What is it like to be a Russian wife of a foreign husband in Russia

Legislative aspects

In Russia, the rules for concluding and dissolving a marriage are contained in the RF IC. The Code allows Russians to become spouses with citizens of all states or with people without citizenship at all. However, you will need to comply with the established requirements.

The first condition is that when getting married in Russia, the process must comply exclusively with the legislation of the Russian Federation. The procedure is standard: submitting an application to the registry office and further registration;

For a foreigner, an additional condition will apply - marriage is possible only in accordance with the rules in force for citizens of his state. At the same time, the requirements themselves may differ depending on the country they belong to: reaching a certain age, obtaining consent from parents, mandatory engagement, and others. The domestic registry office requires confirmation that the marriage procedure complies with the established norms of the foreigner’s country. The rule will not apply if the citizen has dual citizenship, including Russian. Then the marriage process will take place as between two Russian citizens;
When a person does not have citizenship, but his stay in the territory of that country is legal, the marriage procedure will take place exclusively according to the rules established by the legislation of the Russian Federation. When marrying a stateless person, you will need to take into account the legislation of the country where he lives only if he stays there for a longer period of time than in the Russian Federation;

If a foreigner has two citizenships, among which there is no Russian one, then the person will independently choose, in accordance with the legislation of which country where he is a citizen, his marriage will be held.

The fourth rule when getting married in Russia is that only monogamous marriages are allowed. This clause implies that one man can only marry one woman. If a foreigner has several wives (which is permitted in accordance with the legislation of his country), but he wants to additionally marry a Russian citizen, then the application for marriage will be rejected, since the husband already has a wife. In such a situation, even contacting the consulate or embassy will not help.

Legal aspects of marriage in Russia

The law of the Russian Federation recognizes only state registration with the civil registry office. Church marriage does not exist in Russia (unlike England); there is a Sacrament of Wedding, which has no legal force. Moreover, without a marriage certificate, the priest has every right to refuse a wedding.

How to get a fiance visa

Registration procedure

According to generally accepted rules, the procedure for obtaining a fiancé visa is divided into several stages. Some steps are performed by the groom, and others by the bride. Below is the procedure for obtaining a fiancee visa, which is typical for many countries.

These include:

submission of a petition by the groom requesting a visa for the bride;
approval of the petition by the country's consulate;
collection of necessary documents by the bride with subsequent translation of their contents into English;
undergoing a medical examination by the bride;
a visit to the consulate by the bride to undergo an interview.

Required documents

As a rule, a list of required documents is posted on the information stand at each consulate. They are subject to mandatory presentation, because a visa is issued on their basis. The list of required documents must be clarified at the consulate of the country where the bride intends to go for marriage.

To obtain a fiancée visa, a woman must present to the consulate:

birth certificate;
an invitation to enter into an official marriage, sent by the future spouse. As a rule, it is compiled in any form;
a copy of the identity document of the intended groom;
payment receipt for income received by the groom;
a tax return submitted by the potential groom to the appropriate authority in his country;
a certificate confirming that you are not officially married to anyone. It is issued by the civil registry office at the place of residence;
a copy of the foreign passport in 3 copies;
a questionnaire that is filled out on a special form;
a certificate of no criminal record issued by the Federal Migration Service;
medical certificate of health obtained from an accredited medical center;
certificate of acquired level of knowledge of the relevant language;
proof of relationship. As a rule, letters and joint photographs of both persons entering into marriage are provided.

The above list may vary slightly depending on the requirements of an individual country. In addition, her consulate may additionally request other types of documents.

IN THE USA

Many citizens want to leave for the United States of America. Their desire is caused by various motives. Any foreign citizen must obtain permission to enter and reside in the country.

The US government admits foreign citizens on the basis of:

non-immigrant visa, which includes a visitor, student or business visa. It is issued to persons who will be in the country temporarily, so brides need to present evidence of returning back to their historical homeland. Otherwise, they may be denied a visa;
an immigration visa providing for entry into an official marriage in the Russian state or on the territory of a third country.

For potential brides, a visa category is issued - K-1, which is issued upon the application of a US citizen marrying a foreigner.

Persons entering into a marriage must be free in order to be able to enter into it. The visa is valid for 90 days , during which they must enter into an official marriage or abandon their intentions.

