I am married to a Russian woman. We have a 3-year-old child who lives with us in the USA. My wife is a citizen of Russia and a holder of the US permanent residence card. Our son has double citizenship. We are currently going through a divorce and child custody proceedings. I am afraid that my wife will take our child to Russia and I will lose my parental rights. What should I do?

Does my middle initial have to match on all documents? My passport says my full name with middle name, my divorce paper has my name but does not have my middle name; my notary has my name with middle initial.

Is there is a way to get a marriage letter or certificate of non-impediment done in the US? I have learned that no US agency will provide that but ZAGS in Moscow told my fiancé that is can be done in the US with an affidavit before a US consular official. Or if I fill out the appropriate free to marry form and have it notarized, can the notary signature or marriage letter be apostilled? Would that be acceptable by ZAGS?

Hi Karina, my name is Scott and I live in Australia. I am an Australian Citizen and my wife is a dual Russian and Australian Citizen. We have a 3.5 year old son who is an Australian Citizen. My wife and I were married in Saint Petersburg in 2008 but have now initiated separation in Australia. I would like Child Custody and Property to be settled her in Australia however I would like the actual divorce to be completed in Saint Petersburg as soon as possible. My wife is not consenting to the divorce in Saint Petersburg so I will have to initiate myself.

I am seeking your services as follows:

1) Arranging for divorce in Saint Petersburg (I have a copy of the marriage certificate and my passport and address of my wife in Saint Petersburg.

2) I would like to understand under what circumstances my wife can apply for a Russian passport, citizenship for my son David. If we are divorced does she still need my consent to apply for such documents? Can I put any order in place to prevent my daughter from obtaining any such document without my consent?

I’d appreciate if you could advise me.

My issue has to do with Olga’s Russian passport. Olga was born in Ukraine and lived there until her early twenties when she moved to St. Petersburg with her family. After her daughter was born prematurely, she developed serious medical issues that required surgical intervention. As a post-natal nurse, Olga wanted her daughter to have the best care possible in Russia. As such, Olga was told that she needed to be a Russian citizen for her daughter to receive the appropriate care in Russia. As she was concerned about the urgency of her daughter’s condition and upon bad advice, she obtained a Russian passport for herself through questionable means; I am uncertain as to the details. However, that same passport has been subsequently renewed through the proper Russian agency.

My fiancee has an five year old daughter that I have come to know and love as well. Her daughter was born in St. Petersburg to Olga and her Indian boyfriend who were never married. Several years ago, he decided to take daughter to the Indian embassy and have her nationalized as a Indian citizen, all without Olga’s knowledge. This is one of the first issues with Olga and her daughter being granted a visa to come to the US.

A question arose whether the affidavit of service is in compliance with the laws of the Russian Federation.

Dear Karina:

I have been looking at your website and can see that you give very helpful advice and information to people in difficult and confusing situations.

I am American and my husband is Russian. We were married in Moscow, where we were living at the time, but after a couple of years we moved to the United States, where we settled and raised a family.

We are now planning to divorce – there are no minor children involved and we have agreed privately how to divide our assets.

We thought it would be logical to file the papers in Russia since we were married there and we also have an apartment there, which is to go to my husband.

The Russian Embassy has advised that they can witness a statement from myself to enable my husband to lodge the papers in Moscow in my absence (he has agreed that they should be filed in my name on the grounds of his unreasonable behaviour).

However, we have also been advised to file in parallel in the United States, since we have our home here and a holiday apartment in Spain. Is this correct? Wouldn't one of the proceedings override the other?

I will be seeking advice here in the United States, but I would be very grateful for your opinion from the Russian legal point of view. I simply find it hard to believe that we can be divorced twice at the same time in different countries.


Thank you in anticipation.

I am an Indian engaged to a Russian lady in Moscow, Russia, who was recently denied a tourist visa to come to India because she did not have a notarized consent letter from her ex husband, allowing her daughter to travel. She is a divorcee for 10 years now, and her daughter is in sole custody with her. There is no contact with her ex husband and he is not supporting them in any way. Is this a valid reason? I read at Russian-divorce.com that this is not so and also on the Indian embassy visa agency website that this letter is only required when the child is traveling without parents. We wish to get married next month and I also want to know whether the ex husband will or can create any hindrance to his daughter living in India with me and her mother, or traveling to and from India to Moscow. I would greatly appreciate a prompt reply.

I live in New york and have a girlfriend in Russia, she is 29. We have not met. It is my intent to travel to Russia soon. The ultimate goal is to possibly bring her to the US. She is a very sweet girl who's husband has left and has filed for divorce with the court date being in late May, she has a small child that is not quite three yet.

I have read some on your site and have a general understanding of Russian law. Her ex is telling her that he will ask for custody, I realize it will be hard for him to get it.

My questions and concerns are: Will custody be settled along with the divorce or will a separate petition have to be filed by her to start that process?

Also do you think the father will be awarded visitation at that time and if so how often would it typically be?

My concern being, how would she comply if he was to see the child every other weekend or something like that if she is in the US? It is not the intent to deprive the father from the child, just can’t go to Russia every other week.

Also I have read on your site that the mother shouldn’t have any problem bringing the child to the US as long as the father doesn’t write a formal protest to the authorities. Will he be notified that she is attempting to remove the child from the country? if he does protest and she has custody will that prevent her leaving the country or will it just be that a visitation schedule would have to be worked out?

Also are you interested in helping in the visa process for her? I think she needs legal representation through the divorce/custody process, wouldn’t you agree? If so can you or do you have someone in that area to represent her?