Official registration of marriage abroad: all the features and nuances

The lion's share of Russian brides dreams of getting married abroad. Moreover, for many, this is not only a beautiful celebration, but also a real reason for emigrating abroad - foreign citizens are chosen as spouses. But since the ceremony will take place according to the laws of the country where it is being held, it is worth recalling that procedural aspects may differ from the traditional wedding for Russians. It is all the more important to understand the nuances if such a marriage should have legal force in the Russian Federation.

Types of marriages abroad

The legislation of different states has different approaches to the regulation of marriage relations. In Russia, in Bulgaria, for example, the state recognizes only an official marriage concluded in the registry office and confirmed by a documentary certificate. Such an act exists in almost every country.

But outside the Russian Federation, Russians can legitimize family relationships with other forms of civil status acts, for example:

• Church marriage. For example, in Poland and Finland, large religious organizations and churches are also given the right to solemnize marriages, but only in relation to their parishioners. Such a union also allows you to obtain a marriage certificate.
• Civil partnership. A form of family relationship recognized in some countries. Something in between cohabitation and marriage. Sometimes it can give rise to legal consequences that are partly similar to those of marriage (for example, the right to inherit from each other or to claim maintenance). In some countries, for example, in Germany, same-sex unions are legalized in this form. In essence, this is a “civil marriage” recognized by the state.
• Marriage at the consulate. Russian couples living abroad, according to Art. 157, has the right to marry in diplomatic missions of the Russian Federation abroad. Information on acts of civil status is entered by diplomatic staff. Such a marriage can also be concluded by an international couple, where only one of the spouses is Russian. Consular marriage is official.
• Same-sex marriage. Depending on the country, it takes different forms and has different legal consequences. In some countries, same-sex spouses are considered equal to opposite-sex spouses.
• Actual marriage. The cohabitation of a couple, which is not formalized, but in some countries may still entail legal consequences.

Wherever the wedding is held, a fictitious marriage, that is, a union concluded without the purpose of creating a family, will be illegal and, if detected, will be annulled.

Regulations and laws

If you contact the consulate in person, you do not need to notarize a copy of the marriage certificate. It is enough to have the original document with you. The consular officer carefully reviews both documents and verifies all data. If everything is correct, a mark is placed on the copy indicating full compliance with the original. As for cases where personal appeal is not planned, the copy must be notarized. The same applies to translating a document into Russian.

More details can be found in the Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation dated October 1, 2018. If all norms and rules are observed, the registry office will enter the marriage into the unified state register. Let us remind you that all this will be in effect from January 1, 2021.

Symbolic and official ceremony: what are the differences?

In a wedding ceremony abroad, many are primarily interested not in the legal registration of the marriage, but in a beautiful picture: the sea, landscapes, islands, architecture. For these purposes, there is a “symbolic wedding”, when a festive atmosphere is created in non-standard places, for example, on the ocean, in a nature reserve or national park.

Many wedding agencies even organize special tours, during which they help arrange a turnkey wedding of your dreams. Depending on the budget, the organizers will take care of the flight, accommodation, the official part of the ceremony and even a banquet for the required number of guests.

It is interesting for Russians to organize a wedding in Turkey.

But such a beautiful wedding story will not entail legal consequences, unless the local registration authorities provide for “exit registration”. However, for those living permanently in Russia, leaving for official registration does not make practical sense: it is much easier to register a marriage at the registry office, and hold the ceremony with guests and a photographer abroad.

Italy

Alpine lakes Como, Garda or Maggiore, trips to waterfalls in the heart of the country, walks through olive groves and vineyards, medieval cities of Tuscany or the water canals of Venice - Italy can satisfy any whims of lovers.

From May to October there is a high wedding season in Italy, and most often the newlyweds spend their honeymoon traveling around the towns of the Amalfi Coast or, on the contrary, going to tourist centers: Venice, Rome, Milan.