To Germany

There is an opinion among women that Germans are the most handsome and practical men. Many girls want to marry them in order to settle in Germany as an official wife. For them, a fiancée visa becomes the only viable option, since potential brides immediately receive a residence permit.

But within the period established by the fiancé visa, a legal marriage must be formalized.

Otherwise, the woman will be deported from the country as a violator of law and order. In addition, she will be deprived of the opportunity to travel abroad for 10 years.

To obtain a visa for a fiancee, you need to contact the German consulate with a package of documents and an application . According to the rules in force therein, a response is issued after 3 months . The main condition is knowledge of the German language, which the potential bride must demonstrate during the interview. She must have a document confirming her level of language proficiency.

Find out what a multi-Schengen visa is. Where is the series and number in the international passport? The article will tell you.

Is it necessary to submit fingerprints for a Schengen visa? See here.

In England

If a Russian citizen intends to marry a British citizen, then she must obtain a fiance visa - Fiance Visa. It is issued for a period of up to six months, during which the marriage must be formalized. The fiancé visa can be extended if for any reason the wedding ceremony is postponed for a certain period.

If the bride changes her mind about getting married, she can return to her country after the expiration of the term.

Basic requirements for concluding a marriage:

achievement of 18 years of age by both persons entering into a marriage;
prohibition of employment in the country;
the potential groom has a source of income of at least 18,600 euros per year;
presentation of evidence of acquaintance that took place in an earlier period of life, repeated meetings before the decision to enter into an official marriage was made;
demonstration of intention to live together after official marriage;
the bride's command of English at level A1, which is established by the pan-European CEFR scheme, and she has passed a language test in accordance with the Home Office list.

Submission of an application for a spousal visa is carried out following the conclusion of an official marriage.

Conditions for registering marriage with a foreign citizen

In order to sign in Russia with a non-resident, it is necessary to comply with a number of conditions set by the RF IC:

Reach the age of marriage, which usually coincides with the age of majority (Part 1 of Article 12 of the RF IC). In the Russian Federation, it is the same for men and women and is 18 years old. Abroad, the age of marriage may differ; this must be taken into account. Thus, in the PRC, women are allowed to get married from the age of 20, men in the PRC and India have the right to marry from the age of 21-22. Minors can also create families, but only with the consent of their parents, and for Muslim countries their permission is often mandatory.
Give voluntary consent (Part 2 of Article 12 of the RF IC). Before a Russian woman marries a citizen of the EU, USA, Canada, or Japan, checks are carried out to determine whether there are plans to extract material benefits, whether the people lived together or met, and whether they know each other’s languages in order to communicate freely. Forced marriage, intimidation, and blackmail are not allowed.
Confirmation that both are single, are not related to each other and are not recognized as incompetent due to mental illness (Article 14 of the RF IC).

According to Art. 15 of the RF IC, young people are also provided with free medical examination, since concealing sexually transmitted diseases and HIV are good reasons for divorce . For the French and Latvians, the diagnostic requirement is mandatory. With dual citizenship, the applicant chooses under which Family Code to register the marriage. When a foreigner also has a Russian passport, he is considered a full-fledged citizen of Russia.

A certified translator with appropriate permission must be present at the wedding ceremony. This will ensure that the foreigner understands every word, nuance and implications of marriage accurately. Naturally, all this does not apply to people in whose countries Russian is the official language.

There are other features in different countries. The United States is particularly sensitive to weddings with foreigners. To paint with a Russian woman in the Russian Federation, an American will need to obtain permission from the consul, pre-engagement, and possibly fulfill other conditions.

Requirements for a UK Fiancé/Fiancé or Spouse Visa

Refusal of one of the UK family visas is inevitable if you, as the fiancée or spouse of a permanent resident or UK citizen, do not meet all of the following requirements:

One of the spouses/partners has permanent residence status in England or a British passport.
Both partners are adults (over 18 years of age).
Both partners have met in person and know each other well.
Their relationship is real and does not allow one to suspect a fictitious marriage in the UK, concluded for the purpose of moving to the country.
All previous marriages of both partners are annulled in accordance with the procedure established by law.
Marriage is not prohibited by law (for example, cases of incest and marriages between blood relatives).
The spouses/partners are planning to live together permanently in the United Kingdom.

