How to get married

The first thing required for marriage is the mutual and unconditional consent of the future spouses. In addition, if one of the future newlyweds is a minor (the official age of marriage in Russia is 18), permission from local governments will also be required. It is usually issued if the underage bride is pregnant or already has a child, or in the case when the family has actually already formed — and it is required to register purely legally. Note that parental consent is not required for marriage. In addition, if the bride or groom was previously married, then you can apply for registration of a new union only after the previous marriage has been dissolved — polygamy and polyandry are prohibited by law in Russia.

You can register a marriage at any registry office in Russia, the place of residence or temporary registration of future spouses does not matter here. Before submitting an application, you must pay the state fee. Its size is not burdensome (1 minimum wage), and the receipt can be issued in the name of both the groom and the bride.

Find out on what days and what hours the registry office of your choice accepts applications for marriage. After that, choose a time convenient for you and come to apply. You must have a receipt of payment of the state fee, passports, documents on the dissolution of previous marriages (if any). An application form for marriage will be given to you directly at the registry office.

When transferring the application to the registry office, you will be discussed with the date of registration of your union. As a rule, the bride and groom are given one month to “check their feelings” (from the date of application to the day of registration), but if necessary, this period can be extended to two months. If there are “special circumstances” (pregnancy, the presence of common children, an early departure or a serious illness of one of the spouses), the period can be reduced. In this case, if you do not insist on solemn registration and are ready to «just sign» — the marriage can be concluded on the day of application.

According to your desire, you can enter into a marriage both in a solemn atmosphere (in the main hall, with Mendelssohn’s march and solemn speeches), or “just sign” in the presence of the registry office. This question must also be specified when applying. Note that for “non-ceremonial” registration, you can come to register a marriage together — now, according to the law, witnesses are not required for paperwork.

Be prepared for the fact that you will be asked to bring your passports to the registry office one or two days before the scheduled registration — this is necessary in order to prepare a marriage certificate without haste.