Fictitious marriage for Russian citizenship! Punishment, risks and consequences

Every year in Russia the number of labor migrants who come here to work is growing. In turn, this leads to a rapid increase in the number of fictitious marriages concluded in order to obtain citizenship. According to a recent study, in Moscow, 10% of marriage unions are commercial, that is, created solely for the benefit of the spouses.

A fictitious marriage is a marriage that is concluded for selfish purposes, and not for creating a family.

For Russians, a fictitious marriage is becoming a good way to earn extra money; for foreign citizens, it is an opportunity to solve problems with legal residence and work in the country and quickly obtain citizenship. But there is also a downside. A fictitious marriage carries enormous risks for both parties, up to the possibility of deprivation of all property.

Why do you need a fictitious marriage?

Make it easier to obtain citizenship

Foreigners can obtain Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure. Article 14. Admission to citizenship of the Russian Federation under a simplified procedure. To do this, you need to be married to a Russian for at least three years. But other migration issues are also resolved by a stamp in the passport. For example, temporary residence permits are given according to special quotas. It allows a foreigner to stay and work in Russia without obtaining migration patents. Spouses of Russian citizens can receive a document outside the quotas.

The stamp in the passport itself does not change anything. You'll have to run around to get the paperwork done. But it significantly shortens the route of this running.

Claim benefits and discounts

Some programs are designed for families only. For example, Sberbank gives 0.4% Mortgage for a young family in Sberbank / Blog of the mortgage service Domklik from Sberbank mortgage discounts if the loan is taken by a single parent under 35 years old or a married young couple, even childless, in which at least one spouse not yet 35 years old.

Get your dream job

Sometimes marital status matters: 22% Employers have become less likely to pay attention to the marital status of applicants, but gender preferences remain; employers hire married men with children. Married women are chosen in every fifth company.

Hide orientation

This point is not related to laws, but is no less important. A fictitious marriage helps to hide homosexual orientation. In Russia it is a serious obstacle in many areas. For example, you may not get a job. A young Omsk resident was not hired due to suspicions of homosexuality, simply because of his grooming and feminine manners. The presence of a stamp in a passport removes suspicion from a person.

Spend money

The formal reason for a fictitious marriage can be any of the above. But at the same time, one of the spouses is looking for additional benefits. For example, a man proposes a fictitious marriage for the sake of a good, but fictitious position just when a woman is buying an apartment. The lady doesn’t see the catch and agrees for a small reward. But if the deal goes through after the wedding, the husband will claim half of the property.

In some cases, the marriage is fictitious only for one of the spouses - the one who benefits from it. The second one at this time believes that everything is for real, believes in reciprocal feelings.

Which marriage is considered fictitious?

According to paragraph 1 of Article 27 “Recognition of marriage as invalid” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation:

• a marriage is declared invalid if the conditions established by Chapter 3 “Conditions and procedure for marriage” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation are violated,
• as well as in the case of a fictitious marriage , that is, if the spouses or one of them registered a marriage without the intention of starting a family.

Thus, Russian legislation classifies as fictitious marriages:

• marriages entered into without the intention of starting a family.

In this case, the following is considered a fictitious marriage:

• as a marriage concluded without the mutual desire of the spouses to start a family,
• and without a unilateral, that is, one of the spouses, desire to formalize a family.

Russian legislation establishes that if, after the start of legal proceedings to recognize a fictitious marriage as invalid, a married couple has a child, that is, fulfills the main purpose of marriage, the legal proceedings will be terminated and the marriage will not be declared invalid.

Distinctive features of fictitious marriages

The main goal of entering into a normal marriage is to create a family, which is accompanied by:

• birth or adoption of children,
• running a joint household by spouses,
• mutual support of spouses.

The reasons for marriage can be different:

• Love,
• pregnancy,
• the habit of constant presence in the life of another person.

If the marriage is concluded for any other reason, then it can be recognized in court as a fictitious marriage.

Thus, unlike a real marriage, which is concluded to create a family, a fictitious marriage is concluded for the purpose of obtaining benefits.

