In brief
Birth, marriage, divorce and change-of-name certificates and other civil registry records are needed in Europe for marriage, citizenship, registering children and pensions. We obtain duplicate certificates and records from the civil registry office (ZAGS) of any Russian region without you travelling, apostille them and translate them for your country. A duplicate is often the better choice: old Soviet forms cannot always be apostilled, and some countries accept only recent documents. Price: from €65.
Which ZAGS documents we obtain
- duplicate certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, change of name, death and establishment of paternity;
- ZAGS certificates and records, including a certificate of no marriage record — for getting married abroad;
- documents from the ZAGS archives of Moscow, the Moscow region, St Petersburg and other regions.
Timescales and prices
| Service | Timescale | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate ZAGS certificate or record | from 5 working days | from €65 |
| Apostille: Registry office (ZAGS) of Moscow | up to 8 working days | €60 |
| Apostille: ZAGS of the Moscow region | up to 8 working days | €80 |
| Apostille: ZAGS of St Petersburg and the Leningrad region | 2–3 weeks | €70 |
| Apostille: ZAGS of other Russian regions | up to 7 working days + document shipping | €100 |
The state fee for the apostille is included in the price. Translation and delivery are charged separately.
Apostille by country
| Country | Apostille on a Russian certificate |
|---|---|
| Spain | not required (1984 agreement) |
| Serbia | may not be required under the 1962 treaty, but authorities sometimes ask for it |
| Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland | required |
| Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia | required since the legal assistance treaties ended |
What we need from you
- A scan of your passport and, if you have one, a copy of the old certificate.
- Details of the record: full name, date and place of registration.
- The country and authority where you are submitting the document.
No power of attorney is needed: we work remotely. A notarised power of attorney is only required if you hold a Russian passport for travel abroad but no Russian internal passport.
Frequently asked questions
Why not apostille my old Soviet certificate?
The apostille is issued by the ZAGS of the region where the record is kept, and old forms cannot always be apostilled — for example, if the document is worn, laminated or the signature cannot be verified. A duplicate certificate solves this problem. Also, for marriage in France and Switzerland, documents must have been issued no more than 6 months earlier.
My certificate was issued by a Russian consulate abroad. Can it be apostilled?
Documents issued by consulates cannot be apostilled in Russia. We will obtain a duplicate certificate from the ZAGS archive in Russia and apostille that.
Do I need an apostille for Spain?
Not for Russian ZAGS certificates used in Spain: the 1984 agreement applies. For the other countries on our list — yes, except Serbia, where a legal assistance treaty applies, although authorities sometimes still ask for an apostille.
Sources
- Exchange of notes between Spain and the USSR of 24.02.1984, BOE-A-1985-6208 — checked 22.10.2026
- Service-public — Mariage en France (F930) — checked 22.10.2026
- Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — end of the legal assistance agreement with Russia (14.02.2025) — checked 22.10.2026
- NetherlandsWorldwide — Legalisation of documents from the Russian Federation — checked 22.10.2026
This is general information, not legal advice. Requirements may differ between authorities: please confirm them before you submit your documents. Legal notice