Flight from Moscow:

~4 hours

Ceremony:

both official and symbolic

Waiting for the official certificate:

3 weeks

Ceremony cost:

from 80 t.r. for symbolic and from 100 tr. for the official

Flights Moscow ✈ Rome from 14,300 rub.

Is foreign marriage recognized in Russia?

In accordance with Art. 158 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation, unions concluded by Russians, including if the second spouse is a foreigner, can be recognized on the territory of Russia only if there are no obstacles established by Art. 14 SK.

To be sure whether a marriage is valid in Russia, you need to exclude the following circumstances:

• none of the newlyweds is in another official marriage;
• the spouses are not close relatives or half-brothers/sisters;
• the spouses are not in a relationship of adoptive parent and adopted child;
• None of the newlyweds were declared legally incompetent.

If the marriage took place abroad, compliance with local laws and conditions in the country where the ceremony is taking place is sufficient for its recognition. However, for official recognition by the Russian authorities, documents about such a marriage must be legalized.

Procedure for registering a marriage abroad

In European and other developed countries, the procedure for concluding an official marriage may have its own peculiarities, but in general it is standard. To familiarize yourself with local legal requirements, contact your local registry office or other registration authority for advice, for example:

• local government or mayor's office;
• district or other court;
• parish of a church that is allowed to register marriages.

After consultations, the newlyweds should:

1. Collect all necessary documents for the wedding.
2. Order their translation into the desired language, have the translation certified by a competent notary. Legalize documents in the country where the wedding is taking place.
3. Apply for registration. If necessary, first obtain permission from local or consular authorities. If necessary, a change of surname after the wedding is agreed upon.
4. Pay the state fee. The cost of registration in different countries may vary significantly.
5. Wait for the agreed date and register the marriage.
6. Obtain a marriage certificate.

Package of necessary documents

The package of documents usually includes:

• statement of desire to marry, jointly submitted by the spouses;
• internal and foreign passports of the spouses (if they were previously stamped with a marriage stamp, this union must be annulled);
• certificate of divorce (if one of the two was previously married) or death certificate of the former spouse;
• birth certificate;
• a document from the Russian Consulate confirming compliance with the conditions for marriage and the absence of obstacles to its conclusion under Russian law (for Russians abroad);
• receipt for payment of state duty.

Documents of Russian (or other foreign) origin must be translated into the national language of the state where the ceremony is being held and apostilled at the registry office or consulate of the Russian Federation.

Prices for weddings in different countries

The wedding budget is a purely individual matter, and the cost of local taxes and state duties is a mere trifle in the list of items of expenses for a wedding. Only those couples who refuse to invite guests at all or limit themselves to traveling abroad with 4-6 witnesses will be able to hold a ceremony relatively cheaply. But a ceremony in a Czech castle or on the Bulgarian coast can be quite budget-friendly.

Relatively inexpensive in this matter:

• Baltic countries;
• Bulgaria;
• Czech Republic;
• Spain;
• Portugal;
• Cyprus;
• Greece;
• Montenegro and other countries.

The budget for a modest wedding without guests, but with a 5-7 day holiday will be 60-100 thousand rubles. The cost will also depend on the season: for example, in the summer, the cost of living and, accordingly, the size of the budget, can increase by 20-30%.

Among the more expensive countries:

• New Zealand;
• Australia;
• France;
• Italy;
• Sri Lanka;
• Maldives;
• Dominican Republic;
• Seychelles.

If organized independently, the cost of the ceremony will be 150-200 thousand rubles. If the organization is entrusted to an agency, in 2021 the budget “wedding package” (legal support, rent and decoration of the hall, symbolic ceremony, local taxes and registrar services, paperwork, their legalization in Russia and a number of other services) will cost an additional 70-120 thousand rubles depending on the state.

Thailand

Not the most exotic place for a wedding, but it is reliable and proven by hundreds of newlyweds. Thailand is chosen for its diversity: here you will find ancient Buddhist temples, underwater weddings, windsurfing, Thai massage, and amazing islands, the most famous of which are Phuket and Samui. A country of constant summer, where even tropical rains do not occur immediately throughout the entire territory.

