Question 1

Can I arrange a Power of Attorney without my personal presence?

Accepted Answer

No, the principal's personal presence is mandatory.

Question 2

What should I do if the person for whom the Power of Attorney is being arranged is in Russia?

Accepted Answer

Nothing to worry about, the presence of the attorney to issue the Power of Attorney is not required. It is sufficient to provide their passport details and registration information.

Question 3

Do I need to bring my child to the consulate appointment if the Power of Attorney is being arranged on their behalf?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the age of the child. The presence of children under 14 years of age is not required. Children aged 14 to 18 arrange Powers of Attorney in their own name, but with the consent of one of the parents, so the presence of both the child and the parent is mandatory.

Question 4

Which passport do I need to present to arrange a notarized document?

Accepted Answer

Priority is given to the internal passport. If the internal passport has not been issued or has expired, a valid foreign passport will be required. If both passports are available, both passports must be taken to the consulate appointment.

Question 5

I am a foreign citizen. Can I arrange a Power of Attorney for a Russian citizen?

Accepted Answer

Yes, of course, it is possible.

Question 6

Is it possible to arrange a Power of Attorney at the Russian consulate for representation in Kazakhstan or Belarus?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In accordance with the Convention on Legal Assistance, of which Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Georgia, and others are participants, a Power of Attorney issued at the Russian Consulate is accepted by the government agencies and institutions of these countries without additional certification (apostille).

Question 7

What is the maximum period for which a Power of Attorney can be issued?

Accepted Answer

You can issue Powers of Attorney with any validity. At the same time, a specific period of validity must be specified; the certification of "indefinite" Powers of Attorney is not allowed.

Question 8

Can multiple attorneys be specified in a Power of Attorney?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Powers of Attorney can be issued on behalf of one or several persons, for one or several persons.

Question 9

Can I change my Russian internal passport at the consulate?

Accepted Answer

No, the Russian internal passport can only be processed and obtained on the territory of Russia in person.

Question 10

What is the difference between the 5-year and the 10-year passport?

Accepted Answer

The number of available pages for visas and stamps, the degree of protection, which affects the speed of passing control. In the old-style passport, children can be included. The new-style passport can be obtained as a second one in addition to the existing one. Read more here

Question 11

Can I simply include my child in my passport instead of applying for a separate one for them?

Accepted Answer

No, according to the Administrative Regulations of the FMS, which entered into force on April 16, 2010, the inclusion of children's information is only for the purpose of confirming kinship, but it does not allow children to travel abroad using their parents' passport.

Question 12

How can I include my child in my passport?

Accepted Answer

Children can only be included in the old-style passport for 5 years during the application process or after it has been issued. For this, additional photos of the child and a birth certificate will be required.

Question 13

Can I apply for a second passport in addition to the one I already have?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but the second passport can only be a new-style passport valid for 10 years.

Question 14

What happens to my old passport when I apply for a new Russian passport?

Accepted Answer

The previously issued passport remains with you when applying for a new passport. In the case of applying for a replacement of the old one, it is invalidated after receiving the new one. In the case of obtaining an additional passport, it remains valid.

Question 15

How can I apply for a new Russian passport if my old one has expired and I do not have an internal passport?

Accepted Answer

In the absence of a valid foreign passport and internal passport, it is necessary to verify the Russian citizenship at the nearest consulate/embassy. The application for a new passport is not accepted until the verification of the applicant's Russian citizenship is completed.

Question 16

Is a military ID required to obtain a Russian passport?

Accepted Answer

No, neither a military ID nor a certificate from the military enlistment office nor a military service registration certificate is required to apply for and receive a passport.

Question 17

I do not have an internal Russian passport, and my foreign passport will soon expire. Can I apply for a new foreign passport at the consulate?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a Russian citizen located abroad can obtain a new foreign passport based on the valid foreign passport of the Russian Federation.

Question 18

I do not have an internal Russian passport, but I have an internal passport. Can I apply for a Russian passport?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a Russian foreign passport can also be obtained based on the internal passport.

Question 19

I currently reside in Ukraine and my Russian passport is about to expire. Where can I replace it?

