Marrying a Russian in Russia
FIVE STEPS TO A RUSSIAN MARRIAGE
1. BRING YOUR DOCUMENTS: The Russian government
requires you to have in your possession originals of all pertinent
U.S. civil documents (i.e., birth, marriage and divorce certificates,
passports, visa, etc.).
2. REGISTER YOUR VISA: Rules for registration
of foreigners in the Russian Federation changed in January 2007.
Registration is now performed either by the traveler's visa sponsor,
or by a hotel, landlord, employer, or other entity acting as an
"acceptance agent." This should be done no later than
within three business days from the day you cross the border."
3. OBTAIN CERTIFIED OFFICIAL TRANSLATIONS:
You will need official translations of your passport and visa for
the registration of your marriage at ZAGS. The U.S. Consulate General
can neither translate nor legalize U.S. documents and translations
for use in Russia. You may contact any local translation service:
| LINGVA |
45 a Aleutskaya office # 626 |
40-0-35, 40-12-54 |
| LANGUAGE CENTER "RITEX" |
59 Krasnogo Znameni |
45-39-28, 49-11-97 |
| LANGUAGE BUREAU |
6 g Sukhanova |
43-25-25, 30-06-99 |
| LINGVA PLUS |
11 Aleutskaya |
41-04-66, 41-29-82 |
| POLIGLOT |
|
55-52-27, 40-17-85 |
You can also use the help of a person possessing a
diploma in English to translate your documents and notarize it by
any public notary.
4. OBTAIN PROOF OF YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO MARRY:
The Russian government (ZAGS) requires official proof of your legal
capacity to marry. If you had your previous marriages dissolved
you can provide ZAGS with official divorce decrees and their translations.
Please note, that divorce decree should bear an apostille. An apostille
is the equivalent of an international notarial seal. Any document
which bears an apostille is legally valid for use in all countries
party to the Hague Convention of 1961 on the legalization of documents.
This includes the U.S. and Russia. To obtain an apostille on documents
notarized in the U.S. (including civil records), you must apply
to the Secretary of State of the state in which the document was
notarized. The Secretary of State's office will verify the notary
public's or other notarizing official's signature by placing an
apostille on the document. If you were not married before ZAGS might
ask you to provide a certificate that no impediment exists to the
marriage. The United States does not require such a document. If
such a document is requested, you need to prepare an affidavit with
basic biographical information about you and your fiancé.
The information should be in both English and Russian. It is important
that the Russian transliteration of your name be identical to that
on your Russian visa and that all information pertaining to your
Russian fiancé be correct and accurate. Your affidavit should
be apostilled in the U.S. .
5. GET MARRIED AT THE CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE (ZAGS):
Take all the documents you have collected, including originals and
official translations of your passport, your visa, and affidavit
of eligibility to marry to the ZAGS office in your fiancé's
home town. Your marriage date will be scheduled usually 30 days
after the date of application. Contact your local ZAGS office for
exact information.
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