Marriage with a foreign citizen: where to start

In this case, we do not consider the questions of how to get acquainted with foreigners, for what purposes international marriages are concluded. What is important for us is that a citizen of the Russian Federation met with a representative of a foreign state and, as a result of this meeting, a joint decision was made to register the marriage.

After this, you should decide where it is better to formalize such an alliance. Family law differs greatly from state to state, and differences must be taken into account, otherwise they can cause big problems later. Sometimes a decision is made to formalize the marriage in both states of which the bride and groom are citizens; often the marriage is decided to be formalized in one of the countries - most often in the one in which the spouses plan to reside permanently.

The further algorithm of actions depends on this decision: whether all conditions for marriage are met, what documents need to be prepared, which government agencies should be contacted and within what time frame. For Russian citizens, the closest and simplest option will be registration in Russia. The procedure for registering a marriage with a foreigner on the territory of the Russian Federation is defined in Articles 11, 156-167 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation.

First rule: fulfillment of all conditions for marriage

In order to get married, future newlyweds must fulfill a number of conditions. They are determined by the legislation of the countries of which the spouses are citizens. Yes, Art. 12 of the RF IC specifies as necessary conditions for the bride and groom:

Reaching marriageable age.
In Russia, the minimum age for marriage is the same for men and women - 18 years. The rules for marrying a foreigner in Russia require that this requirement be taken into account not only in relation to a citizen of the Russian Federation, but also in relation to a foreigner. The minimum age for marriage differs depending on the country and ranges from 12 years (in Canada) to 20 years (in China) for girls and from 16 (in Italy) to 21-22 years (PRC, India) for men. If minors are going to get married, then the consent of their parents will be a prerequisite (for many Muslim countries this is necessary in any case). The age of majority in different countries varies greatly - from 9 to 21 years. But marriage, as a rule, is always a circumstance that gives a person legal capacity, albeit limited.
Voluntary consent to marry. Coercion, blackmail, and deception are unacceptable here. When it comes to the marriage of a citizen of the Russian Federation with a representative of one of the states of the European Union, the USA, Canada or Japan, additional questions and checks are possible: about the likelihood of receiving material benefits for agreeing to the marriage, the fact of living together or meeting before the marriage, the possibility of communication ( knowledge of foreign languages is tested).

In addition, before marrying a foreigner in Russia, you need to make sure (according to Article 14 of the RF IC) of:

absence of another registered marriage at the time of filing the application;
that the applicants are not in close family relationships and are not adoptive parents or adopted children;
absence of a court decision on the incapacity (of at least one of the applicants) due to mental illness.

In addition, Art. 15 of the RF IC provides for a free medical examination of those getting married before marriage, because concealing certain diseases (sexually transmitted diseases, HIV infection) from a partner can serve as a reason for divorce. In France and Latvia, such an examination is mandatory for marriage.

In the case when a foreigner has several citizenships, he must decide which state’s family code will be taken into account when concluding a marriage (if a foreigner has a Russian passport, he will be considered a citizen of the Russian Federation).

When all the mentioned conditions are met, you can move on to the next stage - preparing a package of documents.

Required documents

Any marriage begins with an appropriate decision and requires the submission of the necessary documents to the registry office. The package of documents if the parties to the marriage are people with different citizenships is slightly different. Regardless of citizenship, both parties will need to prepare a certain set of documentation. The algorithm for submitting documents depends on the country in which further registration will be carried out. The list of documents may differ based on the requirements of a particular state. But their main list is given below:

passport (sometimes it is enough to provide only a foreign passport);
a certificate confirming the absence of a marital relationship at the moment (can be obtained from the registry office, but there may be difficulties in issuing it, since formally such a form does not exist in Russian legislation) or a certificate of divorce;
birth registration certificate;
document confirming citizenship. This document was previously issued simultaneously with the birth registration certificate. In another case, this document certificate can be obtained from the Office of the Federal Migration Service, the passport office or from the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy;
visa (special invitation from the bride or groom). It is registered with the OVIR authorities or at the place of stay.

This list of documents will need to be presented to various authorities: at customs, at the embassy, at the registry office.