The legislation of the Russian Federation does not consider a fictitious marriage as a crime and, accordingly, criminal liability for entering into a fictitious marriage is not provided. Even if the marriage is recognized as fictitious, the marriage record in the registry office will be canceled, and the principle of “void transaction” will be applied to all transactions dependent on the marriage.

A void transaction is a transaction that does not meet the mandatory requirements of the law and is invalid from the moment of its conclusion, regardless of whether it is recognized as such by the court. Void are transactions that do not comply with the law or other legal acts, that are deliberately contrary to the interests of law and order and morality, imaginary and feigned transactions, as well as any transactions made by a completely incompetent person. Article 166 “Voidable and void transactions” of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation

The most common reasons for creating fictitious marriages:

• obtaining registration and citizenship by a migrant in the Russian Federation;
• resolving the housing issue (after registering the housing, the spouse can not only initiate a divorce, but also try to obtain part of the real estate of the other spouse);
• material benefits that the second spouse may not be aware of;
• for the purpose of traveling abroad for permanent residence (relevant for Russian girls who want to marry a foreigner abroad);
• the desire to hide non-traditional orientation;
• obtaining the right to visit a convicted person and other situations.

All types of fictitious marriages are divided into 2 categories:

• the first most common category of fictitious marriages is when both parties to a marriage are aware in advance of the fictitiousness of this marriage and enter into a marriage solely for profit;
• the second category of fictitious marriages is when one party enters into a deliberately fictitious marriage with fraudulent intentions, and the second party is an erring conscientious spouse.

Fictitious marriages for migrants to obtain registration and citizenship in the Russian Federation

The greatest danger to the state is posed by fictitious marriages concluded in order for a migrant to obtain registration and citizenship in the Russian Federation. The conclusion of fictitious marriages for migrants to obtain registration and citizenship of the Russian Federation is becoming increasingly widespread. , up to 20% of all marriages registered in Russian civil registry offices can be considered fictitious

In December 2021, legislators introduced amendments to the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation” designed to significantly reduce the number of fictitious marriages concluded for the sake of simplified acquisition of Russian citizenship.

Law on restrictions for foreigners wishing to obtain Russian citizenship through a fictitious marriage, bypassing the existing migration quota:

• was introduced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and approved by the Government of the Russian Federation;
• The amendments made to Law No. 115-FZ establish a rule according to which a temporary residence permit in the Russian Federation without taking into account the quota will be issued to a foreign citizen married to a citizen of the Russian Federation in the same subject of the Russian Federation where the place of residence of the citizen of the Russian Federation who is his spouse is located (wife).

Now a migrant has several ways to obtain registration and citizenship in the Russian Federation, the most common of which is:

• take advantage of the quota established by the Russian government based on the migration flow for previous years;
• First, the migrant receives a temporary residence permit (TRP) in the Russian Federation, for which he must submit an application and a certain set of documents.

To obtain a temporary residence permit:

• the migrant must undergo a medical examination,
• pass exams on knowledge of the Russian language, history and legislation of the Russian Federation and
• pay the state fee.

After this, the migration service makes a decision on whether or not to provide the migrant with a migration quota:

• after a year of permanent residence on the territory of the Russian Federation, a migrant (if he was not absent from Russia for 6 months) can receive a residence permit;
• and only five years after this (respectively, 6 years after receiving a temporary residence permit) a migrant can obtain Russian citizenship.

Migrants who have married a citizen of the Russian Federation and have lived in this marriage for at least 3 years are allowed to obtain Russian citizenship using a simplified, shorter scheme. It is precisely the category of migrants who intend to enter into a fictitious marriage just for the sake of it that these amendments to Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation” are aimed at.

In accordance with these amendments:

• the migrant is required to live in the same region as the spouse for all 3 years;
• in this case, a married migrant will be allowed to move to another region, but only together with her husband or wife, parent or child;
• Only in the same region where the spouse is registered can a migrant obtain a temporary residence permit and only there can he obtain legal work.