Accepted Answer

At present, the Russian citizens residing in Ukraine can only obtain a Russian passport on the territory of neighboring states bordering Ukraine (or in other states) where Russian consulates operate: Poland, Belarus, etc.

Question 20

How can I check out of my apartment in the Russian Federation while abroad?

Accepted Answer

At the consulate, you can draw up two documents (usually they are drawn up in pairs): an application (consent) for deregistration and a Power of Attorney for representation in government agencies on this issue.

Question 21

If a child travels abroad with one of the parents, is the consent of the other required?

Accepted Answer

It is not required for a child to travel outside of Russia, but it may be requested by the country of entry when applying for a visa (for example, to countries in the Schengen zone), as well as to obtain a residence permit of another country.

Question 22

When is a spouse's consent required for a transaction?

Accepted Answer

Consent is required in every case when it comes to property acquired jointly during marriage.

Question 23

How can I obtain a certificate of no criminal record?

Accepted Answer

The first method: through the consulate or embassy of Russia. Processing time is 2–4 weeks.

Question 24

To marry a foreigner, you need to provide a certificate stating that you are not currently married. How can you obtain it?

Accepted Answer

First method: Through a Power of Attorney in Russia or through the consulate (the process takes 2–6 months) request a certificate from the Civil Registry Office (ZAGS) stating that you are not currently married. Based on this certificate, obtain the required document at the consulate.

Question 25

Is it possible to request a duplicate of a university diploma through the consulate?

Accepted Answer

No, for requesting duplicates of education documents, you need to contact the educational institution or university directly.

Question 26

Can I obtain an apostille for a document from the Civil Registry Office (ZAGS) at the consulate?

Accepted Answer

No, the consulate cannot apostille documents issued in Russia. However, through the consulate, you can request a duplicate document from the Civil Registry Office (ZAGS) in Russia with an apostille already affixed to it.

Question 27

Who can contact the consulate to obtain citizenship for a child?

Accepted Answer

One of the child’s parents (legal representative) who has Russian citizenship.

Question 28

Is consent required from the second foreign parent for a child to acquire Russian citizenship?

Accepted Answer

No, the consent of the second parent who has foreign citizenship is not required.

Question 29

In what case is it considered that a child has a single parent?

Accepted Answer

This happens in a number of cases when the second parent has died, gone missing, been deprived of parental rights, or there is no entry about him in the child’s birth certificate or was made according to the words of the mother.

Question 30

Can a Russian citizen obtain citizenship of another country and what might be the consequences for him?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the legislation of the Russian Federation does not prohibit this. However, the fact of obtaining a residence permit or citizenship of another state must be notified to the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 60 days from the date of entry into the territory of Russia (this can be done online through State Services).

Question 31

Can citizens of Ukraine who previously lived in the territory of Crimea, DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions apply for Russian citizenship at the consulates of the Russian Federation?

Accepted Answer

No, it is possible to obtain Russian citizenship for this category of persons only on the territory of Russia through the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Question 32

Is it possible to register a marriage with a foreigner at the consulate?

Accepted Answer

No, the consulate does not register marriages of Russian citizens with citizens of other states. Such marriages should be concluded in civil registry offices on the territory of Russia, or in similar departments abroad.

Question 33

Can one of the spouses submit an application to the consulate?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in this case it is possible to issue 2 separate applications, and the signature of the absent person must be notarized. Both spouses must appear for the marriage registration procedure itself.

Question 34

Can I affix an apostille to a registry office document at the consulate?

Accepted Answer

No, the consulate cannot certify with an apostille documents issued in the Russian Federation. However, through the consulate you can request a repeat civil registry office document from Russia with an apostille already affixed to it.

Question 35

Is it possible to get a divorce at the consulate?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if both spouses agree to divorce, and they do not have common minor children or financial claims against each other, or there is a Russian court decision on divorce. Also, one of the spouses can file for divorce if the second spouse is recognized by the court as missing, incompetent, or sentenced to a term of more than 3 years.

Question 36

Is it possible to get married earlier than a month after submitting the application?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if there are good reasons or special circumstances: pregnancy, birth of a child, immediate threat to the life of one of the parties, and others.

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