Getting Married in Yekaterinburg

[samo 0]

Hi

My Fiancee and I were told by the local ZAGS office, that for us to get married in Yekaterinburg Russia, I needed a document showing my marital status. I went to the US Embassy In Moscow site and found a form there online but the ZAGS office in Yekaterinburg said that form was only good for Moscow. Does anyone know what I need to do to show that I am single? Thanks.

[Satellite 1]

Samo,

Check out http://vladivostok.usconsulate.gov/wwwhacsmarryrus.html

The part that pertains to you is quoted below:

"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."

Based on this information you will have to return to the US to have your affidavit of never being married or all previous divorce decrees apostilled. Leaving to Russia without knowing all the information and facts on how to get married or anything else that pertains to dealing with Russian authorities is a huge risk.

[slim 1,525]

What about someone who has always been single, never married? How do you prove that you've never been married?

And by that token, why not just say you've never been married? It's not like ZAGS is going to check your home state records?

[Satellite 1]

What about someone who has always been single, never married? How do you prove that you've never been married?

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."

Based on this information you will have to return to the US to have your affidavit of never being married or all previous divorce decrees apostilled. Leaving to Russia without knowing all the information and facts on how to get married or anything else that pertains to dealing with Russian authorities is a huge risk.

Read the quoted part again. It recommends an appostiled and translated affidavit in which you personally state you have never been married

And by that token, why not just say you've never been married? It's not like ZAGS is going to check your home state records?

Russians are big on tracking everybody. Their internal passports state whether they are married and how many kids they have. As well as at what address you are registered at. They are shocked to learn that we don't have a similar program in the states. Thus they place the burdensome requirement on US citizens who want to marry in Russia.

[slim 1,525]

At least the Russian system is based on common sense. (In this aspect.) "Never been married?...... Sign a paper saying you've never been married." Easy as cake.

We do have a tracking program..... we just don't have an actual passport for it. We are very easy to find. Socials, credit cards, checks, etc., the average American can be located several times a day by using simple financial software. (But that would be illegal, so the government would never do that.... would they?)

[Satellite 1]

We do have a tracking program..... we just don't have an actual passport for it. We are very easy to find. Socials, credit cards, checks, etc., the average American can be located several times a day by using simple financial software.

None of this would apply to Russia. Where society is still cash based. No credit history, no buying on credit, or credit cards. Thus the internal passport and local registration remains the primary method of tracking.

[gogal2020 0]

We do have a tracking program..... we just don't have an actual passport for it. We are very easy to find. Socials, credit cards, checks, etc., the average American can be located several times a day by using simple financial software.

None of this would apply to Russia. Where society is still cash based. No credit history, no buying on credit, or credit cards. Thus the internal passport and local registration remains the primary method of tracking.

People do buyon credit and use credit cards. Almost everyone I know in Moscow and other big cities have credit cards, buy cars by getting cradit and loans. It is just not as widespread as it is in US.

Mike.

[mrsushi66 0]

We do have a tracking program..... we just don't have an actual passport for it. We are very easy to find. Socials, credit cards, checks, etc., the average American can be located several times a day by using simple financial software.

None of this would apply to Russia. Where society is still cash based. No credit history, no buying on credit, or credit cards. Thus the internal passport and local registration remains the primary method of tracking.

People do buyon credit and use credit cards. Almost everyone I know in Moscow and other big cities have credit cards, buy cars by getting cradit and loans. It is just not as widespread as it is in US.

Mike.

When I was in Saratov which is a rather big city every where we went they were cash only. I would see signs for credit cards but they would say cash only. Anna said cash is better. I even paid my hotel bill in cash.

Paul misses Anna

[Satellite 1]

People do buyon credit and use credit cards. Almost everyone I know in Moscow and other big cities have credit cards, buy cars by getting cradit and loans. It is just not as widespread as it is in US.

Like all other topics, Moscow is truly a country within in a country. I and a few rich businessmen were the only ones who ever used a credit card for anything in Siberia, where I spent the majority of my combined 6 months in Russia.

Back in 2004 the only kind of credit cards being offered to the majority of average income earning Russians was secured credit. Place $200 in the bank and get $200 on a visa card. Might as well as call it a debit card at that point.

When I was in Saratov which is a rather big city every where we went they were cash only. I would see signs for credit cards but they would say cash only. Anna said cash is better. I even paid my hotel bill in cash.

The same trend I noticed in major Siberian towns of Novosibirsk and Tomsk.

As far as I am aware there is buying on credit for cars and real estate. But to qualify you need a US salary. How many Russians outside of Moscow make a US salary?

[edsperfect 25]

People do buyon credit and use credit cards. Almost everyone I know in Moscow and other big cities have credit cards, buy cars by getting cradit and loans. It is just not as widespread as it is in US.

Like all other topics, Moscow is truly a country within in a country. I and a few rich businessmen were the only ones who ever used a credit card for anything in Siberia, where I spent the majority of my combined 6 months in Russia.

Back in 2004 the only kind of credit cards being offered to the majority of average income earning Russians was secured credit. Place $200 in the bank and get $200 on a visa card. Might as well as call it a debit card at that point.

When I was in Saratov which is a rather big city every where we went they were cash only. I would see signs for credit cards but they would say cash only. Anna said cash is better. I even paid my hotel bill in cash.

The same trend I noticed in major Siberian towns of Novosibirsk and Tomsk.

As far as I am aware there is buying on credit for cars and real estate. But to qualify you need a US salary. How many Russians outside of Moscow make a US salary?

Just got back from Ekat a couple of months ago. Mastercard and visa signs on all good eating places. ATM machines all over the place. Bought a few things with credit cards.

Getting a mortgage is still a problem but they are catching up quickly. What better way to keep the people quiet than to get them deeply in debt.