These restrictions apply only to those migrants who:

• there are children or parents who are citizens of the Russian Federation;
• It is believed that this category of migrants has more reasons to come to the Russian Federation and try to gain Russian citizenship through a fictitious marriage.

Fictitious marriages for other purposes

They enter into fictitious marriages not only for the sake of obtaining registration and citizenship of the Russian Federation. Those who entered into a fictitious marriage can count on:

• for a preferential mortgage loan,
• placing on a fast-track queue to receive an apartment,
• as well as participation in the program to provide young families with social housing;
• A fictitious marriage registered with the registry office can also be a guarantor of legal and financial freedom from guardians, trustees, and parents.

Authorities at the federal and regional levels are trying to encourage Russian citizens to get married and have children. To do this, they provide families with subsidies and benefits, which attracts some citizens to enter into a fictitious marriage.

Clause 1 of Article 1 “Basic principles of family legislation” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

For housing programs for young families:

• if spouses meet certain conditions, they can count on a social mortgage, that is, the state will help them buy an apartment at a reduced cost;
• benefits are offered not only by the state, but also by credit organizations. For example, at Sberbank the mortgage rate for young families may be lower than the base rate.

How much does it cost to enter into a fictitious marriage?

In a fictitious marriage, the future fictitious spouses agree orally or in writing in advance, and one spouse pays the other for the service.

Prices for entering into a fictitious marriage vary depending on the subject of the Russian Federation:

• in the central regions the price of a fictitious marriage is from 50 to 150 thousand rubles ,
• in other regions it is cheaper.

A few years ago, fictitious spouses could easily be found on the Internet using queries like “fictitious marriage advertisement.” But the prosecutor's office, through the court, began to block sites with such advertising. On the social network VKontakte there are entire groups where they look for fictitious spouses.

Often, civil registry office employees themselves are involved in concluding fictitious marriages, putting this service on the conveyor belt:

• more and more migrants from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan want to enter into a fictitious marriage;
• The minimum price for such a service from civil registry office employees is about 3 thousand dollars , and the maximum is 100 thousand dollars .

Why is a fictitious marriage dangerous?

If both spouses realize that they are entering into a fictitious marriage, such a marriage is dangerous only for the state and the values ​​it protects.

But if one of the spouses does not assume that the marriage being concluded is fictitious on the part of the other spouse, then such a marriage poses a danger to the first, ignorant spouse, for several reasons.

First, the division of property:

• the fictitious spouse can claim half of the property during a divorce or even receive a larger part if he managed to stipulate this in the marriage contract.

Article 39 “Determination of shares in the division of common property of spouses” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

If the spouses did not actually live together, did not maintain a joint household, and the fictitious spouse disappeared immediately after the marriage, the other spouse may in court demand to divide only the property that they acquired during their cohabitation. It is quite possible that there will be no such property if the spouses did not live together.

Clause 16 of the Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of November 5, 1998 No. 15 “On the application of legislation by courts when considering cases of divorce”

At the same time, the fact that the spouses did not live together will have to be proven in court. The most effective way is the testimony of neighbors, relatives, and friends.

Secondly, receiving an inheritance:

• According to the law, spouses are heirs of the first order. If something happens to one spouse, the other spouse (fictitious) will have priority rights to the property.

Clause 1 of Article 1142 “Heirs of the first stage” of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation

Thirdly, alimony:

• the fictitious spouse may demand in court to recover alimony for his maintenance from the other spouse.

A fictitious spouse may request alimony for his/her maintenance:

• during a fictitious marriage, if he is incapacitated and proves in court that he needs maintenance. Disability in this case means recognition of the spouse as a disabled person of any group or his retirement;
• if the fictitious marriage has already been dissolved and the spouse became disabled during the marriage or within a year from the date of its dissolution.

Article 89 “Obligations of spouses for mutual maintenance” and Article 90 “The right of a former spouse to receive alimony after divorce” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation; Clause 7 of the Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated December 26, 2017 No. 56 “On the application of legislation by courts when considering cases related to the collection of alimony”

To avoid such negative consequences of a fictitious marriage, it is better, of course, not to enter into one. But if this does happen, you can legally demand that the fictitious marriage be declared invalid.

