I'm a US citizen with ВНЖ engaged to a Russian woman. According to the steps on the US consulate site,
https://ru.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen...zens/marriage/
#4 is "Have the marriage letter authenticated," then lists two places in Moscow where this can be done -- one looks like a normal document center, md.mos.ru, but the other one is the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which requires an appointment, as as I saw in another message, probably takes a long time to complete.
I do not live in Moscow (I'm in St. Petersburg). I'm planning a one-day trip to Moscow to get the marriage letter stamped at the consulate and then immediately return home to St. Petersburg.
On the Russian site gosusligi, the list of steps simply mentions: Документы необходимо перевести на русский язык и заверить их подлинность у нотариуса.
I'd like to know from somebody who's gotten married in Russia, what the *exact* type of "authentication" of the marriage letter is required? The example the US consulate gives for the marriage letter is already in Russian language, so if it's not the translation that's being authenticated (there won't be a translation), just what is being authenticated?
At a notary of a multi-document center, what exact service should be requested?