Getting married with a Russian citizen or in Russia – what should you as a foreigner know?

We are frequently asked a lot of different questions related to getting married with a Russian citizen or registering a marriage in Russia if you are a foreigner. Here are the most "popular" questions from our clients:

❓ What documents must a foreign national provide to apply to be married?

When applying to be married with a Russian citizen, you must submit:
1) ID (passport);
2) Divorce or Death decree if you were previously married;
3) Certificate of Non-Impediment for Marriage issued by the applicable authority of the country which citizen you are of. Keep in mind that documents provided by a foreigner must be legalized (or apostilled), as well as translated into Russian, the translation being notarized in Russia.

❓ How can my future spouse, a Russian citizen, get a Single Status Certificate for performing a marriage abroad?

Your spouse can be issued a Certificate of Non-Impediment for Marriage in a local Archive and Information Department of the Registry Office. It is made the same day and costs 200 rubles.

❓ Suppose I married a Russian abroad. How can I verify my marriage in Russia?

The Family Code of the Russian Federation states that marriages that have been legally performed in another country are recognized in Russia. All you need is to file the overseas marriage certificate (legalized or apostilled, then translated and notarized) with the Federal Migration Service. You do not have to (and should not) marry in our country once more.

❓ Do I have to obtain a Marriage License, like in the United States, to get married in Russia?

There is no document like Marriage License in our country. All you have to do is to file in the Registry Office at least a month before the intended date of wedding.

❓ Let’s say I and my Russian girlfriend/boyfriend are both residing in my home country, and we want to travel to Russia for a while to register a marriage with the state authority. Can I do it?

Yes, you have the right to register your marriage in Russia in this case. However, make sure to apply at least a month before you come to the country!

❓ Another example. My future Russian spouse and I are living in China and we want to apply to the Russian Registry Office to be married. Can we do it without coming in person? For example, through our parents, using a Power of Attorney.

No, it is not allowed to do it under a POA. Only both applicants or one of them can file for a marriage certificate. In the latter case, the foreign spouse must write a consent application and have it certified by a notary or a Russian consul in his or her state of residence.

❓ To get married with a Russian citizen in Russia, must I have a temporary registration in the city where the marriage is going to be performed?

No, you do not have to be granted such a registration.



Do you have any other questions about Russian family law? Do not hesitate to email or call us:
Tel: +7 909 961-19-09
Email: legalsolutions@inbox.ru
Visit us: Moscow, Zubovskiy bulvar, building 4, room 308