How to distinguish an invalid marriage from a fictitious marriage

The main difference between a fictitious marriage and an invalid marriage:

• These are the goals pursued by married couples.

Often, the deliberate fictitiousness of the family suits both spouses; they both know about it and even intentionally strive for it. This happens when they sign in order to obtain Russian citizenship, but in fact the husband and wife do not even live together or do not communicate at all.

Recently, more and more often, fictitious marriage is being practiced to cover up homosexuality. In the Russian Federation, same-sex marriages are condemned and a fictitious marriage is chosen to cover them up.

How to prove that a marriage is fictitious

As experts note, it is quite difficult to prove that the marriage was fictitious and concluded for fraudulent purposes, but it is still possible. When initiating a divorce from a fictitious marriage by one of the spouses, he must pay special attention to the collection of evidentiary materials.

Confirmation that the marriage is fictitious will be documents containing information about the following facts:

• after marriage, the spouses did not live together and did not maintain a common household (the fraudster avoided living together in every possible way);
• lack of financial assistance from the second spouse;
• The fraudster intensified his efforts after marriage, aimed at violating the property rights of the second spouse (registration registration, obtaining a loan, purchasing expensive property).

The procedure for recognizing a fictitious marriage as invalid

Only a court can recognize that a marriage is fictitious.

Clause 2 of Article 27 “Recognition of marriage as invalid” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

An application to recognize a marriage as fictitious is submitted either by the prosecutor or by a conscientious spouse who did not know that he was being deceived and that a fictitious marriage was concluded with him.

para. 5 paragraph 1 of Article 28 “Persons who have the right to demand that a marriage be declared invalid” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

To prove in court that a marriage is fictitious, you need to confirm:

• that both spouses - if the prosecutor states or
• for one of them - if the second spouse declares
• there was no intention of starting a family.

Since the law does not define the concept of family:

• we can only rely on judicial practice;
• The best evidence in such trials is witness testimony.

As evidence in court, you need to present everything you have, even screenshots of correspondence from social networks.

In this case, you need to prove several facts at once:

• for example, that the spouses do not live together and do not maintain family relationships;
• or that one of the spouses refuses to participate financially in the life of the family or even lives and actually builds another family.

Clause 4 of Article 30 “Consequences of declaring a marriage invalid” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

The lawsuit must:

• describe the situation and demand that the fictitious marriage be recognized as invalid and the record of its registration in the civil registry office be annulled;
• attach to the lawsuit all documents that confirm the fictitiousness of the marriage, indicate witnesses who can testify in favor of the applicant.

In a lawsuit, you can also ask for compensation for moral damages for a fictitious marriage, since the other spouse cheated for a certain time. The likelihood that the court will award it is not very high, but it’s worth a try.

You can also demand through the court to recover damages for entering into a fictitious marriage:

• but they need to be documented;
• for example, as damages, recover from the fraudulent ex-spouse the loan payments that the deceived spouse made for him, as well as the rent for a rented apartment.

subp. 3 clause 1 of Article 333.19 “Amounts of state duty in cases considered by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, courts of general jurisdiction, justices of the peace” of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

Property consequences of declaring a fictitious marriage invalid

If the applicant's arguments convince the court, it may declare the fictitious marriage invalid from the moment of its conclusion. This means that spouses do not acquire the rights and obligations that are due upon entering into a legal marriage.

Article 30 “Consequences of declaring a marriage invalid” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

If a marriage contract has been concluded:

• it is declared invalid,
• and jointly acquired property becomes shared property.

If there is no dispute regarding property when recognizing a fictitious marriage as invalid, the court determines:

• each of the former spouses owns 50% of the property rights;
• but such a division can be challenged and it can be proven that the item was bought exclusively with the funds of one of the spouses.

In addition, if the court recognizes the marriage as fictitious, the dishonest spouse will not be able to demand alimony for his maintenance from the conscientious spouse.

