Getting married in Russia: Step by step guide

[Anastasia&Jacob 8]

7 hours ago, zolotinka said:

RUSSIAN CITIZEN - APPLICANT MUST SUBMIT APPLICATION IN PERSON ONLY

thank you for the information. so does that mean that for russian citizens who currently live in the US and who want to come to russia with their US family members (spouses, children), they would have to come to the embassy in person only and to apply in person for their russian visas? there is no option to issue it by mail? that is so frustrating, epecially since there is the embassy only on the east coast now....

[zolotinka 47]

15 hours ago, Anastasia&Jacob said:

thank you for the information. so does that mean that for russian citizens who currently live in the US and who want to come to russia with their US family members (spouses, children), they would have to come to the embassy in person only and to apply in person for their russian visas? there is no option to issue it by mail? that is so frustrating, epecially since there is the embassy only on the east coast now....

Have you tried to call or to write them? It can be the obsolete information. I doubt they now are so enthusiastic about people coming to them so maybe there’s a mail option.

[millefleur 5,046]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:56 AM, zolotinka said:

Have you tried to call or to write them? It can be the obsolete information. I doubt they now are so enthusiastic about people coming to them so maybe there’s a mail option.

I would call every single embassy/visa processing center here. I've seen a bunch of conflicting information. The in person require doesn't make any sense given Covid. There has to be a mail in option somewhere. Fingerprints are not required for Russian visas so I don't see the point of an "in person" requirement to get one.

[Simplytex 387]

Curious if anyone has done this since the May 12th semi-shutdown of the US embassy/consulates? I'm wondering if so, and how far in advance might I need to plan/book this (if its the route I end up going down...) I just sent an email to the Moscow embassy and hoping that they reply back, I'll update if I find out anything. 

[Simplytex 387]

On 1/19/2021 at 1:06 PM, Chauncey said:

Thank you so much! We are planning to do this in October if there is no movement with the K1

Hey, just wondering if this is something you have gone ahead with doing? If so, what was your experience with the process (or as you said October, keep us updated when you do proceed!)

[Simplytex 387]

On 1/18/2021 at 3:26 PM, millefleur said:

 

 

Step 3:

US citizen completes the "free to marry" affidavit at the US Embassy in Moscow and get it notarized

• You must complete this form in Russian stating that you are free to marry. Must be completed in Russian - so get a Russian speaker to help if you can't write.
• You must state if you have ever been married before; if you've been married before and are now divorced (list date/place of divorces)
• Email US Citizen Services to request an appointment for notary services. Wait time for getting an appointment is currently unknown.
• Bring affidavit, your US passport and any divorce certificates with you (get translations into English if necessary)
• Pay $50 at the US Citizen Services unit at the Embassy in Moscow and sign the form in the presence of the notary there. Do not sign the form until you are at the window with the notary officer!
• The affidavit is only valid for 3 months after it is signed by a notary

 

 

 

So yeah, I just heard back from the US Embassy in Moscow regarding this:

 

"Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate your request for a marriage letter. As a result of critical staffing shortages due to the Russian government's forced reduction of our consular workforce, we have indefinitely suspended routine American Citizen Services.   

As an alternative to the Marriage Letter issued by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, your local city or county clerk office in the United States may provide a similar letter of no impediment to marriage. Should you obtain such a letter from a U.S. local or state official, you may consider having it authenticated through the Department of State Office of Authentications.  The U.S. Embassy in Moscow is currently working on another solution, but there is no timeline as to when it might be available.  

  

We apologize for any unexpected difficulties this has caused. "

 

So that is a pain in the butt! I don't even know if my county offers a letter of no impediment (though, its one of the largest in Texas so I would assume... I'm *hoping*... they must have something like  it...)

[millefleur 5,046]

1 hour ago, Simplytex said:

So yeah, I just heard back from the US Embassy in Moscow regarding this:

Thank you for updating us! This is awful news indeed.

 

1 hour ago, Simplytex said:

 

So that is a pain in the butt! I don't even know if my county offers a letter of no impediment (though, its one of the largest in Texas so I would assume... I'm *hoping*... they must have something like  it...)

Even though the Embassy is suggesting doing that, do they know if the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will even accept it? If possible, maybe have someone in Russia contact them and find out. You don't want to go to all the trouble only to have it be turned down.

[Simplytex 387]

37 minutes ago, millefleur said:

Thank you for updating us! This is awful news indeed.

 

Even though the Embassy is suggesting doing that, do they know if the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will even accept it? If possible, maybe have someone in Russia contact them and find out. You don't want to go to all the trouble only to have it be turned down.

So fortunately my (hoping to be - maybe in Dec? 😋) fiancé worked at ZAGS previously, she will check with them because end of the day, it is their call as to what paperwork to accept to process the marriage application. But, also thinking to call up the MFA to see if this would be something they would authenticate (I don't see why not if it comes with the appropriate apostille.)

Edited October 12, 2021 by Simplytex

[millefleur 5,046]

6 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

So fortunately my (hoping to be - maybe in Dec? 😋) fiancé worked at ZAGS previously, she will check with them because end of the day, it is their call as to what paperwork to accept to process the marriage application. But, also thinking to call up the MFA to see if this would be something they would authenticate (I don't see why not if it comes with the appropriate apostille.)

Let us know if you find any information out. It would be great to know if there's a workaround since the Embassy is basically useless right now.

[TBoneTX 45,287]

7 hours ago, Simplytex said:

we are not able to accommodate your request for a marriage letter

For the time that it took to write this "go away" explanation, they could have written the letter.

[millefleur 5,046]

16 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

For the time that it took to write this "go away" explanation, they could have written the letter.