Flight from Moscow:

~8-9 hours

Ceremony:

only symbolic

Ceremony cost:

from 70 t.r.

Flights Moscow ✈ Bangkok from 24,900 rub.

Selecting a country: the most popular destinations

When choosing a country, you need to take into account not only beautiful places and cost - this is important only for symbolic registration. For an official marriage, legal features are much more important, for example:

• the difficulties of further legalization of marriage in Russia;
• the need to obtain permits;
• the need to leave in advance and live in the country for a certain period of time;
• terms of local legislation.

Here is a list of the countries most popular among Russians for marriage ceremonies:

1. Czech Republic. A country imbued with the spirit of history and medieval architecture. This is a great place not only for tourism, but also for weddings.
2. Italy. A unique country where eternal love reigns. Perhaps you couldn’t imagine a more romantic place for a wedding. Florence, Venice, Rome - the dream of any bride.
3. Greece. Greek beaches are one of the best and relatively inexpensive places for destination weddings on the Mediterranean coast.
4. Seychelles. Truly a heavenly place, but only for those who can afford it: the most modest ceremony will cost 220-250 thousand rubles.
5. Sri Lanka. A Ceylon wedding will surprise many with its exotic flavor for relatively little money - from 180 thousand rubles.
6. Cuba. A Latin wedding with Cuban sauce is a specific and expensive option, prices start from 220 thousand rubles.
7. Egypt. A relatively budget option for celebrating with guests. A symbolic ceremony at a hotel or right on the beach will cost 80-140 thousand rubles.
8. New Zealand. An option for avid travelers looking for exotic things.
9. Dominican Republic A wedding venue for lovers of luxury. It's summer all year round, great service and beautiful wild beaches.
10. Türkiye. Another place of mass and relatively inexpensive wedding pilgrimage. A budget ceremony here will cost 120-140 thousand rubles.

Where to get married?

Castles with a centuries-old history and pompous palaces, terraces on the upper floors of luxury hotels, shining white yachts and cruise ships... Or just warm sand under the shade of palm trees at the edge of the azure ocean, a fishing boat decorated with flowers and candles, a powerful waterfall in the jungle, a snow-capped mountain peak - no one knows better than you yourself what you dream about. Think about the image of your ideal wedding: brides who have dreamed of wearing a voluminous wedding dress with a train since childhood might feel uncomfortable on a windy beach, while a couple of backpackers might feel a little bored in a prim palazzo.

Well, in addition, check the vagaries of the climate. November is not the best time for an elegant European wedding; in central Spain the heat is unbearable in August, and a wedding on a drifting ice floe in the Arctic Ocean is only possible in April. If you dream of swearing eternal love to each other, say, in Cuba, then it is better not to set the wedding date during the peak rainy and hurricane season throughout the Caribbean - September-October.

Difficulties in registering marriage

Before choosing a country, carefully study all legal features. Depending on the country, newlyweds may encounter the following difficulties:

• Requirement of prior accommodation. In some countries, a mandatory condition for registering a marriage is the permanent residence of one of the spouses on its territory. For example, in Thailand. Other countries may impose a mandatory premarital residence period. For example, in France it is 3 months, in Sri Lanka – 4 days.
• Belonging to a confession when concluding church marriages. In countries where church marriages are recognized, such a union can only be formalized in a church or religious organization of which at least one of the spouses is a follower.
• The need to obtain permission. It is practiced in a number of European countries (for example, Austria and Germany), where the authorities must study the situation of the newlyweds before issuing permission. The document processing may take from 2 to 6 months.
• Further legalization in Russia. To simplify the procedure for official recognition, it is recommended to marry in countries that have signed the 1961 Hague Convention. Such countries confirm the authenticity of documents with an apostille.
• Marriage age. In many countries, marriage can be concluded not from the age of 18, as in Russia, but, for example, from the age of 20-21, as in Egypt, Puerto Rico, Taiwan and Japan.

There may be other features - check them out before making a decision.