Marriage Law

**Marriage law** refers to the legal requirements that determine the validity of a marriage, and which vary considerably among countries.

According to **Article 156** of the Russian Federation Family Code,  Any marriage done in the Russian federation is determined by the legislation of the Russian federation. Each person entering in marriage has to complied to the article 14 of this code (Marriage are not allowed, if one person is already registered in another marriage, if both are close relatives, if one is recognized by a court as legally incompetent due to a mental disorder.)

Marriage between foreign citizens conclude on the Russian federation, in a consular office of a foreign states are recognized based on reciprocity.

## Marriage and Citizenship

Marriage to a Russian citizen is the basis on which a foreign citizen has the right to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified procedure. However, it is not possible to obtain Russian citizenship by marriage immediately after the wedding and registration of the relationship. That is, citizenship at the time of marriage with a Russian citizen is not automatically issued immediately.

To apply for citizenship of the RF to a foreign citizen by marriage under a simplified procedure, one must marry a Russian citizen for at least 3 years.

For foreign citizens, Russian citizenship in marriage in a simplified manner implies that the time for consideration of documents is reduced to 6 months. That is, after submitting documents for the citizenship of the Russian Federation for marriage in 2018, the answer can be received after 6 months or less. In conjunction with 3 years of marriage, the acquisition of Russian citizenship by marriage takes 3.5 years, which is still significantly less than five years when applying for citizenship in the general order.

### Procedure

In order to obtain Russian Federation citizenship through marriage, the following stages must be completed:

* To marry a Russian citizen.
* To issue an RWP.
* After the RWP, to issue a residence permit.
* To live in marriage for 3 years, during this time without violating the law.
* Pass the exam on the knowledge of the Russian language.
* Apply for a Russian citizenship through marriage.

### Legal documents

The list of documents on Russian citizenship by marriage is as follows:

* certificate of marriage;

* two applications for citizenship of the Russian Federation of the established pattern;
* the passport of the husband (spouse) - citizen of the Russian Federation;
* a residence permit of the Russian Federation;
* a paper confirming the payment of the state duty for citizenship in the amount of 3,500 rubles;
* certificate of registration at the place of residence;
* a document confirming the filing of the application for the renunciation of the previous citizenship, or evidence of the impossibility of such refusal;
* documents proving the source of income sufficient for living;
* three photos in 3x4 cm format, black and white or color.

## Sources

* Гражданство РФ для иностранных граждан: как получить российское гражданство иностранному гражданину, основания и документы на гражданство РФ, упрощенное получение гражданства РФ – пошаговая инструкция и порядок приобретения российского гражданства

* THE FAMILY CODE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION NO. 223-FZ OF DECEMBER 29, 1995