If two loving people decide to start a family, then interstate borders will not become an obstacle for them. And, despite the epidemiological restrictions imposed around the world, many citizens of these countries do not have hostile feelings towards each other. Moreover, it is not uncommon for Russians to register a marriage with a Ukrainian citizen on Russian territory in 2021. We will tell you in our article how such a family union is formed and what its features are in the Russian Federation.
Required documents
If potential spouses have decided on their desire to start a family, the next important question is the need to find out what documents are needed at the registry office for marriage and how to submit them.
The list of documents that must be submitted to the registry office is established in Art. 26 of Federal Law No. 143-FZ of November 15, 1997 “On acts of civil status”. These include:
- Application for marriage. Submitted to the registry office together, personal presence is required.
- Passports or other identification documents of applicants. For a foreigner - a notarized translation of all documents into Russian.
- A certificate from the diplomatic mission of another state about the possibility of marriage between its citizen and a citizen of the Russian Federation.
- Document confirming the absence of a registered marriage.
- Confirmation of the legality of a foreigner’s stay in Russia (temporary stay permit, residence permit, work patent, etc.).
If you marry a Ukrainian, you need to remember that the International Convention “On Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Cases” (Federal Law No. 16-FZ of August 4, 1994) has been concluded and is in force between the countries, according to the provisions of which these documents do not need to be further legalized in any way on the territory of Russia.
Registration of marriage with a citizen of Ukraine in Russia
Ukraine is a country that is still part of the CIS at the same time as Russia, which significantly simplifies the international legal relations between the two states in various fields.
Therefore, the registration of a marriage between their citizens, as well as the subsequent acquisition of Russian citizenship by a resident of Ukraine, occurs according to a simplified scheme.
Where to contact?
According to the laws of the Russian Federation, an application for marriage can be submitted at any branch of the registry office or the Wedding Palace. Nowadays, newlyweds increasingly prefer wedding palaces, because any registry office solves many problems every day, often not of a festive nature.
The Wedding Palace is a highly specialized department of the Civil Registry Office that deals exclusively with marriage registrations, that is, it does not issue death, birth, divorce, etc. certificates.
Thus, on the day of the festive event, the newlyweds do not risk crowding into the same corridor with citizens solving other everyday issues. In addition, most Palaces have large areas that are well equipped and decorated.
The name already speaks for itself. External architectural solutions, spacious bright halls and a solemn interior truly resemble a palace. These advantages become indispensable when the wedding is accompanied by a photo shoot.
Be prepared for the fact that there are many more people wishing to register a marriage at the Wedding Palace than at the registry office.
Application Form
In the case of a union between a Russian and a Ukrainian, the application must be submitted jointly. It indicates: full name, place of birth, place of residence, citizenship, series and number of passport, etc.
The document is filled out individually by the bride and groom and signed by both. In addition, the application indicates the desired date of marriage registration and the surname of the husband and wife after the official registration of the relationship.
Please note that spouses can take a common surname consisting of both surnames hyphenated.
List of required documents for Russians and Ukrainians
The list of required documents includes:
- identity document (general civil or foreign passport). The Ukrainian citizen also provides a translation of the passport, which is notarized;
- divorce certificate (if there is a previous marriage);
- parental permission to marry (if one of the spouses has not reached the age of majority);
- a certificate certifying the absence of legal marital relations on the territory of Ukraine (for a citizen of Ukraine);
- receipt of payment of state duty.
It should be noted that a citizen of Ukraine who is in her homeland and plans to travel abroad for the purpose of marriage must make sure that she does not have the following obligations:
- debt obligations to banks (loans and advances must be repaid or restructured);
- unpaid mandatory payments (utility bills and taxes);
- administrative penalties (unpaid fines for traffic violations and others).
Otherwise, she will be banned from leaving. To avoid such an unpleasant surprise, you must submit an application to the State Border Service with a request to provide information about the possibility of traveling outside the territory of Ukraine.
It is better to submit the application in advance, since the period for its consideration in some cases may last 1.5 months.
Which body registers the creation of a family?
According to the provisions of Art. 25 of the Federal Law “On Acts of Civil Status”, you can register a marriage between citizens of Ukraine and Russia in any registry office on the territory of the Russian Federation, but it will be most convenient to register a marriage with a citizen of Ukraine in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov or any other large city. There are Ukrainian consulates in these cities, and when receiving documents on the possibility of marriage from a diplomatic mission, you can immediately contact the registry office. However, this does not prevent you from contacting any registry office in Russia.
Fictitious marriage
A fictitious marriage is one entered into for selfish purposes, such as: receiving benefits or material benefits and the persons do not have the goal of creating a family.
Persons who have the right to demand recognition of the marriage as invalid: a minor spouse whose spouse did not have voluntary consent, a spouse who did not know about the circumstances preventing the marriage, a guardian of a spouse declared incompetent, a spouse from a previous undissolved marriage, a guardianship and trusteeship authority and a prosecutor, a prosecutor , the spouse whose rights have been violated.
A marriage is declared invalid by a court. The court, within 3 days from the date of entry into legal force of the court decision recognizing the marriage as invalid, sends an extract from this court decision to the civil registry office. A marriage is recognized as invalid from the date of its conclusion and does not give rise to the rights and obligations of spouses provided for by this RF IC. In this case, the marriage contract concluded by the spouses is declared invalid. A conscientious spouse may, if the marriage is declared invalid, retain the surname he chose when registering the marriage.
Is dual citizenship allowed?
It is possible to be a citizen of two countries at once, Ukraine and Russia at the same time. However, this situation is regulated slightly differently by the norms of the two states.
