Getting married with a Russian citizen or in Russia

Today, we’ll talk about the legal procedure for marrying a foreigner in Russia. I’ll follow the plan to address how long it takes to get married, if it’s possible to shorten this period, the list of documents required for marriage in Russia, and the consequences of marriage in Russia—the pros and cons. So, let’s get started!

First of all, it’s important to know that there are no obstacles to marriage between a Russian citizen and a foreigner from any country. This is expressly permitted by the Family Code of Russia. Marriage can be performed in registered offices, known as “ZAGS” in Russia, in diplomatic and consular bodies, or in the territories of foreign states.

Article number 11 of the Family Code establishes a one-month period from the date of applying for marriage until its state registration. The head of the registry office can change this period, both upwards and downwards, up to the marriage registration on the very day of filing for it. The only person legally authorized to make a decision on changing the term or for the state registration of the marriage is the head of the registry office. No other officials at ZAGS have the right to resolve such issues.

We are often asked under what circumstances the one-month period can be changed for marriage. If we look at the Family Code, we see that its provisions don’t establish a specific list of reasons that could serve as a basis for reducing or increasing this period. Paragraph 1 of Article 11 of the Family Code only talks about the validity of such reasons. At the same time, the degree of validity of the reasons is determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the interests of the individuals who applied for marriage.

In practice, we can see cases when the ZAGS office recognizes the validity of the reason for shortening the term when the couple has long been in an actual marital relationship. Various documents can be used as evidence, such as a child’s birth certificate, commercial service payment receipts containing both parties' data, or a contract—such as employment or credit agreements—where one of the parties is the borrower and the other is the co-borrower, etc.

Other reasons for changing the marriage registration term may include the bride's pregnancy, an imminent childbirth, a threat to the health or life of one of the parties, or conscription of the groom for urgent military service. Thus, good reasons and special circumstances are evaluated individually.

What documents are needed to marry a foreigner in Russia?

The list of documents required to marry a foreigner in Russia isn’t significantly different from the general requirements. In addition to a mutual application in form number 7 from the couple, you must submit:

1. The Russian citizen’s passport
2. The foreigner’s passport with a notarized translation
3. A certificate from the authorized border control of the foreign state stating that the foreigner has no valid marriage or that it has been dissolved

You do not need to provide temporary or permanent residence permits to the registry office. The marriage registration fee is 350 rubles, and the marriage certificate is issued in a standard form.

What about the place of state registration?

Of course, these are the registered offices, but there are exceptions. The law allows for marriage registration outside the ZAGS office for various reasons that make it impossible for either or both of the individuals to arrive at the place of state registration. This may include a serious illness. In such cases, state registration of the marriage can take place in medical or other organizations where the persons to be married are, or even at their home. They must apply for marriage with a request to register it outside the registered office.

We are often asked about the reasons that might make marriage impossible. These include:

• An undissolved registered marriage of one of the persons intending to marry
• Marriage between close relatives (such as direct ascendants and descendants—parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, full and half-siblings)
• When adoptive parents and adopted children file for marriage
• When one of the parties has been previously recognized by the court as incapable due to a mental disorder

Thus, anyone looking to marry must provide various documents, such as a divorce certificate or death certificate of the deceased spouse, a court decision that has entered into legal force recognizing the marriage as invalid, or a certificate from the registry office confirming the state registration of the above events.

What are the advantages of registering a marriage with a foreign national?

1. You can obtain a temporary residence permit and a permanent residence permit in Russia without complying with quotas. This right becomes available immediately after the marriage registration.
2. You can apply for Russian citizenship after three years of marriage. If a foreigner does not have a marriage, the period for applying for citizenship is five years.
3. Automatic assignment of Russian citizenship to children born from the marriage.

But one shouldn’t forget that if a marriage is registered solely to get Russian citizenship, it may be recognized as a fake. However, proving that a marriage is fake is quite difficult because one would need to demonstrate that there is no actual family relationship, and the spouses reside separately from each other.

What are the disadvantages of registering a marriage between a Russian and a foreigner?

1. There is an obligation to obtain a temporary residence permit and a permanent residence permit in Russia. Without such permission, a foreigner will only be able to stay in Russia on the basis of a visa.

Summing up the above information:

I want to say that you can always contact us if you are denied state registration of marriage in Russia. We can help you handle the case, whether in the registry office or in court.