get in touch with us.