Additional documents that may be needed in this situation are:

certificate of no criminal record;
a certificate confirming the absence of marital relations at a given time, or other possible obstacles;
certificate of legal capacity to formalize marriage relations. In the Russian Federation, this certificate is not issued because there is no form to fill out. It is issued in the state where the registration will be carried out, since its form depends on the country. A notarized extract from the Family Code, Articles 12-14 of the RF IC, indicating the conditions for marriage, is also acceptable. This certificate can be issued in free form at the registry office;
information about family composition. Issued by the Housing Office;
data from place of residence;
if one of the parties has minor children and after registration they are expected to leave the country - a certificate of registration of the fact of the child’s birth and permission to leave, written in writing, from the second parent;
health certificate;
vaccination certificate (if required).

All of the above documentation (both basic and additional), except those issued by the consular department, must be legalized or obtain an apostille. The latter is necessary if the foreigner comes from a country that has ratified the Hague Convention. This implies the presence of an apostille and translation into the language of the state in which the registration will be carried out. All necessary documentation should be prepared in Russia, since translation is not always possible elsewhere.

List of documents required to register a marriage for a foreigner with a Russian citizen:

passport;
a certificate authorizing the absence of a current marital relationship;
a document certifying the financial status (necessary to confirm the financial ability to support the groom or bride of a citizen of the Russian Federation). It is mandatory, especially for issuing a visa.

Collecting and processing all necessary certificates will take about three months. The above package of documents will help you prepare a residence permit in the future without any problems.

Application for registration of marriage with a foreigner

An application for desire to marry a foreigner in Russia is submitted by the future spouses:

in person to the registry office;
through the federal or regional government services portal. The bride and groom seal the application with their simple electronic digital signature;
through MFC.

What must be included in the application:

Full name, biographical information. The foreigner writes as if in translation;
citizenship;
permanent residence address;
marital status at the time of registration (divorced, widowed, unmarried);
surnames chosen by future spouses;
details of identity documents. For foreigners, this is an internal passport of their country with a notarized certified copy-translation.

If one of the newlyweds cannot personally go to the registry office, he has the right to fill out his part of the application and have the signature notarized. Then the second one enters the information for himself and, together with the other documents, takes the application to the registrar.

Document on the termination of a previous marriage

If the future spouse was previously married, he is required to provide a document stating that this marriage has been dissolved or terminated. This applies to both Russian citizens and foreigners.

Such a document could be:

certificate of divorce;
death certificate (for widowers);
a judicial act declaring a marriage invalid.

For example, French brides and grooms can submit a divorce decision from a territorial court of appeal, apostilled and translated into Russian. This document is accompanied by a certificate of civil status issued by the mayor's office of their localities or the French consulate.

A Russian citizen does not need to provide a document on the termination of a previous marriage if he dissolved it in the same registry office in which he entered into it.

The department staff will check the information themselves.

A visa confirming the right of the bride or groom to stay in the Russian Federation

A document confirming the legality of a foreigner’s presence on the territory of Russia can be:

visa;
residence permit (residence permit);
temporary residence permit (TRP).

It will be required from any foreigner, with the exception of citizens of states with which the Russian Federation has a visa-free regime.

To marry a foreigner in Russia, it is better to request a private visa, valid for up to 90 days. To issue it, you need an invitation, which is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the request of a citizen of the Russian Federation. There are no special “fiancé visas” like in the United States in Russia.

State fee for marriage registration

To marry a citizen of another country, you need to pay a state fee, since this is a public service. Only people with 1st and 2nd disability groups are exempt from it.

The state fee for registration with a foreigner is the same as for registration with a Russian - 350 rubles. per person, or 700 rub. from a couple. The receipt can be obtained directly from the registry office, and payment must be made before the wedding. This can be done either in cash at the bank or by non-cash method, including through the State Services portal - this is convenient, but also provides a 30% discount , but preliminary identification confirmation is required. The receipt should be kept and given to the registry office staff.

Receipt for payment of state duty

Marriage with a foreign citizen in the Russian Federation is subject to state duty in accordance with Art. 333.26 Tax Code of the Russian Federation. In 2021, future spouses must pay 350 rubles to the state treasury.

The receipt is submitted along with other documents. If newlyweds submit an application and pay the fee through the government services portal, they receive a discount of 30% (transfer 245 rubles) in accordance with clause 4 of Art. 333.35 Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

The registry office office is indicated as the recipient of the payment. You can take its details when submitting an application, then fill out the receipt by hand and pay at any Sberbank office. When applying through the public services portal, the details are automatically updated when the newlyweds indicate the wedding palace in which they want to register.

