How to restore a Ukrainian marriage certificate: reissue and duplicate
A lost Ukrainian marriage certificate is reissued by a civil registry (DRATS) office — but only while the marriage is still in force. If the marriage has been dissolved, a repeat certificate is no longer issued: the registry provides an extract about the marriage record instead. We establish which document you will actually be given, obtain it on a notarised power of attorney without you travelling to Ukraine, and add the apostille and translation in the same package.
- Marriage in force — repeat certificate; dissolved — registry extract
- We check the record’s status before filing, so nothing is refused
- Handled remotely on a power of attorney — no travel needed
- Ministry of Justice apostille and translation in one package
We file with whichever civil registry office holds the record, regardless of city, and send the finished document by Nova Poshta across Ukraine or by international delivery.
In force or dissolved — this decides which document you get
This is the main fork, and it is where most time is lost. While the marriage is in force, a civil registry office issues a repeat marriage certificate — a new form covering the same civil-status record. Once the marriage has been dissolved, a repeat certificate is no longer issued: the office produces an extract from the State Register of Civil Status Acts, confirming the marriage and the date it ended.
For foreign institutions this is not a formality: some insist on the certificate itself, others accept the extract. So we first check the status of the record and clarify what the receiving institution requires, and only then file. We also check whether the surname changed after the marriage — without that, the record gets searched under the wrong details.
| Situation | What is issued | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage in force | Repeat marriage certificate | Civil registry office |
| Marriage dissolved | Extract about the marriage record | Civil registry office |
| One spouse has died | Extract about the marriage record; death certificate separately | Civil registry office |
| Record not digitised or very old | Archival extract | State archive |
What the document is usually needed for
A marriage certificate is asked for wherever a family tie has to be proven. The commonest cases are family reunification and visa or residence applications, where the migration service checks the grounds for stay; changing a surname in foreign documents; inheritance matters, where a spouse is among the heirs; and arranging a pension or social payments abroad.
In each of these the institution normally wants a freshly issued, legalised document rather than an old copy. That is why we ask at the outset which country and which procedure the document is for: it decides whether an apostille is enough or consular legalisation is needed, and in which form the translation has to be produced.
Who may request it, and what we need
A repeat certificate is issued to one of the spouses; an extract goes to the person the record concerns or to their representative under a notarised power of attorney. That power of attorney is how we work with clients who are already abroad: you sign it at a Ukrainian consulate or before a local notary, and after that no further involvement is needed.
For the request we need both spouses’ surnames as at the date of registration, the date and place of the marriage, and whether the surname changed afterwards or the marriage was dissolved. A copy of the lost certificate is not required, but it speeds up finding the record.
Apostille and translation for a foreign institution
A document obtained in Ukraine almost always has to be legalised before it works abroad. Civil registry certificates and extracts are apostilled by the Ministry of Justice — enough for Hague Convention countries; the rest require consular legalisation. The document is then translated in whatever form the receiving institution demands: with notarial certification, or by a sworn translator.
Bear in mind that Ukraine has no sworn translators: a Ukrainian notary certifies only the authenticity of the translator’s signature. A sworn translation, where required, is produced by a translator in the destination country. We run the whole chain together — retrieval, apostille, translation — so you never have to coordinate several authorities yourself.
How we work
- 1Tell us about the marriageBoth surnames as at registration, the date and place, whether the surname changed, whether the marriage was dissolved.
- 2We check the record’s statusWe establish what will actually be issued — a repeat certificate or an extract — and whether an archive request is needed.
- 3You sign a power of attorneyAt a Ukrainian consulate or before a local notary — after that no travel is required.
- 4We obtain and legalise itWe file the request, collect the document, and add the Ministry of Justice apostille and a translation matching the institution’s requirement.
- 5We ship the finished documentNova Poshta across Ukraine, or international delivery abroad.
Prices
- Obtaining a marriage certificate or extract state fee already includedfrom UAH 700
- Apostille on a civil registry document state fee includedfrom UAH 700
- Notarised translation notary tariff includedfrom UAH 250
Prices are indicative and start-from: the amount depends on whether the record is in the register, whether an archive request is needed, and on the translation language. The state fee is already included in the figures below, as are notary tariffs. We confirm the exact quote after checking the record’s status.
FAQ
How do I restore a lost Ukrainian marriage certificate?
If the marriage is in force, the civil registry issues a repeat certificate — a new form covering the same record. If the marriage has been dissolved, an extract about the marriage record is issued instead. We check the status before filing and obtain the right document under a power of attorney.
Will a repeat certificate be issued if the marriage was dissolved?
As a rule, no: after dissolution the registry issues an extract confirming the marriage and the date it ended. If a foreign institution insists on the certificate itself, tell us in advance — we will check whether an extract will be accepted before filing.
How does a marriage extract differ from the certificate?
The certificate is the form issued for a marriage in force. The extract is a statement from the State Register of Civil Status Acts about the record itself: it carries the marriage details and, if the marriage ended, the date it did. Both are official documents, but institutions accept them differently.
Can I order it without travelling to Ukraine?
Yes. We act under a notarised power of attorney signed at a Ukrainian consulate or before a local notary. From there we file the request, collect the document and send you the finished package with apostille and translation.
How much does a duplicate marriage certificate cost?
Retrieval starts from UAH 700, and the state fee is already inside that figure. The apostille and the translation each carry their own price in the list above. We confirm the exact quote after checking the record’s status.
How long does it take?
An exact timeline cannot be promised: issuance by a registry office is usually quicker, while archive requests take longer because the archive sets the pace. We give an estimate once we have checked your case.
Is an apostille needed on a marriage certificate?
It depends on the country. For Hague Convention states, a Ministry of Justice apostille is sufficient legalisation; countries outside the convention require consular legalisation. We will tell you which applies and handle it together with the translation.
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Updated: 2026-08-19
