Russian consular offices register births, marriages and deaths occurring in their district and maintain consular registration of nationals living abroad. Registering a child born in the United States is what creates their Russian record and opens the way to a Russian passport.
Quick facts
Before assuming a child is Russian, check the parents’ own position: a child born abroad to Russian parents generally acquires Russian citizenship, but the documentation that proves it has to be created, and that is what this procedure does.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration of a birth abroad | Published tariff | At the consular office |
| Registration of a marriage | Published tariff | Where both parties qualify |
| Consular registration | Published tariff | For nationals resident here |
| U.S. certificate and apostille | $15–$50 plus $3–$25 | State offices |
| Notarised translation | Per page | Check where it must be made |
Certificates from Russia itself come from the regional civil registry, and older records may sit in archives, which affects how long a family file takes.
How to file
- Order the U.S. certificate of the event from the state vital records office.
- Have it apostilled by that state’s Secretary of State.
- Arrange the Russian translation in the form the office accepts.
- Book the appointment through the queue system.
- Attend with both parents’ passports and the completed forms.
- Apply for the child’s own passport once the record exists.
Required documents
- U.S. certificate of the event, apostilled and translated.
- Both parents’ Russian passports, internal and external where held.
- Parents’ marriage certificate where applicable.
- Proof of address in the consular district.
- Photographs where a document is being issued.
- Completed forms and payment.
Where to file
At the consular office covering your state, by appointment through the online queue.
Additional notes
Notification obligations
Russian law has required citizens to notify the authorities of a foreign citizenship or residence permit, with different timings for those living permanently abroad. The rules have been amended more than once; confirm the current position before travelling to Russia.
Names in Cyrillic
Transliteration between Cyrillic and Latin varies, and the spelling recorded in Russian documents governs later files. Keep it consistent.
Register children early
The record is the basis for the child’s passport, and creating it years later is harder.
Keep copies
Every later procedure asks for these documents again.