Getting Married in Russia
Five Steps To A Russian Marriage
June 2002

U.S. citizens who plan to marry Russian citizens should familiarize themselves with the following information. Please note that the guidelines do not apply to Americans who intend marry other Americans or third-country nationals in Russia. The guidelines are subject to change without notice.

SUMMARY

• The Russian government requires that foreigners who wish to marry in Russia have in their possession the originals of all pertinent civil documents (i.e. the last divorce certificate, passports, etc.)
• There is a one month waiting period following application to marry.
• In Yekaterinburg, further information concerning marriage procedures may be obtained by contacting ZAGS (the Russian Civil Registry Office): tel.: 3432-763635 (Leninskiy District) or (3432) 614125 (Okryabskiy District).
• In the U.S., contact the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C.: Russian Embassy, Consular Division, 1825 Phelps Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, tel.: (202) 939-8902.

PREPARE A MARRIAGE LETTER AT THE U.S. EMBASSY IN MOSCOW

U.S. citizens who intend to marry in Russia must complete the attached standard affidavit form (svidetel'stvo) in which they state their current marital status. The attached form must be completed in Russian and sworn to/affirmed in person before a U.S. Consul at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. The transliteration of your name should be identical to that on your Russian visa. The American Citizen Services Unit of the Embassy offers notarial services Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the cost is $30 or the equivalent in rubles. Green card holders and other legal permanent residents are not entitled to this service.

HAVE THE MARRIAGE LETTER AUTHENTICATED AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN MOSCOW

Authentication of the marriage letter may only be done in Moscow. This service is performed by the Department of Legalization of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at Neopalimovskiy Pereulok, dom 12a (see map below), approximately a twelve-minute walk from Smolenskaya Metro (on the dark blue Moscow line). The hours of operation are from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (until 4:30 p.m. on Friday). Monday through Friday; telephone 244-3797. The procedure costs around 100 rubles, and the authentication process takes five days. There is no next-day or otherwise expedited service available. All fees can be paid at the Sberkassa located in the waiting room of the Department of Legalization.

OBTAIN AN OFFICIAL NOTARIZED TRANSLATION OF THE INFORMATION PAGE OF YOUR PASSPORT

The Consulate General can not perform this service. However, the necessary notarized translation can be obtained at any translation center that has a Russian notary public present. Attached is a list of translation bureaus.

GET MARRIED AT THE CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE (ZAGS)

Have your paperwork approved by the ZAGS (Zapis' Aktov Grazhdanskogo Sostoyaniya). Please note that if you have been married before, ZAGS office requires that a certified copy of divorce decree (or other document proving that the previous marriage was legally terminated), with an apostille stamp, be submitted. Additional information regarding obtaining an apostille stamp in the U.S. is provided upon request at the Consulate General.

Pay your marriage registration fee (Rb 100-subject to change) at any Sberkassa. Take the receipt for the marriage registration fee to the Marriage Office. Schedule the date for the marriage ceremony, usually one to two months in the future. Marriage Office employees will give you a price list for various wedding ceremony options.

A Russian fiance(e) may schedule the date of the wedding ceremony without the US citizen present. In these cases, the following U.S. documents (notarized with an apostille stamp) are required: letter of intention to marry; state record stating that you are free to marry; if you have been married before, a document proving that your previous marriage was legally terminated. For further instructions, contact ZAGS by phone at 3432-763635 or 3432-614125.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Once you are married, you may contact the American Citizen Services Unit at the U.S. Consulate General in Yekaterinburg for information about obtaining immigrant visas for your spouse and his/her dependents. Please note: although you may file an Immigrant Visa (IV) petition for your spouse and any minor step-children at the Consulate General in St. Petersburg or at any INS office in the U.S, all IVs are processed and issued at the Embassy in Moscow and cannot be issued in Yekaterinburg or in the U.S.
General information on visa-related matters is available on the U.S. Embassy's website or U.S. Consulate General website. Any further questions may be directed to acsstpete@state.gov

• Please note that the US Consulate General in Yekaterinburg can neither translate nor legalize U.S. documents for use in Russia. Certified copies of U.S. documents must also bear an Apostille stamp to be valid in Russia - these stamps are only available in the U.S. For more information please request a copy of our "Notarial Services" handout.

СВИДЕТЕЛЬСТВО

Я, нижеподписавшийся/аяся,
(Полное имя / Your full name)


родившийся/родившаяся в ,
(Дата и место рождения / Your date and place of birth)


гражданин Соединенных Штатов Америки, паспорт #

(# паспорт / Your U.S. passport number)

выдан в , приехал/а в Россию в

(Дата выдачи / Date of issuance) (Место / Where it was issued)

качестве

(Бизнесмен, Турист, т.д. / Businessman, Tourist, etc.)

Мой адрес в США -

(Адрес / Your address in the U.S.)

Я сейчас проживаю в России по адресу

(Адрес / Your address in Russia)

Я желаю вступить в брак с

(Полное Имя / Your fiancee's full name)

родившимся/ейся в ,

(Дата / Date of birth) (Место / Place of birth)

гражданином/гражданкой России, проживающим/проживающей по адресу

(Адрес / Your fiancee's address)

[ ] Я не состою и никогда не состоял в браке.

(I am not and have never been married).

[ ] Я не состою в браке, а последний предшествующий брак был расторгнут (I am not married and was last divorced on...)

(Дата и место/ Date and place of your divorce)


(Подпись / Your signature)

Please DO NOT sign the affidavit until instructed to do so.