Article 89 “Responsibilities of spouses for mutual maintenance” and Article 90 “The right of a former spouse to receive alimony after divorce” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

At the same time, children who were born during a fictitious marriage or within 300 days from the date of its invalidation are not affected by the invalidation of the marriage:

• both former spouses are obliged to fulfill parental responsibilities in relation to the children in any case, including after the fictitious marriage is declared invalid.

Clause 3 of Article 30 “Consequences of declaring a marriage invalid” of the Family Code of the Russian Federation

Legal consequences of recognizing a fictitious marriage

Recognition of the fictitious marriage serves as the basis for filing a claim in court by the spouse who did not know about the hidden motives for entering into a fictitious marriage.

Depending on the reasons for entering into a fictitious marriage, the following legal consequences for the spouses may occur:

• retention and full return of the mortgage loan obtained through marriage;
• the elimination of social subsidies that only families can apply for;
• revocation of illegal citizenship (in addition, perpetrators may be held legally accountable);
• abolition of social benefits and preferences, since the application will be considered illegal (committing fraudulent actions in order to obtain privileges is punishable under the Code of Administrative Offenses or the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation);
• review of court cases related to the adoption of a child (the adoption is not annulled, but only revised taking into account newly emerged circumstances).

Responsibility for entering into a fictitious marriage

So far, according to current legislation, there is no liability other than civil liability for entering into a fictitious marriage. However, the Government is working on measures to tighten penalties for such marriages.

The biggest problems for both the state and spouses are caused by fictitious marriages with foreigners.

Such marriages are concluded mainly by migrants in order to obtain a temporary residence permit, residence permit or citizenship of the Russian Federation:

• If the court invalidates the fictitious marriage that the migrant referred to when receiving a residence permit or temporary residence permit, all documents will be canceled and the migrant will have to leave the Russian Federation.

subp. 12 clause 1 of article 7 “Grounds for refusal to issue or cancellation of a temporary residence permit”, subparagraph. 12 clause 1 of Article 9 “Grounds for refusal to issue or revocation of a residence permit” of the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 No. 115-FZ (as amended on July 31, 2020) “On the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation”

The Criminal Code establishes liability for organizing illegal migration and fictitious registration at the place of residence or stay:

• sanctions - up to imprisonment for up to 7 years with a fine in favor of the state.

Article 322.1 “Organization of illegal migration”, Article 322.2 “Fictitious registration of a citizen of the Russian Federation at the place of stay or at the place of residence in a residential premises in the Russian Federation and fictitious registration of a foreign citizen or stateless person at the place of residence in a residential premises in the Russian Federation” and Article 322.3 “Fictitious registration of a foreign citizen or stateless person at the place of stay in the Russian Federation" of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

If one of the spouses entered into a fictitious marriage with a migrant without outside help:

• this is not considered an organization of illegal migration, and there is no criminal liability for this;
• a fictitious marriage will simply be declared invalid, and the spouse’s temporary residence permit or residence permit, if he managed to obtain one, will be cancelled.

But if someone else participated in concluding a fictitious marriage:

• for example, he looked for a prospective spouse to enter into a fictitious marriage, took money from him and negotiated with the registry office,
• the actions of participants in such fictitious marriages can already be qualified under Articles 322.1-322.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

The court may qualify such actions as the organization of illegal migration by a group of persons by prior conspiracy and impose a sentence of imprisonment. Such criminal cases are not isolated; in recent years, the prosecutor's office has begun to actively combat the organization of fictitious marriages that contribute to illegal migration.

Fictitious marriages of Russian citizens abroad

Entering into a fictitious marriage for our citizens to obtain citizenship or a visa is quite a risky business in many countries. For a fictitious marriage abroad, you can even face imprisonment.

Fictitious marriage in the USA:

• A fictitious marriage in the USA is called marriage fraud. This is a marriage entered into in order to circumvent US immigration rules;
• To marry a foreigner in the United States, you need to go through a complex verification procedure. The newlyweds are interviewed and required to prove that they really lead a life together. To do this, provide copies of the rental agreement, birth certificates of children, bank statements and other documents that would confirm the common household.