Such a good point...the letter is nothing, the whole process takes maximum 10 minutes (of which was mostly just waiting for the notary to call you to the window.) When I did it, I had to fill it out myself and have it already prepared. All the Embassy did was stamp and notarize it!

[TBoneTX 45,287]

No bureaucrat ever got fired for saying "no."

 

[can't spell today]

Edited October 12, 2021 by TBoneTX

[millefleur 5,046]

4 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

No bureaucrat ever got fired for saying "no."

Sad but true!

[Simplytex 387]

On 1/18/2021 at 3:26 PM, millefleur said:

Step 3:

US citizen completes the "free to marry" affidavit at the US Embassy in Moscow and get it notarized

• You must complete this form in Russian stating that you are free to marry. Must be completed in Russian - so get a Russian speaker to help if you can't write.
• You must state if you have ever been married before; if you've been married before and are now divorced (list date/place of divorces)
• Email US Citizen Services to request an appointment for notary services. Wait time for getting an appointment is currently unknown.
• Bring affidavit, your US passport and any divorce certificates with you (get translations into English if necessary)
• Pay $50 at the US Citizen Services unit at the Embassy in Moscow and sign the form in the presence of the notary there. Do not sign the form until you are at the window with the notary officer!
• The affidavit is only valid for 3 months after it is signed by a notary

 

Step 4:

Get the affidavit authenticated at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow

• Right after you get your affidavit notarized, take a short trip over to the Legalization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• You do not need a prior appointment for this, walk in is possible - but during Covid, that might be different now
• One you hand in your affidavit for authentication, there will be at least 5 day turnaround time to process it - NO EXPEDITES or fast processing are available!
• This paper must be picked up in person when it is ready, no mail option is available. So either plan 2 trips to Moscow or plan to stay there for a week.
• Cost is 200 rubles, pay nearby in the building at the cashier. According to website, it might be 350 rubles now?

So to update what my girlfriend has found out from her old manager at ZAGS. The documentation required by ZAGS differs slightly from what the US embassy describes. The US citizen should provide the following information:

1. Notarized translation of the first page (information page) of the passport you cross the border with (in US terms - your national passport). This step can be done in Russia.
2. The "marriage letter" about your marital status (obviously it should be that stated that the person is single/divorced/able to freely marry). This letter must be apostilled in the US by the appropriate govt agency (see more below.)
3. If previously married, then a notarized translation of the divorce paper (court decision/signed court document.) The paper itself should be with apostille, which must be done in the US. This must also be translated and notarized, again can be done in Russia.

4. The arrival/migration card you receive at passport control (if you have been to Russia you know what I'm talking about, the little white sheet of paper you have to keep with you the whole time/use to register your visa.)

• IMPORTANT: in the "Marriage Letter" the purpose/title line of the document should be written: "For marriage with a citizen of Russian Federation", not "to whom it may concern"

• IMPORTANT: if previously divorced, in this letter they also should write the period since you have been single. This would have to match the date of the most recent divorce document from #2 above.

 

For items #2 and #3, an apostille is a special 'seal' that (in Texas) the Secretary of State can provide with authenticates/provides legal status to any officially issued document from a government agency within their jurisdiction. Any other people should be able to get these from their respective Secretary's of State, but if not, the US Gov Department of State offers this service but will most likely take much longer. Additionally, there are private companies (e.g. this one I found with a google search) that offer this service, but I personally prefer to work with the govt as much as possible to ensure there are no hiccups along the way.

 

Finally, there wasn't an explicit comment about the length of time/duration during which these documents are valid for, but I would suggest to stick to the 90 day rule - if you are going to Russia with the intent to marry (or at least register to marry) then try to get these documents done closer to the date of travel. 

 

As a side note: the ZAGS manager apparently had a big binder of regulations not only of each country, but even down to the state level within the US - so in my case, Texas - and where to get this "marriage letter", but it seems like this info could be old since some of it didn't quite match up? She said it’s either health department (don’t know why) or department of justice (which is more likely). But, in my county in Texas, the county can issue me with this letter, but to get it apostilled I would have to go to the Secretary of State office anyways.

Edited October 16, 2021 by Simplytex
bullet points

[millefleur 5,046]

40 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

As a side note: the ZAGS manager apparently had a big binder of regulations not only of each country, but even down to the state level within the US - so in my case, Texas - and where to get this "marriage letter", but it seems like this info could be old since some of it didn't quite match up?

While it's impressive that ZAGS maintains such a detailed list, it could be outdated or have errors. Most likely a quick google search of "How do I get an Apostille in my state" will yield good results for the current process.

 

49 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

Additionally, there are private companies (e.g. this one I found with a google search) that offer this service, but I personally prefer to work with the govt as much as possible to ensure there are no hiccups along the way.

A note on Apostille services: I've used them before in New York and Florida and it was awesome. I was not living there at the time and had no way to get it myself (sans physically flying there), so I paid a 3rd party Apostille service to do everything for me. The key thing was: they needed the original document. So, basically, I had to send them the original document, and then they took it and got it notarized and Apostilled. They then mailed it back to me. I had no problems and in the future if I ever need an Apostille, I'll probably use a 3rd party again (unless I live in the state.) Just do your homework and look at reviews, make sure the company is legit, and it can be a real life saver for people living abroad/out of state who don't have a way to get the Apostille themselves.

 

And just a note: for those who were divorced in Russia, you don't need anything extra, just the original Russian divorce decree (looks exactly like the Russian marriage certificate except it's a blueish grey color instead of red.) For those who married in a 3rd country (neither Russia nor US), I guess the best thing is to ask ZAGS what they want, because not all countries even offer Apostilles. Requirements will vary from country to country.

 

Thank you for updating us!! It helps a lot and shows that getting married in Russia is still possible, despite the embassy shut down.