American diplomatic and consular officers are not permitted to perform marriages. In addition, the validity of marriages abroad is not dependent upon the presence of an American diplomatic or consular officer.
In general, marriages that are legally performed and valid abroad are also legally valid in the United States. Inquiries regarding the validity of a marriage abroad should be directed to the attorney general of the state in the United States where the parties to the marriage will reside.
Marriage Law, Policies and Procedures in Tajikistan
Marriages in Tajikistan are performed by the district Tajik State Office for Registration of Civil Status (ZAGS) where the marriage participants reside. Both parties must apply in person at the ZAGS office to file the marriage applications. The legal marriage age is 18 years old.
For marriages between a U.S. citizen and a national of Tajikistan, ZAGS require:
- Applications for marriage (available at ZAGS office);
- Copies of both parties’ passport biographical data pages;
- Copy of the U.S. citizen Tajik visa and visa registration;
- Divorce decrees/death certificates from previous marriages (divorce decrees need to be authenticated by the Department of State prior to submission;
- Affidavit of Eligibility certified by the U.S. Embassy Consular Officer stating that a U.S. citizen is free to marry (the affidavit must be authenticated by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan);
- Certified translation of English documents into Tajik or Russian (including the translation of the U.S. citizen’s passport data page).
Once the application is filed and approved, the ZAGS office will schedule the marriage date. The date is normally set for one month after the application is filed. Under extreme circumstances, ZAGS may grant exceptions. The ceremony takes place in the ZAGS office on the scheduled date.
On the wedding day, the parties must appear at the ZAGS office with two witnesses to sign the marriage register. After the ceremony, the newlyweds are presented with their marriage certificate.
Affidavit of Eligibility
The affidavit of eligibility to marry can be acquired at the U.S. Embassy Consular Section; the fee $50 USD. Click here to schedule an appointment. After the affidavit is obtained it must be authenticated by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan. The authentication fee is $20 USD (subject to change; please check with the MFA directly).
Requests for authentication are submitted to the General Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Room 11 and then transferred to the Authentication Section of the Consular Department. The following documents need to be submitted with the request for authentication:
- Written request for authentication of the document;
- Copies of both parties’ passport biographical data pages;
- Affidavit notarized by the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe;
- Copy of the U.S. citizen’s Tajik visa and visa registration;
- Copies of divorce decrees/death certificates from previous marriages;
- Certified translation of English documents into Russian or
Tajik (including the translation of the U.S. citizen’s passport data page).
Marriage in the United States to a Tajikistan National
If you wish to marry a citizen of Tajikistan and you are a U.S. citizen you may choose between marrying in the U.S. or in Tajikistan. If you choose to marry in the U.S., you must apply for a fiancée K-1 visa. Click here for information about how to obtain a K-1 visa for your fiancée. Additional information is available on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website.
Your New Spouse’s Immigrant Visa
Once your marriage is registered by the ZAGS office and the Tajik marriage certificate is issued, you may file Form I-130, Petition for an Alien Relative, for your spouse.
American citizen petitioners who reside in Tajikistan should submit their I-130 petition in the U.S. Please refer to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for detailed information on filing I-130.
Immigrant visas for citizen of Tajikistan are processed at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan. Visit their website for information about the visa process and required documentation.
Important Office Locations and Phone Numbers
Wedding House (Dom brakosochetaniya) – ZAGS available
Ismoili Somoni district, 224-1281/1279
ZAGS Administration
1 N. Karabaeva Street, 233-9476/9531
ZAGS – Shohmansur (Railway) district, 221-8974
ZAGS – Firdavsi (Central) District, 234-3926precious
ZAGS – Sino district, 237-3546
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Building
12 Bohtar Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Consular Department (passport section), 221-6034
Consular Department (visa section), 221-6103
Authentication (legalization) section, 221-6034
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Building
42 Rudaki Avenue, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
General Department, Room 11, 221-0551
Department of Visas and Registration (OVIR)
36/3 Negmat Karabaev Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
233-8686/7687/7688/7661/7657/7527
Certified translations are available at “Intourist” or “Business Center” companies at “Tajikistan” hotel, 22 Shotemur Street, Dushanbe, 221-6262/8228.