Responsibility for a fictitious marriage:

• may be imprisoned for up to 5 years or fined up to 250 thousand dollars .

Also, information about the fraudster will be entered into the databases of the US immigration service, so it will be difficult to obtain a green card in the future.

Fictitious marriage in the UK:

• in the UK, a sham marriage is defined as a union through which one of the parties hopes to benefit from immigration;
• at the same time, there is no permanent interconnected relationship between the spouses or an intention to live together.

There is no separate punishment for entering into a fictitious marriage in UK criminal law. But such actions may be classified as facilitating illegal entry into the country, fraud or bigamy.

Fictitious marriage in Belgium:

• in Belgium, a fictitious marriage is a forced marriage, when one of the parties puts pressure on the other or convinces the other to enter into a marriage in other ways;
• There are also cases where both parties are interested in a fictitious marriage.

Such a marriage may cast doubt on the municipality. He also initiates an investigation. For entering into a fictitious marriage, you can get up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to 250 euros.

If a foreigner tried to enter into a fictitious marriage, he may be prohibited from entering the country for up to 5 years, and the one who forced another to enter into a fictitious marriage may be imprisoned for up to 5 years.

If you have any questions about the violation of your rights, or you find yourself in a difficult life situation, then an online duty lawyer is ready to advise you on this issue for free.

VOID MARRIAGES

Why is a fictitious marriage dangerous?

A stamp in your passport gives you some rights. An unscrupulous spouse can use them for his own benefit, and the other party will suffer. The deceiver may claim:

Receiving an inheritance

The spouse is the heir of the first Civil Code of the Russian Federation Article 1142. Heirs of the first priority. This means that he can lay claim to part of the property to which he has nothing to do. If something happens to you, your family may be left with nothing.

Property division

According to the law of the RF IC, Article 38. Division of common property of spouses, if there is no marriage contract, property acquired during marriage is divided in half. So when the fictitious union is dissolved, the more successful spouse risks becoming poorer.

Alimony

Law of the RF IC Article 90 obliges to support a needy ex-spouse if he:

• Pre-retirement. For women this is from 55 years old, for men - from 60.
• Retired within five years of the divorce if the union was long-lasting. The court will decide whether you were together enough for child support.
• Became disabled during the marriage or within a year after its dissolution.

It is possible that you will have to provide for a complete stranger.

Effective business marriage: what is it?

An effective business marriage is a partnership that allows you to achieve the desired desired result with the least amount of time and money. Thus, people who enter into such an alliance become each other’s partners, and the marriage itself is nothing more than a deal.

The effectiveness of a business alliance can be characterized by the following criteria:

• achieving the set goal;
• compliance with agreed deadlines;
• compliance with business agreements.

A business marriage is a kind of business: each party bears certain risks in order to gain benefits.

The prerequisites for an effective business alliance are:

• honesty;
• confidence;
• understanding;
• determination;
• constancy;
• tolerance.

In order for a business marriage to truly become effective, it is necessary to approach the choice of a partner with special care and close attention.

What is the liability for a fictitious marriage?

Law enforcement agencies may intervene in the matter. Although they are more interested in fictitious marriages with foreigners, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Komi Republic reminds citizens of their responsibility for entering into fictitious marriages with foreign citizens. The court revokes the residence permit and citizenship of the foreign spouse. In some cases, the violator may be expelled from the country. And in case of fraud, a criminal case will be opened.

If both spouses are Russian citizens, there is a high probability that they will never come to the attention of the police.

How to register?

The algorithm for concluding a business alliance is quite simple:

1. search for "spouse";
2. discussion of formalities;
3. marriage.

Finding a potential partner can be done in two ways: search for him yourself, for example, by posting a request on one of the specialized forums, or seek the help of agencies that have an established base.

The first method will be cheaper, but in such matters there is a high risk of fraud and scams. The second method guarantees the conclusion of the deal, but will cost more.