How to marry an American in the USA

Many girls planning to move to the States want to marry a US citizen. This method seems to be the easiest and most accessible, but not everything is so simple - you will need to take several steps to make the move possible.

So, the scheme consists of several stages:

A foreigner obtains a fiancée visa to the United States by applying to the embassy;
Comes to the States and gets married within 90 days, otherwise he will have to leave America;
The spouse collects a package of documents and applies to the migration office;
The documents are reviewed and it is determined whether a fictitious marriage was concluded to obtain citizenship;
The girl undergoes a medical examination, confirming her state of health;
Spouses undergo an interview where they answer everyday questions that will confirm their cohabitation;
A foreigner receives a conditional green card. It is valid for two years, during which it is possible to finally understand whether a real or fictitious marriage has been concluded in the USA;
The couple applies for a permanent green card for the girl.

At what age can you get married? By law, the age of majority in the United States is 21 years old, but not all states have this rule.

So, you can get married at 16 years old.

Accordingly, this scenario is the most common, and if a couple really wants to enter into a love union, no difficulties should arise.

In which registry office can you register a marriage with a foreigner?

The process of marriage of foreigners with Russian citizens takes place in accordance with the procedure established by law.
The law does not limit the right to choose a registration authority. In practice, you may encounter the fact that not all registry offices will accept an application from a foreign citizen.

If the spouse is from the CIS countries

Thanks to the Convention on Legal Relations, concluded in Minsk on January 22, 1993, citizens of the CIS countries can marry a Russian citizen in any city in our country. The choice of the registry office is left to the participants in the marriage procedure themselves.

If the spouse is from a country outside the CIS

When choosing a place to marry a foreigner from a country outside the Commonwealth of Independent States, you should take into account the location of the embassies and the availability of certified translators.

It's better to choose the capital.

Not all registration authorities make entries in civil status acts about foreign marriages. It is better to take care of obtaining such information in advance.

How to register a marriage with a foreigner in Russia

Marriage registration is carried out on the basis of the provisions of the Family Code (FC) of the Russian Federation and a number of by-laws. Thus, Russian legislation does not limit the right of a citizen to start a family with a citizen of another country or a stateless person. Potential spouses should take note of the basic requirements:

Marriage on the territory of the Russian Federation is carried out according to Russian laws.
The foreigner must comply with the laws of his country (reach the legal age of marriage, apply for the consent of local authorities) and document this fact. Holders of dual citizenship (with the exception of Russian) independently determine which country’s laws they should follow when starting a family in Russia.
The legislation of the Russian Federation does not recognize polygamy and same-sex marriage. If the groom is married in a country that allows polygamy, he will not be able to marry a Russian woman in Russia. A polygamous marriage entered into in the country of the husband’s citizenship is considered invalid in Russia.

Rights and obligations arising when registering relations

At the end of the ceremony at the registry office, marital rights and obligations arise between the applicants. The moment is regulated by the legislation of the country where the newlyweds will live. Two main points can be highlighted:

Particular attention is paid to the issue of joint property. Spouses can draw up a marriage contract or agree to a common regime. In the first case, the specifics of dividing property during a divorce are indicated in the document. The second option involves the distribution of jointly acquired property according to the principle of equal shares.
By law, the child will automatically become a citizen of the country where he was born, unless there is another agreement between the spouses. The essence of the agreement is to assign Russian, foreign or dual citizenship to common children. It is recommended to think about the issue in advance, since obtaining custody of a minor citizen of another state in the event of a divorce will be extremely problematic.

If you want to draw up a marriage contract, you will need to contact a notary. A specialist will certify the authenticity of the document. Further legalization for the foreigner’s home country occurs according to the standard algorithm of actions.

Expedited registration of marriage with a foreign citizen: when is it possible?

The time that legislation allows for future newlyweds to finally consider their decision can be changed: the RF IC allows not only to shorten this period, but also to extend it for another month. If the extension of the term is an extremely rare occurrence, then accelerated marriage registration is very common.

In order to reduce the waiting period (even to the point that the signature can take place on the day of submission of documents), you must provide evidence of valid reasons:

bride's pregnancy;
birth of a child;
long-term cohabitation;
threat to life for one or both applicants;
conscription into the army;
long business trip and others.

