Frequently Asked Questions

We provide comprehensive document services for clients who need Russian documents delivered abroad:

• Document Retrieval: We obtain birth, marriage, divorce, death certificates, diplomas, police clearance certificates and other documents from Russian registries (ZAGS) on your behalf.
• Apostille: We arrange apostille certification for documents to be used in Hague Convention countries.
• Consular Legalization: For non-Hague Convention countries (UAE, China, Canada, etc.), we handle the full legalization process.
• Translation: Professional certified translations into English, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Italian, French and other languages.
• International Delivery: Secure courier delivery with tracking to any country worldwide.

Processing time depends on the type of document and required procedures:

• Document retrieval from ZAGS: 5-15 business days
• Apostille: 3-7 business days
• Consular legalization: 10-20 business days (varies by country)
• Translation: 1-3 business days
• International delivery: 3-7 business days depending on destination

Contact us for an individual assessment of your specific case.

No, you don't need to travel to Russia. That's the main benefit of our service. We work remotely on your behalf using a notarized power of attorney. You can stay in your country of residence, and we will obtain, process, and deliver your documents to your doorstep anywhere in the world.

We can obtain virtually any civil registry document from Russia:

• Birth certificates (свидетельство о рождении)
• Marriage certificates (свидетельство о браке)
• Divorce certificates (свидетельство о расторжении брака)
• Death certificates (свидетельство о смерти)
• Name change certificates
• Police clearance certificates (справка об отсутствии судимости)
• Educational documents (diplomas, transcripts)
• Archival documents and extracts

An apostille is an international certification that authenticates the origin of a public document. It is issued under the 1961 Hague Convention and allows documents to be recognized in member countries without additional legalization.

You need an apostille if:

• Your document will be used in a Hague Convention country (Germany, Italy, Spain, France, USA, Israel, and 100+ other countries)
• The receiving authority requires authentication of the document

You need consular legalization (not apostille) if:

• The destination country is not a Hague Convention member (UAE, China, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, etc.)

Over 120 countries accept apostille, including:

• Europe: Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, and most EU countries
• Americas: USA, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile
• Asia: Japan, South Korea, India
• Other: Israel, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

Countries NOT in the Hague Convention: UAE, China, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Vietnam, and some others require full consular legalization instead.

Apostille:

• Single-step certification by the Ministry of Justice
• Faster (3-7 days)
• Valid in all Hague Convention countries
• Lower cost

Consular Legalization:

• Multi-step process: Ministry of Justice → Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Consulate
• Longer (10-20+ days)
• Required for non-Hague countries (UAE, China, Canada, etc.)
• Higher cost due to consular fees

For Germany, you typically need:

• Apostille on the original Russian document
• Sworn translation (beeidigte Übersetzung) by a German state-certified translator
• In some cases: notarized copies

We provide the complete package: obtain the document, arrange apostille, certified translation into German, and courier delivery to your German address.

Learn more about documents for Germany →

For Italy, the standard procedure is:

• Apostille on the Russian document
• Sworn translation (traduzione giurata) by a translator registered with the Italian court
• Some documents may require legalization at the Italian Consulate in Russia

We handle the complete process including working with Italian-certified translators.

Learn more about documents for Italy →

For Israel, you generally need:

• Apostille (Israel accepts apostille as a Hague Convention country)
• Translation into Hebrew by a notarized translator
• Some documents may need notarization by an Israeli notary

Learn more about documents for Israel →

USA: Accepts apostille. You'll need apostille + translation into English (notarized translation is usually sufficient).

Canada: Does NOT accept apostille. Canada requires full consular legalization: notarization → Ministry of Justice → Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Canadian Consulate. This is a more complex process, and we handle it for our clients.

Learn more about documents for USA →

The cost depends on several factors:

• Type of document(s) needed
• Whether you need apostille or consular legalization
• Translation requirements (language, certification type)
• Destination country for delivery

We provide free quotes with no obligation. Contact us via WhatsApp with details of what you need, and we'll give you an exact price before starting any work. No hidden fees.

We work with no upfront payment for most services:

• You receive a quote and confirm the order
• We process your documents
• We send you photos/scans of completed documents for verification
• You pay after confirming everything is correct
• We ship your documents

For consular legalization involving significant consular fees, we may require partial prepayment.

We accept multiple payment methods for your convenience:

• Bank transfer (SWIFT/IBAN)
• Credit/debit cards
• PayPal
• Cryptocurrency (USDT, BTC)
• Payment systems (Wise, Revolut)

We'll provide payment details when you confirm your order.

We use reliable international courier services:

• Delivery services: DHL, FedEx, UPS, EMS
• Tracking: Full tracking number provided
• Insurance: Documents are insured during transit
• Delivery time: 3-7 business days depending on destination
• Coverage: We deliver to any country worldwide

Before shipping, we send you photos of the documents for verification. You'll always know where your documents are.

Yes, for most document retrieval services, a notarized power of attorney (доверенность) is required. This authorizes us to act on your behalf at Russian government offices.

How to get a power of attorney:

• If you're outside Russia: Visit the Russian Consulate in your country. They can notarize the power of attorney.
• If you're in Russia: Any Russian notary can prepare it.
• Some documents can be obtained without POA: Police clearance certificates, certain archival documents.

We provide the exact template and instructions for the power of attorney after you contact us.

Some documents can be obtained without a power of attorney:

• Police clearance certificate: Can be obtained based on your passport data (no POA needed)
• Archival extracts: Some can be requested electronically
• Educational documents: Some universities allow electronic requests

For ZAGS civil registry documents (birth, marriage certificates, etc.), a power of attorney is generally required. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.