What Is ZAGS?
ZAGS (Civil Registry Office) is the Russian government agency responsible for recording vital life events: births, marriages, divorces, deaths, and name changes. These records are kept at local ZAGS offices throughout Russia, and each event is documented with an official certificate. If you were born, married, divorced, or had a family member pass away in Russia, there is a ZAGS record of it.
For Russian citizens living abroad, obtaining these documents can be challenging. You may need a birth certificate for immigration, a marriage certificate for foreign authorities, or a death certificate of a relative for inheritance purposes. Previously, obtaining these documents required a personal visit to Russia — but not anymore. Global Docs Pro can retrieve any ZAGS document on your behalf without requiring your physical presence in Russia.
Did you know? ZAGS offices in Russia have been maintaining civil records since 1917. Older records (pre-revolutionary) are kept in church archives. We work with both modern ZAGS offices and historical archives to find the documents you need.
Which Documents Can We Obtain?
We retrieve all types of ZAGS documents from any region of Russia. Below is a complete list of document types we handle.
Birth Certificates
Standard birth certificates and duplicate copies. Form 4 extracts for apostille purposes. Includes records from all regions of Russia and former USSR republics.
Marriage Certificates
Marriage certificates and extracts from marriage records. Form 5 and Form 6 certificates. Records from all ZAGS offices in Russia.
Divorce Certificates
Certificates of divorce from ZAGS and court divorce decrees. We can also obtain extracts from divorce records.
Death Certificates
Death certificates for inheritance, pension claims, and other purposes. Available for deaths registered anywhere in Russia.
Name Change Certificates
Certificates of name change, surname change, or patronymic change. Required for proving identity changes in foreign authorities.
Archival Extracts
Historical records and archival extracts from ZAGS. For genealogy research, confirming family relationships, or replacing lost documents.
How We Retrieve ZAGS Documents
1. Send Your Request
Contact us via WhatsApp or Telegram and tell us which document you need. Provide as much information as possible: type of document, names, dates, and place of registration. We'll assess your request and provide a price quote.
2. Power of Attorney
In most cases, we'll need a notarized power of attorney from you. We provide templates and instructions. You can have it notarized at a Russian consulate or with a local notary (with apostille). We handle everything else.
3. Document Retrieval
We submit the request to the appropriate ZAGS office, follow up on the processing, and collect the document. If the record is archived, we locate it through the regional archive.
4. Delivery to You
Once obtained, we send you photos of the document for confirmation. We can then attach an apostille, arrange translation, and ship the original to your address anywhere in the world via insured courier.
What If I Don't Know Where the Document Was Issued?
Many of our clients don't have complete information about their ZAGS records — they may not know the exact date of an event, the specific ZAGS office, or even the exact names as recorded in Russian documents. This is completely normal and we deal with such cases regularly.
We have experience working with ZAGS archives throughout Russia and can help locate records based on partial information. Provide us with whatever details you have: approximate year, region, names of parties involved, and we'll conduct a search. Archive search services are available for older records that may have been transferred from local ZAGS offices to regional archives.
Processing Time and Pricing
Processing time depends on several factors: the region of Russia where the document was registered, whether the record is in an active ZAGS office or archive, and the current workload of the specific office. Standard processing typically takes 1-2 weeks for most regions. Express processing may be available for urgent cases.
Our pricing is transparent and depends on the complexity of your case. We provide a complete quote before starting work. The price depends on the type of document, the region, and whether archive search is required. There are no hidden fees. Contact us for a personalized quote.
Why Choose Global Docs Pro
- Over 9 years of experience with ZAGS document retrieval
- We work with all ZAGS offices across Russia and regional archives
- No need to travel to Russia — we handle everything remotely
- We can also arrange apostille and certified translation in one order
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
- Personal support in English, Russian and German
- Worldwide delivery with full tracking and insurance
- Over 300 documents processed monthly for clients in 30+ countries
Combine with Apostille and Translation
Most ZAGS documents obtained for use abroad will need an apostille and translation. Instead of coordinating multiple providers, you can order everything from us in one go. We retrieve the document, attach the apostille, arrange a certified translation into the required language, and deliver the complete package to your door. This saves time, reduces shipping costs, and ensures all components are properly coordinated.