How to marry a Russian woman in Russia
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Original source: US Embassy in Moscow
US citizens who plan to marry Russian citizens should read this information handout. Please note that these procedures are subject to change without notice and that the information provided is merely a guideline you may find helpful. Furthermore, the procedures listed below do not apply to US citizens who intend marry other Americans or third-country nationals in Russia.
REGISTER YOUR VISA WITH YOUR RUSSIAN SPONSOR
Every foreigner is required by Russian law to have his visa registered by his sponsor through either the local or central OVIR (Office of Foreign Visa Registration).
PREPARE A MARRIAGE LETTER AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY
US 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 notarized before a US Consul. 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-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the cost is $55 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
This service is performed by the Department of Legalization of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at Neopalimovskiy pereulok, dom 12a, approximately a twelve minute walk from Smolenskaya Metro (on the dark blue line). The hours of operation are from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m (until 4:30pm on Friday). Monday through Friday; telephone 244-3797. The procedure costs 85 rubles for a three day return and double for next day service. All fees can be paid at the Sberkass located in the waiting room of the Department of Legalization.
OBTAIN AN OFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF THE INFORMATION PAGE OF YOUR PASSPORT
The necessary translation can be obtained at any certified translation center that has a Russian notary public present. The following is a partial list of certified translation centers in Moscow:
Bureau of Interpreters (23 Leningradskiy
Prp., metro stop Dinamo), 250-0407/1723
Uni V Tour (6 Bobrov Per., Bldg. 3, 2nd floor, Rm. 8,
metro stop Chistye Prudy), 625-2225/2667
Santor (1 Gogolevskiy Blvd., Bldg. 10, metro stop
Kropotkinskaya), 771-1884
GET MARRIED AT THE CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE (ZAGS)
After completing the first fours steps, you must contact the ZAGS (Zapis Aktov Grazhdanskogo Sostoyaniya) office where your fiancee is registered and submit your documents for inspection. ZAGS officials generally will demand that you submit apostilled* copies of all pertinent US civil documents (i.e., divorce certificates, annulments) for their inspection. ZAGS will then schedule the civil service wedding 32 days from the date of registration. If your fiancee is a Muscovite, you must submit the documents you have prepared, your passport, and Russian visa to the Civil Registry Office at the following address: Palace of Weddings, 17 Butyrskaya St. Telephone 285-1960, 285-7988.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Once you are married, you may contact the Embassy Call Center for information about obtaining immigrant visas for your spouse and his/her dependents. This service offers callers immediate access to a wide range of visa-related information and the possibility to speak to live operators from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Moscow time. Please also see our webpage on Immigrating to the United States.
The Call Center is accessible through the following numbers:
From U.S.A.: (877) 512-0087 or (888) 222-5673. Callers enter a credit
card number and, upon acceptance, are transferred to the Moscow call center.
The call costs $12.00.
From elsewhere including Russia: (495) 787-3167 or (495) 974-8843 These
calls are billed directly to the subscriber's phone at $2.65 per minute.
General information on marriage overseas is available at the Department of State's webpage on Marriage of U.S. Citizens Abroad.
* Please note that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow 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 United States. For more information please see our webpage on "Notarial Services".