There is no exhaustive list of such situations. In each specific case, the decision is made by authorized employees of the state body that carries out the registration (Registration Office). Often the approaching expiration date for a foreign national's visa can also be considered as a reason to reduce the waiting period slightly.

As evidence of the urgency of the situation, medical certificates from medical institutions and antenatal clinics (about pregnancy, about an upcoming operation), certificates from the place of work and other papers can be presented.

Is a translator necessary for a wedding?

Having a translator will be useful in the case where one of the spouses does not speak Russian at all. The bride or groom must answer questions (about the state of relationship with the marriage partner, about the voluntariness of making a decision, and others), understanding what is at stake. Otherwise, ignorance of the language may become a reason for declaring such a marriage invalid. World practice suggests that in such a situation a professional translator is needed who can duplicate the questions in the language of the spouse and his answers in Russian.

The translator must present his diploma and passport to the registry office employees in advance, and copies of them must be attached to the application. In this case, no one will be able to express doubt about the legality of the marriage.

How to put a marriage registration stamp in a foreigner’s passport

Russian internal passports have specially designated pages for stamping (pages 14 and 15), which indicate marital status. When concluding or dissolving a marriage with a foreign citizen, the corresponding stamp will be affixed to the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. As for a foreigner's passport, the Civil Registry Office does not have the authority to make any changes or make entries in foreign passports. This is the prerogative of the state whose property they are. Therefore, no stamps are placed in the passports of foreigners (unless a corresponding interstate agreement has been signed with the Russian Federation on this matter).

A marriage certificate will be presented, on the basis of which a corresponding entry will be made in the foreign citizen’s country of residence or at the embassy of this state in the Russian Federation.

An entry will be made if this is prescribed by the family legislation of a given state: in many countries around the world, such notes in internal passports have been abandoned.

How to get married if one of the partners is British?

If one of the partners is a resident of the UK, and the other does not have citizenship of the United Kingdom or one of the European countries, then before the wedding you can choose one of the following marriage options:

Wedding in England

To do this, you must obtain a wedding visa or a bride (groom) visa. If you choose a wedding visa, you will have to leave the country after marriage and apply for a UK spouse visa from your country of residence. The separation from your loved one is slightly compensated by the lower cost of the visa, the minimum package of documents for the application and the absence of additional financial requirements. An England fiancée visa allows a non-resident partner to remain in the country immediately after marriage and apply for a spouse visa. However, its registration will cost significantly more. There are also financial restrictions: the British spouse must show annual earnings of at least £18,600.

Wedding abroad UK

This can be either the country of residence of the non-British resident partner or any other country. But it is better to choose one of the European countries: then the British spouse will not need a visa and additional evidence of the relationship (as in the case of a fiancee visa). The package of documents is collected once and is provided after marriage, when the foreign partner applies for a spousal visa to England from the country of residence. In addition, such a wedding often costs significantly less.

Why is it necessary to confirm the marriage in the country of the foreign spouse?

A marriage that was formalized in Russia must also be legalized in the country of residence of the foreign spouse. Without his confirmation, the foreigner will be considered in his country as a citizen who is not married.

There are situations when marriages concluded in accordance with foreign family law and fully legitimate in the country of one of the spouses are considered invalid in Russia (for example, same-sex marriages or those concluded as a result of a wedding in the Anglican or Catholic Church). The opposite situation often arises: marriages registered under Russian laws are not recognized abroad.

In order for a Russian marriage certificate to be presented to official bodies abroad, it must be legalized in the country of origin of the document, that is, on the territory of the Russian Federation.

This is possible as a result of:

affixing an apostille (valid in states that have acceded to the 1961 Hague Convention;
consular legalization: translation and notarization in the justice authorities and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, then in the consulate of the spouse’s state; applies only to this country.

If the marriage is concluded with a citizen of one of the CIS countries - a party to the 1993 Minsk Convention - then neither legalization nor apostille is required for the submitted documents.

Based on a legalized marriage certificate in the spouse’s country of residence, it will be possible to begin the process of legalizing the marriage. You should be prepared for the fact that another country may require additional documents (birth certificate, police clearance certificate), and the process itself may take a long time (for example, in Israel - up to 5 years).

