According to Russian law, marriage is a union of a man and a woman, officially registered by the registry office. Cohabitation, religious rites and other forms that bind your union are not legally binding. How to get married and what is needed for this?
Necessary
- Passports
- Receipt of payment of state duty
- Divorce certificate (if you remarry)
- Local government approval (if the groom or bride is under 18)
Instructions
Step 1
The first thing that is required for marriage is the mutual and unconditional consent of the future spouses. In addition, if one of the future newlyweds is underage (the official marriageable age in Russia is 18), you will also need permission from local self-government bodies. It is usually issued if the underage bride is pregnant or already has a child, or in the case when the family has actually already taken shape - and it is required to register it purely legally. Note that parental consent is not required for marriage. In addition, if the groom or the bride was previously married, then it is possible to apply for registration of a new union only after the previous marriage has been dissolved - polygamy and polyandry in Russia is prohibited by law.
Step 2
You can register a marriage in any registry office in Russia, the place of registration or temporary registration of future spouses does not matter here. Before submitting an application, you must pay a state fee. Its size is not burdensome (1 minimum wage), and a receipt can be issued in the name of both the groom and the bride.
Step 3
Find out on what days and what hours your chosen registry office accepts applications for marriage. After that, choose a time convenient for you and come to apply. You must have a receipt for payment of the state duty, passports, documents on the dissolution of previous marriages (if any). The marriage application form will be given to you directly at the registry office.
Step 4
When transferring the application to the registry office employees, the date of registration of your union will be discussed with you. As a rule, the bride and groom are given one month to “test their feelings” (from the date of application to the day of registration), but if necessary, this period can be increased to two months. If there are "special circumstances" (pregnancy, the presence of common children, imminent departure or serious illness of one of the spouses) - the term may be reduced. In this case, if you do not insist on solemn registration and are ready to “just sign”, the marriage can be concluded on the day of filing the application.
Step 5
At your request, you can conclude a marriage both in a solemn atmosphere (in the ceremonial hall, with Mendelssohn's march and solemn speeches), or “just sign” in the presence of the registry office employees. This issue also needs to be discussed when submitting an application. Note that for a "non-formal" registration, you can come to register a marriage together - now, according to the law, witnesses are not required for paperwork.
Step 6
Be prepared for the fact that you will be asked to bring your passports to the registry office one or two days before the scheduled registration - this is necessary in order to prepare a marriage certificate without haste.