In Russia, the possibility of dual citizenship is directly enshrined in Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and a person cannot be denied such a right.
If a person acquires a second citizenship, the migration authorities (the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) must be notified about this, otherwise they may fall under financial sanctions.
Dual citizenship is allowed in Russia, but in Ukraine it is not directly permitted, although the likelihood of losing Ukrainian citizenship when receiving a Russian passport is minimal.
Grounds for obtaining citizenship
The Law “On Citizenship” contains a complete list of conditions according to which every person can become a subject of the Ukrainian state. The country's authorities recognize the most significant reasons in 2021:
- The applicant was born on the territory of the Ukrainian state.
- Origin (the applicant must confirm the fact that he is an ethnic Ukrainian).
- Naturalization.
- Guardianship or adoption (the most problematic basis, it is used extremely rarely).
- Restoration of citizenship.
In 2021, obtaining Ukrainian citizenship is increasingly based on international agreements.
How to divorce a Ukrainian
According to Art. 160 of the RF IC, divorce is carried out in the manner prescribed by the laws of Russia.
Divorce is carried out in two bodies:
- Civil Registry Office – you should contact this office if the couple does not have minor children and there are no property disputes with each other.
- Court - you should contact it, respectively, if there are young children or a property dispute about the division of jointly acquired property.
Divorce is also carried out in court in the following cases:
- death of one of the spouses;
- recognition of one of the couple as deceased;
- one of the spouses fully agrees to the divorce, but does not appear at the registry office for the divorce procedure (Article 21 of the RF IC).
Since a diplomatic mission abroad is considered the territory of the state whose interests it represents, it is there that a citizen of the Russian Federation living in another country can dissolve a marriage.
A marriage is considered dissolved from the moment of state registration of this fact (as in the case of its conclusion). The supporting document is a divorce certificate.
Marriage procedure
The marriage registration procedure itself can take place both solemnly and informally. The non-ceremonial procedure consists of directly signing the marriage registration act and obtaining a marriage certificate.
It takes place more than modestly, without solemn speeches and musical accompaniment. In addition, the presence of rings is not necessary. The ceremony is significantly different.
Upon arrival at the registry office or the Wedding Palace, newlyweds and their guests are provided with a waiting room. During the waiting process, the newlyweds are invited to review the marriage registration document for errors. At this time, the guests are seated in the formal hall and await the appearance of the newlyweds.
The ceremony hall is usually decorated very elegantly. At the agreed time, while Mendelssohn's waltz plays, the newlyweds are invited to the hall. The registry office employee makes a special ceremonial speech, at the end of which he asks the newlyweds’ consent to join the union.
After receiving consent, the newlyweds are invited to sign the marriage registration document, where they also exchange wedding rings.
The newlyweds receive a marriage certificate and are declared official husband and wife. The wedding procedure itself ends here.
After the ceremony, many registry offices offer the services of a specially prepared room, where it is possible to organize a small buffet and conduct a photo shoot. This service is additional and is paid separately.
Please discuss the possibility of providing additional services with the registry office employees in advance.
Results
State borders and epidemiological restrictions in Ukraine and Russia are not an obstacle to marriage between citizens of the two countries. Legal norms governing such a procedure exist in the laws of both countries.
Marriage greatly simplifies the process of obtaining Russian citizenship. However, you should absolutely not start a family solely for the purpose of obtaining a Russian passport, since such deception can become an insurmountable obstacle to obtaining Russian citizenship.
What are the conditions?
According to the realities of 2021, you can become a citizen of the Ukrainian state if the following conditions are met:
- Recognize the laws of the Ukrainian state.
- Recognize the Constitution of the Ukrainian state.
- Renounce previous citizenship.
- Live in the territory of the Ukrainian state for at least 5 years.
- Have documents in hand that allow immigration.
- Have documents on hand confirming your financial solvency.
- Speak fluently in the state language.
Constitution of Ukraine
The procedure for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship can be general and simplified. In the second case, a person becomes a citizen of this country 30 days after submitting the application. In the first case, the applicant can wait up to 12 months.
Refugees arriving on the territory of Ukraine from other states are obliged to provide a declaration of absence of citizenship.
In some cases, the procedure for obtaining citizenship requires the provision of a special document. He must confirm the fact of legal presence in the country. Refugees must also prove that they have lived continuously on the territory of this power for three years.
How can a foreigner obtain an immigration permit?
This procedure is complex and quite extensive. In accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Immigration”, there is a category of immigrants who are granted an immigration permit.
These are scientific and cultural figures whose immigration is in the interests of Ukraine. Highly qualified specialists and workers, the urgent need for which is tangible for the Ukrainian economy. Persons who have made foreign investment in the Ukrainian economy. Persons who are a full brother or sister, grandfather or grandmother, grandson or granddaughter of citizens of Ukraine. Persons who were previously citizens of Ukraine. Parents, husband (wife) of an immigrant and his minor children.
Also, persons who have served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for three or more years have permission to immigrate. This right is granted to one of the spouses if the second spouse, with whom he has been married for more than two years, is a citizen of Ukraine, children and parents of citizens of Ukraine. Persons who are guardians or trustees of citizens of Ukraine, or are under the guardianship or trusteeship of citizens of Ukraine, as well as those who have the right to acquire Ukrainian citizenship by territorial origin, can also apply for an immigration permit.
It is worth noting that from the beginning of 2021, changes to the Civil Registration Rules have come into force, according to which the Civil Registry Office department to which the application for registration was submitted? the legality of a foreign citizen’s stay on the territory of Ukraine is being checked.