The main difficulties of a fiance visa for foreigners

The first difficulty that many women face when submitting such documents is a fairly serious study of the submitted application. An embassy employee may request very personal information, such as joint correspondence with a potential husband. If the embassy's requirements are contrary to human rights, you are not obliged to comply with them, but you may not receive a visa.

In addition, difficulties may include the following:

a fairly extensive range of requirements for a potential spouse of a Russian citizen;
the need for minimal knowledge of the Russian language, which is confirmed by any test;
providing information about the person you want to meet in Russia;
creating a list of financial documents proving your worth;
other documents and evidence that you are going to meet your loved one.

The fiancé visa has such disadvantages in any country, and Russian consulates around the world are more willing to issue such documents. Compared to European countries and North America, there are much fewer refusals at the consular departments of the Russian Foreign Ministry. But having received a refusal, you actually block the simple possibilities of entering the territory of the Russian Federation in the near future. Therefore, documents need to be prepared in advance and a complete package of them must be formed at once.

International marriage pros and cons

Marriage to a foreigner carries positive and negative aspects that may or may not suit our compatriots who want to go abroad for permanent residence with their new partner.

Advantages:

Obtaining foreign citizenship.
Greater opportunities for travel and movement.
High quality of life.
Studying of foreign language.

There are also negative aspects that in a certain situation can play a negative role, contribute to and lead to the breakdown of the family.

These include:

contacts with close relatives are noticeably limited;
different mentality and worldview;
reality is significantly worse than expected prospects;
stinginess and jealousy of new husbands and wives, which is characteristic of Europeans;
enforcement of local traditions and religion (Muslim countries);
in case of divorce, the mother does not have rights to a child shared with a foreign national;
problems with obtaining local citizenship, therefore, the status of the right will be lower than that of the other half;
negative perception of the husband's or wife's relatives;
impossibility of making new friends due to mentality and language barrier.

Based on this, anyone who wants to get married abroad and stay there for permanent residence needs to carefully weigh the pros and cons. Understand what a person ultimately gains and what he can lose. After all, no one could return the years spent aimlessly, even abroad.

Marriage with a foreigner in Russia: pros and cons

One of the authoritative European researchers conducted a survey of more than 250 interethnic couples (citizens of Russia and the EU). It turned out that our compatriots see many advantages in marriages with foreigners (besides love, compatibility and the desire to “stand out”):

the opportunity to go abroad, settle in another, more prosperous country;
improvement of financial situation;
simplified obtaining of a visa and residence permit in the foreigner’s homeland;
the opportunity to choose the citizenship of future children;
admiration for the exoticism, “foreignness” of a representative of another society, etc.

But one cannot ignore the disadvantages of international unions:

difficulties in obtaining custody of a child in case of divorce, alimony registration;
difference in mentality, unusual attitude of foreigners towards others, family members, money or children;
homesickness;
the language barrier;
the legal status of a foreigner in a foreign country, which sharply deteriorates after a divorce.

However, according to Rosstat, for the first half of 2021, statistics on interethnic marriages are more optimistic than for unions of two Russians.

At the same time, the main reason for divorces is that our compatriots learn about the lifestyle of foreigners only from films and books, have stereotypes and inevitably face a “different” reality.

In the event of a divorce, difficulties with government agencies in both countries may add to the disappointment in the marriage. To minimize them, registration should be carried out correctly, and marriage should be legalized in both states.

How to quickly obtain a fiancé visa to Russia?

If you are going to the Russian Federation just to meet a person, it is enough to choose a tourist visa for 30 days. If your intentions are more serious, you should immediately think about a visa that allows you to marry a Russian citizen. It is difficult to apply for it on your own, but specialists from the visa support center will help you complete all tasks quickly and with the greatest chance of success.

The main help of professionals consists of the following points:

collecting and preparing a package of papers that will allow you to obtain an entry permit without refusal;
consultations on various situations that complicate the process of entering the country as a bride;
eliminating factors that could potentially become barriers to obtaining a visa;
collection of additional information allowing embassies to quickly make the necessary decision;
submitting papers to the consular department, monitoring the performance by officials of their direct duties.

