Marriage in Russia.

The most important thing if you marry in Russia is the documents (of course, apart from your mutual willingness to marry each other). Surprisingly, this time it's not Russian bureaucracy needing them, but a native country of the foreign husband or wife. 

Two Russians who want to marry in Russia, need to come to any ZAGS (an organization that registers all marriages, births, and deaths in Russia) only with their passports, where they have a propiska (registration). They will fill in an application form and have a date booked after a 30-day waiting period. 

When one of the future spouses is a foreigner, ZAGS is required to act according to international agreements, that is, require additional documents that are needed by the embassy of the foreigner's native country.

Below we describe the process in detail. Generally, you'll need to stay in Russia at least for 2 months to be able to get all the documents needed and to book a wedding date, alternatively, you'll need to come at least twice for a couple of weeks. In all, you'll go through about 6 organisations and spend about 12 hours waiting in queues. The process should cost not more than $120 US for everything.

WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED TO MARRY IN RUSSIA?

Warning: Although we took great care making this information as up-to-date as possible, we do not take any responsibility nor liability in case this information is inaccurate or old. For the latest information, please, contact the embassy of your native country (see Moscow Guide / Embassies).

For a Russian person: a Russian passport with permanent registration ("propiska") at the place of marriage (e.g. Moscow) or temporary registration (made in UVIR).

For a foreigner: a Russian visa (any kind – tourist, business, private, student), a passport, a marital status paper from the embassy (also called "Certificate de Marriage" in France or "Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage" in England).

The first page of the foreigner's passport (where the personal information is) should be translated into Russian and should have a Russian notarial proof (stamped and signed). If the passport is translated in the foreigner's embassy, a consul should sign the translation, so that it's legitimate.

If you make a translation with notarial proof through a translation bureau, it'll cost about 450 R ($15 US) and takes about 2 working days. 

The marital status paper can be obtained through the embassy or through your local authorities (Superintendent Registar's Office in England). 

In case you do it through your local authorities (outside Russia) the notice of marriage will be given in the area of your usual residence and if in the period of 14 to 21 days (depending on the country) there's no objections to it, the Certificate of No Impediment will be issued. The Certificate should be then legalized by attaching a Foreign and Commonwealth Office certificate, also called "Apostille". 

In England, "Apostille" can be obtained at the Legalisation Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office at Old Admiralty Building, Whitehall, London, SW 1A 2LG (Phone: +44 (0) 20 7008 1111, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7008 1010).

The Certificate of No Impediment is valid for 3 months after the day of the issue (for English citizens) and for 12 month after the day of the issue (for French citizens).

In case you do it through your embassy (in Russia), you should apply at your embassy for the marital status paper. (See the addresses and contacts of embassies in the Moscow Guide / Practicalities section). The embassy will issue a 'publication' at the place of your usual residence and if during a 14 to 21 day period (varies for different countries) nobody objects to this 'publication' then the embassy issues the needed paper. Add another week for the embassy to send this publication to your country. 

French embassy doesn't charge anything for the Certificate, English embassy asks 35 pounds for this. This paper should be signed by the embassy and then it should be legalized by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Consulate department. It usually takes about 5 working days for the MFA to legalize the certificate and costs about 120 R ($4 US). So, in all it'll take you at least 1 month to get the legalized Certificate.

If you were married before, you'll need another paper from your embassy. Contact them for further information.

The Certificate of No Impediment validity depends on the country-issuer: 3 months for England, 12 months for France.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate Department address is: Moscow, Neopalimovski pereulok, #6 (metro Smolenskaya). Open: 10.00-17.00 (lunch break 13.00-15.00), closed Sat & Sun. 

It's important that some embassies will require some documents (in addition to your passport) to be able to issue the Certificate. For example, a French embassy requires a Birth Certificate of your future spouse and a testimony of the future spouse saying he / she sincerely wants to marry (can be made in any Notary office, costs about 120 R ($4 US), takes about 10 minutes). Both papers should be translated in French and apostilled.

The translation with notarial proof usually takes about 2 working days and costs about 450 R ($15 US) for 1 document.

The translation with notarial proof can be made, for example, in "Tolmach" translation bureau: Moscow, Zemlyanoy Val St., #58/23, office 1 (in the courtyard), metro: Kurskaya. Telephone / fax: +7 095 915-5784, email: maschino@aha.ru. Open: 10.00 to 18.00 Mon to Fri.

Apostilles should be put on the translated copies of original documents, and can be made at the Russian Federation Ministry of Justice located at Moscow, Novy Arbat St., 21 (a tower), 2rd floor, room 310. Open: Mon-Fri 9.30-12.00 (receives doc's), 12.00-13.00 (gives out the doc's). 

It costs 50 R ($1.6 US) for 1 document to be apostilled and usually takes about 3 days.

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