Having found the right partner, they proceed to discuss the formalities: the results of the transaction, timing, price, etc. Most often, partners entering into a fictitious marriage draw up an agreement that provides for all agreements.

The final step is the actual marriage, which occurs in the same way as in the case of a traditional one - it is registered in the registry office.

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How to recognize a marriage as fictitious

If the fictitious spouse is adequate and does not lay claim to your property, it is enough to simply get a divorce. Otherwise you will have to go to court.

A spouse who did not know the RF IC Article 28 on the fictitiousness of a marriage can file a claim to declare a marriage invalid. But you will need comprehensive evidence that the family did not exist. For example, a separate budget alone is not a sufficient basis. Also tell us about the benefits that the spouse received from the fictitious stamp in the passport.

You can declare the marriage invalid for another formal reason, if there is one. In this case, you will also be able to save the property of the RF IC Article 30. Consequences of declaring a marriage invalid from division. There are several reasons:

• You gave your consent to the marriage in the registry office involuntarily - due to coercion, deception, or a state in which you could not adequately assess the situation.
• You have not reached the age of marriage of the RF IC Article 13. The age of marriage is 18 years.
• At the time of marriage, your spouse was already in another marriage.
• Your spouse is your close relative.
• The spouse was declared incompetent by the court due to a mental disorder.
• The husband hid the presence of a sexually transmitted disease or HIV infection.

What are the consequences if the marriage is declared invalid?

If the court declares the marriage invalid, then not only the civil status record is annulled, but also every transaction that was concluded in this marriage. For example, if spouses acquired real estate during such a marriage, then by a court decision it can be returned to the seller, and the buyer - the amount paid for it.

If the court finds that a fictitious marriage was concluded for the purpose of obtaining permanent registration or citizenship, then the consequences for the foreigner will be dire. He faces a ban on entry and residence in Russia.

If it turns out that a fictitious marriage allowed the spouses or one of them to receive benefits from the state, then he or they may even face criminal liability.

Cost of the procedure in Russia

It is impossible to say definitively how much a fictitious marriage costs to obtain Russian citizenship. Much depends on the circumstances. First of all, the city in which registration is planned is affected. In the capital region and St. Petersburg it is easier to find profitable employment, so the demand for fictitious relationships is usually higher here.

Finding a partner for a fictitious marriage today is easy with the help of the Internet. There are many advertisements with similar content.

If we manage to build good relationships with each other, the price may be lower. The cost will also be affected by the range of related services. For example, if a partner registers (more precisely, registers, since registration in Russia has been abolished since 1993) the other party in his living space, then the price increases many times over. “Registration” will help you quickly obtain a residence permit and find a suitable job.

The cost of an arranged marriage in Russia, compared to other countries, is low. Abroad, couples who have entered into a transaction undergo regular inspections by regulatory authorities. Neighbors and relatives may be interviewed. Because of this, the cost of the event is high. In our country, unfortunately, such close attention is not paid to such unions.

In every city in Russia, prices are radically different. According to statistics, the average cost of a fictitious marriage in Moscow is 100 thousand rubles. The minimum price is about 50 thousand rubles. When providing “registration”, this amount can reach up to 70 thousand rubles. In St. Petersburg, prices are slightly lower than in the capital. The minimum threshold is about 40 tr. On average, to enter into an alliance with a resident of the Leningrad region you will have to pay about 70 thousand rubles.

In small towns in our country, the demand for such procedures is not so great, and therefore the prices here are lower. You can get married, for example, in Kostroma or Ryazan, for only 15 thousand rubles. But in Novosibirsk or Crimea, the cost of marriage is not much different from the “prices” in the capital. It fluctuates in the amount of about 50 thousand rubles.

After the future partner has been selected and his services have been paid for, the marriage is concluded. The procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship in this case provides for an accelerated procedure for changing the status of a foreigner who has entered into a marriage with a person holding a Russian passport. Now a foreigner can begin to collect a package of documents to change citizenship according to a simplified scheme.