When submitting documents in person without professional preparation, the percentage of refusals is quite high. Remember that after receiving a refusal for a fiancee visa, you simply will not be able to get any other option for permission to visit the Russian Federation. It’s better to fill out the paperwork correctly right away to avoid any troubles. It will also require some cooperation from your potential husband to obtain some data. With proper preparation, the risks of a negative decision from the consulate can be eliminated.

Marriage agreement in Russia and abroad: main differences

The secrecy of the marriage contract, which in Russia is enshrined in legislation.
In most foreign countries, interested parties have the right to familiarize themselves with the text of the marriage contract.
The moment of concluding a marriage contract.
In Russia, the parties are free to determine the moment of concluding a marriage contract: both before marriage and after its registration.
In many foreign countries, it is possible to conclude a marriage contract only at the same time
as registering a marriage.
Subject of the agreement.
A marriage contract in Russia is aimed at regulating only the property relations of spouses, while the legislation of many foreign countries allows contractual provisions to regulate non-property aspects of joint life.
The procedure for changing and terminating a marriage contract
in Russia and foreign countries may also differ.
In Russia, this can be done by concluding an agreement between the parties, and in case of failure, in court. Often, foreign legislation allows you to change a contract solely by applying to the judicial authorities.

Main reasons for refusal of registration

An application with a set of documents attached to it is sent to the registry office 30 days before the planned date of the wedding, or even better, leave 2 months in reserve. This precaution is due to the fact that it may take time to resolve emerging issues. So, registry offices do not often refuse to paint young people.

Reasons for refusal vary:

the foreigner did not divorce in his own country;
relatives, even distant ones, are getting married;
one of the couple is incompetent due to mental illness, which is confirmed by an official document;
people do not meet the minimum age for marriage;
the rights of a foreign citizen are violated;
the groom comes from a state where polygamy is legal, and he has a wife or several wives in his homeland.

Marriages in Russia are registered taking into account current legislation. However, the foreigner does not obey him, because he is a citizen of another state, which has its own rules. The rights of a foreigner entering into a marriage must be respected, as well as his national traditions. Therefore, you should first contact the embassy, where specialists will provide comprehensive advice.

Divorce

Divorce in Russia is possible only through the registry office or in court, depending on the consent of the other party and other circumstances. The registry office can be contacted by those couples who do not have children and disputes regarding joint property. All other citizens will need to go to court. In this case, you will need to pay a separate state fee. If the foreigner from whom a Russian citizen is divorcing does not understand Russian, then all court documents will additionally need to be translated into English or into his native language. It is also permissible to invite an interpreter to the courtroom during a hearing on the case.

In some cases, divorced marriages outside the Russian Federation are still considered valid on Russian territory. To avoid such a situation, you will need to familiarize yourself with the rules and conditions of the divorce procedure. Lawyers can also help in this matter.

In most cases, the divorce procedure will need to be completed twice (in each citizen's home country). The most difficult proceedings are those that affect the rights of children, since litigation against minors will be conducted in both countries. Taking children out of the country without the parent's knowledge is punishable by fines and removal of a person's parental rights.

When marrying a foreigner, you must take into account that the divorce procedure can be much more complicated. The divorce will need to be carried out twice (on the territory of each country), and controversial situations may even arise, which will require going to court.

Sources

https://prodokumenty.ru/semya/sostav/brak-s-inostrancem.html
https://nevestabest.com/zaklyuchenie-braka/brak-s-inostrantsem.html
https://glavny-yurist.ru/registraciya-braka-s-inostrancem-v-rossii.html
https://bestmem.ru/inostrancam/brak/brak-s-inostrantcem-v-rossii.html
https://dokymenta.ru/semya/zamuzh-za-inostrantsa-578/
https://PoKodeksu.ru/semeynoe-pravo/brak/dokumenty-dlya-zaklyucheniya-braka-s-inostrannym-grazhdaninom-v-rossii.html
https://KPPKDirection.ru/brachnye-otnosheniya/dokumenty-dlya-zaklyucheniya-braka-s-inostrancem.html

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General information

The K1 visa is considered non-immigrant - with its help, a foreign citizen (or citizen) can come to the United States to marry a certain person. After the marriage is formalized, the foreign citizen must submit documents to change her status.

Each person who wants to obtain a Class K visa must apply by filling out a specific form - DS-160. You can fill out this form on a special website. You should also remember that you must take a printout of this form to the interview.

Example of filling out the form - DS-160 for a US visa