Short version:
In order to immigrate you must provide the government the following…
An officially notarized translation of every foreign document… and yes you need to pay for all this… and yes the quotes by famous Americans in a US passport must be translated! (I recommend these people, they work cheap and the government accepts their translations, tell them Tim sent you).
Note, very often you have to submit a full translation of your passport to different departments meaning you are going to be buying passport translations in bulk because they do not return them. Hope you have deep pockets!
Proof of a clean criminal background in your home country.
Proof of residence in Russia, which can be really tricky (or impossible) if your spouse does not own an apartment where you file.
Knowledge of the Russian language and laws (you have to pass various tests).
Proof that you do not carry any sexually transmitted or other dangerous diseases like HIV/AIDS. When I did this it required urine, blood from vein, blood from fingertip, flourographs, an inspection of your body for needle punctures and a psychological check which I was shockingly able to pass. The military psychological test is different, and that one I failed hardcore.
Proof that you have enough money to live off of, which pretty much means that they want proof that your spouse has a job, because until you get permits to live in Russia, you are not allowed to work in Russia. What a lovely Catch 22!
Russia is based AF! No wonder the Dems continuously try to make them our enemy!
Short version: In order to immigrate you must provide the government the following…
An officially notarized translation of every foreign document… and yes you need to pay for all this… and yes the quotes by famous Americans in a US passport must be translated! (I recommend these people, they work cheap and the government accepts their translations, tell them Tim sent you). Note, very often you have to submit a full translation of your passport to different departments meaning you are going to be buying passport translations in bulk because they do not return them. Hope you have deep pockets!
Proof of a clean criminal background in your home country.
Proof of residence in Russia, which can be really tricky (or impossible) if your spouse does not own an apartment where you file.
Knowledge of the Russian language and laws (you have to pass various tests).
Proof that you do not carry any sexually transmitted or other dangerous diseases like HIV/AIDS. When I did this it required urine, blood from vein, blood from fingertip, flourographs, an inspection of your body for needle punctures and a psychological check which I was shockingly able to pass. The military psychological test is different, and that one I failed hardcore.
Proof that you have enough money to live off of, which pretty much means that they want proof that your spouse has a job, because until you get permits to live in Russia, you are not allowed to work in Russia. What a lovely Catch 22!
And by far the hardest thing… the application.